The CASTE line of furniture and accessories is designed by Ty Best. Ty was born and raised in Montana and lives there today. Born in Deer Lodge, both his home and his studio are now in Missoula, close to his roots and the unique and familiar geography he cherishes. During college in California, Ty studied fashion merchandising, and spent his early career in Los Angeles working in the fashion industry. In 1994, he returned to Montana to begin a freelance career in visual merchandising. As he explored his many inspirations for sculptural forms, Ty became more and more interested in the concept of applying his artistry to the design of furniture and objects for the built environment. He created his first furniture collection in 2007, establishing the CASTE brand the same year. In 2008, he opened a CASTE gallery in Chicago to showcase and sell both his furniture and artwork, all made by hand in his Montana studio at that time.From the beginning, Ty’s work has been jointly and variously inspired by evolved natural forms, both animate and inanimate; modern architectural and industrial design; and the fine hand workmanship of traditional crafts. His combinations of sculpted solids and voids, distinctive proportions, and a unique artistic vocabulary result in one-of-a-kind furnishings remarkable for their organic beauty. Crafted in noble materials including bronze, marble, bridle leather, and classic woods, his pieces invoke seemingly contradictory responses: luxurious/simple, complex/comfortable, fine art/furniture. His unique aesthetic has been described as “future primitive”. Regardless of descriptives, his work is inherently and appealingly beautiful and timeless.The CASTE collection has grown significantly in recent years, with Ty’s designs now encompassing not only the original carved wood pieces, but also dining furniture, upholstery, accessories, and lighting. All pieces are entirely made in the U.S.A., some still hand-crafted in Montana and others produced by fine fabricators in the Chicago area, where CASTE is headquartered.