vip in the city

Introducing ENO

At The Conran Shop again for the United States launch of ENO, Édition Nouveaux Objets, “a collection of smart and eclectic designs for the home.”

The hand-picked assortment of 70+ pieces — no plastic allowed — brought together an international mix of 11 new and established designers, including Sebastian Bergne, Paola Navone, Laurence Brabant and Inga Sempé.

There was a MoMA Design store feel to the line: quirky and whimsical pieces like Arik Levy’s Gold Bar Door Stop ($79) and Book Stool – essentially a $39 cotton-nylon belt with which to bind together stacks of catalogues and magazines. Think of all the extra seating I could have in my apartment!

Other practical items included Gijs Bakker‘s $15 Windrider Bicycle Clip – PVC reflective bands used to wrap around a rider’s pants legs to keep them out of the bike chain — and Donata Paruccini’s wall-mounted grouping of large leather balls for hanging clothes.

I especially like these leather basket bowls by Douglas Legg (as it seems do the editors at House and Garden.)

Free-flowing Lillet cocktails added a festive air to the reception, and made everything look that much prettier. No Vesper martinis, though. (“Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large, thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?“)