Kelly Wearstler's New Collection With Georg Jensen Takes Cues From the Ocean

Hannah Martin

When Kelly Wearstler sat down to develop designs for the storied Danish design company Georg Jensen, she found a sea of inspiration just outside her windows. “Our house sits right on the sand,” says the AD100 decorator (and avid surfer) of her family’s Malibu house. “The ocean is a big part of my life.” Taking her cues from the waves, she devised six bowls and vessels in one of her favorite materials: mirror-polished stainless steel. Each one is wrapped in an undulating motif and hand-finished by Jensen’s artisans.

A trio of bowls (from $95).
A trio of bowls (from $95).
Vases from her Frequency collection for Georg Jensen ($195 each).
Vases from her Frequency collection for Georg Jensen ($195 each).
Hurricanes (from $195).
Hurricanes (from $195).

Achieving an effortless flow with no visible seams, Wearstler explains, “was really challenging, but they pulled it off.” Of course, the Georg Jensen team is used to pushing past its comfort zone. The collection, titled Frequency, is just the latest collaboration for the brand, which has been partnering with star designers since it was founded in 1904, recently tapping Patricia Urquiola, Ilse Crawford, and Marc Newson.

Kelly Wearstler at home in Malibu.
Kelly Wearstler at home in Malibu.

Wearstler—a longtime collector of the brand’s archival silver homeware and jewelry—is the first American designer to appear on its roster. And this collection is just the beginning. “We’re going to continue to design together,” explains Wearstler, who will visit the Georg Jensen archives this summer in search of new ideas. For now, she’s quickly integrating the first pieces into the house that inspired their forms: “I’ve already used them over and over,” she says. “They’re so functional and modern.” georgjensen.com