Boat International - May 2018

PHOTOGRAPHY: RYAN WEST

BOAT LIFE

AboutthreeyearsagoIcameacrossaverydarkindigo,

two-buttonblazerbyDriesvanNoten–classicallycut,

butinasubtlyquiltedfabric.Itwasloveatfirstsight.

Wearenowinourfourthyeartogether,theDriesblazer

andI.IthasbeenpairedwithtrainersandT-shirt;ithas

attendedformaldinnersoveraSunspelcottonshirtandtie;ithas

beenrolledupinhandluggagemoretimesthanisprobablyfair.

Itravelanawfullot,andthediverseactivitiesinasingleday

makeitnecessarytogivethoughttowhatyoupack.Thisblazer

islightenoughtowear,ondeck,inthestrongestMediterranean

sun;ithasenoughdecentpocketstomakeittheperfectflight

companion;theSanforisedfabricmeansthatdustfromasite

visitbrushesofintimefordinner;thetextureintheclothmeans

itwearscreasesbeautifully;ithasnoshoulderpad,allowingfor

shoulder luggage to be carried without ruining the structure.

Despitethesoftshoulder,itdoesn’tlookshapeless.

AllthisistheproductofthequietgeniusofAntwerp’sgreatest

creativeexport(andremindsmewhyDriesisonourwishlistof

collaborators).IhaveotherjacketsIlove.Justnotquitelikethisone.

This Alvar Aalto flower vase was given

to me for my 21st birthday and I still

have it today. It has a unique shape

inspired by waves in the water. When

you arrange a bunch of tulips they always

fall naturally; even when they begin to flop

they are supported by the curves.

I studied architecture and Aalto himself is

one of my heroes. I used to spend my summer

holidays as a child in Finland, in the centre

by the lakes. Aalto was inspired by Finland ’s

rugged and beautiful countryside and this

vase brings back all these memories.

This series of glass vases also won him

first prize in the 1936 Karhula-Iittala Glass

Design Competition: compared to the

decorative objects of the time, the simple yet

organic shape of this vase was a revolutionary

statement. To this day, each piece is still mouth

blown by the factory, Iittala.

Sally Storey, founder and design director of Lighting

Design International, chooses the Alvar Aalto vase

James White, co-founder of

design studio March & White,

picks a Dries van Noten blazer

http://www.boatinternational.com | May 2018

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