Hasta La Ideas

Lisbon-based designers take global inspiration for simple designs
By Miranda Ward

Annett Bourquin and Kerstin Greve founded the Lisbon-based label ANVE as a small but carefully curated collection of accessories, bags and home goods. According to the pair, the goal is simple: “We aim to make objects that stay with their owners and become more beautiful with life.”

Aside from the inspiration behind the neighborhoods and landscape of their adopted city, Bourquin and Greve gather ideas from the many places they’ve lived and visited in the past, from Berlin, Basel and Vienna to Cape Town and Tokyo. While the approach is derived from this rich heritage, their products are delightfully simple, often almost minimalist.

The Laboratorio Lamp comprises a borosilicate laboratory flask hung from a black cloth-covered wire. Their Sacos de Papel (“paper bags” in Spanish), meanwhile, mimic the structure of a plain paper bag but are constructed from rich suede, lambskin, goatskin or polished leather, in colors like antique gold and ocean green. The bags feature a snap closure but have no other embellishments.

Every ANVE product is created in small batches, either in-studio or by local manufacturers, so the range evolves regularly. Sometimes pieces are one of a kind—”If we are inspired by, let’s say, a beautiful piece of vintage leather we buy it, even if it’s only enough for one little bag,” they outline on their website.

All products are available online and can be shipped worldwide. Prices start at €19 for a pocket notebook.