Smooth Finish

Designers Michael Bargo and Custom Resource co-founder Billy Cotton bonded over a shared admiration of Donald Judd and Memphis furniture, and now the longtime friends have joined forces for Moste, a product line that remains highly referential with a finely tuned sense for production values. The first collection, focused entirely around lacquer, is constructed by hand in Asia, where the technique originated. (Future collections will be organized around stainless steel and terrazzo marble.) But it’s the duo’s insistence on value—Cubist Chair (pictured) is available at Bergdorf Goodman for $850 through the end of March—that ultimately situates the collection in the void between highly conceptual industrial design and the glut of second-rate reproductions at your corner box store. More info at mosteltd.com