PHILIPPI : Margarethe

Bowl M

A bowl that wears its folds rather well

Perfectly smooth would be considerably less interesting here. The PHILIPPI Margarethe Bowl M gets its character from generous, softly flowing folds that give highly polished stainless steel an almost textile quality. Each of these folds is shaped by hand, meaning no two bowls are exactly alike. Measuring 32 cm in diameter and 11 cm high, Margarethe M offers generous space for apples, oranges, lemons or more exotic fruit, while also working beautifully as a decorative bowl on a dining table, sideboard or kitchen island. At 905 g, it has a reassuring physical presence. What makes it particularly intriguing is the relationship between shape and surface: the silver-coloured stainless steel reflects the light, colours and objects around it, while the irregular curves continually distort and reshape those reflections. The PHILIPPI bowl therefore looks slightly different from every angle. Fill it with colourful fruit and silver meets vivid colour; leave it empty and the bowl becomes a sculptural interior object in its own right. After all, even the fruit bowl is allowed a little drama.

Folded by hand, with good reason

Margarethe has a shape that appears spontaneous, almost as though the material simply settled into its curves. In reality, there is craftsmanship behind it. PHILIPPI describes the softly flowing folds as being formed by hand, giving each bowl its own individual contours. Those subtle variations are an essential part of the collection's character. Highly polished stainless steel, meanwhile, feels anything but cold or rigid here. Light moves across the surface, surrounding shapes appear in distorted reflections and strong colours are picked up by the individual folds. At 32 x 32 cm, size M offers enough room to function comfortably as a fruit bowl without allowing its contents to hide the design itself. It can also be used as a decorative bowl for seasonal arrangements or simply left completely empty. Margarethe doesn't merely hold the decoration; it becomes part of it.

Silver, light and a design with its own handwriting

Margarethe comes from PHILIPPI, an owner-managed German design manufacturer based in Henstedt-Ulzburg. The brand creates home accessories, gifts, travel and office pieces and has become particularly associated with its work in stainless steel. Clear materials are often paired with forms that contain a small element of surprise. Margarethe expresses this beautifully. A material that might initially feel precise and technical becomes an almost fluid object through its hand-shaped folds. It is precisely this kind of piece that feels at home at LIVOSY: useful enough to become part of everyday life, yet distinctive enough not to disappear into the room. Its shape requires neither an elaborate explanation nor an elaborate setting. A table and a little light will usually do very nicely.

Add fruit. Or add absolutely nothing.

Place the Margarethe Bowl on dark wood and its reflections become particularly expressive; alongside pale timber, glass or stone, the same silver surface takes on a quieter, more graphic quality. Oranges and lemons introduce warmth, green fruit creates a fresh contrast and a colourful mixture works just as well. Within the PHILIPPI collection, Margarethe can be combined with bowls such as Manhattan, Clara, Lotus, Mesh and Trio, as well as vases and other interior accessories. For those looking for even more generous proportions, Margarethe is also available in an XL version alongside size M. On its own, however, this designer bowl needs very little assistance. Its hand-folded form remains interesting long after the last apple has disappeared. That may well be its loveliest quality.