Memories of Italy is a brand that brings together beautiful everyday items that have been used in Italy. The brand was launched by designer Kaori Shiina and her partner Riccardo Nardi. The two, who lived in Milan and spent busy days as designers, were particularly drawn to the Orcia Valley while traveling around the country. The COVID-19 outbreak prompted them to move there in search of a life closer to nature.

Onozawa Koichi has an atelier in Mashiko Town. His father collected pottery by contemporary artists, so Onozawa was always surrounded by ceramic works. Having experienced pottery-making as a student, he began to think about becoming a ceramic artist. His works are characterised by a rare technique called "totaishikki". This technique disappeared with the development of firing technology, but it was an appealing technique to Onozawa, who originally preferred ambiguous expressions different from glazes, even in his powdered and yakishime works.

Shuji Nakagawa of Nakagawa Mokkogei Hira Kobo is a rare artist who is always pursuing new possibilities while preserving the traditional techniques of wooden barrels. He is a traditional craftsman and an artist who studied art at Kyoto Seika University, majoring in three-dimensional modeling. Wooden barrels, which have been updated as "beautiful tools," go beyond the boundaries of traditional crafts filled with the wisdom of life and enrich our lives as usable art. The latest work, the "YORISHIRO" series, is a work that makes the most of the charm of wood as a material while making use of the techniques of wooden barrels. Its mysterious appearance evokes the strength and severity of nature, as well as sublime beauty.

Arezzo, Italy, is a small city located in the eastern part of Tuscany. It has a historical background in arts and crafts, and is a place where the essence of Italian craftsmanship lives on. Even today, the tradition of craftsmanship remains strong. One event where you can feel the respect for history and pride in the artisans is the Arezzo Antiques Market. It is one of the largest flea markets in Italy, held on the first Sunday of every month and the day before, and I felt like I was touching the living history of the artisans.

Saburo lived in Germany for about three years in his twenties. After returning to Japan, he decided to make a living as an artist, and in search of new possibilities for expression with glass, he started learning from scratch at the Toyama Glass Art Institute. The hardness of glass changes depending on the temperature. There are many different techniques for doing so, which give rise to a variety of different expressions. There is no other material that can express so many different expressions, such as "transparent/opaque," "cold/warm," "hard/soft." I find the myriad varieties of glass fascinating.

KEICONDO has been featured in the pop-up restaurant "Noma Kyoto" held at "Ace Hotel Kyoto" and has been ordered by top chefs and restaurants around the world. When he brought his yellow tableware to a gallery a long time ago, he was scolded and encouraged, saying, "Yellow tableware is difficult." Whether it's artistic cuisine or leftover pizza from a party the night before, it's tableware that makes food look delicious.

When the idea for VERNACLE was born, the first place we visited was the potter Kuroda. It was Taizo's atelier and home. The place is located on a small hill in Izu, and the representative Matsumoto A place that can be said to be the origin of the " Life Style " that Yuya experienced and admired...