Eve Kaplan | Ceramicist

New-York based ceramicist Anina Major has developed a 'clay recipe' that allows her to plait the material in the same manner that straw weavers would plait palms, a traditional method passed down through generations of enslaved people forcibly transported to the Bahamas from West Africa. Her artisanal skills, often realized on a vast scale, have caught the attention of the judges of the prestigious Loewe Craft Prize 2025, earning her a much-coveted spot on the shortlist.

Hudson Valley-based ceramicist Eve Kaplan resisted the inexorable pull of clay for many years, despite natural artistic talent and a strong family history (her mother was a potter). After a successful career in gilding and antique furniture restoration, she finally answered her calling and retrained in pottery. With major endorsements from galleries and leading designers - Michael S. Smith was one of her first clients - she is now a full-time ceramicist, and much in demand.

Gyokusendo is a 200-year-old company specialized in tsuiki, or hand-hammered copperware. Located in Tsubame city in Niigata Prefecture, a region where metalworking has been carried out since the Edo period, the workshop produces handsome kettles, tea wares, cups, coffee kettles and drippers, all made entirely by hand. The seventh representative of the founding family is now at its helm.

Lucía Echavarría founded Magnetic Midnight, her accessory brand as a way to approach Colombian crafts through a whimsical and contemporary aesthetic. After a decade, her query into traditional techniques demanded a change of scale: last year she presented her first furniture collection, Magnetic Midnight Maison, for which she put together different Colombian artisanal techniques to create unique pieces made by local communities. Lucía Echavarría has also designed an exclusive range of hand-woven home pieces in collaboration with Cabana.

Inspired by a dream in which she was visited by the Vodou Iwa (deity) Erzulie, Mireille Delismé found her voice manifested in the form of Drapo Vodou - bead and sequin embroidered flags that reflect their African, Indigenous and Catholic heritage. Her father, an oungan (Vodou priest), interpreted the message to be from the spirit of love. Represented in the Vodou tradition by a heart, Delismé used the symbol in her first hand-beaded drapo. These historic tapestries convey the iconography of evolving Haitian Vodou religious practices and are understood today as contemporary masterworks of Folk Art.

Prune Faux discovered her passion for feathers while studying in Paris, leading her to train under renowned plumassière, Nelly Saunier. After honing her skills at prestigious ateliers, including Lemarié for Chanel, she founded her own business in Provence, where she’s been crafting feather art for over a decade. Inspired by her surroundings and the natural vibrancy of feathers, Prune combines meticulous technique with boundless creativity, creating bespoke pieces for her clients from her studio and boutique.

Katrin Moye transforms historical ceramics into contemporary stories, blending hand-painted designs with personal and societal themes. Inspired by 16th to 18th-century European pottery, her work revives traditional forms like posset pots and pharmacy jars, infusing them with wit and modern relevance. Through her crafted earthenware, she explores identity, history, and the evolving relationship between people and objects, bringing the past to life.

In the bustling studio of Fromental, Lizzie Deshayes crafts exquisite needleworks, drawing on a rich tapestry of family craftsmanship and personal artistic exploration. Co-founder of Fromental alongside her husband, Tim, Lizzie interweaves her lifelong affinity for handcrafted textiles with contemporary design, creating tapestries that resonate with historical depth and modern elegance.

Meeting Catherine Rochtus is like stepping into the heart of her craft—a celebration of nature’s quiet elegance and the joy of creation. The Belgian jeweller transforms stones gathered during Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese ritual of forest bathing, into exquisite, bespoke pieces replicating the natural world. Her atelier within Axel Vervoordt’s Het Kanaal project reflects her philosophy—a space where craftsmanship meets creativity and purist simplicity.

In Milan, there are two historic streets with seductive names: ‘Via dei Fiori Chiari’ (Street of light flowers) and ‘Via dei Fiori Oscuri’ (Street of the dark flowers). Not far from here, you will find the tiny boutique ‘L'Erbavoglio’, where you can buy the creations of Elisabetta and Laura: marvellous ornamental flowers carved from metal sheets and inspired by 19th century botanical models.

Sonam Choki must be one of the most inspiring unsung education leaders in the world. Over two decades ago, alongside her father, she founded Bhutan's renowned Choki Traditional Art School to foster and encourage a practical knowledge of Bhutanese art and craftsmanship. Focusing on endangered crafts, the school is dedicated to both the ongoing revival of Bhutanese arts and social enterprise.

The San Patrignano Community, located in the Emilia Romagna region, is a pioneering institution in the fight against drugs, known by Italians for its controversial historical vicissitudes and visionary founder. Internationally, this haven for victims of addiction has a different reputation: one of excellence in various niches of craftsmanship, including an exemplary handmade wallpaper workshop.