Form and function are what a designer hangs their hat on. But as Vanessa Eckstein of Toronto-based Førs Studio likes to point out, “There is also sensuality and beauty.” Take one look at this teapot set, and you’ll get what she’s talking about. You could describe it as minimal, but it’s not austere–there’s movement to it, even a sense of whimsy. But it’s not an objet—it’s something you can use on a daily basis. And that’s what matters most.

“We subscribe to a Bauhaus philosophy—great design should be accessible to many,” Eckstein says. “And a well-designed object should last generations. You shouldn’t have to buy things frequently.”

Eckstein, raised in Argentina, launched Førs to the North American market in 2020 with her Paris-born partner, Muriel Solomon. The entire line of ceramic homewares was inspired by that scalloped tea cup you’re looking at. It’s an evolution of a design that Eckstein developed 20 years ago, inspired by a pre-Columbian ceramic mug she saw while traveling in Mexico.

“It just felt so contemporary,” she says. “I fell in love with its movement.”

Today, Førs’ distinct line of carafes, bowls, milk pitchers and teapots all gravitate toward that one cup. “The heart of the line is the cup,” says Eckstein. “The pieces nestle the cup, instead of the other way around. The cup is what you hold; it’s what’s closest to you.” Førs makes its pieces from bone china, the strongest of ceramics, meaning they won’t chip and can endure extremely high heat or cold. They make as much sense at home as they do in the hospitality industry.

Form and function, beauty and sensuality— a combination that is built to last.