Yli
Plate 10 2/4 INCH

Organic, primitive, and sensual, the Yli collection breaks free from traditional tableware conventions to challenge our relationship with materials and fully awaken the senses.
Working from his studio with local clay containing fragments of fired ceramics that give texture to the material, Ferréol Babin brings each piece to life by imprinting it with the marks of his gestures and tools as the clay dries.

Reproduced in series by the manufacture using the burying technique—which involves creating molds around the original pieces designed by the artist to replicate them—the containers in the Yli collection retain every mark and imprint of the raw material and its shaping process. This craftsmanship, akin to that of a goldsmith, requires patience, meticulous care, and time.

Precious, the grooves, ridges, subtle roughness, and intentional imbalances are vivid testaments to the material’s liveliness. In its black, unglazed variation, the collection evokes the appearance of wrought iron, inviting us to look beyond appearances and reflect, as intended by the designer, on the origins of things and the respect for life. Ferréol Babin places particular emphasis on bowls and hollow vessels like the cocoa pod, symbols of a new way of dining that is both generous and focused on plant-based cuisine.

While its aim is to offer fresh perspectives in the culinary arts, the Yli collection — sculptural yet minimal in both form and finish — remains discreet, allowing the ingredients and chefs’ creations to take center stage.