At Wallpaper*, we're always on the hunt for objects, homeware, accessories, fashion and tech that push the boundaries. The Design Drop brings together the month's most compelling finds.
In July: a legacy Italian sofa reupholstered for a new era, a foldable phone rethinking what ‘foldable’ means, and kitchenware finished in an of-the-moment shade. Architecture books rub shoulders with cult fragrances, archive-referencing footwear sits next to hand-cast jewellery, and a fridge gets the kind of finish usually reserved for supercars.
Read on for inspiration, temptation or both.
Part of Vinterior and Liberty London's five-piece midcentury capsule collection launched earlier this month, this 1970s ‘Maralunga’ sofa by Vico Magistretti for Cassina has been professionally restored and reupholstered in Liberty's Futurist-and-Vorticist-inspired ‘Shadow Stripe Weave’. Celebrated for its engineering ingenuity, the high-back headrest converts to a low-back position, merging softness and innovation.
This second monograph on Kengo Kuma, one of Japan's leading architects, follows 2012's Complete Works with 40 new projects, chosen by Kuma himself and organised by building use. Ranging from Japan's Olympic Stadium, built with timber from every region, to a small Yusuhara community centre and a Danish fairytale museum, the book highlights the architect's skill with natural materials and his timely focus on disaster resilience and community.
From Yinka Ilori's 40-piece Dunelm collection, launched at the beginning of July, the ‘Half-Log Sideboard’ takes its rounded, curvaceous silhouette from the natural form of a sliced log, finished in ash veneer and elevated on chrome legs. The wider collection, spanning from furniture to soft furnishings, nods to Leicester's textile history and the working-class communities that shaped the city.
Designer Jess Hannah Révész returns to the bench for ‘JH Editions’, a slower, hand-crafted collection made using lost-wax casting in 14ct and 18ct gold, set with antique diamonds and reclaimed sapphires. Drawing loosely on jewellery history's signets, seal fobs and talismans, the pieces embrace imperfection, prioritising the process of making over commercial cohesion.
Smeg's new matte off-white finish, ‘Moonlight’, launched across its breakfast range this month. The brand's kettle, toaster and drip filter coffee machine now come in a warmer take on classic white, echoing Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year, 'Cloud Dancer'. The all-embracing colourway reflects a growing appetite for creamy neutrals in the home.
Smart fridge brand Rocco has teamed with tabletop design label Gohar World on a limited-edition ‘Mirror Black’ drinks fridge, achieved through an automotive-grade finishing process of premium lacquer, ceramic coating, three-stage polishing and a final wax. Each unit includes a pair of Gohar World-designed champagne coupes, encapsulating the whimsical ethos of founders Laila and Nadia Gohar.
Following their celebrated 2024 aldehydic-gourmand fragrance, Acne Studios and Frédéric Malle now expand into bath and body. The silky ‘Body Wash’ carries the original scent's rose, peach and sandalwood-musk notes, while a companion ‘Body Milk’ hydrates with shea butter for baby-soft, lightly perfumed skin.
Nothing's Ear (3a) upgrades its entry-level buds with a new ‘Audio Snapshot’ feature, letting you capture and save audio clips straight to the Nothing X app, where they can be transcribed and shared. Available in black, white, yellow and a new hot pink, the earbuds also get richer bass, improved noise cancellation, better sound quality, a redesigned case and up to 42 hours of playback.
Created by in-house perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, this unisex fragrance blends the milky warmth of almond with bright mandarin notes, sweetened with a strong dose of vanilla. Kurkdjian drew inspiration from Christian Dior's Provençal holiday home, whose garden was once filled with hundreds of almond trees. The result is a fresh, woody, gourmand scent with a soft yet long-lasting silage – perfect to carry you through the summer.
Margaret Howell's workwear-inspired MHL line reworks Dr Martens' 1961 1461 shoe with minimal intervention: a padded heel collar and tab, unwaxed cotton laces and a double-stitched toe cap, all drawn from the brand's archive. Constructed at Dr Martens' ‘Made in England’ factory in Northamptonshire, the shoe arrives in black and brown colourways designed to patina beautifully.
Design Within Reach's collaboration with designer Little Wing Lee, an honoree of the Wallpaper* US400, produces round and rectangular rugs handcrafted in India using wool from New Zealand. Inspired by traditional kilims and a striped rug from Lee's own family home, ‘Semita's’ spiral motif nods to constructivist painting and broken geometry, creating a maze-like pattern.
This month, Samsung introduced a brand new form factor, the ‘Galaxy Z Fold8’, alongside the flagship ‘Z Fold8 Ultra’ and compact ‘Z Flip8’. Wider but shorter than a standard phone, it unfolds into a 7.6-inch, tablet-shaped screen. The three share Samsung's ‘Emotive Geometry’ design approach, which mobile design head Hubert Lee describes as a shift toward devices that feel more intuitive, comfortable and suited to everyday AI use.