In 2009, while the Great Recession was in its throes, Peter Buchanan-Smith responded by turning away from his design career — his former clients include Isaac Mizrahi, David Byrne and Brian Eno — and toward the workshop in his backyard. When he came out, he had a hand-crafted axe, the story of that tool and the makings of an American lifestyle brand.
Now, a full decade later, that brand, Best Made Co., offers toolboxes, cast iron pans, notebooks and yes, axes. It’s an impressive collection of general store-style goods that are, in their own ways, equal parts beautiful and practical. We recently had the chance to sit down with Buchanan-Smith to discover the items that he finds a use for on a daily basis, and the stories that go along with them.
