It’s been over a decade since a relatively fringe 1700s religious sect—the Shakers—found unlikely ubiquity in the modern world. It started with Shaker peg rails (this story, originally published in 2013, took us by surprise when it went wild). Then Shaker-style kitchen cabinets became mainstream. And on it went.
In all the years since, enthusiasm for the simple, utilitarian design has barely dipped. If anything, it’s grown. But recently a new slew of Shaker-adjacent news leads us to believe there’s revitalized interest in seeing Shaker design in new ways. Fan alerted us to this exhibit, at the American Folk Art Museum, on Shaker art (utterly “exuberant” compared to their pared-back furnishings). And there’s this pop-up, co-curated by the actress Frances McDormand, featuring Shaker cradles, which invites visitors to “take your time. Rock yourself. Mend if you’d like.” And if you’ve ever wanted to adorn your envelopes with Shaker designs in miniature, now you can, thanks to a new collection of Shaker Forever stamps.
The stamps were released to mark the 250th anniversary of the first Shakers’ arrival in America, the USPS notes—perhaps a reason for the resurgence. Though we can’t help but wonder whether Shaker cradles and hand-made wares answer a yearning, now, for simpler times.
Here are seven Shaker-inspired offerings we’ve noticed lately:
