Hand-loomed,
set, signed.
Every piece begins as a length of cord and ends, in our view, as an heirloom. The work happens in five stages, none of them subcontracted, all of them signed. Each stage is exactly as elaborate as it sounds.
Cord, cast, and 18k plate.
The maison works in three materials. Vulcanized cord, the kind sold in fluorescent multi-packs at the craft store and elevated, here, to the status of a fine textile. Cast resin, hand-poured into the bauble form, then sanded and polished by hand. And brass, plated in 18k gold to a satin finish for the clasps and armatures.
No piece contains anything else. There are no findings purchased from a catalog, with the exception of the carabiner on the Attaché, which the maison admits is from a catalog, and which the maison has selected with care.
From cord to case.
Tensioning
Cord is mounted on the loom and tensioned by hand to seven-and-four-tenths newtons. Each colour has its own tension, recorded in the studio book in two crayons.
Loomwork
The piece is woven in a single continuous sitting using the maison's signature double-clove knot. Loom-time is between twenty minutes and three hours, with a permitted break of no longer than nine minutes. Music is encouraged. Conference calls held in the vicinity are tolerated, with conditions.
Setting
The cast resin bauble is set into the band and tested under load by tugging firmly. The setting is a friction-fit, supported by an internal brass armature. If the bauble survives the tug test, it advances.
Plating
All metalwork is brass, then plated in 18k gold to a satin finish. The plating is rated for daily wear, school commutes, and select sports. The maison re-plates at no charge.
Signature & Presentation
The piece is signed in pencil by the maker, traced over in gold pen by her mother, stamped with a serial, and registered in the ledger (a Moleskine, ruled). It is then prepared in its velvet case.
After the case
Every piece carries a Care Programme: complimentary re-tensioning, re-plating, and bauble replacement for the life of the piece, or until the founder turns ten, whichever proves more sustainable.
Looked after, in perpetuity.
Cord stretches with wear. Plating wears with love. The maison considers both an invitation back to the studio. Re-tensioning, re-plating, and bauble replacement are complimentary for the life of the piece. The atelier holds a record of every piece it has made (twenty-three to date); bring yours back, and it will be remembered.
Day-to-day, store the piece flat in its case, away from direct sunlight. Avoid lotions, perfumes, vacuum cleaners, and Franklin. Rinse in cool water if needed. The piece is not advised in the shower; the founder rarely showers, and considers this advice well-tested. If the piece is chewed, rinse warm. The piece is not a toy. The piece may, however, look like one.
Nine colors. One ledger.
The maison works in a fixed palette of nine vulcanized colors. Each is named, numbered, and recorded by hand in the studio book. New colors are admitted only by collection, and only after the founder has slept on it.