Handmade by Design: This Is How To Raise the Bar

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Handcrafting makes a difference. The care and craftsmanship in a handmade item, whether furniture, clothing, or spirits, is obvious. We wanted to celebrate the artisanal Roca Patrón tequila with a series of handmade bar tools. We tasked some incredible designers with creating unique and artisanal barware inspired by the new handcrafted Roca Patrón tequila; artists paid tribute to the small-batch, labor-intensive Tahona process behind the new tequila in their one-of-a-kind pieces. Brooklyn SLaB‘s Shannon Bowser built a bar cart; Alana Dee Haynes created original illustrations that Celeste Wilson engraved onto her handblown glassware; Nick Potash hand-carved a set of sterling silver bar tools plus an ebony wood drinks tray; architect David Rockwell of the Rockwell Group built a custom shadow box and tequila tasting flight board. Each bespoke item is getting auctioned off to benefit DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) — and we kicked off the online auction with an event at Liberty Hall at the Ace Hotel NY. Bowser and Wilson were joined by National Geographic’s David Rees in a discussion of their pieces and the art and importance of handcrafting in general, while guests sipped on delicious Roca Patrón tequila cocktails and examined and bid on the incredible items. If you missed the party, catch video highlights below, and then bid to take home your own piece of mixology art — the auction runs through October 3rd.