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Pleats Please Issey Miyake Opens in Tadao Ando’s First New York City Building

Pleats Please Issey Miyake, the label’s newest flagship, represents a confluence of pioneering Japanese design talent. Housed in the ground floor of 14 Kenmare Street—Tadao Ando’s first building in New York City—and designed by Tokyo-based studio Moment, the 2,224-square-foot flagship is all sharp lines and gleaming steel. Set atop rough concrete floors, its strict geometries encase glossy furniture and polished lighting rails.

Industrial sensibilities are complemented by textural nuances, like paneled walls composed of white molded resin with dimensions that nod to the brand’s signature pleating. Inside, Pleats Please Issey Miyake has debuted an exclusive location-specific collection of pleated tops, skirts, and dresses, entitled Soil & Leaf. The minimal space acts as a stage for the garments, and allows them to remain the center of attention.—David Graver

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Assouline’s Enrapturing Insider Look at Carbone

More than a decade ago, Mario Carbone, Jeff Zalaznick, and Rich Torrisi changed the downtown Manhattan culinary landscape with the introduction of Carbone, a vivacious “red sauce” restaurant that quickly captivated the city’s dining scene. Through impeccable storytelling from writer Gabe Ulla, compelling imagery by Oliver Pilcher, and more than a dozen recipes that have never been shared before, Carbone—published by Assouline as part of their Classics Collection this December—offers an insider look at the trio behind Carbone, and parent Major Food Group. Carbone makes clear that the restaurant’s success isn’t just about a hard-to-get table, but Italian-American nostalgia, an understanding of dining theater, and the pulse of luxury dining experience.—D.G.

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A Chopin and Felicia Ferrone Capsule Tailor-Made for a Cabinet of Curiosities

Amid the onslaught of art fair reflections and holiday gatherings that mark the festive season, so too does the conundrum of what to get the person in one’s life who seems to have it all. Fine spirits are a perennial favorite for good reason, and this year Polish luxury vodka distiller Chopin has added a touch of extra sparkle to its family reserve vodka by way of a collaboration with artisan glassware designer Felicia Ferrone. Named as a nod to Ernest Hemingway, the Ernestine Mini Martini Collection pairs Chopin’s finest vodka with four 3-oz. Martini glasses produced by hand in the Czech Republic. Their petite form—and intricate multi-stem construction—practically ensures they’ll have pride of place in even the most discerning collector’s cabinet of curiosities. —Jenna Adrian-Diaz

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Le Labo Lands Its Latest Transportive Home Fragrance

Whether or not this season transports you to the cozy environs of a cabin in the woods, Le Labo’s new Cyprès 21 candle will. Under the cypress wood topnotes are warming spices of juniper, clove, and star anise. A sensual base of incense and patchouli is as captivating as the smoldering embers of a bonfire under the stars.—J.A.D

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Vipp Brings Danish Modernism to Todos Santos

In collaboration with Mexico City-based design studio Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados (PPAA), Scandinavian design leader Vipp opened their first-ever bookable guesthouse outside of Europe this December. Set in the coastal environs of Todos Santos, with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, the 3,800 square-foot, five-bedroom home incorporates a rammed-earth construction that aligns with its natural surroundings. Further, the architecturally significant compound—composed of one main house, two connected guesthouses, a covered patio, an oasis-like rooftop pool, and a serene terrace—centers natural climate control and other sustainability efforts.

Cloos Mølsgaard looked to the exterior’s natural tones for harmony inside. They integrated custom furniture pieces that honored local crafts, and incorporated textiles and ceramics from the region. For a handcrafted touch, the window shutters were woven from branches of the local Palo de Arco tree. In dialogue with these natural elements is the inclusion of the modern minimalism of Vipp’s new anodized aluminum V3 kitchen, as well the brand’s furniture and lighting pieces. The property is Vipp’s 10th guesthouse, and their first in North America, albeit its picturesque position and the influence of PPAA make it unlike any other.—D.G.

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Suchi Reddy Brings Together 2,000 Shades of Color in Mumbai

To commemorate the launch of the world’s largest paint library, created by the multinational paint organization Asian Paints, Reddymade Architecture + Design founder Suchi Reddy imagined the vibrant installation Chromacosm, which debuted in Mumbai on December 17. The meditative experiential artwork is a celebration of color and dimension, drawing inspiration from ancient tantric paintings and alludes to the alignment of all colors. It invites viewers to step inside and features more than 2,000 shades of color, which emerge and then recede back to black as guests pass through. Chromacosm will be on view next at ADFF/STIRworld in Mumbai from Jan. 9-12, 2025, and then during the India Art Fair in Delhi during February 2025. —D.G.

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At the Neutra VDL House, Lily Clark and Lachlan Turczan Probe Perceptions

With the Neutra VDL House as their stage, LA-based artists Lily Clark and Lachlan Turczan conduct “Confluence,” a dazzling interdisciplinary art show that balances the tactile and intangible. The manipulation of water is an integral component to both sculptors: through her mesmerizing practice, Clark calls attention to the liquid’s archetypal, droplet form. For Turczan, water is a medium with which to depict invisible natural forces like sound waves. While Clark’s approach is water first and vessel second, Turczan often uses his revelatory creations to sculpt the water itself. —D.G.