Items from the May Collection.
Image courtesy of: Fferrone
Chicago designer Felicia Ferrone is known for presenting the unexpected through seemingly simple gestures. Working from both Chicago and Milan, she has built her practice on a simple philosophy of a great whole, the belief that “all aspects of design are interdependent, that nothing exists in a vacuum but always in relation to the environment, objects, and systems that surround it.”
May Collection, large glasses (set of two).
Image courtesy of: Becker Minty
Ferrone’s new collection, the May Collection, was designed in honor of her favorite month, May… when the season transitions from spring to summer. The beauty lies in the interior fluting of the hollow stem. With such an elegant design, the contemporary glassware design channels lightness and the “expressive freedom of the season.”
The collection has an inkling of both modern and vintage; and it is unlike other glassware collections in that the design evokes a feeling of nostalgia.
Drinkable liquids from wine to water to cocktails and soup appear to defy gravity with the floating effect of the hollow opposite side.
Image courtesy of: Design Milk
It was while studying in Milan as a young architect, and learning under the tutelage of design rock stars such as Antonio Citterio and Piero Lissoni, that Ferrone learned to “blur boundaries.” This new way to approach design and this new way of thinking and seeing has resulted in the designer’s first line of glassware, “Revolution.”
The innovative dual-sided design highlights what’s inside, making the contents inside look as though they are floating on the table. The idea came to Ferrone following an evening dinner party with close friends. Observing the evening through an “architect’s lens”, the glassware seamlessly reinvents the table’s landscape with its minimal architectural forms. The collection was designed in 2001 and introduced into the Art Institute of Chicago’s permanent collection in 2009.
Tulip Tall Medium from the Tulip Collection.
This collection was inspired by the small bistro wine glasses that are often found in European bars and cafes. The bowl of the glass sits down into the cylindrical stem, highlighting the intersection between the two. The collection comes with three different bowl sizes and five versions.
Image courtesy of: FFerrone
Every one of Ferrone’s pieces is hand-formed by master glassblowers without the use of a mold. The borosilicate glass allows for a range of hot and cold applications. An added plus, the glassware is oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe… meaning, it can be used everyday.
Bessho Caraffe. Caraffe holds 34 oz and has a height of 8″.
Handcrafted in Czech Republic, 2016.
Image courtesy of: FFerrone
Each collection is vastly different than the other, and we love the idea behind each name. For example, the Bessho Collection is named after the small town known for its hot springs’ healing properties… and the evenings spent there with good friends. Elegant and simple in both form and function, it is a wonderful collection for any beverage, be it lemonade or your aperol spritzer.
With a recently launched European Headquarters in Milan and the international namesake brand based in Chicago, we are positive there is a long future ahead for this progressive glassware brand… and we cannot wait to see what comes next!
