Flotsam and Fork

La Pointe Courte (1955): Elle in Sète

Elle was born in Paris and prefers city life over the quiet existence of the countryside. When her husband travels to his hometown of Sète in southeast France, she follows by train a few days later. Elle has a lot of time to reflect on their four-year marriage, and when she reunites with Lui, she’s ready to discuss it. Over the next few days, they talk about the meaning of love and the possibility of discontinuing their relationship. The passing of time is signaled by Elle’s changing outfits; her clothes are more sophisticated than those worn by the residents of the coastal town. A conclusion regarding the marriage is reached after several cinematic strolls by the water.

Works Sighted

clothesline // clothespins // top // sweater // kitchen towels

marinière // skirt // scarf // dress

baskets // shoes // suitcase // espadrilles

Browsing at Flotsam and Fork

I discovered the couple-owned housewares shop Flotsam and Fork through a Google search for French steak knives, probably the famous and highly-copied Laguiole knife by VERDIER Manufacture. The website is esthetically-pleasing; the products have been photographed against a neutral background and the copy, like the name of the establishment, is well-written. The website’s classic appearance is minimalistic and polished like the European home goods it displays.

I once dreamed of visiting the Flotsam and Fork brick-and-mortar location in Minneapolis, which opened in 2019 but has since closed permanently. The owners, Joe Hasler and Adrianna Fie, started their business in 2013 with the mission of making European brands of quality accessible to the American market.

Many of the items that interest me are sold out but listings for such things are accompanied by a notify me when back in stock option. Nontheless, F+F is an excellent online resource for discovering European brands. Here are some covetable items from my wish list.

Works Sighted

market basket // Iris Hantverk table brush // Papier d’Armenie ceramic burner // Papier d’ Armenie sampler box // Georges Lalo stationery

Inge Glass Champagne ornament // Clairefontaine classic notebook // Filt market tote // Kessy Beldi glasses

VERDIER Manufacture Laguiole cheese knives // olive oil can

copper ladle // VERDIER Manufacture Laguiole steak knives // Inge Glass glass croissant ornament // Charvet Editions dish towel

fruit basket // Charvet Editions table runner // Cereria Intona baguette candle // butter dish