OBJECTS ARE BY: who?

OBJECTS ARE BY is a new brand and design studio born in Milan from an idea of the international duo Phil America and Jenny D. Pham, partners at work but also in life. OBJECTS ARE BY acts as a platformfor championing creative freedom and conceives objects for the homes and lifestyles of "global citizens", a term with which Phil and Jenny identify themselves and which refers to the growing international creative community - even in Milan increasingly present and active.


Ph. Sha Ribeiro for Objects Are By

Every collection, conceived by a distinct creative, is infused with inspiration drawn from a place they hold dear. Each object serves as a reflection on the elements that contribute to the feeling of home in present and future moments, acknowledging the impermanence and adaptability inherent in the lives of said global individuals. OBJECTS ARE BY was born as a platform with a distinct purpose: to break creative boundaries. Phil America and Jenny D. Pham are both creatives with non-design backgrounds, and celebrate their design-naivety as a strength of OBJECTS ARE BY. They see the unknown as their muse and an opportunity for innovation. They both contribute to the brand and studio’s experience with complementary approaches: Phil, an artist and creative director, emphasises hands-on engagement and material examination; Jenny, a brand builder consulting in fashion and former luxury marketing executive, crafts holistic narratives through campaigns and talent collaborations. Their network comprises skilled individuals—writers, photographers, architects, fashion designers, brands and more—with a shared trait: an unwavering drive for creation. 


Ph. Sha Ribeiro for Objects Are By

For each collection, Jenny and Phil act as curators, pairing the chosen creatives with a manufacturer and encouraging them to step outside their usual creative discipline and explore a new design space, emphasising that true excitement lies in the process, not just the final product. The brand and studio thus thrives on multiple layers of collaborations, reflected in its deliberately unfinished name, OBJECTS ARE BY: completeness is achieved only through collaboration with creative counterparts, echoing the contemporary emphasis on diverse talents in shaping a brand's identity.


Ph. Sha Ribeiro for Objects Are By

As each product drop draws inspiration from a place, OBJECTS ARE BY inaugural Season 1 includes ‘Milan Metro’, a collection of ceramic works designed by Phil and inspired by the Milanese metro line. Rooted in his exploration of graffiti and day-to-day observations, the collection draws references from everything that constitutes the subway: its colours, Bob Noorda’s logo, Franco Albini’s creations in the handrail design, dots on the flooring, walks down night tunnels. A series of home accessories, such as vases of diverse shapes and dimensions, mugs, tea pots and carafes, trays, bowls, glasses and candle holders, compose the collection.


Ph. Sha Ribeiro for Objects Are By

Season 1 also includes ‘The Internet’, a collection of blankets by creative director Elena Flores: her chosen space was the internet. “I saw this as a chance to question the very essence of a ‘location’...is the internet a place?”, she says. The collaborative design process focused on using a large AI language model: Flores enlisted Chat GPT to generate 100 prompts, which were presented to Mid Journey to create woven tapestries and artworks that reimagined what the internet, technology, and the digital might look like if they were tangible locations.

Season 1 sets the OBJECTS ARE BY’s tone with a blend of literal and abstract expressions, embracing true interdisciplinarity and drawing influences from contemporary pop-culture. Sourced from China and Italy, the materials used underscore the brand and studio’s commitment to exploring their true origins. Collaborating with expert craftsmen, OBJECTS ARE BY bridges tradition and forward-thinking, pushing them beyond boundaries with an emphasis on honesty and sustainability. The blanket’s made of “vegan wool” - a vegetable-based jacquard woven fabric which is 100% natural and certified OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100.