I think there’s something special about pieces made slowly, by hand, and with care. For our latest blazer style, we teamed up with ceramic artist Wen Lyu, who shares our reverence for handcraft, to create the buttons for this design. Before founding her studio, Hand Island Craft, Lyu worked as a fashion designer; experience she now brings to clay, treating it almost like fabric and draping it to discover soft, fluid forms. I caught up with her in her studio to chat about clay, creativity, and the joy of making things that last.

Do you remember the first thing you made that made you think, okay, this is it, I’m hooked? 

Yes, it was my very first FLUIFORM Vase No.2, which is still shown on my website, but to be honest, I don’t want it to be sold haha. It’s made from black porcelain clay with randomly pouring glaze, creating soft shades of grey in a free and poetic way. I stillremember the moment it came out of the kiln, I was speechless. I was instantly drawn to its texture and how elegant the shape turned out. It remains my favourite piece to this day.

Do you have any little rituals before you start working. Music, coffee, something superstitious?

Music and incense, always. I need to clear my ear and my noise before diving into making. Recently, I’ve been enjoying songs by Sufjan Stevens and Rachael Yamagata, they’re both such beautiful singers and songwriters, and their music helps me find my calm quickly. I also love burning incenses from Kyukyodo, one of Japan’s oldest incense houses since 1600s. You can literally smell  the history behind their craft, it pairs so harmoniously with ceramics.

What was the most fun part about this project, and what was the trickiest?

The firing process is always the most fun for me. Opening the kiln is like unwrapping a gift, you never know exactly how it will turn out. I also really enjoyed the making process, to coil, twist, shape each button, it was so playful and satisfying. Honestly, I didn’t find anything particularly tricky, I always try to enjoy every step. If I had to pick one, it would be the glazing maybe, because it requires good control and a lot of testing before reaching the right result for production.

What do you hope people notice (or feel) when they see or touch these buttons?

Each button I made is one of a kind, and detail matters. I hope people who buy these beautiful jackets can feel the warmth of something handmade and notice the unique characters. Just like no two leaves are the same, every little button has its own subtle and beautiful differences, please enjoy them all!

Where do you typically find inspiration for your work and how has your work evolved over time?

Fashion and history are my two main sources of inspiration. Maybe it comes from my background as a designer and pattern cutter, I still love researching patterns, trims, fabrics, textures, and all the details of fashion pieces. These always inspire me in terms of shape, color, and surface design.

Who are some other makers, artists, or just cool people you look up to?

So many talented creators inspire me, artists, designers, even architects. I admire the elegance and control of Isamu Noguchi, the design philosophy of Issey Miyake, and the way Monet captures light and colour. The world is full of fresh perspectives and modern attitudes, it’s exciting to be surrounded by so much creativity.

And finally, what’s next for you? Any dream projects or experiments you’ve been itching to try?

I see being a ceramicist is a life-long journey. With such a deep history behind ceramic art, there’s still so much I want to explore and learn. I would define my main path continues to be the intersection of clay and fashion language. I’m continually developing new patterns and forms for my objects. It takes time, and often comes with failures, but that’s part of the process. I’m eager to see how my work evolves and how I can further systemize my design language through pottery.