Quite possibly the hardest-working designers in the business, here are some more new designs from M.E. favourites, Nendo.

'Dress-up', 'Period. Comma, "Quote"' and 'Peel', all created by Nendo for 361° will be shown at the Milan Salone this month as part of Nendo’s private exhibition called “Chair Garden” at Galleria Antonia Jannone on Corso Garibaldi.

'Nendo's Dress-up' vases are the result of a collaboration with Ceramic Japan, a firm in Seto which is an area in Aichi Prefecture historically known for its ceramics. The three forms make up a family: a heavyset ‘father’, a slim ‘mother’ and a smaller ‘child. Each vase looks like an ordinary vase from one direction, but viewed from the other side, each has its own ‘collar’.

Referencing the way we we dress; choosing to match our hairstyles and clothing, these pastel vases play on the similar relationship between the flower and the vase. The vases are unglazed porcelain, for a clean, clothing-like texture.

'Period. comma, “quote” is a tactile set of paper weights for for 361°; also created through a collaboration - this time with Takada Seisakujo who is an aluminium casting specialist firm in Toyama Prefecture, Japan.

Nendo designed three paperweights like three different forms of punctuation so that users can sort their papers by meaning: the period for work completed; the comma for work in progress, and the quotation mark for messages. Each weight reflects the form that aluminum takes as it is poured, as though it took that form naturally as the aluminum hardened. This approach has resulted in three gentle, expressively tensile shapes.

We also like the fact that, unlike chrome plating, the soft lustre of the hand-buffed surface displays the minuscule scratches and tarnishing that occur over time. Nendo deliberately built this activity into the weights to give owners a way to explore and enjoy the charm of aluminum over time. But perfectionists, have no fear, as it’s easy to restore the weights’ lustre by polishing them.

And lastly, M.E.'s pick of the bunch; 'Peel'. A small section of the rim of this tea mug has been 'peeled' away to allow the tea bag string to escape, and the spoon to remain inside when you drink your tea or put on the lid to carry the mug with one hand. The lid helps to steep tea; but handily doubles as a small dish for sweets, or to rest a used teabag or a spoon. The bases of the cup and lid are stepped back for easy stacking and storage.