Welcome to The Curator, a newsletter companion to The Grand Tourist with Dan Rubinstein podcast. Sign up to get added to the list. Have news to share? Reach us at hello@thegrandtourist.net.
FOR THE DESIGN AFICIONADO
Molteni&C has reissued eight of Gio Ponti’s object designs, selected from the hundreds he sketched over his career. After years of reintroducing his furniture, the brand scales down to the architect’s more whimsical things, including a stainless steel six-fingered hand, origami-like animals, and wooden bottles. Our favorite is Pompei, a brilliant vase, candleholder, and sculpture made out of slender stainless steel tubes. molteni.it
FOR THE ONE WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR
Designed in 1967 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, the Snoopy lamp remains one of the most charmingly irreverent pieces in modern lighting. It’s named after the adorable cartoon character thanks to its cartoonish silhouette and off-kilter lean. The latest version from Flos comes in a deep navy blue. flos.com
FOR THE MINIMALIST
Originally designed in 1972 by Italian architect Sergio Asti for Heller, the Asti ice bucket is a classic example of functional minimalism. This newly reissued version comes in sleek, glossy recycled plastic. At $49, it’s museum-worthy design (it’s in the collections of the Philadelphia and New Orleans Museums of Art) with plenty of uses—a removable liner means it can double as a vase or storage. hellerfurniture.com
FOR THE EARLY BIRD
Sophie Lou Jacobsen, a podcast alumn, is hoping to make the little things in life feel a little more special. The French American designer’s new nine-piece Continental Collection reimagines your morning staples as sculptural objects somewhere between hotel silver and vintage Italian glassware. Think elegant glass espresso cups, jam jars, and a silver-plated toast rack. Comes in very giftable color combos. sophieloujacobsen.com
FOR THE STUDENT OF HISTORY
Out this month, Vitra: The Anatomy of a Design Company by Phaidon is a 400-page history of how a modest Swiss shopfitter became one of the most influential names in modern design. This design textbook is packed with unseen images and sketches from the Vitra archives. phaidon.com
FOR THE TABLESCAPER
House of Quentin Jones is the just launched design line from the British artist and filmmaker known for her surrealist high fashion videos and collages for the likes of Chanel and Louis Vuitton. The debut collection includes sculptural ceramics made with Lisbon artisans and embroidered tapestries crafted from antique silk saris in Jaipur. A favorite: the Wish Aperetivo Server, a quirky pedestal for small things.houseofquentinjones.com
A SPLURGE FOR YOUR SARTORIAL SOPHISTICATE
Cassina has partnered with Neapolitan tailoring legend Kiton on a limited edition of Le Corbusier’s iconic 1928 armchair, the Fauteuil Grand Confort. It’s upholstered in a gorgeous blue and burgundy cashmere and sits in a glossy frame. Only 120 of them were made. cassina.com
FOR AN EXCUSE TO CHEERS
Manhattan’s first whiskey distillery since Prohibition teamed up with designer Maximilian Eicke to create three very good reasons to retire your old barware. Each glass in the Max ID NY x Great Jones collection was hand-blown in Brooklyn and tailored to complement the Manhattan cocktail. greatjonesdistillingco.com
FOR THE HOST
Hermès tapped Japanese illustrator Ryo Takemasa to bring a bit of playfulness to the table with their Kaorumi set. Each piece in the 15-piece porcelain collection features a perfectly composed slice of fruit like orange, watermelon, or kiwi and is rimmed in gold. hermes.com
FOR THE EMERGING COLLECTOR
The Mattel Archive by Rizzoli offers a full-color trip through eight decades of American toy history, with reprints of original Mattel catalogs dating back to the ’50s. From the company that gave the world Barbie, Hot Wheels, American Girl, and Fisher-Price, it’s a dose of nostalgia accompanied by gorgeous bold graphics and retro typefaces. rizzoliusa.com
FOR AFTER HOURS
In 2021, fashion photographer Mert Alas decided to try his hand at spirits and ended up creating fashion’s favorite gin. Seventy One is a sultry, golden-hued liquor that rests for 71 nights in oak, sherry, and cognac casks—an unusual move for gin, but one that gives it its depth. Distilled with rare botanicals like the Queen of the Night flower, it’s a bold recipe that comes in an equally sexy bottle. seventyonegin.com
This year, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels brings a host of avant-garde performances to New York. Among the festival’s pack of innovators is choreographer Leïla Ka, whose work blends eternal concepts with contemporary moves.
British photographer Martin Parr knew how to observe and highlight aspects of culture and contemporary life in both humorous and refreshingly honest ways.
One of L.A.'s architectural treasures is taken over by an artist that uses color and design; India Mahdavi creates outerwear that makes rainy days a joy; and Jeanne Gang builds a recreational center in Brooklyn that's sorely needed.
