Meet the Maker: Stunning Portuguese Flatware from Cutipol

Last year, we traveled to Portugal, and the trip was a revelation.  The country, which for years was ruled by the Estado Novo dictatorship, is now in the midst of a spectacular design renaissance.  Everywhere you see the contrast between traditional Portuguese buildings festooned with centuries-old tiles and clean, modern design.  There’s also a move to bring the country into the future, but there are strong traces of a Portuguese point of view.

Here’s an example.  At the Six Senses in Douro Valley, one of the hotels where we stayed, they carefully renovated an existing manor house from the 19th century to minimize the impact on the hills and the surrounding villages.

So while the exterior looks like this …

… the interiors are much more streamlined.  Even then, the dichotomy prevails.  While the guest rooms are outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize the views of the wine country …

… the more intimate reception areas (like the dining rooms, the wine library, and the spa) are all authentically furnished with distressed woods, copper cookware, and local artisan craft.

In Lisbon, we experienced something similar.  While the city is more cosmopolitan, the bars, the restaurants, and the new buildings all share a confident Portuguese streak: one that is more streamlined, but retains influences from the past and includes nods to former Portuguese possessions like Brazil, Mozambique, Goa, and Macau.

One of our many finds on this trip was Cutipol flatware.  Made by a family-owned company in the village of Sao Martinho de Sande, these sleek pieces are (very affordable) jewelry for the table.  The slender handles are so refined, they’re almost sculptural.  And the clear Asian bent (almost every collection sports flatware sets) means it’s at home anywhere in the world.

So much so, they were prominently featured at the 2017 Met Gala, honoring Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons:

By combining sleek design with hand crafting, Cutipol is perfect for today’s world: a seamless merging of new and old across all four corners of the world.  We’re really proud to be introducing it at Gracious Style!

Here’s what you need to know about Cutipol.

1. The collections are designed in-house by Jose Joaquim Ribeiro, a member of the Cutipol family.

More than forty years ago, he was asked by his father for help in guiding the company into the future; his love for architecture is evident in his designs.

2. Cutipol’s signature Goa collection is available in impossibly gorgeous colors including black, blue, brown, grey, pink, red, and white.

3. This is the kind of flatware you want to use to show off your molecular cooking.  Here it is being used by chef Aitor Zabala at Somni, his new restaurant with Jose Andres inside the SLS Beverly Hills:

4. The collections are grounded in traditional design, so they work well on traditional tables.

5. Asian pieces are available in almost every collection.

6. Cutipol flatware is available in different finishes (including stainless steel, black, copper, gold, and rose gold), all of which are dishwasher safe.

7. Cutipol flatware is spectacular for weddings, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations.  Here’s a shot of an event by Casa de Perrin, a fabulous rental company in Los Angeles:

8. You’ll probably be the only person you know who’s ever heard of Cutipol.  Unless, of course, you’re friends with someone who went to the Met Gala …

9. All our Cutipol flatware comes from Portugal, so it’ll take about four weeks to get it in.  But we promise the wait is absolutely worth it!

Here are some of our most popular Cutipol flatware collections:

Shop all Cutipol

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To see more Cutipol collections, click here.