I was introduced to Georg Jensen’s divinely simple designs by Matt Gracie, a friend who gave me the vintage pair of earrings pictured here. I was still a teen, and it was one of the first pieces of fine jewelry I possessed. My family had had a few pieces of Jensen’s flatware and silver tabletop items. The Danish designer began his work in the early 1900s and became a pioneer in the Scandinavian modern movement that blossomed in the mid-century.

Though Jensen died in 1935, his company and name still hold plenty of prestige. This “Cave” ring was designed by Jacqueline Rabun, a designer brought on for one of the company’s ongoing modern collaborations, a few years ago. When Matt himself passed away, in 2008, I bought this ring to remember him, the huge influence he has had on my life, and (apologies for the lugubriousness) the loss I felt.

So much of the design at Hexagon is inspired by Matt Gracie, whose innate sense of art and design imprinted me with the furniture he chose for the apartment we shared, the clothing he sometimes gave me, the books he handed me to read, the cars and houses he pointed out to me on “point-and-squeal” outings. (His wording was equally brilliant!)

Here are two Hexagon bags that I collaged with Jensen-esque silver embellishments. Matt liked structured bags. Extra points if it loudly snapped shut or might hurt someone when you hustled through a crowd.