In the heart of South East London, tucked away in a space filled with the hum of machinery and the glow of molten silica, is Gather. Founded by glassblower Phoebe Stubbs, the studio is a whirlwind of colour, heat, and high-stakes craftsmanship.
Gather isn't just a production house; it’s a place where joyful handmade glassware comes to life through a process that feels part industrial manufacturing and part choreographed dance.
During our visit, we caught the team mid-production on gather’s Miami glasses. Inspired by Phoebe’s postgraduate studies in the US and her love for Italian postmodernism, the collection features bold shapes and vivid colour memories from childhood.
Phoebe's vision for the Miami series was born from a mix of high art and personal memory. The collection draws heavily from the bold, sculptural forms of the Memphis Group and designers like Ettore Sottsass.
Rather than trying to replicate the exact colours of the city, Phoebe focused on colour memory, the vivid, sun-soaked hues that felt like a nostalgic childhood dream. Unexpectedly, the collection also looks to Dutch still life paintings, specifically the intricate shapes and fanciful narratives found in antique ceramic and glass vessels.
The Miami pieces are instantly recognisable for their playfulness and technical complexity. The wine glasses and champagne flutes often feature sculptural stems with discs, blobs, and diamond shapes. Each piece of the stem is hand-shaped and dropped onto the body while hot.
The collection uses a ground-up powder technique to create layers of deeply saturated colour. You’ll see combinations like bright orange, marigold, soft blue, and sunshine yellow. Because each piece is formed by a dance between three glassblowers, no two items are identical. They possess a rhythmic, organic quality that sets them apart from factory-made glass.
Glassblowing is a relentless battle against gravity and temperature. Unlike pottery, you can’t touch the medium, and it’s constantly fighting to change state. Watching the team work is witnessing a flow state in action.
From high-end collaborations with the likes of Lulu Lemon, Fortnum and Mason, and Soho Home to public classes, Gather is proving that despite the uphill battle of independent manufacturing, there is nothing quite like the camaraderie of the kiln.
Watch the full video, including our conversation with Phoebe below.
Gather also offers workshops for those looking to explore the world of glass making for themselves, check it out here.
