THE MF TIMES | Marie France Van Damme

XL Boom

I discovered these objects in a small interior design store in Knokke years ago. Knokke is a very quaint little village in Belgium, my mother in law lived there. It has so many interior design stores, you would think all Belgians do is decorated their home over and over. And that’s exactly what many of them do...they have impeccable taste for the beautiful and practical. XL Boom is a Belgium based company with a focus on high-quality and handcrafted design. Founded by husband and wife, what is not to love about their products? View them here Read More

Jet Set Mindset, Travelling the World in Style

Castello Monte Vibiano

First we love the man, Claudio Castiglioni who introduced us to this delicious olive oil and it’s wonderful owner Lorenzo Fasola Bologna. “The best olives harvested after sunset,“ it’s not only great story but it is a great olive oil. I use it on everything! Read More

Words from Rolf - Lotus Arts de Vivre

I have lived in Thailand for almost 60 years. Over 38 years ago, I founded with my wife, Helen, our company Lotus Arts de Vivre. It was built on magnificent pieces of jewellery that took inspiration from Asian mythology and culture, with artisans seamlessly melding precious metals and jewels with organic materials such as ebony, seeds, nuts, seashell and bamboo. These pieces were – and still remain - one of a kind, breathing life into mythical beasts and ancient tales that abound in Asian culture. The desire to share the exotic stories of Asia and my personal travel experiences is what inspired me to both create and collect unique art pieces with a distinct identity. I travel around the world searching for... Read More

Les Odeurs

Saint-Pétersbourg: Une de mes villes préférées, l'odeur de l'Eglise orthodoxe Saint-Nicolas à l'heure de la messe, unique et inoubliable. J'ai retrouvé par hasard ce parfum dans une crème de corps Armani, Armani Privé Bois d'Encens. - One of my favorite cities, the scent at the Orthodox Church ‘Saint Nicolas’ at the time of mass, unique and unforgettable, I found by chance this scent in a body cream from Armani, Armani Prive Bois d’encens. - Marrakech: J'aime évidemment les odeurs du souk, les épices, le cuir, l'ambre… Que l'on retrouve chez l’Orientaliste (parfumeur). J'ai trouvé dans les souks, une crème pour le corps à la rose appelée Marie France, une crème très rose et qui garde pendant des années ses fragrances.... Read More

Interview with Luis - Luis Morais

It all started in 1998 in Miami, 22 years ago, you were still a teenager! What was it like in Miami Beach in the 90’s? It was the place to be, it was having it's revival after a long time of abandonment. Designers, artist and celebrities all flocked to the new places that were recently renovated and became famous again. There was a lot of novelty and newness in the air, fun times! Known for “Miami Vice”, old people’s place (for us Montrealer’s), Miami has now become one of the greatest cities in America. Tell me about your daily life I work out in the nature, swim in the ocean and ride my bike to work. Rarely drive. My studio... Read More

Vogue

Inside The Hong Kong Home of Fashion Designer Marie France Van Damme The Clear Water Bay house, with sprawling gardens overlooking the sea, represents a serene slice of Hong Kong Read More

Escape at Home

One phrase from our new world of Covid 19, that I have already learned to hate is: “Shelter in Place “ That ....is what you do at a bus stop ...when it’s raining. I prefer the words Cocooning or Cloistering . Why? Because they’re romantic. Being asked to stay at home is not the end of the world. Instead, try to think of it as something new and different. When did you last have all the time in the world?The answer, for most of us is ...never. So, Carpe that damn Diem! Now is the moment when you should use that silver coffee pot- that’s been sitting in a forgotten closet - together with your best porcelain – that you haven’t used since your wedding - and make your morning... Read More

Interview with Jonathan - Jay Ahr

Tell us about your journey - through India, Russia, China - what took you there? Love? I love to travel and am obsessed with discovering new cultures, crafts and ancient treasures of individual countries. India was the shahtoosh, jewellery and embroidery; Russia was yarn and manufacturing in enormous soviet-era factories; China for the discovery of infinite treasures. I am a nomad at heart and constantly curious for creative inspiration. Back in Paris, you founded Jay Ahr in 2005, what is Jay Ahr? The name 'Jay Ahr' is the phonetic spelling of my initials and initially I was dedicated to dresses, looking to create the dress as 'an object' with thousands of structural declinations. You could say it was my... Read More

Interview with Elad - L'Objet

Did you wake up one morning with the idea that you wanted to make - create beautiful objects? In Design School I studied Interior Design and when I moved to LA at the age of 22 I started working at a design firm where I got my first experience. I was very lucky to work on big projects that exposed me to the interior world and all the beautiful products from fabrics to furniture and accessories. I felt I had ideas and aesthetic for object that I couldn’t find in the market and decided to create some pieces. And how long did it take you before you launched your company L'Objet? The first capsule I made was of random tableware... Read More

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