The Story: There are kings who do not announce themselves — their presence felt before they are seen, unhurried, certain, with nothing left to prove. CORD is the Re, the king of OVO's MorOVO collection, carried by hand from a studio in Roges di Rende, Cosenza, Calabria — the work of Maurizio Orrico, whose sculpture and installation work has shown at the Venice Art Biennale and the Shanghai Expo, and Enrica Vulcano, the NABA-trained design intelligence behind OVO. Each MorOVO begins as a fistful of raw clay, shaped entirely by hand, no molds involved — every piece of his crown, from the twisted rope braid to the hand-rolled curls of his beard, formed one detail at a time and fired into permanence, finished in OVO's signature graphite and matte enamel surface that absorbs light rather than reflecting it. Any variation in the surface is not imperfection. It is the hand.
CORD takes his name from corda, Italian for rope — the thick braid encircling his crown, worn like a wreath of authority. In Mediterranean tradition, rope is never merely functional: it is the sailor's lifeline, the thread that binds one world to another. This is not a purchase. It is an arrival — a limited edition sculpture, carried across the water, each one accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. He has been waiting for exactly the right room.
The Legend: In the tradition of Italian romantic tragedy — in the spirit of Romeo and Juliet — a love story unfolded so consuming it refused to simply end.
During the time of Arab rule in Sicily, a beautiful young woman tended her balcony with devotion — her plants, her flowers, her small world of beauty above the street. A Moorish merchant passed below, fell captivated, and told her of his feelings. What followed was a passionate love, immediate, absolute. For a time, it was everything.
Then came the betrayal. She discovered he was leaving — returning to the East, to a wife and children she had never known existed. The romance that had felt eternal had been, for him, a chapter. For her, it was the whole story.
Consumed by heartbreak and fury, she decided to never let him go and, as the legend goes, transformed him into something eternal, turning his head into a vase and planting a sprig of basil inside. She watered it with her tears and the basil grew luxuriantly, lush and fragrant beyond all reason. The neighbors noticed and began creating their own in ceramic — and so the legend spread. Regal, crowned, placed on balconies across Sicily, the testa di moro became a symbol of love, abundance, and good fortune. Centuries later, it remains one of Italy's most beloved icons. A story of loss, yes — but more than that, a symbol of love so fierce it grew into something beautiful. And never stopped growing.
Artist Studio: OVO · Maurizio Orrico & Enrica Vulcano · Roges di Rende, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy Medium: Handcrafted ceramic with powdered graphite and opaque matte enamel Finish: Cool Grey Matte · Color Code 3242T Dimensions: 45cm H · 20cm D · 16.5cm D (approximately 17.7" H · 7.9" D) Weight: Approximately 4–5kg Edition: Limited · Each piece unique Certificate: Authenticity certificate included
Each MorOVO ships directly from our partner studio in Calabria, Italy. Complimentary shipping included. Expedited delivery available on select pieces — contact us to arrange.
Every purchase illuminates lives, cultures and communities across the world. LUXUL COLLECTIVE — Light Reflects Light.