The Still Summer: A Gentle Alchemy of Quiet European Luxury | Part 1 of 4
- Florènia Magazine
- Jul 9
- 4 min read
For the moments of breath, texture, and quiet across Europe.
There is a particular kind of summer stillness that doesn’t chase heat or spectacle. It’s not the summer of rooftop parties or crowded coastlines, but something slower — a breeze through linen curtains, the weight of a ceramic cup in your hand, the quiet hush of a room curated for calm, an easy step in a bespoke sandal.
This week in The Collection, we explore that stillness through four independent European companies. Each creates not just beautiful things, but sensory moments. Together, they speak to a quieter summer — one where we choose fewer, finer pieces that invite touch, presence, and rest.
Let us guide you through a tactile journey of ceramics, textiles, footwear and interiors — each cool to the touch and steeped in craft.
🏺 Glosters
📍 Porthmadog, Wales
In a seaside town nestled along the north coast of Wales, Tom and Myfanwy Gloster have built something quietly special. Their pottery studio, Glosters, is a celebration of daily objects made beautifully — mugs, jugs, and tumblers that are hand-thrown, glazed, and finished in-house.
Their pieces speak in soft, neutral tones: muted blues, warm greys, pebble whites. But their true magic lies in the way they feel — smooth, balanced, substantial. Each tumbler is made to be held, not just admired. It’s an object that grounds you, anchors you in the present moment.
“We desing and produce a range of contemporary ceramic homewares for those who enjoy using beautiful, functional products made with care.”
In a world of fast design and throwaway goods, Glosters remind us that the most humble object — a cup of tea, a small bowl of fruit — becomes extraordinary when made with intention.
👣 Sandalenwerkstatt Freiburg
📍 Freiburg, Germany
In the sun-drenched foothills of the Black Forest, an old-world craft quietly endures.
At Sandalenwerkstatt Freiburg, sandals are still made by hand — slowly, precisely, and one pair at a time.
The workshop is small, almost monastic, and its ethos is one of purity: natural materials, thoughtful design, no shortcuts.
Each pair begins with a leather sole and an outline of your foot. The sandals are then cut, shaped, and assembled using traditional techniques, with fine vegetable-tanned leathers sourced from responsible tanneries in Germany and Italy. There is no flash here — no logos, no trends — just the elegance of form following function.
But what sets Sandalenwerkstatt apart is not just craftsmanship. It’s custom fitting.
The workshop offers a rare service: bespoke sandals, sculpted to your feet. Visitors to Freiburg can book an appointment in the studio, where the sandal-maker — often founder Franziska Müller herself — will measure, adjust, and tailor the pair precisely to your gait and arches. The result is something wholly personal: summer shoes that feel like walking barefoot on soft ground.
“The principal idea of the shop: To offer a meaningful product, work self-determined, a good deal of customers are friends, family and acquaintances.”
In a season of heat and haste, Sandalenwerkstatt offers a quiet invitation: slow down, and walk with care.
🌾 Maison Le Roy
📍 Normandy, France
Nestled in the heart of Normandy—the epicentre of French linen production—Maison Le Roy specialises in premium flax fabrics crafted with generations of textile expertise. Founder Annick Le Roy sources flax from local farms, transforms it into fine linens, and curates collections of bedding, tablecloths, and upholstery textiles—all woven and dyed in France.
Linen, known as the “Queen of fabrics,” is celebrated here for its extraordinary resilience, breathability, and natural history. According to Maison Le Roy:
“Linen is a large part of history, tradition, craftsmanship and my childhood memories. For me, linen is the fabric of history as well as the future...”
Their range spans from ethereal draping linens to mid-weight cloths ideal for bedding or tabletop use—each piece machine-washable and guaranteed to soften over time. This textile tradition, rooted in Normandy’s flax fields, places Maison Le Roy at the heart of The Still Summer, offering materials that cool the skin and elevate the senses with age.
🏗️ OYO Architects
📍 Ghent, Belgium & Barcelona, Spain
Nestled with studios in Ghent and Barcelona, OYO Architects, founded in 2011, specialises in creating spaces where people can thrive by exploring new and meaningful ways to live and work together. Their approach is holistic, balancing social, environmental, and economic sustainability in every project.
Architecture, for OYO, is celebrated for its surprising, innovative, robust, community-driven, and highly performative nature.
As OYO Architects emphasises:
"We aim to build generous homes, thriving communities, and regenerative industry by reimagining homes as well-being sanctuaries, designing spaces that encourage connections and interactions among residents, and creating industrial ecosystems that function as a living part of the environment."
Their work spans diverse projects, each designed to foster well-being and interaction and integrate seamlessly with its environment. With a multidisciplinary team of 25 designers, architects, urban planners, and consultative specialists, OYO Architects is dedicated to crafting environments that are not only functional but also deeply connected to their surroundings.
✨ Final Note
This week’s collection is not about trends. It’s about sensation. Each of these pieces — a ceramic mug, a pair of sandals, a linen or a well-being sanctuary — connects us back to our senses. They ask nothing from us except presence.
As summer stretches out in golden stillness, we invite you to pause. To feel. To let objects remind you that beauty begins with touch.