Gabriel & Jolie: Beloved Brand and Shop
“Fredericks & Mae is a design studio reveling in the art of the gift. We are committed to bringing objects into the world that prompt wide eyes, inexplicable delight, and full body chills. A well chosen gift can be a bolt of connection - a beacon that reminds us of our relationships. We are ever-vigilant for the commodification of joy and the dangers of material accumulation - but love to surround ourselves with a few well chosen beautiful things. Every mantle is an altar, each shelf a shrine, a coffee table a collection of things that tell a story about where we come from and where we want to go.” – Gabriel Cohen & Jolie SIgnorile
How and why did you start?
We met at Oberlin College - we had adjoining art studios and developed a "materials crush" on each other. We ended up moving to New York and were roommates for the first year – Fredericks and Mae developed in that shared living room – playing around and making things!
Three words that embody your brand essence:
Eat pray love.
Tell us a little about your product origins / manufacturing processes, and your favorite part!
Of the design process and how, perhaps it defines your brand experience: We make things that we love – in the beginning we made things that have muddled origins (arrows, kites, games...) but as we matured we sought to make a collection of housewares and gifts that people will live with in ongoing ecstasy.
Five things inspiring or influencing your design/creative process right now:
International hardware stores
Faberge eggs
Terence Conran Home Books
The Moravian Tile Factory
Buddhism
Do you ever feel overwhelmed, underwhelmed, or run-down creatively? How do you balance wellness and get on the ball again?
Gabe: Gotta get a lot of sleep, have time to step away and come back to it.
Jolie: Of course. Exercise and play are really important pieces of the puzzle for me. I play soccer, go to therapy, travel and un plug when needed. Boredom can be a nasty word, but I seek it out, and find its a very generative state for me.
In a so-called retail apocalypse, you’ve been running an amazing brick-and-mortar side of your business. How does the shop help your brand?
The shop is a space for a community of artists and designers to gather, it's an opportunity to experiment with new products and ideas, and it's a chance to present work we think is exceptional!
How do you approach stocking your shop?
We only carry things that are emotionally resonant – that make us smile, sigh, or dance.
Design heroes?
Ancient roman sculptors, Hieronymus Bosch, Gio Ponti, Hideyuki Oka, and Nature.
What’s on the horizon for this year? Any products or colors we should be on the lookout for?
More cutting boards, glass ware, and chef's knives.
What’s the most cherished object in your home?
Gabe: My Bed
Jolie: The holy trifecta are my plants, my cats, and my espresso machine.
