With a new home in Perrins Court, Maud and Mabel offers an oasis of pared back charm in high-gloss Hampstead, helmed by former fashion stylist and gallery assistant Karen Whiteley
After four years in the Hampstead Antique and Craft Emporium Maud and Mabel has moved to its own gallery and shop peddling an understated, handmade selection of ceramics, throws, clothing and hand-carved wooden pieces.
USP
Whiteley’s impeccable eye for the beautifully crafted yet understated means that the shop is a conduit to artisanal homewares from makers both near and far. More than 40 artists and makers from the UK, Scandinavia, Italy and Japan, including Jane Bustin, Akiko Hirai and Abigail Schama, are stocked alongside up and coming talents. Whiteley tips south London potter Elliot Ceramics, Italian seamstress Valigi and Fukushima’s Kenta Anzai as ones to watch.
What’s the look?
Thoughtfully made everyday objects and collectables in a muted palette and clean lines.
“We celebrate imperfection alongside perfection and we covet the simple and the meaningful,” says Whiteley. “We marry elegant design with contemporary craft, and combine the old with the new. Aesthetics and functionality should go hand in hand, prioritising the very best in tactile but beautiful design. subtle beauty, and clean lines.
Best for
As their tagline suggests, head here for clay, cloth and wood. More specifically, hand-thrown bowls and mugs that mould to fit your hand; butter-soft cashmere from Umbria in Italy; featherweight wooden utensils; and hand-turned chopping boards and serving plates. Sue Pryke’s individually slipcast vitrified earthenware jugs and vases are particularly popular in navy blue, as are the Akiko Hirai stoneware ‘ponds’, which are real collectors’ pieces.
Who shops there?
A creative crowd drawn by the thoughtfully crafted objects. The central Hampstead location means that a high-profile clientele goes with the territory but in common with their discreet aesthetic, no names are spilled. Suffice to say you’ll be rubbing shoulders with actors, artists, musicians, designers and architects.
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