Two clever designs from RCA grad Bethan Laura Wood

Spot & Flock

London's Royal College of Art consistently produces some of the world's most outstanding designers; its list of graduates (Peter Marigold, Paul Cocksedge, Max Lamb, and so on) reads like a who's who of the contemporary design world. And while school's still technically out for the summer, we've decided to take this week to celebrate a variety of powerhouse RCA-grads and their work.

Starting off, we look to 2009 RCA grad Bethan Laura Wood's Flock and Spot sets. The pretty patterns on these clever teacups intensify with each use, meaning that every piece only gets better (and more intriguing) with age. Over time, an individualized pattern emerges—depending on the user’s personal tea-drinking habits. The limited edition sets are part of the charming and apparently tireless British designer's ongoing Stain series, which calls into question the commonly held assumption that use damages an object, rather than enhances it.

So clever, right?!