Discover the World from Your Home

It begins with a chance encounter – a travel documentary appears on television or an image of a destination while scrolling through social media catches your eye, and the next moment, you’re neck deep in research on the country.

When we’re intrigued by the food, art and culture of others, the desire to travel gets stronger. But we can only travel as much as our schedules allow us.

So, here’s a solution: KrisShop Discovers. Through this specially curated concept store, you can experience a part of another country without having to leave your room. Access exclusive artisanal merchandise from your favourite destinations from around the word.

Aboriginal art is a fundamental part of Australia’s history, culture and tradition. It comes in many styles and differs in character, depending on which region the artist hails from. 

Aboriginal culture goes back as far as 60,000 to 80,000 years, when the Aborigines first settled in Australia. However, the first Aboriginal paintings only appeared as recently as in the 1930s.

Inspired by Dreamtime, also known as Jukurrpa or Tingari, Aboriginal Artists translate what speaks to them during their dreams into art. Much of their work is also centred on storytelling and culture-preservation.

It was only as recently as the 1970s that Aboriginal art gained appreciation from the art community and became collected art. Since then, Australian Aboriginal Art has been identified as the most exciting contemporary art form of the 20th century.

Alperstein Designs is a well-known Australian brand that produces homewares, gifts and artwork. Through their collaboration with indigenous artists and art centres in the country, everyone can now purchase unique items that bear the iconic strokes of Australian Aboriginal Art. You’ll see that dots, symbols and iconography are greatly featured in the artwork on the items. These patterns depict the life, joys and struggles of Australia’s indigenous people.

Known for their Australian-designed gifts, homewares, and affordable ready-to-hang acrylic on canvas art pieces, Alperstein Designs makes Aboriginal art accessible, modern, and a part of your everyday life.

Aplerstein Teddy Gibson salt and pepper shakers: Made of fine bone china, this pair of table stunners feature the artwork by Aboriginal Artist, Teddy Gibson from Warlukurlangu Arts, Australia. Royalties for the sale of these directly benefit the artist and his community.

Fans of Japan are often heard raving about the food, landscape, style and culture of the Land of the Rising Sun. A lesser-known fact about Japan, but equally important to its legacy and tradition, is the craftwork of Edo glass.

Influenced by European glass art from Portugal and Holland in the 16^th century, Japan eventually began to craft glass in their own way. Edo glass is the traditional glass craftwork made by skilled artisans, which have been handed over from the Edo Period that began in 1603 and ended in 1867. The methods of blowing and moulding, as well as the materials they used become distinctly Japanese, to the extent that Edo glassmaking was officially recognised as one of Japan’s Traditional Craft Products in 2014.

In 2002, two of Japan’s oldest and most renowned glassware manufacturers (Toyo and Sasaki) merged to form Toyo Sasaki Glass. As the biggest glassware manufacturer in Japan, the business has a team of master craftsmen who specialise in the art of glassmaking. And these artisans have combined their long-standing traditions with exquisite technique; their hand crafted glassware are not only functional and well-formed, they are also uniquely distinct. 

Toyo Sasaki glass Takasegawa amber cold sake set of 3: It features an elegant, sculptural carafe with ice pockets and a set of sake cups in a unique amber hue The glassware set has an intricate textured hammer finishing. Each piece is skilfully hand-made. By placing ice in the pocket of the carafe, you can enjoy chilled sake and other beverages without diluting the liquid contents.

British humour tickles a certain spot – it’s dry, self-deprecating and ironic. And the Brits are sure proud of it. Having made a huge impact on the country’s mass media industry, British humour is making a mark in the design and fashion worlds.

One London brand that makes cheeky conversation pieces by being inimitably British, is Lulu Guinness. The brand’s world of witty, wonderful fashion and lifestyle accessories encapsulates Britain’s charm. Not missing a beat with the quintessential Brit wit, Lulu Guinness’s collections are imaginative and tongue-in-cheek. Of illustrated embellishments and embroidery, Lulu Guinness’ playful pieces are created to grab attention, pleasantly surprise, and make people smile.

The hallmark of British fashion can be seen in Lulu Guiness’ Dali-esque Lips Clutch, the famous Florist Basket - now part of the Victoria & Albert Museum’s permanent fashion exhibition - and The Birdcage that tweets. These items make up a collection of art that are also functional fashion accessories.

Lulu Guinness Acrylic Lips Clutch in Blush: This iconic Lulu’s signature Lips clutch has been upsized to make room for more party essentials. This pop-art-inspired acrylic evening bag features a magnetic closure, a slip pocket for credit and ID cards, and a detachable gold chain strap so it can be styled as a crossbody, shoulder bag, or a clutch.

The French are known for sticking to the classics. And old is always gold when it comes to French alcohol. One of France's oldest liquers, Armagnac (which is a type of brandy) hails from the Armagnac region in Gascony.

A type of brandy, Armagnac is distilled from white wine grape varieties that are still being used in the region. It is then aged in oak barrels for a minimum of 10 years before it is released, bottled and marketed. 

Best enjoyed as an after-dinner drink, Armagnac should be drunk neat, at temperate room temperature, or with ice. It is also commonly used in French cooking to flambe dishes or to add to sauces and preserved fruit pastries.

The Domaine de Guilhon d´Aze, a vineyard in Southwest of France, at the heart of Gascony, is where some of the best Armaganac is being produced. This is one of three plantation areas in the Armagnac area of France, where grapes for the distillation of the Armagnac liqueur can be cultivated.

It is well-placed on acidic and sandy-loamy soil, or "Sables Fauves", that has large amounts of sand, silt and clay in it. The 60-hectare vineyard is managed by a father and son duo from the Tastet family, who are known for their simple and authentic principles of Sustainable Agriculture. Using environmentally friendly methods, they grow local white grape varieties such as Bacco and Ugni Blanc, from which the vintage Bas-Armagnacs are produced.

Domaine De Guilhon D'aze Armagnac 1988: Made with local white grape varieties Bacco and Ugni Blanc, this vintage Bas-Armagnac has a delicate and velvety flavour redolent of toasted almonds and fresh bread crumbs, with vanilla hints and an oaky finish.

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Explore these countries and regions with KrisShop Discovers, where you’ll be treated to a series of curated collections filled with rich heritage and stories from unassuming villages and vibrant cities around the world.

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