Boskke – Urban Gardening Design

With two-thirds of the global population expected to live in urban cities by 2050, people are increasingly looking for ways to reconnect with nature. After all, 82% of people in the UK say being surrounded by greenery makes them feel happier. But with life moving faster than ever, time and also space are increasingly limited. Boskke (meaning ‘little forest’ in old English) therefore set out with the mission to find new ways to gardening that appreciate the challenges of city living and to encourage greenery in our cities, homes and workplaces. “Boskke is derived from the old English word ‘bosky’ which means ‘a small forest’,” says Boskke cofounder Patrick. “And that’s exactly what you can create with our intelligent, eco-sensitive designs.”

Boskke is a London-based urban gardening product design firm that is not only one of the pioneers of ceiling gardening, but the studio has been developing urban gardening products since 2009. Co-founded by Patrick and Jake Morris, the two brothers hail from Matakana, New Zealand, where their family runs Morris & James, the country’s leading producer of hand-made ceramic pots and homewares. “Our parents have been making garden pots since 1977, so we grew up with ceramics,” says Jake. “Boskke is a continuation of our family heritage, but with a contemporary angle.”

The brand’s signature piece is the Sky Planter that Patrick designed in the final year of his degree in ceramic design at Central Saint Martins – the design won him the New Designer 2008 Award and the Red Dot Award in 2011.

In February, Boskke launched Flipped – a new planter that is both playful and deliberate in its design. Inspired by the way traditional plant pots are often stacked upside down when they’re not in use, the outer body works as a water reservoir, supplying moisture to the plant for up to two weeks using Slo-Flo irrigation technology.

MAVEN WATCHES – Minimalist Timepieces

Maven is a modern and minimalist watch brand inspired by its birthplace, Hong Kong. Surrounded by the city’s natural landscapes and urban architecture, the team of young entrepreneurs and designers created a collection that harmoniously blends the contrasting yet coexisting aspects and complexity of its birthplace. The result, the Urban Nature Collection, which includes two series, produced locally in Hong Kong by experienced craftsmen.

The Enduring Series features a genuine marble stone dial, with each watch carrying its own, unique birthmark. Defined by its beautiful marble face and modern aesthetic, the Enduring series features a high quality Swiss Ronda 762 movement embedded in a 316L stainless steel case.

The Artisan Series, in contrast, focuses more on the combination and construction of Hong Kong’s modern architecture and dynamism, creating a range that perfectly matches natural colours and earthy tones.

Maven will be spearheading the pre-launch of its Urban Nature Collection on Indiegogo, launching February 22nd, giving you the chance secure early bird discounts and pre-release purchases.

HORACE – The New Way of Grooming

Mint-flavoured Whitening Toothpaste by Marvis - LEARN MORE

Safety Razor Set by Mühle - LEARN MORE

Natural Shave Kit - LEARN MORE

Hand-picked Selection by Horace - LEARN MORE

Over the past few months, Paris has increasingly become a place of exciting encounters for us. During our last trip to Paris, we had the chance to sit down with Thomas Cerkevic and Jonathan Andrès, founders of premium leather goods brand RSVP. Our latest discovery is Horace – a new grooming and lifestyle destination that develops and offers daily essentials for today’s men.

“We’ve seen that to men, buying grooming products is an unpleasant experience,” says Horace co-founder Marc Briant-Terlet. “We develop and find the best products and make sure men are fully informed to make their decision.”

Horace carries a well-curated and well-considered selection of items, with products covering the entire grooming spectrum, from safety razors and shaving creams to hair treatments, cleansing gels and body moisturisers. Alongside some of the industry’s most trusted men’s grooming brands like Dr. Bonner, Baxter of California, Murdock London, Ren and Mühle, Horace also offers its own line of high quality care products, which currently includes flavoured toothpicks, a Binchotan toothbrush and a natural exfoliating face puff.

But Horace goes beyond just offering quality grooming products and a hassle-free service – Horace lets you order via messenger, offers re-order alerts and delivers within three hours in Paris.

The brand is adding a great layer to its experience. Its magazine and how-to guides are absolutely on point; they’re nicely written with the right advice, the right amount of humour, personal touch and insight. Our favourite articles include ‘How to rebalance your dry skin’ (how to) and ‘Why it’s time to shave it off’ (editorial). Go and see for yourself – the guys are doing great work.

YSTUDIO - Handcrafted Ballpoint Pen

Founded in Taiwan in 2012, Ystudio’s pens have become a staple piece in our office. For us, the studio’s ballpoint pen not only stands out for its quality and aesthetic, but also for the story it tells; designed and crafted to be lifetime stationery piece.
Seeking to design stationery objects that link past memories with modern life, Ystudio’s copper, bronze and brass pens are made to last a lifetime – with the thought of being passed down from generation to generation.

'In the hands, the brass, with the intense golden yellow, is gradually mild, deep with the ages, and piles up forefathers’ works full of wisdom; the feel, a bit heavy, always reminds us that we should honestly be responsible for every character we have written down.'

Founders Yi and Yanko believe in the value of simplicity. With a considered approach to object design – one that has a meaning; one that is intended to trigger people’s imagination; and one designed to be a part in people’s lives – each of Ystudio’s pens is hancrafted by local, Taiwanese craftsmen using traditional manufacturing techniques under the scorching heat in a furnace.