The infinitely collectable pieces produced by this cult brand, from delicate ceramic bowls and pots to intricately designed teacups, never fail to add chic and integrity to a decorative scheme. In fact, one of Studio Beleta’s favourite pastimes is to browse the sky-high stacked shelves of the brand’s St Germain store (you’ll also find a shop on Rue Saint-Honoré, plus concessions in London, including at Liberty).
Co-founders Ivan Pericoli and Benoît Astier de Villatte met at Paris’ prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts, launching the brand in 1996. Their one-of-a-kind milky-white ceramics are deliberately imperfect and each handmade piece is inscribed with the initials of its maker as well as an interlaced ‘A’ and ‘V’.
‘Our idea was to create original, unique pieces that look as if they have been around forever. We get inspiration from the decorative arts, from vintage pieces that we find at the Vanves flea market, and even from objects that have been thrown away’
Ivan Pericoli and Benoît Astier de Villatte
The Parisian brand uses traditional moulding and stamping techniques to make every piece, comprising black terracotta that has been extracted from quarries in the Paris Basin. Once the piece is taken off the mould, its various elements are assembled and shaped by hand before the object is fired for the first time. It is then enamelled and fired for a second time. A long drying and making process means that it can take up to two weeks to produce a cup. Every piece is unique and many of the collections are timeless: we love the Adélaïde range, with its delightfully knobbly texture.
Astierdevillatte.com.
