Lue Brass

Lue Brass represents a distinctly Japanese approach to craftsmanship: thoughtful, understated and closely connected to everyday life. The brand was founded in 2006 by metalworker Ruka Kikuchi, known by his childhood nickname “Lue”. From his workshop in Setouchi, Okayama Prefecture, Kikuchi creates cutlery, plates, bowls and small functional objects in brass. His relationship with the material began much earlier, when he assisted his father, a craftsman working with brass accessories, while still at school.

For Kikuchi, brass is not simply chosen for its warm golden tone. Its real appeal lies in the way it responds to time. Contact with hands, food, air and water gradually changes the surface, giving every object a patina shaped by its owner’s habits. Rather than remaining untouched and uniform, a piece by Lue becomes increasingly individual through use. These changes are not considered imperfections, but an essential part of the object’s character.

The handcrafted collection is made through a series of manual processes in the Setouchi workshop. Hammer marks, subtle variations in shape and occasional fine traces on the surface reveal how each piece was produced. Yet the designs never feel overly rustic or decorative. Their quiet beauty comes from carefully judged proportions, a pleasing weight and the direct relationship between form and function. A spoon fits naturally into the hand; a plate remains restrained enough to complement many different table settings.

Lue Brass also offers an industrial line, manufactured by a specialist metalworking company in Tsubame from prototypes originally formed by Kikuchi himself. At Contemporum., however, our focus remains on the handcrafted pieces from Setouchi. It is their individuality, their tactile surfaces and the visible presence of the maker’s hand that we value most.

These are not precious objects intended to be protected from everyday life. Lue Brass creates useful companions for the table and the home – pieces made to be handled frequently, to develop gracefully over many years and, perhaps, to be passed on to the next generation. Their simplicity feels contemporary, while their durability follows a much older idea: that a good object should remain relevant long after its maker’s name has been forgotten.