Winning Ways

If the pandemic has taught us anything about people, it’s that we don’t respond too well to being asked to stay indoors. So, here’s an idea for those who have run out of corny names for their sourdough starters and burned through the entire Netflix catalogue: play a game.

Not the ones on screens, but meticulously crafted game sets with pieces you can feel, pick up and knock around for that sweet ASMR effect. Luxury superstars like Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. have been making these sets for years in the form of designer poker collateral, chess boards and even Scrabble that add a touch of refinement and old-world elegance to living rooms and dens. There’s also a market for antiquated games and spinning tops, which fashion label Brunello Cucinelli has beautifully revived.

Even boutique purveyors of luxury items such as British stationery specialist Smythson and lifestyle brand Aerin (named after founder Aerin Lauder, granddaughter of Estee Lauder) have been expanding into traditional game sets with a mission to promote craftsmanship and a slower, more sumptuous pace of life. The pandemic isn’t going to keep us down and in forever, so this is the best time to treat yourself to a medium of entertainment that harkens back to the simpler, less stressful days of our childhoods.

BERLUTI TABLE FOOTBALL

HERMES HELIOS MAHJONG

AERIN JENGA

The only way to turn identical cuboids of wood into objects of desire is to start with the wood itself. What Aerin did was to craft all 54 Jenga blocks out of beech wood. their smooth finish ensures that there is none of the panic or rage-inducing stickiness most of us have experienced while trying to remove a block without the entire structure rotating. Or you could just attempt to replicate the empire State Building with them as an exercise in coffee table toppers. Storage is a tactile joy, thanks to a shagreen-coated box and lid, complete with brass edges and suede lining. matchesfashion.com

SMYTHSON GAMES COMPENDIUM

TEXT CHARMIAN LEONG