News

An influencer before there was Instagram And the only person who, while alive, has been the subject of a retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute—Iris Apfel is larger than life. Not literally, of course: At just over five feet tall, the 97-year-old tastemaker just seems that way, with her oversized horn-rim glasses, stacks of bangles lining both arms, and boldly graphic outfits mixing patterns, colors, and textures with aplomb. Her refined style is the result of her passions, including her times as an interior designer, textile manufacturer, and collector of artisinal and non-Western clothing and jewelry. But the overall effect of her combinations is stunning. Despite the multitude of pieces, taken from different periods and provenances, she looks so modern. Every detail is essential, with nothing more and nothing less. In a way, you even could say it exemplifies Nude’s mantra that “simple is beautiful.” In fact, that’s exactly how Iris describes her taste: “I like simple objects. But I like to use a lot of them.” As the face of Nude’s latest campaign—and the inspiration behind its new collection of glassware and decorative objects—Iris exemplifies how simplicity is a state of mind. That when it comes to her, no matter where or with whom she is, she is always herself. She has one personality, one set of core beliefs, and one aesthetic sensibility. She finds that kindred spirit in Nude. “I like the quality and the design of the company’s pieces,” she says of the appeal. “They have a clean, contemporary feel even though many of them are traditional shapes.” She smiles. “And they mix with everything.” For those looking to create their own style, Iris has a few pieces of advice. “You have to learn who you are, what your aesthetic is, and how you feel about things,” she says. “You can’t just jump from trend to trend and copy what is around. You have to be true to yourself.” When you’ve found that essence, that timeless and pure place, everything becomes clear. You know what you stand for, which makes life easier. Which is how Iris can be Iris, and Nude can be Nude. “I think Nude is very careful in protecting its legacy and keeping everything top-drawer,” she says of the brand and its values. “It makes some beautiful things that are absolutely divine.” #IrisApfelNude    #SimpleIsBeautiful

This September we have partnered with The Westmount for Negroni Week to understand the history of the Negroni and how to add your own personal twist! By Murray Anderson @thewestmount Ah, Negroni Week… One of the few cocktail celebrations that I really sink my teeth right into. It’s funny, I remember drinking my first ever negroni in a gin bar in my home city and I just couldn’t wrap my head around the concept: extremely bitter, heavy on alcohol and something that my palate didn’t have the pleasure of understanding. How things have changed. After working in the cocktail industry for several years and luckily landing a job with a fantastic Vermouth di Torino company, I began to fall in love with this Italian tradition that has been painting the world red since the 1860s.   How it all started The origin of the negroni is a great story that stems from the negroni’s ‘father’, the Americano. A cocktail created in the 1860s - when Americans found it necessary to water the Italians beverages down. The story begins when Count Camillo Negroni visited Café Casoni in Florence in 1919. His favourite cocktail at the time, the Americano, clearly wasn’t cutting it and he requested his bartender to replace the soda in his Americano with gin. Little did he know that this simple twist of fate would birth a legendary concoction that is still very much present in today’s bar scene. For the record, I also wrote that entire piece without the assistance of google (dates and everything), so I’m hoping that fact exhibits my passion for this little cocktail.   The Milano-Torino For anyone wondering, the original cocktail without gin or soda, is a fantastic low-ABV cocktail called the Milano-Torino, or Mi-To for short. I guess you could call it the grandfather of the negroni cocktail and essentially, the root of this whole negroni conversation. It was made by Gaspare Campari in the 1860s in his effort to help sell Campari to the Italian people. It involves equal parts of Campari and Italian Vermouth di Torino and like most things created in Italy, it’s elegant, timeless, and still very much alive in their culture today!   Creativity and the Negroni When it comes to creativity with negroni cocktails, I like to keep it simple. It’s important to remember the premise of the cocktail itself, perfectly balanced with sweet and bitter notes and most importantly, a combination of quality ingredients that work magnificently together. As I spent more time learning the art of cocktails, I suppose I adopted these rules for most of the drinks I make now. It’s a lot more fun using less ingredients in mixology, as it really forces you to take everything into consideration… Quality of ingredients, ice, garnish, glassware choice etc. Take this negroni cocktail I made for example. the concept: A negroni twist with the addition of Speyside Whisky, paying homage to my home country, Scotland. Using this base spirit, it brings in notes of apricot, honey and spice. Working alongside those key flavours, I added CUCIELO Rosso Vermouth di Torino; a fantastic Italian vermouth that helps add sweetness and an array of beautiful aroma from the botanicals present. Next, Apricot infused Campari. This simple sous-vide infusion helps takes the edge off the bitterness and pairs perfectly with the whisky. To serve the cocktail, I used a NUDE Savage Tumbler to showcase the simple, yet beautifully crafted elements in the drink and lastly… a spritz of fragrant orange peel over the cocktail, poured over a large block of clear ice. Remember, it’s easy to hide behind a cocktail with 15 ingredients, but serving a cocktail with 3? Maybe there’s a lot to be learned about the negroni cocktail… Sometimes, perfection lies within simplicity itself. Cheers!   NUDE Mixology Competition If, like us all this Negroni talk has got you in the mood for a tipple then there is still time to enter our NUDE Glass mixology competition which gives you the chance to create a cocktail as well as the chance to win 1000 worth of NUDE Glass – sounds like a good idea to us! Good Luck! Learn more

How better to kick off the celebrations of Negroni week (18-24 September) than catching up with our Milan based friend, Founder and Creative Director of Atelier Gourmode, Clara Nanut. Clara gives us an insight into all things Negroni whether it’s cosying up for a homemade version of the classic Italian cocktail or heading down to the chicest spot in town to test out the experts at the Bulgari. However you take your Negroni, take it in a NUDE Glass. By Clara Nanut @gour.modeA bittersweet symphony of a deep ruby red, a clichéd choice but always a good choice, one of the many Italian genial inventions, synonymous of the worldwide famous aperitivo. 
Italians love it both perfect serve and “sbagliato” but but let’s go with order. History of Negroni See, rumor has it... that it all started in the far 1919, when a thirsty Count called Camillo Negroni, asked his bartender friend at Caffe Casoni in Florence, to strengthen his favourite cocktail – the Americano – by replacing the soda water with gin.The history blends with the legend but of some things we can be sure: we Italians love to enjoy life, know how to enjoy a good Negroni and that today I have the flattering task to tell you how.   How Clara likes it at home As a Milanese by adoption and as a tastemaker – which doesn’t strictly contemplate the complex cocktail handicraft - I could never sip it at home except in its “Sbagliato” version, which means of course “Mistaken”. It was invented by chance at Bar Basso in the 1970's, when a happy accident occured between the bottle of gin and Prosecco, which gave to this iconic recipe the well-known sparkling and refreshing twist.Ingredients: 1 part Prosecco 1 part Sweet Vermouth 1 part Bitter Ice Orange slice or peel Serve it in a Caldera glass and treat yourself to this relaxing time.   How Clara likes it at the cocktail bar Perfect serve, of course! If at home we can’t reach perfection, at the counter we expect it indeed. A local insider would choose the exclusive and secluded Bulgari Bar and order a pure classic Negroni with a fancy allure.Ingredients: 1 part Gin 1 part Sweet Vermouth 1 part Bitter Ice Orange slice or peel Ask the barman to pour it in an Alba glass, sip it and enjoy.

This month we partnered with @gour.mode (Clara Nanut) for her visual guide about the sublime art of entertaining your guests “al fresco.” Using light and transparent objects from Nude Glass, Clara created a variety of bucolic moments. Keep on reading for an exclusive Q&A with Clara on how she finds inspiration on hosting and what she recommends for your very own al fresco dining setup. Where does your inspiration for hosting alfresco come from? My inspiration comes from my roots. I live today in Milan but I grew up in a small Italian town in Friuli – Venezia Giulia, up on a hill with a lavish garden, olive trees, oaks and pines. During summertime my family used to invite home lots of friends and set up aperitifs on the terrace or in the garden. These moments of my childhood, made of perfumed flowers, bursts of laughers, bright colors and delicious refreshments, are a generous source of creativity. How does your creative process work? To create a powerful set design, first of all I imagine a moment, I try to live it in my mind, in this case I think about the way people would interact in that moment, how they would use and move the objects in the space. Then I search visual inspiration to concretize my vision and start giving it a shape. Finally I concretely start with the set up, from a powerful piece, then gradually adding the other elements, in order of size and importance. I love to make it authentic and genuine, as if that table could tell us a story. What are your top 3 tips for creating a visually appealing and inviting alfresco dining setup? Here my three tips: Create your white canvas with a white tablecloth or a nude table made of wrought-iron, white stone or very light wood. Use mainly glass to make it fresh and summery. Add fresh fruit and flowers to turn it romantic. How do you believe NUDE Glass enhances the overall experience of alfresco entertaining? With its contemporary designs and the use of lead-free crystal, NUDE’s motto ‘Simple is Beautiful’ shines in an alfresco environment. What are some creative ways to incorporate natural elements or floral arrangements into the alfresco dining setup? Make it unconventional and little messy! Use different size of vases or glasses – why not – to host flowers and use them to decorate drinks and dishes too, I love some edible flowers in my cocktail or in the butter to spread on the bread! So casually romantic! Can you recommend any specific NUDE Glass collections or pieces that are particularly well-suited for alfresco dining? Heads Up Centrepiece, ideal for a sangria or a fresh punch! My version? Rosé wine made in my region, peaches and strawberries with a pinch of fresh mint! What is your favorite NUDE Glass product? This is a tricky question, I guess off the bat: Big Top Set of 2 Coupe Glasses, they are so Gourmode!  NUDE's Big Top Coupe Glass    

It's time to raise a toast to the spirit that brings joy and excitement to millions around the world—tequila! World Tequila Day is just around the corner, and we're here to help you celebrate in style. Indulge in the rich heritage and vibrant flavours of tequila like never before, our passion for craftsmanship and design has led us to curate a remarkable collection of glassware that enhances the true essence of tequila. Elevate your tequila game this year with our meticulously crafted glasses and stunning decanters. Test out the ultimate Tequila Day recipe, The Paloma, from @thewestmount. Ingredients: 60ml Blanco tequila 20ml fresh lime juice 15ml agave syrup Three Cents pink graprefruit soda Garnished with a grapefruit wedge and Tajin seasoning Method:  Add blanco tequila, lime and agave to a shaker tin and shake with ice until ice cold, Fine strain into a Tajin rimmed Big Top highball and top with pink grapefruit soda!

As Summertime fast approaches, we have invited @thewestmount to create the perfect pours for all your summer plans. From spritzes to martinis we have all the inspiration you need.  Explore our glassware collections to enhance your drinks and show off your skills. Try out the recipes below and be sure to share your pics with us on Instagram tagging @nudeglass. Summer Garden Spritz Ingredients: 60ml Bianco Vermouth 50ml Cucumber Juice 5ml Sugar Syrup 100ml Prosecco Splash of Soda 2 dashes of Peach Bitters Cucumber ribbon and mint garnish Glass Ghost Zero Tulip white wine glass Rosa Spritz Ingredients: 30ml Aperol 45ml Bianco Vermouth 100ml Grapefruit Soda Pour the Aperol and Bianco Vermouth, top with Pink Grapefruit Soda and enjoy! Glass Ghost Zero Belly red wine glass Caramelised Apple Old Fashioned   45ml Blended malt Whisky 5ml Calvados 10ml caramelised Apple syrup 3 dashes of barrel aged bitters Glass Mirage whisky glass

Looking forward to the longest day of the year? As the summer solstice approaches, it's time to elevate your cocktail game with our stunning glassware. Whether you're sipping on a refreshing gin and tonic or a fruity margarita, our elegant glasses will make your summer solstice celebration even more special. Recreate your own Hibiscus & Rose Martini created by @thewestmount below: 50ml London Dry gin 10ml Hibiscus infused Dry Vermouth di Torino 2 dashes of orange bitters Rose water mist Garnished with orange zest For this cocktail we used our Big Top coupe glass which is a refreshingly modern take on the collection’s circus theme. The pure and refined silhouette is cast from clear lead-free crystal and typified by a generous bowl, as well as a tapered stem etched with a raised linear pattern for a delightful, tactile finish. The perfect vehicle for our Summer Solstice cocktail.

It’s World Cocktail Day! @thewestmount has created a special cocktail to mark the day so celebrate with us and make your own Vanilla Clover Club. Ingredients:  50ml London Dry Gin  10ml Raspberry Vanilla Syrup   25ml Lemon Juice   1 Egg White or Vegan Alternative   Raspberries to garnish  Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake with ice until cold. Reverse dry shake your cocktail and fine strain into a chilled Hepburn Coupe Glass. Garnish with 3 skewered raspberries and enjoy!  Inspired? Discover our Hepburn mixology range.  

This month we have partnered with @villamyrahojden and her wonderful, architect design and self-built home to create some interior styling, inspired by Japandi. Find out more about Japandi and how you can incorporate this simplistic styling into your home. How do you define Japandi? To me Japandi is an interior style and a way of living. It unites the Scandinavian design which advocates simplicity and comfortability; lagom and hygge, with Japanese design and the wabi-sabi philosophy. It is all about natural elements, neutral tones, quality over quantity, keeping it simple, uncluttered spaces, minimalism, craftmanship and harmony. What are your guiding principles for Japandi?  Everything I buy, build or create and bring into my home should always add to the feeling of harmony. Every piece must be carefully curated and collected with the intention for it to stay in my home for a very long time. I always assess the quality, especially for bigger and more expensive objects, because it is important to me that whatever I buy must last for a long time. How does your creative process work?  I’ve always been a creative soul. I usually don’t put much thought into the process, I just act on my gut. So many of my shots are almost always a result of a spontaneous shoot because an idea suddenly popped up or because the light looked good. Where does your inspiration come from? This might sound like a cliché, but I draw inspiration mostly from nature. I like being outdoors and I love living amidst nature. It’s peaceful and brings harmony to my soul. That is why I’m so drawn to Japandi. It calms me, and I want my home to give me the same sense of feeling. Which collection from NUDE do you find the most inspiring? It’s hard to pick one, because I really do think all collections are appealing. But I think I am mostly drawn to Big Top, Ilo and Mist. What they all have in common, besides the high quality lead-free crystal glass, is the rippled pattern and the minimalistic design. It’s timeless and the ripples gives such an interesting illusion. What are your top 3 interior styling tips?  Always start off by identifying which feeling(s) you want your interiors to convey. For example, if you want your bedroom to feel like a calm, peaceful zen zone, then this will be your guiding star. Balance. It’s important with balance. Mix interior pieces or furniture of different heights, sizes and/or materials. I love to mix wood with natural stone and glass. Add plants! I love huge plants like trees. They make such a statement piece. Besides adding color and warmth to your home, they will also improve the air quality. What is your favourite NUDE product? It must be the high ball glasses from the Big Top collection. Everything looks delicious in those glasses!

Candle holders that inspire Calm With the new philosophy of comfort fully modeling the current scenario, designers have turned their attention to expressive everyday objects that help enhance connection, togetherness, and joy, creating a boost in well-being. Case in point: the Ilo candle holders designed by Ozan Özalp – meant to bring a soothing yet uplifting ambiance to any living space. When designing the Ilo collection, what was your starting point: form, function, material, or rather a specific feeling? I approached the project with the idea of using another material, in addition to glass, as combining glass with a different texture can significantly impact the design. It was essential to establish this balance right from the start; after all, NUDE is a glass manufacturer, so crystalline glass is always the key element. The design is striking but simple: the sculptural body features a ripple pattern to enhance the power of the candlelight. The other element is the copper plate – we experimented with different materials, playing with silky, bright surfaces that would create a dynamic play of reflections. Lighting is the most powerful generator of atmosphere in any space. What kind of impact were you trying to achieve? Nowadays, candles serve more as decoration than a light source. I started the project with this consideration, aiming to design a product that would promise an experience extending beyond mere appearance or function. My goal was to create a candle holder set that would allow people to relax and enjoy the moment. Looking at the light waves filtering through the dome’s ripples, creating a magical and meditative ambiance, I believe I have achieved it. NUDE collections are popular for their minimal, playful design. What’s the secret to striking the right balance between these two seemingly opposing elements? Balancing contrasting elements, such as modern and classic, artificial and natural, heavy and light, or simple and playful, as in this case, can be risky. However, if done right, the result will most likely be very successful. I’d say the secret lies in intuition and experience. Sometimes, you must embrace the trial and error method, too. You’ve been part of the NUDE Design Team for several years. How do you incorporate your personal sense of style into the brand’s aesthetic? I think NUDE has a design language in line with my own life philosophy and mindset. When designing a piece for NUDE, I ask myself, “Would I buy this?” It is easier to create a product thinking of yourself as a potential end user. What are some of your favorite pieces you’ve designed so far, and why? Besides Ilo, I would choose the Caldera collection. It was the first product I created for NUDE, and it will always have a special place in my heart. The development process was particularly demanding since the uneven inner bottom of the design forced our production limits. Knowing the behind-the-scenes challenges makes it even more precious for me. How do you stay creative during challenging times? Being a good observer is a must. Even a simple stone you come across in nature, or the music you listen to, can serve as inspiration if you know how to observe. I try to feed my creativity by noticing and paying attention to the world around me. What gives you the most gratification in your work? Since my childhood, I have always been fascinated by the idea of creating something; I would observe different forms, structures, textures, and materials. I’d say the first moment you see your design in a store, at a restaurant, or a café is the most gratifying.

Forest of Reflection - Milan Design Week 2022 An immersive forestscape in the heart of Milan by Calico Wallpaper, AB Concept and NUDE. For this year’s edition of Milan Design Week, Calico Wallpaper partnered with interior design studio AB Concept and contemporary glassware brand NUDE to present Forest of Reflection, an immersive forestscape inspired by the Japanese Alps in celebration of the launch of Tableau wallcoverings by AB Concept for Calico Wallpaper. Forest of Reflection transformed Via Pietro Maroncelli 7 into an entrancing forest complete with a grass floor, floating screens and central ‘Nest bar’, crafted from a series of layered antique brass rings. The installation draws from the new Tableau wallpaper collection, which explores the colourful and complex micro-seasons of Japan's coniferous forests, presenting both day and night scenes over two rooms, each dedicated to a different panorama. Visitors to the space were guided through a woodland of silk-printed screens, lit by celestial clusters of NUDE’s mouth-blown Mono pendants, culminating at the Nest bar hosted by NUDE and serving a daily aperitivo; a bespoke cocktail designed by award-winning mixologist Remy Savage. Prepared with gin, vermouth, aromatic crème de poire and a heady cordial of foraged pine and lime, the aperitivo captures the essence of a Japanese forest, and adds to the sensory experience by allowing visitors to encounter its unique tastes and scents. The concoction was served in NUDE’s signature cocktail glasses designed by Remy Savage, whose intricately fine and elegant designs were inspired by the Japanese drinking preference for supremely thin glassware, allowing the drinker to be as close as possible to the liquid.