Jamie Leilani Pelayo defines luxury differently than most. After leaving an illustrious career in high-end fashion, beauty and lifestyle, she founded Stories + Objects, an immersive storytelling platform that showcases the mastery of creators and cultivators around the world through a series of short films.

For Pelayo, the essence of luxury is captured in the narratives of artisans like Basque craftsman Jean-Jacques Houyou, Cuban tobacco farmer Hirochi Robaina, salt worker Brice Collonier from the French island of Île de Ré and Mathieu Brees, a chocolatero living on the Peninsula de Yucatán in Mexico.

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Learn about the stories of these artisans and the exquisite objects they create below and at storiesandobjects.com.

THE STORIES

A LOOMING LEGACY

Sumba, Indonesia

Peda Wei Awang and Diala Rade are ikat weavers from the island of Sumba in Indonesia. Ikat weaving is a daily part of life where the tapestry-like fabrics, whether in simple color stripes or more elaborate symbolic designs, are worn as garments, carried as family or village crests, gifted during celebrations and more recently traded with visitors to the island. The island weavers typically produce double ikat which is considered to be the most difficult to design and most highly valued. (4:32)

AN ARTISAN WAY OF LIFE

Ubud, Bali

Ni Made Rentini is a jewelry artisan employed at John Hardy, a luxury jewelry brand established in Bali, Indonesia in 1975. John Hardy is known for its dedication to preserving the traditional arts of the Balinese culture through its hand-crafted jewelry made exclusively from ethically sourced gemstones and reclaimed silver and gold. Rentini has mastered the craft of chain weaving over the twenty years she has spent working at the company. She likens her work process, although more complicated in the nature of its design and materials, to that of the weaving skills passed down from generation to generation and used in the communities to fashion the offerings for daily temple rituals. (5:55)

THE DHOW OF TIME

Sur, Oman

Aly Gomaa Al-Erimy comes from a long lineage of shipbuilders based in Sur, Oman where handcrafted ships, various types of dhows synonymous with ancient trade, have been constructed for several hundreds of years. The Al-Erimy family continues this tradition with the youngest generations of the family who learn by observing the hired craftsman build two commissioned ships a year within the yard. (2:40)

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THE MYTHIC MILK

Dhofar, Oman

Suhail Al-Mahri is a Bedouin guide living in Salalah, Oman. Al-Mahri is from Oman’s largest tribe of Bedouins, the Al-Mahri, from which he takes his name. Bedouins usually spend harvest season taking shelter from the heat, wind or even rain within the caves of the wadis where the resin is found. Al-Mahri, along with many of his tribesmen, continues to believe in the medicinal and mythic attributes of frankincense, known locally as Al-Luban, meaning “from milk.” (4:58)

FORGED FROM THE PAST

Nara, Japan

An expert knife maker and the fourth-generation owner of the Kikuichi company, Ikuyo Yanagisawa was born into a 750-year-old tradition of sword making. Continuing in her family’s history of masterfully made knives, Yanagisawa is ensuring that the highest quality of handmade craftsmanship distinguishes Kikuichi in the ever expanding global knife-making market. (6:11)

THE TEMPLE’S TOILERS

Bangkok, Thailand

Mayuree Sueriserm was born into the craft of making alms bowls by hand in the village of Ban Bat, where the tradition has subsisted since a royal decree in the 18th century. Sueriserm left school at an early age to work amongst her family and became one of the few women to master each step of the arduous process of bowl making. Her daughter, Maneerat Nakrat, is now working alongside her to ensure their craftsmanship continues to be relevant for the benefit of the community artisans and the devout Buddhist monks who use these bowls. Ban Bat is the last of the villages to preserve this invaluable cultural legacy. (4:54)

A WEAVER’S VILLAGE

Buldan, Turkey

The sound of the loom is the signature song of the town of Buldan, a well-known weaver’s enclave in the inner Aegean region of Denizli, Turkey where the tradition is believed to date to Roman times as far back as 800 BC. For much of the past, cotton sourced from nearby fields traveled into the village where nearly every home had a hand loom and at least one family member contributing to the making of local peshtemal garments and towels. Today, much of the work is done by modern machines in large, regional factories, while only a small group of weavers, from ages 20 to 93, continue to make the homespun creations by hand or by mechanized work benches. (5:52)

THE EXPRESSIVE KIMONO

Kyoto, Japan

En Isomoto manages production for Chiso, a Kyoto-based, Yuzen-dyeing fabric and kimono house founded in 1555. His role is to ensure the continuation of the invaluable artistry of traditional dyeing techniques, including the hand-crafted, bespoke silk kimono masterpieces that his team of designers, draftsmen and craftsmen specialists create over a period of four weeks to 18 months, depending on the intricacies of the design. (7:10)

THE MAIWAI SPIRIT

Kamogawa, Japan

Kosuke Suzuki is a Japanese maiwai master teaching his son, Riki, the craftsmanship skills necessary to continue the 200-year-old tradition of ceremonial garment making. The hand-painted and hand-sewn kimono and hanten jackets made in their Kamogawa atelier are meticulously crafted by applying methods honed through years of observation and deliberate practice. (7:31)

THE VALLEY OF VANILLA

Taha’a, The Society Islands

Ilanda Hioe is a vanilla farmer on the island of Taha’a in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. She cultivates vanilla on a piece of land that her family has owned and farmed for over 100 years. The vanilla orchid and its beans grow plentiful on the island with Hioe and her family tending to the vines in a traditional manner, never employing unnatural techniques to hasten the growth or the drying process. (4:57)

A BLACK PEARL

Fakarava, Tuamoto Atolls

Hugo Dariel is a second-generation pearl cultivator on the Tuamotu Atoll of Fakarava in the French Polynesia. The culture of pearling made its way to the atolls just over 30 years ago, with Hugo’s parents serving as the pioneers on Fakarava. Although the pearl produced by the Polynesian black lip oyster, pinctada margaritifera, is relatively new to the pearl cultivation world, it is the only cultured pearl that nature works in mysterious ways to produce in a spectrum of hues, shapes and sizes. (7:46)

A TURKISH ROSE

Isparta, Turkey

Esengül Artisoy is a rose harvester living in the village of Senir, near Isparta, Turkey. The rose harvest, starting in May, is her favorite time of the year. The blooms are plucked before the sun dries the precious oil contained within the Rosa x damascena—one of the two types of roses that produce the oil. Turkish farmers are responsible for some 60 percent of the world’s annual rose harvest. (4:51)

THE NOBLE CACAO

Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Mathieu Brees is a chocolate maker, living on the Peninsula de Yucatán, Mexico. Originally from Belgium, Brees fell in love with chocolate at an early age and wanted to explore the Central American, Mayan roots of the beloved confection. (4:46)

AN ANCIENT TANNERY

Fès, Morocco

Mohammed Abdullatif is a master tanner from the venerable city of Fès, Morocco. The traditional techniques employed by the craftsmen are a testament to the artisans’ skills and passions, passed down from their forebears. (5:53)

A BASQUE ATELIER

Euskal Herria

Jean-Jacques Houyou is an artisan fabricant, or craftsman, making espadrilles in the French Basque Country. Called espartinak in Basque, the shoes are a style of footwear closely linked to his Basque ancestry and are fashioned from natural cotton, jute and rubber. (7:10)

THE LEGACY OF TOBACCO

Pinar del Rio, Cuba

Hirochi Robaina is a fifth-generation tobacco farmer in Vuelta Abajo, Cuba’s illustrious, tobacco-growing region, situated in San Luis, Pinar del Río. Following the traditions of his ancestors, and most notably of his grandfather Don Alejandro Robaina, Hirochi is at the helm of La Finca El Pinar Robaina, perhaps the most famous tobacco farm in the region, if not the world. (6:02)

THE ART OF SALT

Île De Ré, France

Brice Collonier is a salt worker, or saunier, who collects salt on the French island of Île de Ré in a tradition that dates back to the 12th century when it was introduced by Cistercian monks. (7:15)

THE OBJECTS

The Objects are a collection of exclusive collaborations made by the creators and cultivators featured on Stories+Objects. Each item has been handmade, handcrafted or hand-harvested to the highest standards in each destination and offered by S+O as a souvenir to complement the storytelling experience.

Sumbanese Ikat

These featured double weave ikats were crafted by the women of Sumba. The first selected design depicts the fabled Sandalwood Arabian horses, found only on the island after first being introduced by Arab traders who brought them in harvesting the trees which were once found throughout the island. The second ikat’s pattern features skull trees, a depiction that harkens back to the island’s nearly abandoned culture of head-hunting. The chosen designs are rarely found on the island and were hand selected by S+O’s founder on her trip to the island. Ten percent of the ikat sales proceeds to benefit the Sumba Foundation.  Additional designs can be sourced by inquiry at [email protected]

JOHN HARDY CLASSIC CHAIN COLLECTION

One of John Hardy’s first collections descended directly from traditional Balinese chain weaving. Chain weaving has been present in Bali for centuries, and became more and more complex and beautiful as methods flowed along the spice trade routes between Indonesia, India, China, and beyond. Each Classic Chain is the work of a single artist, from start to finish, giving each object slightly different contours, movement and feel. Silver and gold links are still woven by hand, and the finished chain is kneaded and polished. It takes four hours to weave one inch of the Classic Chain. Available readily in reclaimed silver or gold and in various gemstone combinations on their website or personalized to meet one’s own aesthetic vision by inquiring

 

OMANI DHOW SHIPS

Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, the Al-Erimy family continues to craft  wooden dhow ships perfected by hand in Sur, Oman. Please contact Stories + Objects should you be interested in information on commissioning a ship.

OMANI FRANKINCENSE

Sourced directly from the traders at Salalah’s famed souk. This frankincense blend contains the two highest grades, Hoojri and Najdi, both harvested in the green mountains and rocky deserts of the Dhofar region by traditional methods used by local Bedouins for thousands of years. Available exclusively on S+O in a limited edition of thirty 200 gram bags. $65

JAPANESE SANTOKU CULINARY KNIFE

This Santoku all-purpose culinary knife was created by the Kikuichi Company following long-standing traditional practices of Japanese knife craftsmanship. Using the highest quality grade of blue carbon steel, this knife was meticulously constructed in sixteen steps by the artisans of Sakai and Nara. Exclusively available on Stories + Objects in a limited edition of fifty knives accompanied by a wooden box for storage and camellia oil for maintenance. $425

BAN BAT BUDDHIST ALMS BOWLS

These Buddhist alms bowls were made by hand in the village of Ban Bat located in the old city center of Bangkok. S+O presents two types of artisan crafted bowls representing the bowls commonly used by both sects of Thai Buddhist monks. Forged by hand, the Maha black lacquered bowl is seven inches in diameter at the rim while the Dhammayut stainless steel bowl is nine inches in diameter at the rim. Each bowl is paired with a wooden base for display. Starting at $225.

BULDAN PESHTEMAL TOWELS

These cotton peshtemals were woven by father and son, Turgut and Ahmet Efeoğlu, in the town of Buldan for Stories + Objects. Traditionally used in the Turkish bath, these lightweight towels are also perfect for the beach and poolside. Sold in a set of two oversized towels with a S+O signature canvas duster bag.

SILK KIMONO

Given the very personal nature of the expressive kimono, Stories + Objects believes the design process is a journey in itself. We are offering our viewers a unique opportunity to join us in Kyoto, Japan to work with Chiso’s Sohya bespoke kimono atelier to create a kimono that speaks to your personal tastes and desires.

MAIWAI JACKET

This hand-painted and hand-sewn Japanese maiwai hanten jacket was created by maiwai master, Kosuke Suzuki and his son, Riki, for their family owned atelier named Suzusen. The Suzuki family are one of three families continuing in the tradition of making these boldly colored statement jackets and kimonos worn as a festival garments by Japan’s highly esteemed fishing community. Each hanten jacket is made to order for Stories+Objects in a process that takes two to three months.

TAHA’A VANILLA BEANS

These vanilla beans were farmed on the Vanilla Isle of Taha’a where nearly eighty percent of Tahitian vanilla is produced. This organic vanilla, of the highest culinary quality, was grown in the open air and allowed to naturally dry under the South Pacific sun. Each vial contains two beans harvested in late 2016 in a numbered edition of fifty.

FAKARAVA PEARL NECKLACE

This pearl necklace features a singular large cultured pearl sourced from the UNESCO biosphere reserve, Fakarava, by a family of pearl farmers using the traditional cultivation techniques introduced to the islands in the ’60s. The pearl is strung on a matte black rubber strand for an understated, modern feel. Available exclusively at Stories + Objects in an edition of twenty necklaces.

PERSIAN ROSE WATER

This pure Persian Rose Water was made from Mohammadi roses, the local name for Rosa x damascena. The roses are cultivated near Kashan, Iran by traditional farming and double-fired copper distillation methods, producing the highest quality rose water in the world. This 30ml bottle can be used as both beauty tonic and for culinary purposes. Available only through Stories + Objects in a numbered edition of one hundred.

TURKISH ROSE OIL

An exclusively formulated Turkish rose oil is made from organically harvested Rosa x damascene (the hybrid Damask rose, known for its fine fragrance) in the Isparta Province. Too potent on its own, the precious rose oil has been expertly blended with other highly beneficial oils of macadamia, apricot kernel, sweet almond and avocado.

CRIOLLO CACAO BAR

The Mayan cacao bar was exclusively made to include organic criollo cacao, Mexican vanilla and melipona honey harvested from stingless bees indigenous to the Yucatán region.

LEATHER TOTE

These handmade totes are crafted in the Moroccan city of Fès by leather artisans following exacting methods passed down from generations.

ESPARTINAK

Handcrafted in the Mauléon atelier of Basque shoemaker Jean-Jacques Houyou, these striped canvas espadrilles were notably worn by tileworkers but reached iconic status when early 20th century artists and bon vivants adopted the style.

CIGARO PURO HUMIDOR

The Cigarro Puro Humidor is exclusively designed in fragrant Spanish cedar and stone clay. Each comes with a souvenir cigarro puro hand-rolled in the illustrious tobacco region of Pinar de Río, Cuba.

GROS SEL

Île de Ré Gros Sel, or coarse salt, consists of large crystals and has a subtle flavor and crisp texture that makes it perfect for cooking.

FLEUR DE SEL

Île de Ré Fleur de Sel is a pure white salt hand-harvested by sauniers under precise condi-tions in the summer afternoons. The fine granules harbor an explosive taste that make the choice finishing salt.

Learn more at storiesandobjects.com

STORY IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRIAN SOKOL
PRODUCT IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHED BY DIMITRI NEWMAN

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