The Achilles Set and The Stories We Share At Our Table
The Achilles Set began as a sketch and a story—an idea sparked and shaped through our ongoing collaboration with longtime LES artist Gianfranco Briceño. Our creative relationship with Briceño is symbiotic: a constant exchange of ideas, a rhythm of riffing and refining. Each collection builds on the last, deepening the dialogue. When we began to develop our own line of tableware and decor, bringing in our artists—the heart of LES—was essential. Gianfranco was a natural choice.
Briceño's work is rooted in storytelling, rich with history, yet undeniably modern. He creates one-of-a-kind ceramic vessels, lighting, and furniture for LES with his signature textures and grounded earth tones. Each piece begins with a sketch. These drawings are casual, their compositions lyrical and loose, intimate studies in line and form. I've always been drawn to these beginnings, lured by their sense of promise. There's raw emotion in how he balances shape and gesture, capturing deeply human feelings with restraint. Each figure seems to move, shift, and glide along the page. I imagine Gianfranco drawing each character in one go, without picking up his pen, the curves and lines pouring out from deep inside, a light and airy place.
 The Achilles Set LES X Gianfranco Briceño |
 The Ribbon Collection LES |
From these sketches, the idea for our latest collaboration, The Achilles Set—a series of four dessert plates—began to take shape. Briceño's work always contains a narrative that reimagines ancient Greek art, breathing new life into age-old stories and motifs. His exploration of the male body adds another layer of intrigue, exploring the timeless themes of desire, vulnerability, and identity.
Around that same time, I read 'The Song of Achilles' by Madeline Miller—a reimagining of the Trojan War told through the eyes of Patroclus. It was my first real introduction to the myth of Achilles and Patroclus, and it stayed with me. In Homer's Iliad, Achilles is a callous and ruthless warrior, but with Patroclus, he is tender. While their friendship is powerful, the exact nature of their relationship is left up to interpretation. Later classical writers, including Aeschylus and Plato, embraced the idea of them as lovers.
Miller builds on that lineage. She reimagines their bond not just as a legendary friendship but as a profound romantic connection that grows from childhood companionship into a lifelong, soul-deep love. Through Patroclus' voice, Miller captures the vulnerability, devotion, and quiet strength of their relationship. Their love becomes a refuge from the world's brutality, making the story both heart-wrenching and beautiful.
Gianfranco and I began to imagine a collection of images inspired by their story— one that celebrates love, strength, and the beauty of vulnerability. Gianfranco envisions them as Miller did, young, carefree, and in love. These images later became the foundation for The Achilles Set.
The collection is produced in Portugal at a family-run workshop passed down through generations. A place where craft still matters and the human hand is felt in the details. There is tradition in every step of the process—the kind that can't be rushed. The drawings are carefully placed onto each plate, and the rims are hand-painted. Portugal is one of Gianfranco's favorite countries to visit, and something is fitting about these pieces taking shape there—a country layered with history, warmth, and artistry.
 Medium Moon Jar II Gianfranco Briceño |
 El Deseo Side Table Gianfranco Briceño |
With The Achilles Set, the craftsmanship of our dinnerware blends with a story of tenderness and quiet strength. Each plate holds a sketch, a gesture, a moment pulled from myth and memory. It's an invitation to slow down and notice. More than just dishes for food, the plates become vessels for conversation, connection, and the continuation of stories that have endured for millennia.
Like the legends we inherit, our shared meals become their own mythology. A special dessert becomes a tradition, and a table setting marks celebrations year after year. The Achilles Set honors ancient tales and the intimate narratives we create when we gather—because every meal deserves a touch of artistry, a moment that reflects the enduring power of love, like the story of Achilles and Patroclus, still echoing through time.
 Amphora Grande I Gianfranco Briceño |
 Venus Candle Gianfranco Briceño |