TableWare www.tablewareinternational.com
INTERNATIONAL
Month: November/December 2018
2
Issue: 5
134
Volume: 140
B A RWA R E C O L L E C T I O N
ww w.nambe. c om
Featured: Vie Cocktail Shaker, Vie Decanter, Blend Bar Board, Mikko Ice Bucket, Vie DOF Glasses, Vie Wine Rack, Twist Coaster Set I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N Q U I R I E S C O N TA C T S U S A N @ N A M B E . C O M
sensational exceptional original 8. – 12. 2. 2019 The outstanding diversity of the international consumer goods market. Eye-catching innovations, trends and designs in sight. All segments. All themes. The trade fair that leads your industry into the future. Information and tickets: ambiente.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83 info@uk.messefrankfurt.com
Partner Country India
67617-031_AM_allg_TablewareInternational_210x297 • FOGRA 39 • CMYK • tp: 09.10.2018
DU: 05.11.2018
England
the show
Tableware Team
TableWare
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INTERNATIONAL
EDITOR KATE BIRCH kate@lemapublishing.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER PAUL YEOMANS pyeomans@lemapublishing.co.uk
PUBLISHER MARK NAISH mark@lemapublishing.co.uk
MANAGING DIRECTOR MALCOLM NAISH malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR PAUL NAISH paul@lemapublishing.co.uk
DESIGNER MARIAN MCNAMARA marian@lemapublishing.co.uk
To subscribe to the magazine email: ROBERT THOMAS robert@lemapublishing.co.uk
Published by Lema Publishing Ltd. 1 Churchgates, The Wilderness Berkhamsted Herts HP4 2UB PUBLISHING
At the heart Tel: 00 44 (0) 1442 289930 of retail Fax: 00 44 (0) 1442 289950 Front cover illustration supplied by Portmeirion. For more information see the website www.portmeirion.co.uk
TableWare www.tablewareinternational.com
INTERNATIONAL
Month: November/December 2018
2
Issue: 5
134
Volume: 140
nd so it’s done. The entry deadline for the Tableware International Awards of Excellence 2019 has closed and the entries counted. And we are delighted to announce that we’ve received 274 entries from 148 brands, up from 218 entries from 94 brands last year. But it’s not just the quantity that has surprised this year, but the quality, in terms of the companies entering and the products and collections they have put forward. As well as industry heavyweights like Alessi, Rosenthal, Lenox, Portmeirion, Noritake,Vista Alegre, Pasabahce, Denby, Herend, Nikko and Prouna, we’ve received entries from smaller and/or emerging brands, from Vera Pure and Twig New York, to Artel Glass and Linda Bloomfield. And then there are those companies making their Awards debut – brands such as Revol, Waterford, Riedel, Lehmann, Degrenne, Richard Ginori and Moser. Our international panel of 28 prestigious judges are currently assessing the entries and we will be announcing the three finalists in each of the 17 categories online in January and in our Awards Finalists supplement, out end of January with our Jan/Feb issue of Tableware International. The final winners will be announced at our glittering Awards Ceremony on Sunday, February 10 at Messe Frankfurt, during Ambiente 2019, and spaces for this are filling up fast, so reserve your place today! Find out more on page 66 and discover what six of our judges find exciting about the tableware industry today. One of the things we find most exciting about working in this industry is the chance to see, experience and support companies, communities and even countries that have a rich heritage in crafts, be it stoneware in Portugal, bone china in Stoke-on-Trent, or crystal in the Czech Republic. And last month we experienced this firsthand with a trip to the heart of crystal-making, the Liberec Region in the Czech Republic, where we attended the 13th International Glass Symposium. Bringing 66 global artists and 15 Czech glass manufacturers together to showcase the artistic potential of crystal, we deliver the highlights on page 48. Celebrating crystal further, we also travel to Corning (aka The Crystal City), which this year celebrates 150 years of glass arriving in the town. To mark this, The Shops at The Corning Museum of Glass (one of the largest Museum stores in US) has collaborated with Waterford Crystal on an exclusive design and event. Find out more on page 60. And we spotlight two more crystal companies this issue: Moser Crystal on page 42, where we talk with the brand's new marketing director; and Cumbria Crystal (on page 62), a luxury company that's finding new business in its bespoke creation with high-profile British manufacturers and premium distillers.
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In the Tableware Awards 2019, we've received 274 entries from 148 brands, up from 218 entries from 94 brands last year.
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With its rich arts and crafts tradition, India takes centrestage (on page 78). Selected as Partner Country for Ambiente 2019, we look at Indian design and discover how India is up-andcoming in the premium dining segment. We also travel to Denmark to pay tribute to country potter Niels Refsgaard, credited with spearheading the casual dining movement with Danish brand Dansk back in the 1960s. We discover how, 50 years on, Niels continues to chart new courses in casual dining on page 52. In retail and hospitality too, we are truly global this issue: we spotlight luxury homeware etailer Amara (page 36) to find out more about its international ecommerce platform; we travel to the Netherlands to profile 128-year-old Dutch retail store Pollmann sinds 1890 (page 40), renowned for stocking the largest collection of cutlery in the Netherlands; and we uncover the latest tableware demands and trends in hospitality from six global companies (page 44). Barware is our category focus this issue: we look at the continued rise of spirits on page 54; and discover the latest barware trends courtesy of columnist Donna Ferrari on page 32. Finally, as well as highlights from the latest New York Tabletop Show (page 72), we look ahead to Show Season: check out our 2019 tabletop tradeshow calendar on page 76; tradeshow interviews on page 68; and our show previews: Las Vegas Market (p80), Homi Milano (p82) and Maison Paris (p84).
Kate Birch Get social with See our latest news: www.tablewareinternational.com ‘Like’ us: Facebook.com/tablewareintmag ‘Follow’ us on Twitter: @tablewareintmag ‘Love’ us on Instagram: tableware_international
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November / December 2018 • ISSUE 5
News & Trends 10
News A round-up of international stories
14
Exhibition news The latest tradeshow news
18
Product news The latest launches
22
Product: Trends Architectural influences
26
Industry: Trend Mixing and matching
30
Product: Spotlight: Pastel shades
32
Column: Trends Regular columnist Donna Ferrari discusses the trends in barware
Retail & hospitality 34
Column: Retail T is for Table discusses how to draw customers in-store during the Holiday season
36
Interview: Retail UK We interview Amara.com
40
Profile: Retail Netherlands We profile awardwinning Dutch retailer Pollman sinds 1890
44
48
52 62
Profile: Cumbria Crystal Looking beyond retail
Feature: Hospitality Six global tableware brands discuss the demands and trends of hospitality
66
Awards Feature We ask six judges what excites them about the tabletop industry
60
Retail: Glass Waterford's partnership with The Shops at The Corning Museum of Glass
66
Category: Decorative The key drivers behind the current success of the Decorative Category
64
Column: Hospitality Making the most of shows
68
Trade Talk: Shows Six international tabletop trade shows discuss category growth and dining demands
86
Column: BHETA Why optimism is important
Features
Shows
18
Collection Dissection: Caverswall China We spotlight the Parterre Collection
38
Profile: Vidivi Italian glass brand discusses its new collaborative collections, including Mix & Co.
72
Show review: The New York Tabletop Show The highlights from the October show
42
Interview: Moser Crystal We talk strategy with new marketing manager Ivo Pacovsky
76
Show Calendar Tabletop Shows for 2019
78
Show Spotlight: India We profile the Ambiente 2019 Partner Country of India
80
Show Preview: LVM Who's show what in January
48
Feature: Czech Glass Symposium We report from the 13th International Glass Symposium
52
Interview: Niels Refsgaard Discover how Niels Refsgaard has influenced the Dansk brand
82
Show Preview: Homi What's new and who's showing at this Italian lifestyle fair
54
Category: Barware The rise of spirits and the latest launches in barware
76
Show Preview: Maison Who's showing what
The views of the contributors expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher or Lema Publishing Ltd. Comments, letters and criticism are welcome.
news
Nikko
celebrates 50 years in US Nikko Ceramics, founded in 1908 in Japan, is celebrating 50 years of operations in the US. The fine bone china specialist was among the seven original tenants of Forty One Madison, the tabletop building in New York, when it first opened in 1974. During the recently-held New York Tabletop Show, the company hosted several events in its showroom on the 8th floor. “America is the most important market outside of Japan for Nikko,” explains Akiko Mitani, global CEO of Nikko Ceramics. “We look back on all that our company has accomplished and are proud and grateful for our customers and consumers. 41 Madison and the Rudin family are the most important supporters of tableware in the US. We know many things will change in the next 50 years, but we also know that Nikko will still be in 41 Madison.” In addition, Nikko debuted two new collections, Wave and Geometric, both designed by the American artist Dorothy Feibleman. “Nikko is still among the most technologically innovative china companies in the world for glazes and decals and our new introductions are not only meant to be beautiful, but also extraordinary,” explains Kenji Anzai, president of Nikko Ceramics USA. “A few years ago, Nikko decided to concentrate on luxury and unique products and this has turned out to be the best step we could have made. We are excited to expand our collections with Wave and Geometric.” See page 72 for more.
Spotted! Crystalite Bohemia on Game of Thrones Games of Thrones Tyrion Lannister, aka The Imp, has been spotted using the Jessie decanter from Czech glass manufacturers Crystalite Bohemia. The Jessie collection echoes the Baroque splendours of the past and makes a fitting design for the richness of the setting of Game of Thrones and its deep undertones of dark magic and dragons. Jessie was actually designed in the early 1980s by František Brunovský and quickly became one of the bestselling lines for the Kvetna glassworks, which itself was established as far back as 1794 making it one of the the oldest working factories in the Czech Republic. Kvetna is now a company of growth and investment and is being re-branded Cerva Bohemia. The Jessie collection ranges from handsome wine glasses to luxurious champagne flutes, and covered candy dishes, and has also been seen gracing the tables of luxury yachts and private jets. www.crystalite.org
Fiesta retires Sage
Fiesta Dinnerware, the colourful and iconic Made in America brand, has announced it is retiring the colour Sage (originally introduced in 2015) from its lineup of 14 signature colours and will therefore be taking orders from retailers for Sage until December 31, 2018 for delivery by March 1, 2019. One colour is always retired in order to make room for the new colour introduction. The new colour for 2019 will be announced on January 8, 2019, on the first day of The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market (showroom #941, Building 2 on the 9th floor).
Lucideon
publishes its 2019 whitewares training schedule Lucideon has announced the launch of its 2019 schedule of ceramic whitewares and refractories training which includes more than 25 modules for the tableware, sanitaryware, tile and retail sectors. Courses are held at Lucideon’s headquarters in Stoke-onTrent, UK, with the option of webinar or on-site training. Caroline Mullington, technology partnership manager, says: “Our many decades of experience in the ceramics sector means we can offer specialised training modules including raw materials, individual manufacturing processes, and testing, which will be of interest to anyone employed in the ceramics sector. "We have also grown our training portfolio to include modules on everyday ceramics calculations and rheology – both hugely important factors in the manufacturing environment. “We know that learning and development is an important investment for organisations to grow, retain and upskill teams, which is why we develop our training according to the needs of our clients.” Lucideon has a team of highly experienced trainers who have industry experience across a number of ceramics sectors. January 2019 sees the new schedule commence with L1, Understanding Ceramics, in January, with courses throughout the following months. www.lucideon.com/training
V&A To&From
opens boutique in Thomas Goode Emerging design studio and homeware brand To&From has opened a boutique concession at Thomas Goode & Co, on South Audley Street in Mayfair, London. The studio offers contemporary tableware made of natural materials in collaboration with master craftsmen in Jaipur, as well as textiles inspired by a Sufi festival in Nagore. In addition to To&From’s own collections, works by other makers and artists who have inspired them, are on display, including the ceramic tableware collection, Eccentric, from Dutch workshop Cor Unum. Under the new custodianship of Johnny Sandelson, Thomas Goode & Co’s vision is to support new designers and makers within this historic shop. To&From is the first company to be invited to share the space. Johnny Sandelson comments: “To&From offers a contemporary take on traditional styles of homeware that Thomas Goode & Co has stocked for centuries, the juxtaposition now present in our store offers some very fresh possibilities. Their open-minded and international view on what local craftsmanship and British luxury means is something we’re really excited to see more of.”
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In the HoReCa segment, we have grown 20 per cent on last year and have achieved some 10 per cent of new customers. Our focus is to expand further into the international markets – we currently export to some 70 countries worldwide – and extend the Crystalex name across the world as well as re-focus on the Czech market. We plan to extend our production of stemware in order to fulfil increased demand. While we currently have two lines with polishing technology (seven lines in total), we are investing in a third line in order to create more products to better meet the level of demand. This means we will be adding more stemware lines and will be able to create more sophisticated products. Our new developments will be on show, as always, at Ambiente, our most important show. Tomas Janus, CEO of Crystalex
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Christofle and Karl Lagerfeld collaborate French silver brand Christofle has partnered with a fashion brand for the first time, collaborating with Karl Lagerfeld on an exclusive edition of the Mood flatware set and decorative case. Inspired by Art Deco and architecture, the elliptical egg features structured, graphic lines, which opens to reveal a 24-piece set of silver-plated flatware, each piece stamped with the Karl Lagerfeld silhouette logo. Available in two exclusive colourways: 1,000 pieces in the polished silver option made from mirrored stainless steel; and 500 pieces in the sleek black option crafted from lacquered stainless steel. www.christofle.com
unveils Portmeirion display
London’s Victoria and Albert Museum has opened a unique display dedicated to one of the world’s most successful ceramic companies, Portmeirion, and the driving force behind its phenomenal success – Susan Williams-Ellis. The Portmeirion: Pottery Trendsetter display, which opened October 30, and runs through July 28, 2019, explores the fascinating life of Susan Williams-Ellis (1918-2007), and displays the innovative designs perfected by Susan during her lifetime, including her most famous patterns Totem, Magic City and the ever-popular Botanic Garden, as well as bringing to life some of her firstever creations – the Malachite and Moss Agate patterns. For Portmeirion Group creative cirector, Julian Teed, who worked alongside Susan for many years, seeing her creations come back to life after so many years is inspiring. He says: “Having Susan’s designs on display for everyone to see is just incredible. 2018 marks the centenary of Susan’s birth so it couldn’t have come at a more fitting time.” He adds: “Over the years, pottery trends have changed and, as you tour the Portmeirion display, you can see just how instrumental Susan was in ensuring Portmeirion was at the forefront of that change. She was a visionary and a woman ahead of her time, and most importantly, she knew what would sell.” www.portmeirion.co.uk
John Lewis expands experiences
Annie Morhauser at her studio in California
Icey Dinnerware
5 minutes with… Annieglass Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, home décor and gifts brand Annieglass, renowned for its American-made, handcrafted glass serveware and sculpture, opened its debut showroom at 41 Madison, presenting its Spring 2019 Collection at October's New York Tabletop Show. We caught up with owner Annie Morhauser to find out more... “As a trained glass artist, I wanted to show the world how exciting the medium of glass can be, to bring crafts to the mass market and to deliver Americanmade glass using pioneering techniques. We are an artisan company, producing 200 pieces of unique glassware each day at our studio in California. A quarter of our workforce have been with us for 20 years or more. Every piece we create we engrave with the studio signature and item number. Our different artists have their own unique
brushstrokes so there are slight variations in each piece. We are inspired by the Californian landscape so many of our pieces take sea form. We market ourselves as a giftware company and deliver a variety of shapes and sizes and we can personalise pieces. We also deliver sustainable practices and include a 100 per cent recycled line in our collection. Our company aesthetic – that of handmade, personalised, socially responsible, sustainable, serveware-focused – taps into the Millennial demographic. We have permanent showrooms in Atlanta, Las Vegas Market and Dallas and have just opened a showroom in New York at 41 Madison. Our pieces can be found in luxury stores across the country in places such as Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s, as well as part of the permanent collection in the Smithsonian Museum.” www.annieglass.com
John Lewis & Partners revealed three brand-new experiences for customers to enjoy exclusively at its new shop in Cheltenham, UK, which opened last month. These include a gifting service, Get My Gifts; The Shopping List, John Lewis’s first-ever foray into a full-service personal shopping experience; and Private Shopping. Previously the reserve of exclusive boutiques, John Lewis Cheltenham brings the exclusivity of after-hours shopping to the high street with the retailer’s first-ever Private Shopping experience: customers can book out the whole shop and have exclusive use after-hours, with an expert team of John Lewis Partners on hand to create the ultimate bespoke shopping experience. Peter Cross, partner and director of customer experience, says: “In an age of rapidly changing shopping habits there can be nothing more special than your own personal shopper. Previously the reserve of exclusive boutiques for the famous few, this Autumn in Cheltenham, with the help of our army of expertly trained Partners, we are bringing the intimacy, luxury and magic of personal shopping to the high street.”
Steelite reveals hospitality insight Award-winning tableware manufacturer, Steelite International, has released its latest piece of industry insight, titled Hotel Casual, in partnership with the Food and Beverage Managers Association (FBMA) of London. The downloadable piece investigates the future trends emerging in the London hotel F&B landscape. Fierce competition in a saturated London market has forced hotels to innovate and diversify, driving up standards not only in London but across Europe and beyond. The insight cites industry icons such as the Rosewood Hotel, One Aldwych, and The Ritz, and research from SKIFT, to depict forthcoming F&B trends and how they may come to impact and influence customer experience. Andrew Klimecki, VP design at Steelite, says: “Hotels will rise and fall with their ability to offer standout experiences, and F&B is no exception. And, increasingly, people want those experiences to be as unique and personal as they are. There are many different factors and countless details that go into creating experiences of that calibre, and none can be overlooked.” And this includes tableware, of course. Download your free copy of Hotel Casual https://www.steelite.com
Did you know…? Americans discard more than 30 million tons of plastic a year, and only 8 per cent gets recycled. The rest piles up in landfills, is incinerated or becomes litter. There are over five trillion pieces of plastic, weighing more than 250,000 tons, floating in our oceans – that’s more than 700 pieces of plastic per person. Reduce waste with Orrefors brandnew Peak reusable stainless steel straws. They come in a fabulous gold colour and in sets of four with a cleaning brush, beautifully packaged in a giftable box.
Sambonet
Lenox
unveils Tailor Made project Sambonet’s production excellence, which combines technological research and craftsmanship, has been reinvented with its brand-new Tailor Made project, which utilises its cutting-edge technology to create personalised products. Aimed at those who wish to create exclusive gifts for themselves or for others, Tailor Made is a made-to-measure concept in cutlery, allowing consumers to create their own unique cutlery in five simple steps. First, consumers choose from a wide range of models, from modern to classic to design-oriented in style; before choosing their finish, from glossy to silver-plated, Vintage to Antique; and then select a colour, whether gold, black or copper, thanks to PVD technology. Then, customers can add a uniquely personal touch – the engraving of a logo or of a monogram that represents a certain personality or a date that marks an unforgettable moment in time, before finally choosing the make-up of their cutlery set. https://sambonet.it
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For our 70th anniversary, we have crafted a limited-edition special collection of silver-plated cake and fruit stands in the Empire style with just 30 pieces for each item. We decided to produce them in the unique Empire style Impero, which is the sign of elegance and refinement with a timeless beauty.
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Greggio Group, renowned for its handmade silver and silverplated products, on celebrating its 70th anniversary
10
The number of years that Finnish design brand Magisso has been in business. A fastmoving, forwardthinking multi-national design lab, the corner stone of Magisso’s vision is cool Nordic design with a strong focus on problem-solving – its aim, to make life at home smarter, better and easier with its function-driven design products. Magisso is one of the most awarded Nordic design companies with more than 30 international design awards.
appoints new CEO Lenox Corporation (Lenox), America’s leading tabletop brand, has announced that the Board of Directors has appointed Mads Ryder as CEO. Mads joins Lenox after holding multiple leadership positions at top European consumer companies, including IC Group, Royal Copenhagen, Weightwatchers, and LEGO Group. Marc Utay, chairman of the Board of Lenox, says: “We admire Mads’s impressive track record building brands and effective organisations. While he was CEO of Royal Copenhagen, we watched Mads reposition one of the tabletop industry’s most prestigious, though ageing, brands into what is now a highly relevant and vibrant brand in Denmark and Japan.” Mads says: “I’m incredibly excited by the opportunity in front of me. Lenox creates worldclass products, and, as the leader in the US market, we have a unique opportunity to interact with consumers in a way that can elevate the way Americans eat, entertain, and celebrate at home. I am confident a better experience for Lenox’s consumers will drive growth for Lenox’s business, and a more prosperous future for Lenox’s trade partners.” Mads steps in as CEO after months of leadership from Brian Gowen, who served as interim CEO for Lenox. Brian will continue to serve as chief operating officer, the position he held prior to Lenox’s executive transition. “We thank Brian for his superb effort and remarkable leadership during this transition period. We look forward to his partnership with Mads executing an exciting new strategy for Lenox,” concludes Marc Utay. www.lenox.com
exhibition news
What the retailers say…
The best of both worlds at Interior Lifestyle China 2018 As the 2018 Interior Lifestyle China show concluded on September 15, participants endorsed the effectiveness of the fair regarding two of its central elements: having both a strong highend lifestyle focus that reflects the latest consumer demands and lifestyle trends; and being an effective business platform to take advantage of the continuing potential in the Chinese market In total, 437 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions participated, up from 395 exhibitors in 2017, while the 23,570 visitors represented a 2 per cent increase on last year. “Interior Lifestyle China is a unique trade fair in the country,” says Ms Wendy Wen, senior GM, Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “The fair’s high-end buyer profile, as well as its appeal to industry players from throughout the country, sets it apart from others, and makes it the business platform of choice for leading international and Chinese brands. “What’s more, Interior Lifestyle’s positioning in the market, buyer profile and on-site events and zones are all at the cutting-edge of the latest lifestyle, consumer and retail trends in China, making the fair not only an effective place to do business, but also the ideal way to learn and test their China market strategy. The increases in the exhibitor and visitor figures this edition are pleasing, but the key takeaway from this fair is the all-round quality of the platform.” That quality was enhanced by the fair’s renowned fringe programme, which included new features that reflected the latest trends. The programme included the new Pop-Up Store which provided solutions to retailers; the Innovative Materials: Design New Lifestyle area, providing future lifestyle designs paired with innovative materials; the Retail Lab, which showcased shop design services; and the Neuni Shop, where 20 young designers featured their unique designs and ideas. The next Interior Lifestyle China will take place from September 11-13, 2019. http://interior-lifestyle-china.hk.messefrankfurt.com
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We’ve met many potential global dining and living brands and intend to have further cooperation with them. Our main target is to source from the high-end brands all over the world and we’re pleased to find so many of them here. Jessie Wang, GM, Evergrow Import & Export Trading
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I’m deslighted to see that the fair has attracted more designer brands, buyers and dealers introducing international high-end brands. The exquisiteness of this fair is the highest among other fairs visited. Chaopeng Luo, project manager, Shenzhen Mankinghua Yishan Culture Industries
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As a high-profile fair, the collection of brand exhibitors in Interior Lifestyle China is what I expected. There are also many highlights, which comprehensively reflect the trends and concepts of the domestic high-end consumer market. Celine Cheung, purchasing manager, Gome Holdings Group
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Tom Dixon to debut at Ambiente 2019 British design-led lifestyle brand Tom Dixon is set to take to the Frankfurt stage, making its debut at Ambiente 2019, from February 8-12. The iconic brand, owned and led by self-taught designer Tom Dixon, will have a stand in Hall 4.0, the Table Contemporary section, which currently houses design-led brands, such as Eva Solo, Stelton, LSA International and Alessi. Tom Dixon’s product categories span lighting, furniture, tabletop, office accessories, fragrance, and textiles, though the focus at Ambiente 2019 will be on tableware, which includes everything from copper-coated cafetieres and carved marble serveware pieces to smoky cocktail glasses. Delivering both to hospitality and retail, with a 50-50 ratio, Tom Dixon’s design mantra of “extraordinary objects for everyday use” is evident in the materials used – from copper to marble. Discover Tom Dixon at Ambiente 2019 in Hall 4.1. www.tomdixon.net
Don’t miss… Point of Experience at Ambiente 2019 For the second year running, Ambiente will deliver a special presentation, Point of Experience, during Ambiente 2019 (February 8-12), demonstrating how analogue and digital will eventually be combined in the world of shopping. Taking place in Hall 4.1, this hands-on customer demo will show a full-scale shop design that can be touched and tried out, showing retailers how they can successfully adopt a multi-channel approach, how they can make the most of it, and how this can help them keep up with web-based companies. The focus will be on customisation and advice for customers, demonstrating how augmented reality, barcode scanning and touch modules can enhance high street shops and inspire shoppers on the emotional level. The Augmented Living section, for instance, shows how a real set table can be further enhanced and decorated using various digital utensils. In this way, a shopper can test and review products before buying them. One highlight will be the Thinking Hub, with its workshops and presentations on various topics. http://ambiente.messefrankfurt.com
Ambiente announces Partner Country designers Chicago With the Partner Country for Ambiente 2019, taking place February 8-12, announced as the Republic of India, Ambiente has selected the designer who will curate the presentation of India at the show. Jaipur-based designer Ayush Kasliwal (Studio AFKD) will demonstrate the importance of traditional craftsmanship for India today through his presentation, which will cover a wide range of products by traditional crafts and artisans. Says Ayush: “India makes a huge variety of handmade goods and this opens up enormous opportunities for the country. The future, especially for India, lies in craftsmanship. Ambiente is a fantastic place to present handmade products.” The presentation will be in discreet Indian colours, and the products will be illuminated in the style of a design gallery. The first section, Timeless and Handmade, will celebrate products with everyday designs, while the second section will focus on both established and emerging craft entrepreneurs, with a focus on working methods and production techniques. The presentation will be held in Hall 4.1. The café in Hall 4.1 will be designed by multi-disciplinary designer Sandeep Sangaru and will deliver an opulent Indian-style ambience for the Starry Night Café. In addition, a special Indiathemed day will take place on the Monday, delivering numerous trend and product presentations, and concluding with a reception. http://ambiente.messefrankfurt.com
Pasabahce at Moscow gift fair For the first time, glass producer Pasabahce participated in the Household Expo Gift Fair, considered to be one of the world’s leading fairs for gift articles, the 22nd edition of which was held in Moscow in September. One of 750 companies exhibiting, Pasabahce introduced its newest products and series, from plates to planters, to the 17,500 professional visitors from 50 countries who attended. www.pasabahce.com.tr
This was another successful Maison & Objet, Paris, for The DRH “ Collection and our star performer was probably Neon, which garnered
lots of attention – it was definitely one of the most photographed objects at the show! It is one of our new glassware ranges under the Artland brand and continues the move to incorporate different design effects in each range, which started with the mirrored feather effect of Peacock. This time it’s a crackle effect in the stem and bowl of the glass. Neon is available as flutes, wines, DOF tumblers and, of course, gin! It is starting to get some good coverage in the consumer media too in the run-up to Christmas. We also had a lot of interest for Artland Mirage, which is bang ontrend with its oil slick design. Mike Holmes, director, The DRH Collection
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gears up for IH+HS 2019 In addition to more than 2,200 exhibitors showcasing thousands of new products for the home, the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago, taking place March 2-5, 2019, offers visitors education and insight into business practices and trends that are shaping the industry. Recognising a key trending category, IH+HS 2019 will provide retailers with the latest developments in smart homes: Smart Home pavilion expands with more than 30 exhibitors, while the Smart Talks educational stage features presentations, panel discussions and interviews. The New Exhibitor Preview, held just before the Show opens on Saturday morning, returns and will feature 90 new-to-the-Show exhibitors, while the concurrently-run Trending Today Preview will focus on the craft beverage movement, highlighting all craft beverages, from coffee, beer to cocktails and water, along with speciality glasses, accessories and kits. The Discover Design Expo will feature design and trend leaders of the latest in high design, and on the Sunday evening, buyers are invited to stop by the Toast to the Trends networking reception. The keynote sessions of the Show offer expert updates on key trends. Lee Eiseman of Pantone will again give two presentations: revealing Pantone’s 2020 colour palettes and delving into the philosophy of colour; while Tom Mirabile, IHA’s trend expert, will explore the consumer and retail shifts reshaping the housewares industry. The Show’s Innovation Theater will feature over 20 presentations on lifestyle trends, consumer purchasing habits, design and retail best practices. Visit www.housewares.org
What an exciting and forward-thinking event, “ if like me you are interested in individual and characteristic design, Table is a must. ”Table Tom Kerridge, Michelin-starred chef, on Sue Pryke
Eva Solo, Forma House
Luxury Tableware event for hospitality returns Table, the UK’s first hospitality event dedicated to luxury design-led tableware presentation for the global hospitality industry, returns to Top Drawer from January 13-15. Building on a successful launch in 2018, Table moves into the prestigious Modern Home hall for its 2019 edition, bringing together specialist manufacturers and designers, with buyers seeking to explore the latest in luxury design-led tableware and related products for the hospitality industry. Exclusive suppliers and designers to look out for this season include Alessi, Serax, Forma House, Caverswall, LSA International, Sango, Elia International, Studio William, Sue Pryke and hot new designers Zaim Design. New for 2019, the unique Hospitality Trail guides buyers through a hospitality-focused edit of innovative products and key exhibitors at the show. The trail will highlight the diverse range of hospitality-friendly products, from glassware, tableware and serveware to luxury leather aprons and stylish interior accessories from the likes of Alessi, Chic
F2D, LSA International, Sango, Stelton, Studio William, Seletti, Serax, Eva Solo, Peugeot, CrushGrind, Microplane International, Blomus, Burton McCall, Zaim Design, Sue Pryke, Guzzini, Maria Portugal Terracotta and Elia. Ian Rudge, development director for Clarion says: “I’m delighted to see the return of Table at Top Drawer this January. With its prime new location in the Home hall, and the introduction of the Hospitality Trail, Table will provide key decision makers within the hospitality industry with the opportunity to engage with specialist manufacturers and brands, while also offering buyers the additional opportunity to source a wide range of all types of hospitality-friendly, design-led products from across the show.” Held at Olympia London from January 13-15, 2019, Top Drawer will present a global edit of over 1,500 design-led brands across Home, Gift, Fashion, Greetings & Stationery, PLAY, Spotted, Food Emporium, and Wellbeing. www.tablelondon.com
Zaim Design Studio
Aerts to present at Top Drawer Belgian company Aerts is set to exhibit at Top Drawer for the first time with its two brands, Chic and F2D. While Chic delivers timeless tableware in combination with unique materials, such as magnesium porcelain, F2D delivers the latest trends in colours and materials. As well as presenting all-time favourite collections, including Nova from F2D (think porcelain with reactive glazes in indigo contrasting with the earthy tones of the rims) and Perla from Chic (think a range made of unique formula SiloxiHT for fine bone china looks, yet highly robust, and featuring organic shapes and a pearly gloss), the brands will unveil new ranges. CHIC is set to present Jade, which features robust, classic and clean shapes in highly durable porcelain with a modern touch in radiant sage green colours that can be alternated with soft white shades. While F2D will present the robust porcelain dinnerware collection, Black Ceres, which delivers reactive glazes in a black matte design, so each piece is unique. Visit Stand C29.
33,600
The total square-metre space of the new Hall 12 at Messe Frankfurt, which has just opened and which will be in operation during Ambiente 2019. Built with state-of-the-art materials and in line with the latest standards, the very flexible Hall 12 offers exhibition space equivalent to the area of five football pitches.
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New brands continually join Interior Lifestyle China, and in 2019, these included Ceramic Japan, Lenox, and Kuhn Rikon. To ensure buyers find the right suppliers, we pre-schedule meetings and offer a business matching service. There’s also a fringe programme offering industry insights by experts. This year, we organised a roadshow across China – exhibitors presented products directly to retailers in targeted cities. Wendy Wen, senior GM, Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.
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Showcase Present your newest collections at Spring Fair 2019. Meet new customers and build relationships as part of retail’s all-encompassing sourcing marketplace. springfair.com
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products news
Bauscher extends
Orrefors
successful Purity range
unveils new barware
Following an enthusiastic reception in the global HoReCa market to Bauscher’s Purity Collection, which delivers a strict minimalism combined with delicate but durable porcelain (made using the innovative material Noble China), the German company has extended the collection to include a new pattern concept. Antique Style delivers five complementary patterns that evoke associations with distant cultures and past eras. With their graphic Arabic ornamentation, the Antique Cinnamon and Antique White Pepper patterns bring to mind Moorish patios and Mediterranean tile art, delivered in earthy colours; while the Antique Olive pattern features a warm olive hue and branching patterns. Antique Sea Salt, in a grey-blue shade, delivers a charming used look, while Antique Mokka features arabesque ornamentation and warm brown tones. With the compatible Antique Style pattern concept, Bauscher now offers even more variations of presentation. www.bauscher.com
With a focus on metropolitian soirees, Swedish brand Orrefors presented its new barware collection, the Peak series. Inspired by the peaks of glaciers reflecting in glittering seas, the design, from Martti Rhykonen, embraces the dramatic contrasts of nature with the energy and nightlife of the city. Partnering the glassware, and tapping into the plastic-free movement, are the new Peak reusable stainlesssteel straws coated in a gold colour, which come in sets of four. www.orrefors.com
Bergner taps into flatware fashion
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Bergner presents the latest trends in cutlery with a wide variety of designs to adapt to every style and type of table, but all with a common denominator – exceptional quality. There’s gold-look cutlery featuring a mirror polish with titanise copper to give the table a touch of elegance; textured cutlery, which features a hammered technique on both modern and classic styles; and engraved cutlery, combining fashion with tradition. In fact, Bergner offers lines in matt or gloss and manufactures all its cutlery products in Premium stainless steel, a high-quality robust material that’s durable and safe. Each collection has a specific thickness, between 2-4mm, and therefore each is unique, delivered in a variety of gift boxes or as individual pieces, giving consumers the chance to build their collection over time.
The number of organically shaped plates which have been combined to create Zieher’s brand-new stand-out serveware creation for the hospitality industry. Flower Tower delivers two etageres that fuse floral shapes with the gloss and reflections of hammered and polished stainless steel, offering flexible and diverse presentation options for hotels and restaurants, everything from finger food to petit fours. While the larger etagere offers space for up to 21 delicacies on three different levels, the smaller etagere displays just one level. Also available for retail. www.zieher.com / www.zieher-selection.com
Introducing…
Waterford continues collaboration with Jeff Leatham Continuing its partnership with world-renowned floral artist Jeff Leatham (known for having revolutionised how people think about and visualise flowers), Waterford introduces the Icon Collection. Combining beautiful crystal and floral artistry in striking shapes, this collection of barware and giftware, in both clear and amethyst, reflects both the rich Irish heritage and time-honoured craftmanship. Icon embodies a clean, simple and chic style, featuring innovative olive cuts, which form a radiating prism to create striking refractions and a dazzling finish. Presented in classic Waterford packaging with a decorative Jeff Leatham sleeve.
Sieger channels its inner superhero Sieger by Fuerstenberg is channelling its inner superhero with the launch of The Sparkling 4, four comic stripinspired character decors that mark the start of a new chapter in its tumbler collection Sip of Gold. The tumblers combine the light-hearted entertainment of modern comic culture with luxurious elegance, delivering four fresh, cheeky and colourful characters – Star man, Glamour Girl, Marvellous Monkey and Rumble Rex. Meticulously handcrafted in Germany, each tumbler is one of a kind, pairing wafer-thin porcelain with gleaming 24k gold interior gilding, so when filled with sparkling drinks, it creates the impression of liquid gold. The Sparkling 4 supplement the existing 20 models in the Sip of Gold Collection. www.sieger-germany.com
As you can see, I am hardly a minimalist, I “ love to layer accessories and dress in colour, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think simple. Nude is my simplicity, simplicity is a state of mind, and I think simple is beautiful. Iris Apfel on her collaboration with global design brand Nude, which is set to deliver a striking collection of customised collectibles inspired by Iris’s style throughout 2019.
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Carrol Boyes Ceramics In order to complement her popular metal collections and to further broaden the brand’s offering, Carrol Boyes has introduced a range of high-quality ceramic dinnerware and coffee mugs. Sourcing from her archive of sketchbook drawings, Carrol was persuaded to make a select few of these public by transferring them onto the finest porcelain plates, transforming them into bespoke works of art. As Carrol says: “I felt it was time to make these private illustrations public and to bring a graphic element to my range.” As the ceramic offerings grew, vibrant colours crept in with the Dancing Girls design, followed by the stylised floral pattern, Moody Bloom. This was the first time that colour was seen in-store and was well-received by customers. Introducing another first and brand-new to the dinnerware collections are the new bone china plates. Completely free from animal products, this strong yet delicate range of tableware consists of a chef’s plate, dinner plate, side plate, cereal/soup bowl and cup and saucer. The use of new bone china, combined with the soft shades of blue, are an innovative new adventure for collectors of the brand. On a trip to Morocco several years ago Carrol learnt that a certain bluish-purple cloth was much prized in North-West Africa. Called Indigo, the dye used comes from a small indigenous shrub and is considered valuable, at times even replacing local currencies. She was inspired both by the depth of the colour and the way the Tuareg nomads wore it with so much pride. Hence, the Indigo Girls range was born! For trade enquiries or to receive the company's latest catalogue, contact sales@cbfa.co.za / www.cbfa.co.za
Prouna
taps into vintage rug trend
Villeroy & Boch
scoops four design awards Three innovative products, four designs awards – Villeroy & Boch is recognised for its innovation, including securing the Red Dot Design Award in the Product Design 2018 category for its Collier Vase (pictured) and the German Design Award 2019 for its Bundt cake mould from the Clever Baking range. The Collier Vase collection is inspired by the beautiful world of jewellery, delivering fine reliefs with understated structures that wrap around the vases, creating a sophisticated look with the cooliers appearing to taper off over the curvature. The matte finish and puristic elegance of the six black and six white models accentuate the colourful splendour of the flowers. www.villeroy-boch.com
During the upcoming winter tradeshows, Kiyasa Group, exclusive distributor of Prouna, will introduce new fine bone china Cuenca Collection, a modern translation of an old design inspired by vintage handwoven Spanish Rugs from Cuenca village from the 17th and 18th centuries. These rugs are known for their less vibrant colour range and heavier body, and to stay close to this, the collection was intentionally created in a muddy blue-and-white colour palette with accents of copper gold (dishwasher and microwavesafe) in between. The density of the pattern captures the coarser body of these rugs. The washed-off effect in the decal reminds us of the antiquity and the classic era to which the origin of this design belongs.
Inspired by… the human eye Extending its iconic Art Cup collection, illy caffe has unveiled its limited-edition collaboration with renowned British artist Marc Quinn. One of the Young British Artists, a group that emerged in London in the late 1980s, Marc is known for his captivating paintings of the iris of a human eye. The Marc Quinn illy Art Collection cups and saucers mirror his Iris paintings with swirling bold colours and a reflective surface. The collection comes as sets of either six or two cappuccino cups and espresso cups. www.illy.com
Versatility in focus for Iittala The design combines the vintage look “ with a modern formal language, creating an up-to-date collection for professional use. A beautiful collection, which also impresses through its variety. The jury at the German Design Awards 2019 about Schoenwald’s Shabby Chic collection, which they awarded with a prize in the Excellent Product Design/ Tabletop category for 2019. Shabby Chic features eight decors.
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Tapping into consumer demand for versatile, eclectic dining options featuring mixed materials, Iittala unveils new tableware collection Raami. Designed by Jasper Morrison, Raami is a collection of dining items composed of ceramic, glass and wood and includes four looks: the drinking glasses, carafe and tealight candles echo the same fluted, tactile design; the stemware forms another style with simple, elegant shapes. The ceramic items form a third – porcelain plates and bowls with a curved edge and subtle rim detail. Finally, the wooden serving boards allows a more casual arrangement. www.iittala.com
trend products
Roof Rosenthal Inspired by the wave-like roof of Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the new Roof collection, designed by German design duo Metz & Kindler, is a giftware collection. The concave surface of these visually striking vases and bowls, available in white or titanium-coated porcelain, resembles the undulating crests and troughs of ocean waves in bright sunshine, much like the architectural roof. The straight-lined base provides a contemporary counterpoint, together bringing a fascinating piece of architecture to the table.
Bar Royal Selangor Evoking nostalgic memories of elegant witty cocktail parties held in suburban homes or swank bachelor pads, Bar takes inspiration from geometric motifs of Mid-Century architectural screen blocks. Reinterpreted into sleek pewter lattices, the collection adds old-school sophistication to the art of drinking. The collection includes a cocktail shaker and measure, whisky decanters, champagne coupes and martini glasses, as well as tumblers, hiball glasses, an ice bucket, tray, nut bowl and hip flask.
www.rosenthal.de
www.royalselangor.com
Lady Diana Towle Inspired by the rich, architectural decoration of old English mansions, the new Lady Diana stainless-steel flatware collection from Towle, a brand within Lifetime Brands, features intricate design details, which include a central ornamental shield, pointed oval top, and neck framed in curling leaves. This set will elevate every meal into a festive dining experience. Available as a 20-piece set.
www.lifetimebrands.com
Karl Lagerfeld Mood Christofle The French brand has collaborated with a fashion brand for the first time, introducing an exclusive Karl Lagerfeld edition of its Mood flatware set and decorative case. Available in two exclusive colourways – polished silver made from mirrored stainless steel and sleek black crafted from black stainless steel – the design is inspired by Art Deco art and architecture – think structured graphic lines on the elliptical egg shape, which enhances the contrast of geometry. Mood has a 24-piece set of silver-plated flatware. Limited edition of 1,500 pieces.
www.christofle.com
Silhouette Collection Porland A collaboration between Finnish design company Pentagon Design and Porland, this versatile porcelain collection is inspired by the architecture and buildings of Istanbul. The 24 pieces feature domes and minarets of the city, so chefs can create presentations that connect Asia and Europe. When pieces are combined (from flat, oval and deep plates, to bowls, mugs, a jug and serving bowls), it creates a silhouette of Istanbul. Made from a special Porland recipe, Alumilite, the collection delivers high mechanical strength and a perfect colour.
www.porland.com.tr
Iconic Cutlery WMF The Iconic cutlery, designed by Michael Michalsky Design Studio, is inspired by modern architecture, the striking geometric lines and matte surfaces are timeless elements, which also make the cutlery an optical highlight. The cutlery is also pleasant to hold and well-made, using WMF’s patented Cromargan protect, which ensures it retains its good looks for a long time.
www.wmf.com
Trend: Architectural inspirations Crystal glasses, metal barware, cutlery and porcelain tableware all take inspiration from architecture, everything from the architectural decoration of English mansions, to the domes and minarets of Istanbul
Emporio
Fluen Shifting Colours
Vista Alegre
Fuerstenberg
The pitcher and stemmed glasses in this timeless set – the execution of which is only achieved by the most expert glassmakers – stand out by their cutting work, inspired by the architectural elements of domes. This feature gives them a magnifying effect, and the colours of the foot of the glasses and pitcher, from emerald to amber, lend it an audacious and irresistibly contemporary touch.
A universal porcelain tableware service, taking inspiration from architecture, Fluen delivers gentle flowing lines. “You can see this quite well in the pasta bowl, which is distinguished by its continuous, gentle movement,” says Swiss designer Alfredo Haberli. In addition to tableware, there are two vases and a pot with a lid. Alongside its white shimmering form, Fluen has two patterns, including Shifting Colours, which is based on coloured surfaces, which, when one is laid over the other, give rise to a new colour – vibrant blue, powerful gold and gentle pastel tones combine.
www.vistaalegre.com
www.fuerstenberg-porzellan.com
collection dissection
Product
Caverswall China
Spotlight
Parterre collection Who is Caverswall China? The Caverswall China Company is the premier fine bone china tableware producer in the UK, a business of tradition, with a team of highly-skilled craftsman and master artists. Each piece of Caverswall English Fine Bone China is 100 per cent authentically English, starting its life with clay sourced from Cornwall. Artisans form the clay into exquisite collections to use, treasure and to bring pleasure. Pieces are created using skills handed down through numerous generations, for which The Caverswall China Company is globally renowned. Caverswall China is the proud holder of a Royal warrant from HRH The Prince of Wales, while its sister company, Halcyon Days, holds all three Royal warrants. Both companies are guardians of English craftsmanship, using traditional 62 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL processes and educating young apprentices with the skills required
to carry on the traditions to progress and fuel the growth of craftsmanship in the UK. Timeless and elegant tableware and decorative items for the home encapsulate what The Caverswall China Company produces, including a wide assortment of teaware, trinket trays, candles and coasters. What is the Parterre collection? Parterre draws inspiration from symmetrical and geometric gardens, which rose to popularity during the French Renaissance. The diamond shape that repeats throughout the collection forms a uniquely striking motif rooted in history, but made for the 21st Century. Parterre was initially introduced in Spring 2018 as a range of fine bone china mugs and 8-inch plates in soft pastel hues with a gold gilded rim. This autumn, Parterre is available in an extended product selection in
both black and red, complementing the other contemporary ranges in the wider collection. The extensive collection has grown to include all manner of home decorative items and teaware. What’s so unique about Parterre? Parterre embodies the unique spirit of The Caverswall China Company and Halcyon Days. It is a contemporary yet timeless collection, showcasing the best of British craftsmanship while simultaneously appealing to global tastes. It is singular in that its pieces are able to find a home anywhere; from a complete dinnerware service for a collectionary setting to smaller gift items suitable for any occasion. With the black and red designs now available in elegantly presented boxed sets of coffee cups and saucers as well as teacups and saucers, Parterre makes for an ideal wedding, hostess or special occasion gift.
What Caverswall says… “Colourful and playful, Parterre is for those who prefer more innovative and whimsical designs – both enduring and contemporary,” says Pamela Harper, CEO of Halcyon Days and The Caverswall China Company. “The repeating patterns of coloured diamonds contrast with the brilliant white of the English fine bone china. Though the style is nontraditional, it is an embodiment of the same care, skill and attention that goes into all our products. “At The Caverswall China Company, the term luxury has substance. For us, it’s about the story and the provenance of our products. It isn’t merely about where they are going to find a place in your life, but where they have come from. That is why our English fine bone china is handmade in Stoke-on-Trent." Contact... Email: zenouska.mowatt@ halcyondays.co.uk or visit halcyondays. co.uk / halcyondaysusa.com / caverswallchina.com
Trend eclectic
Junto, Rosenthal A subtle fusion of fine porcelain featuring a delicate diamond relief, earthy stoneware with a special reactive glaze with an entirely unique speckled structure and warm American oak across a variety of muted colours and organic shapes.
Floral Castle, Clip BV The Flora Castle brand delivers a mix-and-match approach, its collection featuring a mix of abundant and understated colourful hand-painted floral and geometric designs (seven different patterns) across ceramics and textiles.
Mixing it up A
With casual dining and personalisation driving tabletop sales, eclectic mix-and-match concepts are being taken to new height t this October’s New York Tabletop Show, it was clear to see that mixing and matching is not just alive and kicking but is being given increased focus with brands delivering mix-and-match tableware concepts that are not just mixes of colour or pattern (as was so often the case in the past), but mixes of colour, pattern, shape, texture and materials. While Lenox has increasingly delivered mix-and-match concepts (Chelse Muse offers three different carving options and three different colour options making the combinations endless), its latest unveiling, Global Tapestry, takes the concept to new heights, delivering an array of ethnic patterns, colours, shapes, textures and materials (from wood to ceramics) and encompassing flatware, stemware, glassware and giftware that all work together. Think a complete mixable
26 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL
programme with a distinct aesthetic – blending international ethnicities and cultures. “The consumer’s purchasing habits have developed demand for open stock and artisanal designed items which are typically one of a kind,” says Stephanie Zoppina, marketing manager at Lenox. “As consumers become more opinionated with their home décor, they want to also give a personal touch to their tabletop. Mixing and matching gives them the ability to entertain with a presentation that is completely personalised and their own.” She adds: “Collections at Lenox are developed to make sure there is more variety than one particular pattern or colour for the consumer. "We also make sure we are selling our products as open stock to ensure the consumer has the ability to build their own set. Our product photography also reflects the ability to mix all pieces together.”
Gibson, too, is leading the way with such coordinated and compelling mix-and-match concepts that offer the latest in fashion colours and trends, from its Urban Market range to the Plaza Café Pastel Collection. “Mix and match, as part of coordinated personal lifestyle statements, continues to be an important element of keeping tables fresh and relevant," says David Nicklin, VP of marketing and licensing, Gibson. "The layering of new and fashionable product is very personal and is increasingly seen as a reflection of someone’s taste and/or personality. “As such it can be hard for retailers to always provide statements that offer a universal appeal. And, it can be challenging to effectively merchandise at retail. What is being mixed and matched? What products does it include? Who are they targeting? “Retailers often have difficulties with mix and match items because the retail presentations can quickly turn
into an uncoordinated hodge-podge of ideas, materials, colours and looks that don’t work well together. Often when consumers are presented with product and told to mix and match themselves, many don’t have the confidence, vision or the time to do so.” This is why Gibson has put a lot of time, energy and resource into developing coordinated lifestyle programmes over the last few years, taking the latest fashion or design trends and applying them into a coordinated lifestyle look and feel across multiple product categories. “The result is an exciting and relevant assortment of products that provide a clear, compelling and aspirational merchandising story at retail. This story of products includes various designs (like mix and match) but they all thematically complement each other and include a broad scope of products across the growing Home Cooking and Entertaining segments of prep, cook, serve and dine.”
How do you support retailers? Three brands explain what they provide to retailers to help them communicate the possibilities that mix-and-match concepts can achieve
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We provide concepts for our retailers, including visuals, and we are currently working on a completely new online platform that will inspire our retailers, providing them with all the material they need to communicate the options of mix and match and enthuse customers. Deborah Vlaanderen, marketing manager, Wegter.
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Blueprint Collectables, Laura Ashley Tableware Collection Blueprint Collectables features six patterns, all in blue and white, designed to be interchanged.
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We’re seeing a blending of new and vintage, a bold mix of shapes and materials, and a willingness to experiment. This eclecticism communicates the consumer’s own story and experience, and an embracing of the mis-matched as a form of expression. Beatriz Ball, owner, Beatriz Ball Collection
Rosenthal also sees mix and match as increasingly key, with “consumers wanting to decide for themselves how to mix in order to express their own creativity and individuality”, says Gianluca Colonna, MD, Rosenthal. For Rosenthal, therefore, mix and match is playing “a huge role in the development of new tableware collections, especially in terms of colour and materials”, adds Gianluca, pointing to the Junto Collection. One of the most successful of Rosenthal’s tableware collections last year, Junto was a huge step forward for the brand, whose tableware is traditionally porcelain, as it introduced stoneware and wood, mixing with porcelain, as well as with gloss and matte textures, different shapes and muted colours. And, another recent Rosenthal launch, Cipango Blue on the Moon shape, taps into mix and match with 29 pieces, allowing consumers to create 29 different looks.
Casual driver The popularity of a more casual way of dining and the trend for global foods and sharing has certainly had an impact on the rise of mix and match. “Casual dining is very on-trend and being able to have an eclectic mix and match of tableware is the epitome of casual,” says Katrina Lawton, marketing manager of Creative Tops. “As well as mixing and matching with colours and textures, it’s also very on-trend to mix it up with different shapes and sizes, offering no end of options for presenting and serving different food styles and cuisines, which is becoming increasingly popular.” For consumers, says Katrina, it allows for “unique, individual table style, delivering a point of difference and offers flexibility and an element of freedom”. Creative Tops has many collections in its portfolio that
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lend themselves to mixing and matching, including the latest V&A Cole Collection, which draws inspiration from decorative elements and architectural details from the V&A Refreshment Rooms. Each piece combines beautiful elements from the café’s interiors with classic cobalt. The new Mikasa Azores, meanwhile, dubbed ‘an abstract adventure at the table’, and taking inspiration from the Portuguese islands, comprises an eclectic mix of shapes, textures and materials for the ultimate in mix-and-match dining.
Material mix Mixing of materials is, in fact, one the main ways in which mix and match is progressing, driven by demand for casual settings and global foods. “Today’s consumers are not bound by the old-time rules and formality of the past,” says Beatriz
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When we visit our retailers, we see their tablescape displays are increasingly a mix of products and materials. In our lifestyle photography and in our sales materials, we describe how natural and easy it is to mix and match materials at the table. We have taken a cue from consumers about mixing and matching, and now we want to inform retailers that the mix-and-match tablescape is here to stay. Beatriz Ball, owner, Beatriz Ball Collection
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We invest a lot in marketing and PR to get the message over. Our imagery is done in a way that provides inspiration and ideas for table styling and this is carried over to our packaging, which itself can create striking instore displays and provide customers with inspiraton. At tradeshows, we also create tablesettings and displays that give retailers ideas as to how they can recreate these in-store. Katrina Lawton, marketing manager, Creative Tops
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TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 27
Urban Market Collection, Gibson Designed to make a cross-category statement at retail with dinnerware, serveware, pantry items, bakeware, accessories, food storage and onthe-go items, Urban Market features vibrant florals, geometric patterns, and images of beloved farm animals.
V&A Cole Collection Inspired by the museum’s three luxurious dining areas, this fine china blue-and-white collection combines a bold geometric pattern and floral arabesques, delivering a diverse mixand-match tableware story.
Ball, owner of Beatriz Ball. “Gatherings are less formal and dinner parties have given way to casual and often impromptu entertaining – where and how food is served at the table is a reflection of these trends and we’re seeing a blending of new and vintage, a bold mix of shapes and materials, and a willingness to experiment. "This eclecticism communicates the consumer’s own story and experience, and an embracing of the mis-matched as a form of expression.” Such lifestyles have, adds Beatriz, dictated her designs and her product offer has expanded from her signature sand-cast metal pieces, to serving pieces in wood,
glass, acrylic, linen and luxury melamine. “This array of products and materials provide a palette of interesting and contrasting shapes, colours and textures to create a personal expression at the table. “All of our melamine designs have their origin in iconic designs from the metalware collections, but the addition of colour and different materials brings a new and exciting element to the table,” says Beatrix, pointing to Its new melamine Lettuce Collection, which is based on its metal Garden collection.
Mix it up brands Then there are those companies, many recently launched, whose entire brand philosophy is based on
the mix-and-match concept. The company behind Bunzlauz Castle, Clip BV, has recently launched a new brand, Flora Castle, the entire concept delivering a mix-and-match approach. Featuring a mix of both abundant and understated colourful hand-painted floral and geometric designs (seven patterns) across ceramics and textiles, each design has been created so all pieces seamlessly mix, so consumers can build their own collections. “This is bang on-trend as consumers today are hesitant to buy a full dining set, but would rather collect individual pieces over the years to create their own unique tablesetting,” says Christian Hogeveen, international and marketing sales
manager of Clip BV. “And all future launches will be designed to fit in with the current ones, so consumers can gradually build their collection.” Several years ago, Dutch company Wegter, which has the Laura Ashley licence, unveiled the Laura Ashley Tableware brand, which is all about mixing and matching prints. The first collection, Blueprint Collectables, features six patterns, all in blue and white, designed to be interchanged. “Mixing and matching is key right now – consumers today want to create their own individual tablesettings and to develop their own style, to be seen as someone with unique taste,” concludes Deborah Vlaanderen, marketing manager at Wegter.
What the distributor says….
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We mix and match a lot and it is a big part of how we help our customers achieve a really unique look. It’s a bit like a designer service for your tableware. We are very conscious of what works from a functional point of view as well as what products mix and match well. It can go very wrong when choices are made across lots of different suppliers, so we do more and more projects involving the whole concept. You also have to be really careful when mixing and matching different materials such as bone china with stoneware. It can look very wrong – that’s why our showroom is so successful. Picking from a catalogue, you would never be able to see that difference. Valda Goodfellow, owner, Goodfellow & Goodfellow, distributors for luxury tableware in hospitality, UK
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Alegria, Beatriz Ball Beatriz Ball has expanded its signature sand-cast metal pieces to serving pieces in wood, glass, acrylic, linen and luxury melamine, offering a palette of interesting and contrasting shapes, colours and textures.
Global Tapestry, Lenox Combining a vivid palette of saturated colour grounded by earthy hues, this mix-andmatch collection blends global ethnicities and cultures, layering artisanal decorative elements, from mosaics to metallics, and feature an array of patterns across ceramics, glass and wood items.
Uniquely designed collections in pewter, aluminium, glass and ceramic for sophisticated entertaining. For trade enquiries or to receive our latest catalogue please contact sales@cbfa.co.za carrolboyes.com TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 29
spotlight products
GRACE Porcel Grace, as the name gently points out, is a graceful and delicate dinner, tea and coffee service, with thin golden lines and a soft blush pastel-like colour on fine porcelain. First inspired by bobby lace designs, designer Filipa Ricardo explored the lines re-interpreting them to deliver a more geometric look. The light rose shade accented with precious gold lace details turns this set into a dainty-looking collection that is simple yet elegant. Two cake stands complement the collection.
PASTEL COLLECTION Gibson The Plaza Café Pastel Collection from Gibson Overseas continues to grow and now delivers a coordinated lifestyle programme, offering this trending colour palette across everything from dinnerware, serveware and coffee/tea, to cookware and kitchen tools. The four on-trend pastels used include mint, lavender, coral and sky, each delivering everyday prep, cook, serve and dine items. “Consumers want functionality, but they also want something that helps them cook and dine in style,” says Laurie Gates, housewares designer.
www.gibsonusa.com
www.porcel.pt
Pastel power Ice-cream shades are being splashed across everything from serveware to barware to dinnerware this season
PERFECT PASTEL SERVEWARE Just Slate Company
NOLITA COLLECTION Kate Spade New York The new Nolita Collection features a pastel colour palette, including pale pink and baby blue, with prints across a number of categories, including dinnerware, made of stoneware, with its modern graphics; kitchenware; glassware; and barware. The barware pieces (pictured) are made of metal and lucite and are defined by their colourful, modern details, with the cocktail shaker top and bar tool handles delivering retro pastels in lucite.
www.lenox.com 30 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL
The new serveware and accessories collection from Just Slate showcases the latest pastel trend, featuring ice-cream-inspired hues of mint green, fresh cream and light pink mixed with metallics. Simple yet stunninig, serving bowls and dishes, made of stoneware and mango wood, are combined with copper and gold detailing and accessories. Versatile and practical, the collection consists of 13 designs, including 11 serveware pieces (nesting trays, coasters, coffee mugs, bowl and paddle set, condiment set and serving bowls), and two on-trend accessories.
www.selbraehouse.co.uk
RETAIL RENAISSANCE Tra n s f o r m e d . I n s p i r i n g . I n n ova t i ve
february 3 - 6 J AV I T S C E N T E R , N E W YO R K C I T Y
NYNOW.COM #RETAILRENAISSANCENYNOW
Trends Column
Tableware Trend Analyst
Donna Ferrari
Donna Ferrari has worked in magazine publishing for over thirty years. As a consumer magazine editor she specialised in the tableware, homeware and bridal markets, and styled and produced stories related to bridal gift registry, wedding reception design and at-home entertaining. Personally, she has eleven different sets of dinnerware and closets dedicated just to tabletop accessories; she says she loves not ever having to set her table the same way twice.
Teroforma
Riedel
Luigi Bormioli
Taste enhancers
Cocktail Kingdom
Waterford
Raising the bar
Orrefors
A thirst for drinking premium spirits, wines and beers, served with instagrammable presentation, is inspiring a new class of drinkware, barware and booze
No less nostalgic than the taste of rye and bourbon-based speakeasystyle cocktails the drinks up next are based on hangovers from the Cuban cantineros – the legendary bartenders who invented libations like the mojito and Hotel Nacional. Downed by Jazz Age celebs as well as ordinary travellers going to Cuba to dodge the restraints of Prohibition, classic, and new versions, of those rum-based drinks are trending along with Havana’s comeback as a hip destination remnant of a bygone era. Stirred, not shaken. Drinkers increasingly value the flavour profiles of premium spirits; to make cocktails — sans sweet or savoury juices, mixing glasses and spinning bar spoons, verses shakers, are the pro’s tools of choice going mainstream. So too, big two-inch square ice cubes and deep coupe cocktail glasses. Also on the rise, highball glasses, to suit the trend in drinks ‘served tall,’ like a wheat beer and Aperol spritz. There’s a growing popularity for globe-shaped Copa de Balon goblets - akin to balloon-shaped glasses, they allow for plenty of ice to cram the glass, the more ice the colder the drink ergo less dilution. Taste-enhancing drinkware is an ever-expanding niche focused on designs to best forward the flavours of wines and spirits. Made in a batch, pitcher drinks are the go-to way for keeping a gathering refreshed at home. Mise en scène, as in setting the stage for a drinks party, means having accoutrements, like cool-looking coolers and bar gear. And for nonteetotalers, there are plenty of stylish new things for toting booze.
Upscale cocktails Mason jars are so passé. A new generation of drinkware is all about serving upscale cocktails with instagram-worthy looks. LSA International’s Gin collection includes the Balloon Glass X 2 recommended for Gin & Tonic. The
narrowed mouth of the glass holds in the spirit’s delicate botanical aromas while the generously sized bowl can hold a load of ice to slow the drink’s dilution; the line comes in clear, and with stems in copper, gold or platinum finishes. Waterford’s Gin Journeys also explores optimising the gin experience using a globe-shaped glass — adorned with cuts. Dartington’s Just The One series of drink-specific glasses now includes the G&T Copa, a glass also offering roomy and aromatic yielding advantages, and individual gift tube packaging. The shape of Rosanna’s Bubbly Bar Flutes Swirl glasses help hold a sparkling wine’s effervescence while the spherical gold design echoes its bevy of bubbles. In step with the new trend for lowkey glam Kim Seybert uses a corona of muted gold or silver to accent her Helix glassware collection. So much better than a V-shaped martini glass, Orrefor’s Cocktail Avantgarde coupe epitomises the perfect glass to use for classic cocktails served straight up. Kartell’s acrylic Trama drinkware range, designed by Patricia Urquiola, is inspired by the overlapping threads on a textile loom, and the texture of the design gives a great grip. Rückl’s Krakatit pattern is inspired by a night sky filled with stars, making it perfect to use for celebratory occasions.
Cool things The key to entertaining at home is to make things fun, not formal. Playful looking accessories that kick off a conversation are a lively topic in barware design. Two’s Company’s collection of Vintage Tool bottle openers - think wrench, pincer, plier - are made of cast iron just like the real deals. Nambé’s Scoop Ice Bucket, designed by Wei Young, acts as an ice keeper and a sculpture. The fiery glow of the 24kt gold lining, available in Sieger by Fürstenberg’s Prometheus ice bucket and cocktail cup collection, is the only thing
Cocktails Rückl Kartell Kim Seybert
LSA International
Pitchers proverbially not cool about the design. Jonathan Adler’s Master Cleanse coasters are just the thing for guests.
Pitcher perfect Pitchers that do the job while looking pretty. Nude Glass’s Parrot collection, designed by Tomas Kral, brings high-concept to an ordinary beaker. Mimicking the bird, the carafe has a beak-like pouring spout and deeply etched strips on the sides resembling feathers. Georg Jensen’s Urkiola Pitcher, designed by Patricia Urquiola, exemplifies the multi-purposing trend for functional tableware twinning as objet d’art; when not pouring drinks, it doubles as a vase. At Iittala, the frozen ice and snow-covered landscapes of Northern Finland inspired the surface treatment designer Tapio Wirkkala gave to his original clear glass Ultima Thule design. Rain, a new colour for the line, has been introduced to mark its 50th anniversary.
Taste enhancers Speciality glassware designed for wines, spirits and brews continue to explore means to heighten the tasting experience. Riedel’s Performance collection, the newest entry to the brand’s grape varietalspecific glassware, features optically blown glass, which illuminates the wine with light directed from the exterior, while its interior
undulations encourage the wine to aerate and release its aromas when swirled. The Jancis Robinson Collection by Richard Brendon is a collaboration between wine expert Jancis, and Richard, designer of his eponymous tableware brand. The collection is composed of one wine glass titled, The Wine Glass, that has a size and shape Jancis proposes as the “one glass for every wine.” The collection also features an Old Wine Decanter, a Young Wine decanter, and water glass. Luigi Bormioli’s Birrateque Craft Tester glass serves to convey the characteristics of all styles of beer. The etching on the bowl’s bottom prolongs a stream of bubbles to maintain a foamy head, while the flared chimney shape slows down loss of carbonation and focuses the beer’s aromas. Waterford’s Lismore Connoisseur Heritage Footed Tasting Tumblers are designed to fit in the hand so spirits, like whiskey, when drunk neat, can be gently warmed to release aromatic notes and then captured within the glass’s tulip-shape. Boxed in a Set of Six archival cuts make them spot-on in the all-important giftabe category. Infusing liquor is a mega trend among DIY enthusiasts but Teroforma takes the guess work out of choosing ingredients to immerse. Fill the stainless-steel basket in the lab
Sieger by Fürstenberg
glass 1PT Infusion Kit with one of their seventeen all-natural infusion blends, add alcohol and let the alchemy begin. In state-ofthe-art mixology, mixing glasses, like Cocktail Kingdom’s Sokata model, are key to building — that’s bartender-speak for making a cocktail that would contain only either spirits, liqueurs, bitters, aperitif products and possibly sparkling wine or water: for example, a Boulevardier. Using big cubes to cool but curtail dilution, stir ingredients with a long bar spoon, pour into a coupe cocktail glass and voila.
Rosanna
Georg Jensen
Nude Glass
BYO-booze BYOB, as in bringing your own bottle to a restaurant can be handled in chic dispatch when conveyed in more than a brown paper bag. Ditto for picnics and parties. Ralph Lauren Home’s Wyatt Wine Tote in leather. Fans of flasks like having Happy Hour anytime, anywhere. Kate Spade New York’s Just Between Us flask.
Ralph Lauren Home
Iittala
Cool things BYO
Jonathan Adler
Nambé
Kate Spade New York
Retail Column
About T is for Table Above: Festive display; Right: Promotional material for an upcoming in-store event
Seasonal selling
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From festive events to seasonal products and promotions, Michele discusses how she plans to draw customers into her store during the forthcoming holiday season ith online revenues this holiday season expected to set record sales, I will be making an extra effort to ensure we have reasons for customers to come into my physical store. Since, as retailers, we buy for seasonal items during the January gift shows, I actually start my planning then. I’ve found the best thing about Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, and Christmas is that not everyone in the luxury tabletop world takes advantage of carrying seasonal items that fall into one of these categories. So, I plan – and I plan big – especially since these wonderful holidays occur in fourth quarter and offer great margin opportunities, helping me close out my year strong. Knowing that consumers spent over US$717 billion dollars on Christmas in 2017 and with one more shopping day this year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, my expectations are huge, and with that in mind my strategy begins. Every Holiday season we plan events, to be held every other weekend from November through December. Some of these we even begin pre-selling in July. This year, for example, we have a master artisan from Vietri coming from Italy to do signings at the store. When we know we have something as special as this we begin promoting early.
In this case, we created a look book featuring all the artisan’s patterns and sent it out to customers in order to take as many pre-sale orders as possible. Our Christmas in July allows us to make sure we anticipate our inventory needs correctly – it also gives us an idea of what the more popular pieces for the season may be and helps us directionally place the appropriate orders. From there – and this applies to each event we have – we create a calendar to start the process workflow of all that needs to happen on our timeline to make the most of the holiday season and ensure each event’s success. So again, referring to my Vietri example, which was on November 1, we began with a marketing campaign in September with Save The Date notifications, followed up by an e-blast every two weeks with reminders. Each reminder was a different collection represented by the artist to keep interest peaked until the day of the event. In addition to our own efforts, we also work with our Centre’s marketing group to send out press releases and be included in their calendar of events, websites, and e-blasts. Probably one of the most important steps we complete, however, are personal phone calls to our top customers, and/ or customers who have attended events such as these in the past. The phone calls, like the e-blasts, inform our customers of our specials, including: promotional
Now 17 years old, T is for Table is a luxury independent boutique, with a focus on tabletop, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, that offers an experiential and inspirational space dedicated to helping customers tell stories, create traditions and celebrate life. The boutique offers everything from fine pottery, china, glass, serveware and table accessories, to home décor, jewellery and body products, and delivers a custom service with its custom engraving, home visits and gift registries. www.tisfortable.com
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I’ve found the best thing about Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, and Christmas is that not everyone in the luxury tabletop world takes advantage of carrying seasonal items that fall into one of these categories Michele Trzuskowski, owner, T is for Table, Florida, US
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pricing on the day of the event; the fact the artist will be personalising and signing pieces sold during the event; that there will be a raffle draw; and that we will offer a gift with purchase. Taking the time to notify customers in person goes a long way to making them feel important and almost always guarantees success in attendance. But the marketing doesn’t stop there. Visual merchandising in-store plays a huge role in events. We always try to set the store and window displays four weeks in advance with signage that reflects the activities due to take place at the upcoming event. That way, if someone missed the barrage of e-blasts, direct mail, and so on, we can still catch them. If you can, try to do something unique that represents your store at every event so your customers come to expect it. When I opened my store 18 years ago, at the first event I had, I made my mother’s recipe for some Christmas cookies. They were a big hit. Every year, and at every event since, I’ve made
those same cookies and they have become part of the events’ allure in so much as customers will even ask, ‘…and will you be making your cookies?’. For all events, we plan special music, have in-store signage, and of course, decorate the store with balloons highlighting the artist’s collection, making it as festive as possible to attract new customers that may be passing the store, hopefully creating an atmosphere that would invite them in. Finally, even though I may have an event scheduled with a specific artist or vendor, I also make sure I use that event to promote other collections, non-competing of course, to highlight other items or product lines I wish to sell. Naturally, I want to take advantage of every opportunity I have. Although carrying seasonal items adds a lot of extra work and labour, I have always found that the extra margin and sales is far beyond being worth it. It makes us merry all the way to the bank, and that’s the best kind of merry there is! Happy Holidays!
WHZHIHOJL JVT WHZHIHOJL
Sam Hood is the founder of Amara, one of the largest and most successful independent retailers of juxury home fashion
Retail Amara
“Our ethos is quality Now in its 13th year of business, luxury interiors etailer Amara continues to go from strength to strength with its highly-curated stylish product offer, high-quality customer service and forward-thinking marketing initiatives
Tableware is a key part of the Amara offer
L Cutipol Cutlery
aunched 13 years ago, initially as an interior design studio and shop based in the Essex countryside, the website Amara.com soon followed, before becoming an online-only retailer. Over the past 13 years, Amara has seen its ecommerce business go from strength to strength, especially within the home and interiors sector, and today is one of the largest and most successful independent retailers of luxury home fashion. “I always knew the web business would be much bigger than a single store could ever be,” says Sam Hood, founder. “Ecommerce has taken over and has become such a strong tool within the industry.” In addition to its UK website, Amara has dedicated websites in the US, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Canada, France, and Ireland, as well as running the Amara Interior Blog Awards and producing its own online magazine, The LuxPad. We talk to founder Sam Hood.
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What is Amara’s philosophy when it comes to product offer? Our ethos is quality and stylish living, and therefore, all our products must live up to those factors. We’re lucky enough to have some amazing brands featured on our website. Our buying team have spent time and effort finding unique and soughtafter brands that can sit beside wellknown and iconic names, allowing us to offer something to suit everyone. The beauty of an online business is that we can react to our customers’ needs and wants which has allowed us to react to their tastes, likes and dislikes. And what’s your criteria in the curation of tableware? Every brand we bring to Amara and every product we purchase must live up to our high standard of superb quality and style. We search for new and exciting brands, as well as making sure we have a vast selection of established and iconic brands, such as Wedgwood and LSA International.
Which tradeshows do you visit to find such product? We never miss Maison & Objet, Paris, in January and September, and Ambiente in Frankfurt is a must-see show for tabletop. It’s important for the whole buying team to attend so that everyone gets a first-hand look at the new collections. Any particular launches you’ve undertaken in the last year? Throughout 2018 we have focused heavily on our own brand label – A by Amara. This collection has been the cultivation of many years of experience and the desire to create a brand we know that our customers and clients will covet. Our dedicated buying team scour the globe for the latest designer pieces, many of which are exclusive to Amara. We’re now on our fifth collection and A by Amara has proved to be as popular as ever and is now our fastest growing brand within the UK.
Cutlery is proving very popular as are feature placemats. Many of our customers like to style their table with bold and trend-led choices when it comes to accessorising their place settings. Sam Hood, founder and owner, Amara
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Every brand Amara introduces must live up to its high standard of superb quality and style
Amara styles its own tablesettings using its luxury tableware brands
and stylish living” “
Bloggers are some of the most effective influencers on the web and it’s important for us to recognise this. We work with them in various ways, such as being spokespeople for various campaigns to them educating How important is it as a retailer to educate consumers on the brands? It’s really important to educate our customers on new brands to Amara. By providing detailed copy and clear images we can provide the information that allows our customers to make informed decisions when buying new pieces. Amara’s online magazine, The LuxPad, is a great outlet to inform new and existing customers about our brands. Our in-house editorial team produce articles such as exclusive interviews with designers where customers can feel more invested in their potential purchase. What strategies do you use to inspire customers online? As an online business, it’s vital that we have strong photography to showcase our product offering. We don’t have bricks and mortar for our customers to visit so it’s important that our photography is of high quality and shows our products to the fullest. And how important is social media to your business? Social media is an integral part of Amara’s digital marketing. From Instagram and Twitter to LinkedIn and
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YouTube, our social media accounts allow us to promote Amara to a wider audience and it provides an opportunity for potential customers to discover Amara and the brands that we stock.
customers like to style their table with bold and trend-led choices when it comes to accessorising their placesettings. It’s a great way to continue a theme across a living space.
Bloggers are key to your business – how do you utilise/support them? Bloggers are some of the most effective influencers on the web and it’s important for us to recognise this. We work with them in various ways, such as being spokespeople for various campaigns to them educating their followers on Amara and our story through trips to visit our retailers and attending events. The Amara Interior Blog Awards was launched to unite and recognise the blogging community. We felt that there was a gap in the market for the recognition of interior bloggers and wanted to show the importance to the blogging industry. It’s amazing to see how well the Interior Blog Awards has done so far, and how the bloggers have succeeded and grown since being part of the IBAs.
And, any bestselling collections? The Goa cutlery collection from Cutipol continues to be a firm favourite. The sleek handle design is particularly popular, especially when paired with the matte gold design.
Any trends you’ve spotted in purcahsing of tableware? Cutlery is proving very popular as are feature placemats. Many of our
Finally, what do you see as Amara’s recipe for success? One of the most valuable things when running any sort of business is maintaining and developing high-quality customer service. From being on the website through to delivery and after-care, we look to provide a quality service that our customers would recommend. We’ve put a lot of effort into creating an online store where our customers want to spend time. We aim to curate a collection of desirable brands that our customers love.
The Amara Interior Blog Awards was launched to unite and recognise the blogging community
Wedgwood Byzance
Profile Vidivi
Below: Mix & Co. Collection; Below left: Antonio Mandruzzato, business unit manager for Tableware, Vidivi
Flavio Angiolillo, expert Italian mixologist
Above: Essential mixing glass Below: Tumbler
Talking barware Working with experts such as mixologists and chefs, Italian glassware brand Vidivi is raising the bar with its new collaborative collections, which fuse high functionality with high design. We talk to Vidivi about its mixology collection, Mix & Co.
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hile Vidivi Vetri delle Venezie, renowned for manufacturing glass items for the dining table and home, as well as for the hospitality segment, is known for its sturdy and stylish tumblers, the Italian brand has recently expanded its high-quality and high-design expertise into the specific growth categories of Barware and Cookware. With the aim of creating collections that marry functionality with design, for hospitality and retail, the brand has collaborated with experts, including a chef and a mixologist. We find out more from Antonio Mandruzzato, business unit manager for Tableware at Vidivi. What categories are you seeing in growth right now? With our Vidivi-branded products, we cover the drinking, dining and lifestyle sectors. And while it’s our range of bar and table glasses that most distinguish us in the market, we are finding the category of serveware, from trays and serving dishes to hors d’oeuvres and chip ‘n dip pieces, growing rapidly. Barware is also a category that has been growing worldwide for several years now, as has the cookware category, which we have recently entered. These two categories will be the focus of the future development of our catalogue.
In these two growing categories, Vidivi has worked with experts to deliver highly functional collections. Why is such collaboration important? Today, more and more companies in our sector are working in a coordinated and proactive way with the professional actors of the kitchen, both for the table and bar. We recently collaborated with Michelin-starred chef Vito Mollica on our bakeware system, Chef n’ Table, and in 2017, partnered with expert Italian mixologist Flavio Angiolillo on our Mix & Co. Collection. Flavio is an important name in the world of Mixology, the owner of famous Milanese clubs such as Mag, Backdoor 43, Iter and 1930 (and master of the Campari Academy). Not only did Flavio help us create a range specifically for mixologists, but he dedicated some of his most famous cocktails to Vidivi. We have chosen experts with great technical competence and worked with them to create collections that reflect the demands of both professional and non-professional consumers, delivering products that successfully marry functionality and design. The greatest benefit of such collaborations is that we are recognised as a technical and functional brand. What is the purpose of Mix & Co.? Mix & Co. is designed with both functionality and elegance in mind, to help hospitality providers and consumers create and serve the best possible cocktails. The collection
features clever design details, which make the pieces more ergonomic and practical, and this is combined with a stunning vintage design. The quality of Vidivi glassware means it is resistant to shocks and up to 3,000 washes in an industrial dishwasher – a fundamental advantage in the world of bars. How well is Mix & Co. doing so far? Mix & Co. has had a good response to date, especially in the specialised retail market, and particularly in countries such as India, Italy, the UK and in Switzerland. What other markets are in growth? We export to nearly all overseas markets with overseas accounting for 80 per cent of our turnover. This year has been one of growth for Vidivi, especially in Europe and the US, and with our increasing focus on the marrying of functionality, quality and design, we are finding increasing growth in Europe, Russia, Japan, Australia and the US. Our strategy for 2019 is to present both collaborative collections, Mix & Co. and Chef ‘n Table, at tradeshows Environment 2019 and Host Milan in October, and to continue developing both categories. Finally, what do consumers want from tableware today? Today, consumers want functional products with an innovative design and pieces that are versatile and that can be used in different settings and in multiple ways. www.vetridellevenezie.com
Mix & Co. Collection Designed in collaboration with renowned Italian mixologist Flavio Angiolillo, Mix & Co. is an Italianmade mixology barware collection combining ergonomics and a vintage-inspired design. Mix & Co. is composed of four tumblers of different sizes for a wide variety of cocktail recipes. The smooth internal walls and strong convexity of the bottom help to avoid friction during mixing with the stirrer, while the external design, as well as being aesthetically pleasing, has the practical function of providing a stronger hold during use. There is also an essential mixing glass for the preparation of cocktails. The lip of the mixing glass has been specially studied to facilitate the pouring of liquid according to the bartending’s techniques, to avoid spilling, while the heavy base maximises stability. To complete the line, there is a stirrer (or bar spoon), ideal for mixing, and a strainer. The glassware is made of safe and resistant pressed glass that is lead-free, microwave-safe and 100 per cent recyclable, delivering brilliance and transparency even after many runs in the dishwasher.
VISION
selection lead-free crystal each single glass a unique piece top-quality craftsmanship handblown with artistry and dedication
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Retail Netherlands
Pollmann stocks the largest collection of tableware in the Netherlands
Thoroughly Renowned for stocking the largest collection of tableware and cutlery in the Netherlands, award-winning 128-year-old Dutch retail store Pollmann sinds 1890 may adopt the latest technology, embrace vloggers and use clever modern lighting, but it continues to have family, personal service and cooking at its heart
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The store has a bohemian, edgy vibe
ick and Anke Pollmann, the fourth-generation owners of Pollmann sinds 1890, raised a glass to Nick’s great grandfather, Bernhard Pollmann, at the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) in Chicago earlier this year, to celebrate the store being announced as one of the five best retail stores in the world. Bernhard opened Pollmann sinds 1890 128 years ago, launching it as a tableware store. Today, the store has evolved into being an omni-channel business, with a catch-cry that sums up the company’s long-held grounding philosophy: ‘Great homecooked meals, thanks to Pollmann.’ In 2016, having outgrown its former premises (where the store was based for 76 years) Pollmann sinds 1890 dug up its roots and moved to a more modern and easy to access, lightfilled tunnel-shaped space that loyal customers flock to today, for the same reason that they have always gone to Pollmann: to cook great meals. “After operating from the same building for 76 years, the relocation of our business was the result of wanting to respond to change, with the focus always being on
our customers’ needs,” explains Anke. “The world is changing, and we have to be flexible and adapt alongside our customers. Consumers are asking for different things compared to what they once did, and you have to be agile to survive in retail today. We are always growing, learning and adapting.” The new premises is equipped with the latest technology and clever modern lighting arrangements to showcase an impressive array of cooking products – Pollmann stocks the largest collection of tableware and cutlery in the Netherlands and prides itself on having top-quality products, including many that are a surprise to the customer, as the Pollmann team is always seeking out new pieces and fresh innovation. Inspiration for the design of the store was drawn from Chicago’s Eataly and Anthropology (both must-see inspiring destination stores) and from New York’s Meat Packing district, which is renowned for its chic industrial beauty and the locals’ mission of keeping the area’s rich heritage alive. Interior designer Fons Kooymans was responsible for the layout indoors, and the Pollmanns’ goal
was to retain the history of the building while transforming it into a superb retail environment for the 21st century. The new store is raw, authentic and industrial, and it displays great respect for the company’s history. “Pollmann has created a very bohemian, edgy store that has a great attitude, a genuine story, and a strong, unique identity,” one of the gia judges commented. “One word says it all: Wow! Everything is right about this business – from the modern marketing to the clear choice of an omni-channel strategy, and the focus on retaining social relevance. At a time when many shops struggle to survive. “Pollmann sinds 1890 is a luminous example of how to turn a futureproof idea for home cooking into a wonderful experience!” All of these factors contribute to an amazing shopping experience. However, one of the main reasons that people shop with Pollmann, says Anke, is for the personal experience. This is something about the business that in 128 years has never changed. “Customers come here for the people,” says Anke. “We are a shop for advice. A shop where you can touch
Inspiration for the store design was drawn from Chicago’s Eataly and Anthropology
The new store is raw, authentic and industrial, paying respect to the company history
modern retailing “
Customers come here for the people. We are a shop for advice. A shop where you can touch and sample things and compare products. Our customers feel a part of a community, and they also know that they can speak to someone that they know, from the comfort of their own home, and then we deliver the products to them, and they know how to use them. If they don’t, they can call us, and we can talk them through what they need to do. Anke Pollmann, owner and sample things and compare products. Our customers feel a part of a community, and they also know that they can speak to someone that they know, from the comfort of their own home, and then we deliver the products to them, and they know how to use them. If they don’t, they can call us, and we can talk them through what they need to do.” Pollmann has a permanent core team of six passionate staff, and it’s obvious to customers that all of them love their job. Anke and Nick ensure that everyone on their team understands everything about the business. “Our core team has been intensively involved in the process of change that we went through in the past two years, meaning that they came with us for the journey and learned alongside us,” says Nick. Employees also join Anke and Nick on trips to trade fairs so that they are
also aware of changes in the industry, innovations, new products and new information than can be gained from expert talks and seminars. This focus on taking care of staff and always offering them in-store education has meant that the team is pulling in the one direction. They are united in their goal to ensure that Pollmann continues to succeed, and yet they don’t want to grow into a retail giant. “It’s better for our company to remain small and stay in control,” says Nick. “Yes, the goal is always to sell more products, but there will soon be more and more pieces sold online, and our model means that we will succeed in that environment.” Pollmann’s marketing and use of modern technology is something that has been so seamlessly integrated into the business that the store’s heritage is not at odds with the future. In fact, this well-considered fusion of the past and the present
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is what gives Pollmann some of its edge, and it certainly contributes to its success. The company collaborates closely with vloggers and bloggers to communicate with customers, sharing news of new products, upcoming events and activities in-store. There’s also an online chat platform for customers to talk to employees about products and their needs, and one of the things that customers love most is that the products are quickly delivered to their door. That’s a huge time-saver for people leading busy lives, and also a blessing for those who might not be as mobile as they once were. “Pollmann’s professional approach of treating each social media platform differently helps it to retain its relevance, connecting the store with people of all ages and demographics,” said one judge on the gia expert jury. Pollmann sinds 1890 is a true
Tableware brands... Rosenthal, Arzberg, Dibbern, Libbey, Villeroy & Boch, Wedgwood, Iittala, Arabia, Gien, Royal Doulton, WMF, Georg Jensen, Alessi, Laguiole, Mepal, Robbe & Berking, Sambonet, Guzzini, Serax, Blomus, Sieger Design, Kilner, Leonardo, Nachtman, LSA International, Riedel, Schott Zwiesel, Stolzle Lausitz
survivor. Not many people know that the original store was bombed in World War II, and it had to be completely created again from the ground up. That didn’t stop Nick’s great grandfather, and it’s obvious that the current Pollmanns is just as resilient. They embrace change and challenges as opportunities, and this puts them in good stead to not simply survive in the modern retail landscape, but to thrive. To learn more about Pollmann sinds 1890, visit www.servies.nl
About IHA and gia For more information about the gia (IHA Global Innovation Awards) programme, the co-sponsors, or participating in 2018-2019, contact Piritta Törrö at piritta.torro@ inspiredconnection.fi. Additional information on the gia programme is available online at www.housewares. org/show/gia-retail. For more information about the International Home + Housewares Show and to pre-register for the 2019 Show, taking place in Chicago on March 2-5, 2019, please visit www.housewares.org
Interview Moser
Above: Handcrafting at Moser; Left: Ivo Pacovsky
Moser vase
“Handcrafted luxury is the Moser message” Celebrating its 160th anniversary last year, Moser Glassworks is renowned not just for its handmade-only glass art from master glassmakers, cutters, painters and engravers, but for being among the oldest manufacturers in Europe. With a new marketing director on board, we talk strategies and direction with Ivo Pacovsky What are the key communication messages of Moser Crystal? The key message is our love of craftsmanship. We have purposefully stayed away from machine production and outsourcing to this day and plan to keep it so. Each and every piece we make needs to reflect the hard work our artisans put into it. We see craftsmanship as the bridge to the real intimacy and emotion people feel when they interact with our pieces – drink from a Moser glass or arrange flowers in a beautiful vase.. And this relationship people create with our objects is something we want to nurture and communicate. Handcrafted, luxury product is at the root of our communication and we focus on the practical use of the product, the experience and enjoyment surrounding it. We try to highlight the senses and emotions our art pieces bring to consumers’ lives. Communicating consistently across various platforms brings the best results, in print, online, our social networks, and even during events, where actual experiences with the product are at the forefront. How important is it for retailers to understand Moser’s story? It’s extremely important in order to differentiate Moser from other
brands they offer. Unlike our main competitors, every Moser crystal piece we produce – large or small – is entirely hand-blown, hand-cut, engraved and gilded. We don’t use machine production at all. In order to sell our products well, you need to truly understand the extraordinary level of craftsmanship that goes into every object produced by our artisans. Our glass is also friendly to environment – we are producing only unleaded crystal since the beginning. ‘No use of lead’ was a condition given to Ludwig Moser by the town hall, in order to be able to build a glass manufactory in a very popular spa town of Karlsbad in 1893. Last year, Moser celebrated its 160th anniversary, taking its anniversary collection on a tour of museums and boutiques. How successful was this? The collection was primarily exhibited at Thomas Goode in London and after that we presented parts of it also on a few very special occasions in the Czech Republic. It was a very special collection for us as it celebrated our 160th anniversary and we have decided
to keep pieces of it, including the Ludwig chandelier, named after the brand’s founder, Ludwig Moser, in production as special orders. This concept remains interesting for us for the future. In 2019, however, each new collection will have its own form of presentation in a special place and atmosphere befitting the collection’s inspiration and the customer it is meant for. How has Moser embraced social media and video content in its marketing strategy? Modern forms of marketing, such as online campaigns, video and strong social media content is a necessity for any brand today and moreso for those selling luxury products that are driving sales based on emotions. At Moser, we started to develop our social networks and use video fairly recently, but we have had a big success with a steady, strong growth. One of the things we will focus on in coming months is the creation and implementation of a stellar content marketing strategy and we plan to include online marketing as a standard part of running our campaigns now. We want to be able to measure
results effectively, so data analysis is a strong point in our online strategy too. I would say that digital marketing plays a big part in our marketing strategy for the coming year. What marketing plans do you have for Moser in 2019? 2019 is going to be a big year for Moser. From innovation to exciting new launches, campaigns and communication, to closing new global partnerships and creating interesting collaborations, our focus will be on the savvy customer who appreciates quality, originality and luxury. In our strategy, first and foremost, we will strive for consistency, combining our craftsmanship with creativity and focusing on long-term benefits, instead of short-term gains. We realise the big changes of today’s global world and market and we see the need to follow suit in all areas – in product, communication, customer care. We will always respect our DNA, but there will be a tendency to allow the consumer to experience Moser and develop a lasting relationship with the brand. www.moser-glass.com
Feature Hospitality
Hospitality highs
“Top-end restaurants are looking to stand out”
Six global tableware manufacturers and distributors discuss the demands and trends of the hospitality sector
“Rimless coupe shapes are trending”
Artisan Collection
Goodfellow & Goodfellow Valda Goodfellow, co-owner, G & G, London-based distributors of luxury tableware to the UK hospitality segment How has business been? We have grown more than 20 per cent in the last three consecutive years. We have been listed by the Financial Times in its FT 1000 Fastest Growing Businesses in Europe for the last two years, and this year, in its FT Future 100 list in the UK – so I would say, we are really happy. Where are you seeing growth? We have grown equally across Hotels, Restaurants and Caterers, which is a really healthy spread as we work hard at providing innovative solutions in this changing market. What materials, brands and collections are doing well? Different ranges are doing well across different markets. In volume
restaurants, we sell a lot of Bonna as it’s so durable and the company has been very active in glaze development. In other restaurants, Costa Nova is really popular because its designs are really versatile. In high-end restaurants, there is always a mix – Hering Berlin, Dibbern, Royal Worcester and Studio Mattes are firm favourites, along with Montgolfier. In catering, Figgjo is the stand-out choice. What trends are you seeing? We are seeing the top-end restaurants changing their choices away from anything that has been copied by the middle or lower market. The middle market is looking for concepts rather than individual items which requires a bit more thought and individualisation.
Tuxton China Steve Abourisk, VP of sales, Tuxton China, a supplier of tableware to hospitality in the US How has business been? Steady and growing. Related to the positive changes in our economy, customers are doing well and willing to invest in their business for new tableware items. Where are you seeing growth? Healthcare/assisted living, university dining, upscale food served casually, ethnic restaurants, and we are finding boutique fine dining is making a return.
What materials, brands and collections are doing well? Vibrant colours for distinct ethnic menus; earth tone colours with texture for locally sourced menus; coupe shapes without rims at all levels; thin edges for fine dining. What trends are you seeing? Smaller plates, reactive glaze effects, a wide variety of bowl shapes, mid-century retro and boho-chic are all in style.
Effervesce White Collection
“We see growth in the bespoke segment” Degrenne’s textured white collection
Royal Crown Derby Christopher Oakes, managing director, Royal Crown Derby, How has business been? Despite a high level of uncertainty in the marketplace, 2018 will be a record year for Royal Crown Derby’s hospitality division. We’ve enhanced the value we offer to our clients and distribution partners by making significant investments in R&D, new products, manufacturing and, most importantly, our team. Where are you seeing growth? We’re enjoying significant growth within the bespoke segment. Clients increasingly want to have a unique tabletop offer in order to provide their guests with memorable dining experiences. The need for newness and customisation is deeper at the premium end of the market where we operate. We work closely with Chefs and F&B professionals in order to develop tableware ranges that enhance both the food and the restaurant’s design. We perform every element of the design and production process which allows us to capture the DNA of the client, which we believe is the key to our growing success.
What materials, brands and collections are doing well? The Art and Studio Glaze collections, which are supported by a host of new shapes in 2018. While there are many reactive glaze options in the marketplace, we believe we are the only manufacturer to apply these to fine bone china. Our goal was to create an elevated casual experience for clients who want to maintain the attributes of luxury fine dining but deliver them in a relaxed fashion. What trends are you seeing? We’ve seen an increase in clients who wish to elevate their banqueting offer but may not require the use of precious metals such as platinum or our signature 22kt gold. As such, we’ve utilised our decorating experience and launched collections which feature white-on-white textures to increase the elegance of a banqueting service while maintaining durability and cost-effectiveness. Effervesce White and Bark White are both new for Autumn 2018.
What the restaurant says…
Sketch London, UK A quirky, 18th-Century townhouse tearoom that transforms into a cocktail lounge every evening, Sketch London, in Mayfair, uses Degrenne tableware. We talk to Mikael Hannequin, operations manager at Sketch. Why did you choose Degrenne? Degrenne has a definite vision of upmarket quality design blended with excellent craft. The look and feel of the products is pure, elegant and modern. It enhances the aesthetic of the dishes and ultimately is at the fore of our guests’ expectations. Degrenne is always coming up with fantastic textures and shapes which we love. What brands and/or collections from Degreene do you use? We work with the following
collections - L Fragment, Boreal Satin and Bahia. What is your criteria when it comes to curating tableware? Fashion, art and design, it all comes together when serving the guest. Our executive head chef, Frederic Don, sources the best seasonal products and constructs dishes with extraordinary but simple specifications. A dish becomes ephemeral art when associated with the right tableware. How important is tableware in the success of a restaurant? It is fundamental to create the most comfortable atmosphere – this takes into account the dynamics of the room alongside the light, music, temperature, glassware, art and furniture.
Mosaic Collection
Right: Al Hambra Collection; Below: Lapya Wood Collection
Dudson
“Colour is still a strong trend”
Dan Goodall, design director, Dudson How has business been? Diverse, with demand for our products growing from very different market sectors. At the moment, there is a lot of uncertainty out there. We have flexible manufacturing capabilities, so we can change our production focus and keep pace with these market changes. Our customers have faith in us because our products are built for purpose and last a long time. They trust us to deliver the right product for them. Where are you seeing growth? In niche markets. In the design-led, innovative, trend-setting restaurants, where a bespoke product – whether surface or shape – is required. Our market research in this area has led to us adopting a collaborative approach with groups of post-graduate industrial design students, where we asked them to bring a fresh perspective to the plate. We are very excited by the results, so watch this space!
“Ethnic decoration is popular”
What materials, brands and collections are doing well? Evo is doing particularly well at the moment, with a significant increase in demand. This is especially great news for us as we were the first to market this type of product in 2010. The fact that its popularity is still growing is testament to our faith in great design coupled with practicality in use. What trends are you seeing in hospitality? Texture. White is always going to remain popular with chefs, but they are looking for a point of difference rather than plain white. Our range, Foam, for example – launched earlier this year – with its white-on-white bubbly texture, it has been incredibly wellreceived. Colour is still a strong trend in some market sectors, so Mosaic – with its 3D effect caused by reactive inks – is hitting the mark for these operators.
Bonna Erbil Askan, partner, Bonna, Kar Porselen How has business been? Bonna has maintained its growth steadily over the past few years. While we have successfully maintained our position in the European markets, significant growth in Asian countries has been realised. We are now exporting to more than 60 countries and planning to reach out to African countries in the coming year. Where are you seeing growth? We now have more cuisine-oriented designs, which are more personalised and offer variety in shape, colour and design according to the needs of the HoReCa segment. We have observed demand for creativity as a result of our discussions with chefs and F&B managers, and in terms of main plates, we have managed to come up with different forms and shapes to suit demand.
What materials, brands and collections are doing well? Bonna continues to offer design and endurance on all its assortments. We have recently introduced the Envisio collection to lead the industry in that segment. We also have new shapes with Vago. What trends are you seeing? Printing techniques have been gaining increasing importance, with more and more collections including digitally decorated items. Digital printing techniques feature on all our main items. The market seems to be saturated with glossy and shiny surface products. These days, products featuring pastel colours, matte finishes or matte glazes are becoming increasingly popular. The popularity of ethnic decorations has also positively influenced the designers in the tableware industry.
Utopia Kathryn Oldershaw, marketing director, Utopia How has business been? Business has gone very well over the past year despite a challenging marketplace. We have continued to grow strongly as we have every year since we started, and we now export internationally to over 45 countries. We have had several new product launches throughout the year across ceramics, glassware and barware, introducing a total of 400 new products. With innovation at the core of our business, we are renowned for exceptional service, an unrivalled range and the best value. Where are you seeing growth? There has been a huge focus on moving away from single-use plastic items. We recognised that the industry needed a solution, so we developed a collection of eco-related products such as metal straws and metal and wooden stirrers, and this has been a huge growth area for Utopia. Colour and texture continue to be a key trend in tableware, organic shapes with a handmade feel are very
popular. Collections like Lichen and Lagoon typify this style. Simple shapes with a hand- finished decoration like Umbra create a perfect canvas for food – all of these collections are made in vitrified porcelain providing maximum strength and durability. Gold and metallic finishes create real glamour. Metallic glazes can create a subtle burnished look like Etna, another vitrified collection with a reactive glaze. Midas is a beautifully crafted range offering a textured metallic finish, perfect for this trend. What materials, brands and collections are doing well? Vitrified porcelain is always a mainstay due to its durability and versatility, it can stand up to the fast-paced nature of the hospitality industry. Developments in glazing over recent years have allowed this material to be a very versatile choice. We do offer other materials such as superior stoneware and terracotta, all of which are tested to ensure they withstand the rigours of the hospitality industry.
Our customers are concerned with the style and feel of the piece and how it enhances their dish, it is our job to make sure that the piece performs as it should. Our Midas, Fuji and Nero ranges, designed for the hospitality industry, are made from three different materials, with very different finishes reflecting key trends in the market. What trends are you seeing? The days of outlets buying one style of plate in a couple of sizes is over. The market demands shapes and colours that create interest and drama. Tableware is now selected according to each dish and it is vital that we bring product to the market to offer innovation and variety. The rules? There aren’t any. Pieces from various collections and substrates are brought together to create individual looks and a real point of difference. Sharing food and small plates continue to be popular across all cuisines. There is a move towards larger plates for individual serves – an ideal blank canvas for the chef.
“There’s a move towards larger plates”
On the horizon awaits our spectacular collection of furnishings and alluring objects for every home and lifestyle.
TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 47
Feature IGS
“I’m passionate about Czech glass”
Celebrating Czech glass With the motto Glass Connects Us, the 13th International Glass Symposium in the town of Novy Bor, Czech Republic, brought together 66 global artists and 15 Czech glass manufacturers, studios and museums to promote the heritage, beauty and craftsmanship of Czech glassmaking
G
lass Unites Us – this was the message that came out of the 13th International Glass Symposium (IGS), which took place October 4-7, in Novy Bor, a town located in the glass-rich Liberec Region of the Czech Republic that has been dubbed Town of Glass since its foundation more than 260 years ago, and that is renowned as the glass capital of the world. Czech glass was certainly what connected the hundreds of local and international visitors – glassblowers, glass artist, international artists, merchants, gallerists, art theorists and media – who turned up for the four-day event in Novy Bor; and it’s certainly what connects the Liberec Region.
Crystal Valley The Liberec Region is renowned for its production of some of the best glass in the world, for its glass expertise that has been handed down from generation to generation, and for being “the last region in the world still undertaking all the glass techniques and with all the masters”, says Jaromir Dvorak, IGS director and mayor of the town of Novy Bor. It is a centre for global glass production with dozens of glassworks, factories and studios – more than 120 – producing everything from chandeliers and sculptures to stemware and stained-glass windows, much of it exported. In this region (there is no such concentration of technologies and glass companies anywhere else in the world), you can find every kind
of crystal manufacturer, product and technique – from mass producers like Crystalex in Novy Bor, producing 150,000 pieces of utility glass per day, and lighting company Preciosa in nearby Kamenicky Senov, which boasts more than 100 different crafts under one roof; to mid-size companies like Egermann (Novy Bor) and Lasvit Ajeto (50 employees); as well as small studios such as 12-yearold family glassmaking studio Sipek Crystal, which has just four people and is taking part in IGS for the first time. And it is from this region that much of the world’s best glass – be in a chandelier hanging in a five-star hotel in Dubai, or a range of stemware sitting on a shelf in a department store in Spain – is produced. Preciosa chandeliers can be found hanging in the Four Seasons
We caught up with master glassmaker, Peter Novotny, owner of Glass Studio Novotny, who has been glass-blowing for over 50 years and is considered the best-known glass-blower in Novy Bor. “I began working as a glassmaker at 15, over 50 years ago, when the new Crystalex factory was set up, in 1967, and they were looking for trainee glassmakers. I was passionate about glassmaking from the start and loved experimenting. It took five to six years to become a master and then I became a teacher to glassmakers at Crystalex. In the 70s/80s, there were only 200 glass-blowers left in Novy Bor, so it was essential to pass the skills on. As the main glass-blower at Crystalex in the 80s, I helped organise the first Symposium, organised by Crystalex, in 1982; and 20 countries participated – it was the first time I'd ever seen someone from the US. While at Crystalex, in 1983, I built my own glass furnace at home and so I could even experiment with glass at home. I left Crystalex at the start of the 90s and in 1994 invested in a glassworks, Ajeto. I wanted to focus on unique and artistic designs, to push the limits of glass, and I built the company, which became bigger and more successful – I sold it last year to Lasvit. During this time (12 years ago), I also set up my own studio – Glass Studio Novotny – which I still run today. We have four furnaces, set in the middle of a restaurant, behind a glass circular wall, so diners can see us in action and we can communicate the beauty and artisanship of this art form. I employ 24 people, including 12 glassmakers, and it's here that we produce glass mainly for international clients, including Juliska, who we've been working with for two decades – 60 per cent of our output is the production of glassware for the Juliska brand."
Hall of Czech Glass Fame... Following the introduction of glass legend Rene Roubicek into the debut Hall of Fame at IGS 2015, the 13th IGS Symposium, in 2018, sees Jiri Suhajek introduced to the Hall of Fame, acknowledging his contribution to IGS and recognising his lifetime work and services to glassmaking in the Czech Republic. Not only has Jiri participated in the Symposium twelve times since its foundation, but he is considered one of the greatest glassmakers. This Symposum saw Jiri showcase his glass-shaping skills to music, as well as working on a monumental glass and iron sculpture at Preciosa Lighting in nearby Kamenicky Senov.
Spotlight on…
Crystalex
Above: Legendary glassmaker Jiri Suhajek Below: A lifesize glass ball figure at Preciosa Lighting
Designer Aleksandra Stencl works on her glass designs at Crystalex
Hotel in St Petersburg and the Kugali Convention Centre in Rwanda; Sipek Crystal’s artistic glass is found in galleries across China and Italy; and Crystalex produces glass drinkware under the Bohemia Crystal brand for some of the best glass brands in the world, as well as supplying to leading retailers and hotels – think the biggest department store group in Europe, El Corte Ingles, and The Dorchester hotel in London, among others. It’s little wonder to discover, therefore, that the crystal-rich Liberec Region, dubbed Crystal Valley – it has a patent pending for the Crystal Valley name – has been celebrating its glassmaking heritage and expertise, which dates back to the 1700s, via a triannual event for the past 36 years.
A star is born It was in 1982 that the International Glass Symposium was born, then organised by the Crystalex. When the crisis hit in 2009 and many regional glassworks were under threat, including Crystalex (which went bankrupt) and unemployment reached 20 per cent, the Symposium was held on a much smaller scale, organised instead by the town of Novy Bor. The region got its crystal groove back, however, as Crystalex got back on
its feet and the Symposium returned in 2012 on a grand scale once more. Organised again by the town of Novy Bor, it put Czech glass back in the spotlight and back on the map. “A decade on, and with Crystalex alive and kicking, regional unemployment back down to just three per cent, and the region now running its 13th IGS, we can clearly see that Czech glass is still very much alive,” says Mayor Dvorak. The Symposium was originally created to attract artists from all over the world, with some 20 countries participating in the first Symposium.
Bigger and better This year, the 13th Symposium – organised by the town, regional glass schools, museums and public institutions, with partners including the Liberec Region, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague – is bigger than ever. As Martin Puta, the president of the Liberec Region, explains, "Sponsorship by the Liberec Region is a signal to all glass companies which participate in IGS – representing the most widespread industry in the region – that preservation and development of the traditional glass craft is perceived
as essential, not only for Novy Bor, but also for Liberec Region and the entire Czech Republic". And while some 15 regional glass companies and institutions participated this year, with 66 artists arriving from all over the world, IGS continues to remain true to its original philosophy – to create the opportunity for glassmakers and artists to meet in a creative collaborative environment, to exchange views and experience, to gain contacts and friendships. And this year’s Glass Unites Us motto not only reflects the union of glassmakers across the world, but also the cooperation of organising subjects. “While many of the glass companies and factories in this region are in competition in the market, this prestigious event brings them together to celebrate the unique and expert glass techniques and materials found here,” says Mayor Dvorak. “It’s a meeting of glass artists delivering joint creative work, which enriches the space we live within, a practical school of life with unexpected possibilities, the results of which are shown in a display on the last day.”
Global participation The participating companies invite both Czech and global artists to join
The top manufacturer of utility glass in the Czech Republic and the largest glass manufacturer in the Liberec Region, with 800 employees, producing 150,000 pieces per day, and exporting to 70 countries – Crystalex offers automatic production and hand decorative skills using the best glass production traditions from the 13th Century. The original organiser of the IGS in 1982, Crystalex continues to participate, and this year invited five artists to experiment with glass at its factory in the heart of Novy Bor. In addition to two internal artists, Vanda Mocova and Marketa Lukavcova, Crystalex invited three international artists, including Dr Jeffrey Sarmiento from National Glass Centre, Sunderland, Lukas Kalivoda and Aleksandra Stencl. “The artists were invited to spend time in our factory, work with our glass experts, use our resources, and create something unique,” says Tomas Janus, CEO of Crystalex. An innovator in glass printing and waterjet cutting, Jeffrey decided to merge past and present in his Crystalex creations, “merging the antiquated and modern”. In addition to applying images of industrial architecture of the former Soviet states to contemporary Crystalex-ware, Jeffrey used Crystalex’s oldest and newest pink shades, giving the classic Claudia-shaped glass a pink makeover – an old pink fading to a new one. He then applied gold-painted motifs of cockroaches (representing dinosaurs, the past). Jeff says: “There’s enormous skill and materials at Crystalex and it’s been really interesting using automated glass, spray painting and lowtemperature enamels. “I’ve been compelled to try new things, use new tools, and been challenged to make things I wouldn’t normally make," says Jeff. Prague-based artist Lukas Novak created two projects at Crytalex: the first, an interactive installation, composed of platinum flat glass that is cut without polishing the angles, creating “a unique movement with the edges moving, creating reflections from every angle”, says Lukas. The second, an array of painted glass tubes, filled with cracked and broken glass, creating “a multitude of reflections in different lights”.
A glass-blower at Lasvit Ajeto
Lukas Kalivoda's finished piece – an interactive installation
Aleksandra Stencl holding her finished designs at Crystalex
Designer Lukas Kalivoda working on his designs at Crystalex
Symposium by numbers them in their studios, leading up to and during the four-day event, to work with their glass craftsmen to explore, experiment and create something outstanding, with all pieces then showcased in an exhibition on the last day. In addition to inviting orthodox glass artists, including internationally recognised Czech ones, such as Ivana Sramkova (who worked with Egermann Glassworks) and Michal Machata (working with Glass Studio Novotny), the IGS makes it a point of inviting artists from all backgrounds and disciplines, who can bring their own artistic licence to glass. In fact, the more removed from the discipline of glassmaking, sometimes the better– “We like challenges so we invite different types of artists,” says Mayor Dvorak. This year, for example, saw Petr Niki, a painter, illustrator and performer, join the Lasvit-Ajeto glassworks in Lindava; multimedia artist Pavel Kopriva partner with Preciosa Lighting; and Kolektiv Ateliers, a collective of six studios, team up with probably the most famous Czech street and urban artist Jan Kalab, in order to create the Point Beast Spaceship glass sculpture. At Lasvit-Ajeto in Lindava, a studio with six furnaces that designs and produces bespoke glass lighting and sculptures for private residences and five-star hotels, as well as its own glassware collections for retail and restaurants, four international artists were in residence. And the Glass School in Novy
Bor hosted globally-known glass engraver Pavlina Cambalova and Ondrej Novotny, the latter working alongside his father, Petr Novotny, proving just how important glass-making is in this region to generations of families. “The glassmakers and artists push the boundaries of glass to create totally unique designs,” says Mayor Dvorak. In addition to participating glass companies showcasing their skills via the creativity and vision of global artists over the four days, culminating in a display of finished pieces, there were plenty of other glass-making celebrations. Legendary glassmaker Jiri Suhajek delivered a demonstration of expert glass-blowing to music at the Glass School in Novy Bor; Lasvit company presented a documentary telling the personal story of Leon Jakimic; the Amanitas Fire Theatre showcased juggling and acrobatic performances with fire; and Kolektiv Ateliers celebrated all things glass with a night of DJ music and art installations. Ultimately, the IGS is about keeping Czech glassmaking alive, it’s about celebrating its skills, heritage and expertise and it’s about introducing excellent local glassblowers, cutters, engravers, mould-makers and companies to global audiences, in order to keep the tradition alive and to ensure its future. The 14th International Glass Symposium (IGS) is due to take place in October 2021. Visit www.igsymposium.cz
120
The approximate number of glass companies in the town of Novy Bor and its surrounding towns in the Liberec Region (aka Crystal Valley).
600
The number of artists from the Czech Republic and internationally that have participated in the Symposiums to date
13 100
The number of Symposiums that have taken place since its foundation in 1982.
The number of different crafts, from glass-blowing to brass-casting, available under one roof, at Presiosa, one of the largest glassmakers in the Czech Republic, with nine branches worldwide and a flagship store in Prague.
15
The number of regional glass companies, museums and public institutions participating in IGS 2018, including glass companies Ave Clara, AZ-Design, Crystalex, Egermann, Jiri Pacinek, Kolektiv Ateliers, Lasvit Ajeto, Preciosa, Glassworks Slavia, Novotny Glass, Sipek Team and TGK.
150,000
The number of glass pieces Crystalex, the largest producer of utility glass in the Czech Republic, produces each day.
12,000
The number of inhabitants of Novy Bor, aka the crystal capital of the world, which has had the glass industry as part of it since the 17th century. The history of glass, from the 17th century, can be found in the Glass Museum.
S/S 19 Image Credits: LSA | Studio William | Halcyon Days
OUT OF THE ORDINARY
BREAKING BOUNDARIES, DEFINING TRENDS At Top Drawer we search the globe for an extraordinary and distinctive edit of design-led and luxury tableware so you can create an offering that is out of the ordinary.
Register at topdrawer.co.uk/tableware
13—15 JANUARY 2019 OLYMPIA LONDON
Niels Refsgaard, credited with spearheading the casual dining movement
Design Profile Niels Refsgaard
Charting a new course in casual dining, the brand-new Dansk Vandvid collection
Pioneering potter Credited with spearheading the casual dining movement with American brand Dansk back in the 1960s, Dansish country potter Niels Refsgaard continues to chart new courses in casual dining with Dansk five decades on
D
ubbed a ‘quiet revolutionary’, Danish country potter Niels Refsgaard has been calmly and discreetly changing attitudes and habits concerning dinnerware for the last 50 years. In fact, he has been credited with pioneering the casual dining revolution, which he brought to the table while working with American brand Dansk in the 1960s. Niels recounts how it all began – how back in the early 60s, founder of Dansk, Ted Nierenberg, just turned up one day at Niels house and workshop in the countryside and said, ‘Maybe, you would be interested in making new dinnerware for us?’ “Ted Nierenberg was fantastic,” remembers Niels, “because he said, ‘We do not want to do what all the other guys are doing. Let’s try to go in a completely different direction’”. And, so began the young Danish potter’s five decade-long relationship with Dansk (1964 to now), a brand that is renowned for its modern Scandinavian aesthetic and pioneering pottery shapes, many of which come courtesy of Niels. 52 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL
Niels was already making dinnerware items in his workshop and so took the dinnerware he was already producing to the factory and transferred it over – this dinnerware was Generation, Niels' first dinnerware design for Dansk, in 1968, and it was the design that really brought casual dining to the table. “We named it Generation because we knew it would start something,” says Niels of the pioneering design, which went on to secure the 1967 International Design Award from The American Institute of Interior Designers. “At that time and especially in America, dinnerware was supposed to be clean and white porcelain, no impurities of any kind, and as white as it possibly could be, which was very, very white and boring,” says Niels. And here was Niels introducing this completely new style of dinnerware – stoneware, rustic stoneware with iron spots, in fact, and certainly not white white. “At that time, it was a revolution,” recalls Niels, “something new from ceramics, they thought, but it was certainly very new. Generation was an immediate success and so that
was the start – when something is successful, people come back and ask for more… and everybody wanted to copy us.” Since then, Niels has gone on to create many of the most popular Dansk patterns, including the timeless Concerto and Bistro porcelain line, as well as expanding into more diverse collections utilising different materials, such as the recent Café Blanc Collection, which features stainlesssteel flatware and a range of porcelain cooking and serving shapes. And, as the casualisation movement has spread around the globe, Dansk has continued to explore new ways to create useful and expressive tools for entertaining, cooking and dining, all while communicating its distinctive Scandinavian modern design ethic. And this current casual movement has given rise to a resurgence in modern pottery-style tableware that Dansk and Niels pioneered. Niels notes how even the finer restaurants of Copenhagen are no longer using traditional dinnerware but are instead mixing “rustic stoneware with colourful porcelain to
try to create a country look”, and that the same trend is also happening in private homes. As a result, exactly 50 years after Niels’ Generations collection helped establish Dansk as a design leader in casual dining, Niels has recently designed several new collections for Dansk, including a re-design of this pioneering range. Generations II is a collection of sturdy stoneware oven-to-table pieces featuring the original Generations shape, which epitomises Nordic style and the casual movement, but with a new and modern, cool-blue glaze. Dansk’s latest dinnerware collection, recently unveiled in the Lenox showroom at the New York Tabletop Show at 41 Madison, charts another new course in casual dinnerware from Niels. The Vandvid Collection, named for a farm-(and ocean)-to-table restaurant (a boat made from timber from the forests) in Copenhagen Harbor (“A lot of events make Restaurant Vandvid a colourful place,” says Niels), was originally created for the restaurant. “I said to the owners, ‘How
The new Vandvid range offers a fresh new take on shapes, glazes and patterns
Arabesque, handpainted by Niels in 1990, is evocative of a Mediterranean sun and mosaic tiles
Niels on his artistic approach I like a slow natural evolution. I work “ for years with the material, until I really know it well enough to do what is natural for that particular clay and glaze. I do not like sensations. What I admire is the perfect proportions and the right shape, surface and colour. I am sure I am called a traditional potter, and that is exactly what I want to be. would you like to have something different for your restaurant – let’s do something special’,” says Niels, “So we made something special and people love this different style of eating we have on board the boat”. A fresh, new take on shapes, glazes and patterns, including a cup handle that is easier to use, the Vandvid collection speaks to Niels' design philosophy, which is all about allowing the material to speak for itself, and making things simpler, rather than more complicated. In addition to the interesting cup shape, the collection features ovalshaped plates in two sizes and two varying sized bowls. All are suitable for meals and as serving pieces. The rustic-shaped stoneware bodies are glazed in a light blue reactive glaze and hand-painted in a variety of patterns. All are dishwasher and microwave-safe and designed to be used every day. “The main reason why Dansk has been so successful,” says Niels, “is
Christianshavn Blue, designed in 1977, is inspired by the nautical atmosphere of the Copenhagen neighbourhood
”
because we have always remembered that things should not be too complicated, it should be relaxed, and now we are back to casual again”. And this is the reason why many of Niels’ distinctive designs, both his own, and for Dansk, have secured so many prestigious design awards and earned their places in museum collections around the world. While Dansk boasts an incredible 498 prize-winning designs, Niels’ work features in numerous museums, from the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and The Metropolitan Museum in New York, to the Rohsska Museum of Sweden. His work is also represented in the private collections of the Danish and Swedish royal families. For Niels, who refuses to be called a designer, the last five decades have been nothing short of a love story. “I’m not a designer I’m not a production man, I’m a trouble shooter – I just love ceramics,” concludes Niels.
Calling all designers – would you like to be featured in a future ‘Eye on Design’? If so, email our Editor, kate@lempublishing.
Generations II features the original Generations shape but with a new coolblue glaze
Category Barware
LSA International LSA International’s specialist Gin Collection features a variety of shapes, as well as combination sets of different glasses and serving pieces, tailored to mixing and enjoying gin-based drinks. The balloon glass, with its generous, stemmed bowl for lots of ice and tonic, has since become a staple shape in many of its collections, and is “our bestselling shape”, says Hattie Locke, head of branding. The comprehensive series of glasses in the Gin Collection are all mouthblown and feature a distinctive flared shape, thick stems and heavy bases. The collection has been so successful that LSA has just added hand-cut and hand-painted embellishments to the collection (pictured), which “add decorative, festive elements”, says Hattie. “All embody that signature combination of original design and quality craftsmanship for which LSA is know.” LSA International works closely with the drinks industry and often teams up with mixologists to develop recipes to support specific ranges with authentic content. “Through our hospitality partners in bars, restaurants and hotels, we gain real insight into what is popular and what the emerging trends are,” says Hattie.
trade.lsa-international.com
Spirit of the times
D
A combination of factors has led to the renaissance of gin and glassware companies are getting in on the spirited action delivering the in-demand copa gin balloon glass
rinking gin, including gin cocktails, continues to be a trend, especially in the UK, and craft distillers and glass manufacturers are tapping into consumer demand for the spirit with gin-related product. Dartington Crystal was one of the first glassware brands to get on board several years ago when “the wave was building”, says Richard Halliday, commercial director, and the company is now considered a leader in gin-ware, it offers an array of glasses, including UK handmade crystal, machine-made crystalline and glass gin glasses, in pairs and six packs, either as options within ranges, or as gin-specific collections, all of which have “enjoyed good sales ever since”. Certainly, the retailers think so. “Dartington was swift to respond to the rising popularity in gin and we stock a diverse selection of its specialist gin glass shapes – the copa, hiball and martini," says Nicola Hattersley, buyer of tabletop for John Lewis; while Emma Read,
buyer for Steamer Trading, is finding that “Dartington’s gin coupe glasses sell really well due to the current gin-drinking trend”.
Gin renaissance Richard believes the renaissance of gin is down to a number of factors. In addition to gin’s retro credentials, “compared to aged dark spirits, like whisky, the barriers to entry for new producers are low”, says Richard. So once distilled the product can be sold the next day and requires no expert blending or barrel ageing. As a clear spirit, but with a distinctive taste signature, it has more character and provenance than the mass market vodkas that had dominated previously. “Added to this is the renewed marketing efforts of gin brands and innovative tonics and mixer brands, such as Fever Tree, that have given gin a new kudos and appeal. "Finally, gin also happens to be the base ingredient for many classic cocktails, so as the world fell back in love with cocktails, it helped the boom in gin drinking.” And while gin is traditionally a very British drink, it has been doing
well internationally, too (”Demand is growing in other world markets where the potential could be even bigger,” says Richard), especially the US, where an array of gin glasses have recently launched onto the US market, with American brands like Lenox and Libbey both unveiling gin glasses, and European brands such as LSA International and Orrefors presenting gin glasses to the US market. “Having surged in popularity over the last couple of years, gin continues to trend, perhaps owing to its versatility,” says Hattie Locke, head of branding at LSA International, whose Gin Collection is highly successful. “The spirit’s aromatic flavour profile gives scope for experimental cocktails, as well as simple G&Ts, updated and made relevant for today’s consumers with unique twists such as juniper barriers, cucumber or herb garnishes and infused tonics. “The emergence of boutique distilleries, each with their own distinctive, often local, botanical mix, has sparked the imaginations of both mixologists and consumers alike, firmly establishing the new wave of modern gin drinkers.”
Copa glass And while size, style and quality may vary in the gin glasses currently being offered by brands, the common denominator is the shape of the glass – with the copa glass, a stemmed balloon-shaped glass with a large round bowl trending. A combination of demand for gin cocktails, lots of ice, plenty of garnishes and a focus on quality gins, designer tonics and camera-ready cocktails, has, in turn, led to demand for a roomy bowl-shaped glass with a stem, which will capture the aromas and flavours of gin, much like with wine. “The copa balloon glass accommodates all these elements and lets consumers properly sell and taste them as they sip, as well as keeping warm hands away from the bowl and displaying the drink to its best effect,” explains Richard, adding “we saw the early trend for Copa G&T balloons glasses in the UK, from Spain, and now have a host of gin-drinking products, with the single Gin Copa in our Just The One series our bestselling glass”.
Dartington Crystal Dartington offers an array of gin-related drinkware, including copa balloon stemmed glasses (pictured), stemless options and classic hiballs with a spread of price points and in different package formats. Its first flagship gin product, Gintuition, was a gift set of three different gin glasses presented in association with Fever Tree that included a G&T serving and glass guide, to encourage experimentation. While its most recent gin launch, Gin Time – single gin balloon glasses featuring different gin-related sayings and packaged in a giftable tin provides an easy to use glass that adds a hint of humour to gift-giving.
Similarly, for LSA International, its mouthblown balloon glass, with its generous stemmed bowl “for lots of ice and tonic”, says Hattie, has become the brand’s bestselling shape and is now a “staple shape in many of our collections”. Like LSA, Waterford has got in on the gin action with a complete collection. Inspired by County Waterford’s heritage in gin, Gin Journeys has been designed to enrich
the aromas and infuse the flavours of the botanicals. It includes a shortstemmed balloon glass, “perfect for gins with a 39 per cent and above ABV, due to their bowl-like shape trapping the aromas inside the glass and allowing the spirit more room to breathe, as well as space for garnishes and ice”, says the brand. Royal Scot Crystal, which has included a gin copa glass in its recently launched Vintage Home Collection,
Waterford Crystal With inspiration drawn from County Warterford’s heritage in gin (since the Victorian era, spices and botanicals have been transported along its roads and rivers to distilleries and great houses) and developed in collaboration with industry experts, Gin Journeys has been specifically created to enrich the aromas and infuse the flavours of the botanicals within gin. It features two new Waterford shapes, including balloon glasses with a short stem and slim hiballs. The crystalware has been designed using Waterford’s iconic Lismore pattern, plus three cuts: Olann, Cluin and Aras.
which includes two designs, Art Deco and Tartan, agrees: “The popularity of speciality drinks has seen a dramatic increase over the last year, with a surge in the number of new gin bars and festivals, as well as a huge variety of glasses for every type of drink or cocktail. “Long gone are the days of a standard straight glass for every tipple with a slice – drinks today are infused with a variety of flavoured tonics and
accompaniments, from juniper berries to cardamom seeds.” Orrefors has also responded to the trend, adding a large stemmed G&T glass to its portfolio, delivering a dishwasher-safe balloon-shaped bowl that “enhances the flavours and leaves plenty of space for ice and garnishes”, says the brand; while Cumbria Crystal recently added a gin glass to its popular Grasmere, Helvellyn, Regency and Six collections.
Ask the experts… Many glassware brands work with gin experts and mixologists to ensure the glasses Dartington's partnership with Fever Tree
they produce hit the mark, and to help them market the products. Waterford Crystal’s Gin Journeys Collection was developed in collaboration with industry experts, to ensure the collection was able to effectively enrich the aromas and infuse the flavours of the botanicals within gin. When Dartington Crystal entered the gin market a few years back, the company quickly got to know the Fever Tree team and influential gin brand owners. We now work with them, supplying Dartington-branded glasses to meet their on trade and offtrade needs”, says Richard Halliday, commercial director. And LSA International “works closely with the drinks industry and often teams up with mixologists to develop recipes to support specific ranges with authentic content”, says Hattie Locke, head of branding at LSA.
Sambonet The desire to appeal to quality food and wine enthusiasts lies behind the new Bar Selection collection from Sambonet, presented in the exclusive colours of PVD Cognac and Parfait Amour. There’s a wine bucket, wine cooler, insulated ice bucket, accompanied by spoon and tongs, and three types of shaker: the traditional shaker or cobbler (the French version) and the Boston shaker, which has a glass tumbler at the top. Their smooth, streamlined shape assures the perfect mixing of ice. Developed by Centro Stile Sambonet, the Cognac and Parfait Amour hues are inspired by the shades of their namesake liqueurs, underscoring the refinement of stainless steel and making the most of Sambonet’s technological expertise. Sphera expresses a contemporary concept where functionality coexists with stylistic reminiscences of the Space Age design from the second half of the 1960s. Already renowned for its soft, round and organic design – the collection was a multi-award winner in 2011 and it has now evolved with a new visual effect.
www.sambonet.it
Villeroy & Boch Due to a successful introduction of Manufacture Rock and Rock Blanc dinnerware, Villeroy & Boch introduces matching glassware. Launched in a bronze tone with a clear finish to harmonise with the black and white porcelain, the Manufacture glass is machine-made and colour-sprayed.
www.villeroy-boch.com
Utopia Utopia Tableware has launched its Autumn collection, designed to offer caterers inspiring new concepts to help maximise business in the Christmas period. Standout lines include Shoredith glassware, which features on-trend short stems and big bowls, and the Gold Standard range of barware accessories. Gold Standard (pictured) delivers a warm, opulent glow, the soft gold colour matched by a hardwearing finish. The wide selection of bar accessories, including bar blade, mixing spoon and jigger, help create an upmarket mood for any cocktail bar. The range includes Harlequin Syphons, which add drama to the drink-making.
www.utopia-tableware.com
Royal Scot Crystal The popularity of speciality drinks and barware has seen a dramatic increase over the last year, with a surge of new gin bars as well as a variety of glasses for every type of drink, with drinks today infused with a variety of flavoured tonics and accompaniments. In response to this rising trend, Royal Scot Crystal has produced a stylish Vintage Home Bar collection to bring glamour to home entertaining. The range includes two new collections: Art Deco, which is reminiscent of the style and lifestyle of the Art Deco era; and Tartan (pictured), which is a unique twist on the traditional Tartan pattern, synonymous with Scotland. Royal Scot has launched an extensive selection of luxury hand-cut crystal barware including gin copas, spirit decanters, ice and champagne buckets, barrel-shaped tumblers and saucer champagne glasses.
www.royalscotcrystal.com
Is Rum the next big drink?
Rum Party Pack, Dartington Crystal
Both LSA International and Dartington Crystal have spotlighted rum as the next possible drinks trend. “Rum is a great base for cocktails and offers much potential for creativity,” says Hattie Locke, head of branding at LSA International, adding that “a trend for sipping rum, as you would whisky, is also developing”. According to Richard Halliday at Dartington, “Rum has been touted as the next big thing – in recent years, we’ve seen a real interest building.” Dartington has already launched a handful of rum-specific glasses for the Q4 gift market and “our retailers are seeing good sales”, says Richard.
C O N T E M P O R A RY D E S I G N TRADITIONAL CRAFT trade.lsa-international.com
Tableware International Ad-Nov Dec v4.indd 2
06/11/2018 13:40:43
Beatriz Ball
Lenox
Multi-purpose is the key to the new shape story within the Lenox Tuscany series. Built on a new design architecture which features a thicker, more compact stem, the Goblet Glass, Aviation Coupe and Spritzer Glass in the Tuscany Classics Bar Glass Collection can accommodate wine, beer, and a multitude of craft cocktails. Lenox has also added new stemware additions to the Trianna and Chelse Muse collections. Designed to complement the dinnerware, the new Trianna All Purpose Glasses (pictured) come in frost, merlot, blush and slate shades.
www.lenox.com
Beatriz Ball offers an array of barware. Its trays in gleaming metal enhance the look of any home bar, while for wine drinkers, Beatriz Ball delivers a selection of wine coolers, champagne chillers and bottle coasters, as well as large ice buckets, perfect for chilling craft beer bottles. The most recent barware addition is the new Serpente ice bucket in a sleek design. Its proprietary metal alloy items are multi-functional and easy to maintain. Chip & dip trays and platters come in both metal and in heavy-duty melamine versions; while its cutting boards in tropical hardwood work well for cheese and charcuterie presentations; and its oyster bowls round out the serveware items. The collection also includes mouth-blown glassware: Champagne flutes and wine glasses come in clear and in colour, with hand-etched details, with Venice and Jardin stem glasses perfect for festive entertaining.
www.beatrizball.com
Nambe
Duralex International
The Manhattan is a classic shape with a timeless design offering the versatility and durability typical of Duralex glassware, including the ability to hold both hot and cold liquids. Manufactured to last as long as its world-famous namesake drink, which originates from the 1800s, it is available as both a hiball and old fashioned with half of the glass surrounded by cylindrical indents. Made by Duralex in France, represented, imported and distributed by GlassCo Ltd in the UK.
www.duralex.com
Pasabahce
From its specialist Craft Beer Collection to its stemless Cin Cin collection (the latter used by top restaurants all over Turkey), Pasabahce offers an array of barware-specific collections for both hospitality and retail. Designed for mixologists, its witty Tin Can collection features a design inspired by a tin can, the ribbed design ergonomic, preventing slippages; while its Revival Collection, developed for HoReCa’s beer glass demands, delivers four glasses in a shape that enhances the flavour of beer and a base that keeps beer cold. Three of the glasses are fully tempered thus durable against impacts and thermal shocks and the glasses can be stacked. Following the huge success of its retro-inspired Timeless collection, new collection Elysia (pictured) was born. A line of tumblers – hiballs and DOFs – for long drinks, cocktails and spirits, Elysia features a delicate cut-crystal look with a weighty diamond-look base.
www.pasabahce.com
Nambe has recently introduced three new items into its successful Vie Barware Collection, an assortment of bar tools and wine accessories, including oversized stemware glasses, that’s made from a combination of Nambe’s signature alloy, acacia wood, full lead crystal and stainless steel. Delivering a contemporary design aesthetic, new pieces include the Vie Bar Tray, which features an acacia wood base with stainless-steel insert and the Vie Triple Snack Set, a condiment tray featuring an acacia wood base with three removable glass bowls. The stand-out piece is the Vie Wine Pitcher (pictured), which comes in a stunning and ergonomic design with an elegant stainless-steel handle.
www.nambe.com
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Riedel Bar Drink Specific Glassware ice glasses are designed to seamlessly answer two of hospitality’s greatest frustrations – liquid displacement and the distorted consumer perception of being underserved. Created to accommodate the industry’s preferred luxury, large format ice as well as standard ice cube dimensions, the glasses effortlessly allow both types to either fall centered or side by side. Ultimately, it is crucial to understand the finest points of luxury hospitality’s classic and trendy serves, by factoring in bartender efficiency, guest perception and pour cost. We even consider carbon footprint reduction in our designs. This is the only line of glassware that combines all of these important issues and gives you peace of mind that these glasses were made with your business in mind.
”
Zane Harris, spirits specialist, renowned for his mixology and cocktail meccas (Dutch Kills, Maison Premiere, and Rob Roy), discussing his collaboration with Riedel on the new Bar Drink Specific Glassware Collection, which delivers six unique glasses for cocktails. www.riedel.com
Stolzle Lausitz The Twister Olympic tumblers provide the opportunity for lovers of imaginative glass design to fully appreciate the creativity of this combination of colour and décor. Stölzle Lausitz’s understanding of the progressive trends in design has led to the development of this specific Twister metallic decor with the internal shining metallic colours backed on the surface with either a black or white decoration. The effect of the grooved décor provides spectacular contrasting light and colour. The tumblers are not restricted to use as drinking glasses but are strikingly effective as tealight holders and decorative glass accessories in their own right. The metallic-coloured coating is permanently applied to the tumblers ensuring they are dishwasher-safe.
www.stoelzle-lausitz.com
Dartington Crystal's Dimple collection
Dartington Crystal's Winemaster collection sells well for Havens
What the retailer says…
Havens, vens, UK Nigel Havens, managing director of Havens, a specialist retailer of porcelain tableware, crystal glass and gifts that has been trading since 1901, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, discusses why he stocks Dartington Crystal. www.havens.co.uk Why do you stock Dartington Crystal? Dartington is the foremost British branded quality design-led crystal with a good percentage still made in the UK. Items that are out-sourced represent great value and are enhanced by the Dartington branding. What collections do you stock? We have stocked Dartinton since the late 1970s, maybe even earlier. We carry a number of ranges including the bestsellers from the UK-made ranges: Winemaster, Rachael, Chateauneuf, Sharon and Dimple, along with decanters, jugs, tankards and speciality glasses. We also stock many of the brand’s outsourced product including Glitz, Wine Essentials and The Six range. What is the bestselling collection? Winemaster sells very well for us as it was designed with the input of a Master of Wine to ensure each glass is shaped correctly to enhance the taste of each wine. Finally, how do you best communicate the story and artisanship of the brand to consumers? In-store a customer only needs to feel the glass to recognise the differences. We get a machine-made glass and handmade glass to illustrate the difference – It is harder online but, by and large, we find we are selling to the converted.
Photos: The limited-edition Sunburst Vase by Waterford Crystal created excusively for CMoG
Retail Glass
Corning: 150 years of glassmaking When the Brooklyn Flint Glass Company (now known as Corning Incorporated) relocated to Corning in 1868, it set in motion 150 years of glassmaking innovation that has shaped the modern world. To celebrate, The CMoG reinstalled the Crystal City gallery, which shares the story of Corning becoming one of the premier centres for glass-cutting in the US. The Museum has also launched GlassBarge, a mobile glassmaking studio on a canal barge, which has travelled throughout New York State, retracing the original nautical journey that brought glass from Brooklyn to Corning. The tour stopped in 29 waterfront cities sharing the glassmaking with 50,000 visitors.
“We believe in experiential retail” To mark the 150th anniversary of Corning, New York, as a glass town, The Shops at The Corning Museum of Glass has partnered with Waterford Crystal in the design of a limited-edition vase and for a first-of-its-kind exclusive cut-glass event. We find out more from retail buyer Meghan Bunnell
T
he Shops at The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) has partnered with Waterford Crystal in the design of a unique crystal piece and for a first-of-its-kind exclusive cut glass event. Inspired by the 150th anniversary of glassmaking coming to The Crystal City (town of Corning), Waterford’s head of design, Matt Kehoe, has designed the Sunburst Vase, and a limited edition of 10 of these unique vases have been cut by Master Cutter Tom Power, to be sold exclusively just for CMoG Shops. The Shops at CMoG, which features 18-sq-ft of shopping, making it one of the largest Museum stores in the US with eight boutiques and four expert buyers, is known for collaborating with glass artists and glass brands to develop and sell products; however, this marks the first time it has partnered with Waterford on such a piece. “This is the first time we have partnered with Waterford for an exclusive piece,” says retail buyer at The CMoG, Meghan Bunnell, who handles the brand development for both on-site retail and online retail and focuses on up-and-coming designers, artists and markets.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for us to celebrate the legacy of Waterford and the history of glass coming to the town of Corning with a beautiful piece of crystal designed by Matt Kehoe and handcut by Tom Power.” The collaboration all came about during a meeting in the Waterford showroom at 41 Madison during the New York Tabletop Show. “I shared with Waterford the story about glassmaking coming to Corning 150 years ago and we discussed the events on the horizon for the Museum,” says Meghan. “Waterford was inspired by the fascinating history and this significant anniversary and so we began developing the event, which has blossomed into a wonderful partnership that we are honoured to host.” Each element of the design of the Sunburst Vase has symbolic meaning with the sunburst design representing the many days of hard work and dedication needed to master the craft of glassmaking. The vase also features the four vertical wedge cuts, stretching from bottom to top, with these stunning cuts symbolising the progress and innovation that has defined Corning for 150 years.
Each of the limited edition 10 vases will be cut by Master Cutter, Tom Power, who began his career with Waterford as a Wedge Cutter in 1969 and within 10 years had advanced to Master Wedge Cutter. Now approaching his 50th anniversary of cutting glass, Tom is renowned for cutting dynamic, bespoke and one-off pieces. “Since the process of making the vase involves many steps, our Digital Media team is producing a short film which documents the cutting process and shares a bit of the backstory of the partnership,” explains Meghan. The film was launched, along with the Sunburst Vase, during a special event on November 15 at the Museum. “During the product launch of the Sunburst Vase, we had Tom Brennan, Master Craftsman and Spokesperson for Waterford, at the Museum, to sign Waterford pieces and talk with our visitors,” says Meghan, “as well as showcasing our 10 limited-edition pieces, which are now available for purchase exclusively via The Shops at The CMoG and online at shops.cmog.org. All are signed by Master Cutter Tom Power.” It is collaborations such as these,
explains Meghan, “that allow us to partner with brands, designers and artists to develop, and sell, products that have current relevance and highlight the skill sets that the makers and designers have”. Partnerships for The Shops at the Museum typically include bringing designers and makers to the Museum for events with its customers, allowing customers the opportunity to develop a personal connection to the product. “We believe in experiential retail, and these events provide an excellent way for us to highlight the story of the products while allowing the customer to take part in the event – and hopefully purchase a beautiful piece of glass to remember the experience.” She adds: “The Corning Museum of Glass Shops often seeks out opportunities to highlight designers and artists. For three years we have partnered with Iittala to celebrate Oiva Toikka’s bird designs by bringing Finnish glassblowers from the Iittala factory to the Museum to make Oiva Toikka’s designs. “We also often partner with artists for signing events, meet and greets, lectures, and artist demos.” Find out more at www.cmog.org
41Mad_TabInte NovDec RH PG 1_Tableware International 10/4/18 6:58 PM Page 1
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Profile Cumbria Crystal
Hamilton & Inches The Thistle Collection created exclusively for luxury story Hamilton & Inches.
Bentley Motors Cumbria Crystal has produced luxury champagne flutes for the new Bentayga Mulliner, the world's most luxurious SUV.
Cumbria is crystal clear
A
With the retail market fragile, Cumbria Crystal is finding new business in its bespoke creation with luxury retailers, premium distillers and high-profile British manufacturers s the last producer of completely handblown and handcut luxury English crystal in the UK, Cumbria Crystal, which is renowned for using techniques and processes that have hardly changed since the Roman era, is on a mission – to continue to produce the highest quality crystal exclusively by hand. It’s a brave move in an increasingly mass-produced world, but one that is paying off for the Cumbria-based company, whose high-quality crystal is currently the choice for British Embassies, Royal Families, luxury stores and many TV period dramas. Like so many other great British crystal companies, Cumbria Crystal could have succumbed to the pressure of cheap imports and low quality, but instead, it decided to redirect itself in order to focus on quality and service, on the bespoke sector, and target the luxury end of the market. Joining the company in March 2015, MD Chris Blade collaborated with Lancaster University Business Management School and developed a two-year turnaround plan. Implementation of this has seen turnover double and gross margins improve by more than 300 per cent. The company’s growing reputation has seen it recently secure contracts with high-profile clients, such as
Bentley Motors and Glyndebourne Chris says: “Retail is fragile – retailers don’t hold stock anymore, and so aren’t placing decent orders. We don’t fit comfortably into the standard retail model, so we have made a conscious decision to position ourselves as a luxury brand based on quality, looking to work with other luxury companies on bespoke production.” The company already works with various luxury brands, retailers and distributors, producing exclusive collections, including for David Linley, Goviers, Thomas Goode, Hamilton & Inches and Kevin Glancy. “We produce 13 exclusive crystal collections for Kevin Glancy, much of the crystal for David Linley, and have been supplying exclusive crystal designs to luxury store Hamilton & Inches for a number of years and are now looking to formalise this relationship,” says Chris. “We have new collections for Hamilton & Inches, a new Christmas collection for David Linley and we are re-creating a classic collection, sold exclusively through Thomas Goode.” More recently, the company expanded its bespoke manufacture beyond luxury retailers to private companies and brands, and its outstanding reputation ("Cumbria Crystal is now acknowledged as one of the highest quality manufacturers of crystal in the world,” says Chris) has
seen it secure contracts with highprofile clients – Bentley Motors, Rolls Royce and Glyndebourne. “We’ve been developing a relationship with Bentley for around 18 months. We have produced luxury champagne flutes for the new Bentayga Mulliner, the world’s most luxurious SUV; a tumbler collection for the new Continental GT; and this year, we’re developing three new products, including a decanter and tumbler set, to celebrate the centenary of Bentley Motors for the WO Mulsanne. We're also prototyping for Rolls Royce.” He adds: “These relationships, which offer a different route to market, are promising, and we hope that some of the products we are producing for Bentley will become branded goods, available for sale through their retail/ ecommerce channels.” The company has diversified further, tapping into the popularity of premium spirits, and partnering with high-end distillers, such as Hermitage Cognacs, Brandy Classics and Speyside’s Harveys of Edinburgh. “We secured a grant through Innovus to undertake research to develop new glass recipes enabling us to work with one of Britain’s largest bottle manufacturers, to produce hand-blown decanters for the superpremium spirits industry,” says Chris. “Demand for handmade solutions for the super-premium drinks’
industry is increasing for companies selling luxury spirits for £5-10,000+ per bottle, and we’re currently on our third order with Hermitage Cognacs. “We are developing capabilities in order to meet that niche end of the market. The beauty of this for a small company like ours is that this direction offers an opportunity to develop something unique without excessive development costs.” It is the flexible nature of the handmaking processes and the versatility of the company's workforce, that enables it to undertake such high-quality bespoke manufacture for private individuals and companies. All of its crystal is completely mouth-blown by its team of five glassblowers and hand-cut on diamond wheels. A wine goblet typically takes 10-12 days to create with each product passing through at least 12 pairs of skilled hands during the creative process. “Everything is made in Cumbria and nothing is sub-contracted,” says Chris. The company is clearly passionate about crystal and is determined to continue to keep this dying craft alive in Britain. In fact, it sees it as their duty to do so (“We have a responsibility to the hertigage of glassmaking in this country” says Chris) – a philosophy that hails from the company’s roots. “The company was initially formed to preserve
Loop Collection [Left] Loop is a recently-launched barware collection aimed at the younger generation and sold at retail.
Downton Abbey [Above] The Grasmere range has featured extensively in TV series Downton Abbey, and Cumbria Crystal has produced bespoke collections for James Bond and film Darkest Hour.
on direction traditional British crafts. Conceived during a dinner party held by Lord and Lady Cavendish in 1976 during which the conversation revolved around the subject of the decline of the British glassmaking heritage,” says Chris. Not only is Cumbria Crystal developing new products in collaboration with universities, including the Royal College of Art (“This has exposed design students to the realities of designing for the industry,” says Chris), but this year, it has introduced affordable glassblowing experiences for the pubic at its Cumbria factory. “With so few places left where it is possible to see glass being made by hand, the company has always believed it has a moral and social duty to invite people into the factory and see how the British crystal is created. We can now take this one step further." This isn’t the only way the company is raising its profile. It also partners with TV and film production companies. Its famed Grasmere Collection, designed by Lady Cavendish in the 70s, has featured in TV series Downton Abbey, and the brand has produced bespoke collections for James Bond and, most recently, the film Darkest Hour. “We tend to raise our profile through association,” says Chris. “Downton Abbey commissioned a collection, and now that a full-length feature film is being made, we are in talks with Universal Studios to ensure they use our crystal in the film, too.” A Downton Abbey exhibition is
currently travelling across the US, showing a recreation of the dining room including Cumbria Crystal’s collection and helping it reach an international audience. “While 95 per cent of our sales come from the UK, we are raising our profile globally” says Chris. “And with our change in focus on how we sell, moving towards ecommerce, this has opened the doors for more global business. We are finding more sales coming to us via our website.” The company has invested in delivering its ecommerce and social media strategies, with impressive success. Now delivering B2C worldwide, a completely new market for the brand, its online sales have risen from 2 per cent to 30 per cent of its turnover, “which is an all-new market share for us”, says Chris. “We are also currently in negotiations with a company in the US, to distribute our products.” It is a fusion of such diversifications, into different markets and segments, as well as the company’s commitment to authentic and handcrafted quality crystal, and to raising the profile of British handcrafted crystal, that is seeing Cumbria Crystal thrive. “It is hoped that these initiatives and new ones planned for 2019 will continue to change the fortunes of the company, enabling apprentices to start the long training programmes required to ensure we can deliver luxury crystal for those who demand the best of the best,” Chris concludes.
Retail ranges While the company’s focus is on bespoke collaborations, it produces its own retail collections with 11 core stemware ranges, including Grasmere, its bestselling range (which accounts for 80 per cent of sales in non-bespoke business), and various on-trend contemporary barware ranges, designed for the younger generation, which include the recentlylaunched Boogie-Woogie, Loop and Palm collections. Its upcoming retail collections have been designed in collaboration with MA students from the Royal College of Art, with the aim of “engaging with young talent, educating the next generation and generating new and exciting ideas”, says Chris. Its latest designs include a new gin glass, Luna (pictured), and a six-piece tumbler set, with each tumbler featuring a different design. “We will be pushing these out to retail for the Christmas period,” says Chris.
collections
Column Hospitality
Showing off From motivation and location to making an impact, Valda Goodfellow raises the questions to ask yourself when considering exhibiting and advises how to make the most of a trade show
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aving just returned from visiting Maison & Objet, it seems apt to talk about the role of exhibitions in our increasingly digital world. Let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to go to Paris? I know the exhibition itself is the reason, but I have to say, as a visitor, it certainly helps in constructing a case for taking the time and spending the money to visit. It may sound flippant that this should be a consideration, but I’m not the only person to think like that. As an exhibitor in the UK, I have to consciously question the case for exhibiting, given the investment in time, resources and money. I have to justify where we invest our marketing budget and, when deciding whether or not to exhibit at a show, we ask ourselves the following questions...
shows more effectively for launches and building awareness of our brand by doing something really different so we stand out and are remembered.
Why should we exhibit? For
hard by adding side-shows to the main event with lectures, awards and showcases, but most visitors are really short of time, and have an agenda for their visit. As an exhibitor, I’m not sure whether I really want visitors distracted from working the stands (unless, of course we are taking part in the side shows). I do think exhibitors could improve the experience of visitors to the halls by offering better catering facilities, more seating (I am getting old!), and better clustering of similar exhibitors.
us, the only two reasons to exhibit are brand visibility and new product launches. In the hospitality sector, we wouldn’t normally exhibit in order to achieve sales on a stand, unless we are lucky enough to catch people at a time they are looking specifically to buy for a project. Even then, they would usually need samples and project costs before they commit. I know, however, that retail-oriented manufacturers do take orders on the stand, so the motivation to exhibit is more compelling. We have used 64 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL
Is the exhibition attracting our target customers? We know that in our sector, getting senior decision makers to take the time out of their busy schedules to visit a show is increasingly more difficult. They may well send someone from their department, which, while useful, we question whether this is right for us? In retail, it may be more usual for buyers to make the time to visit, but for hospitality-orientated exhibitions, it is becoming an issue. We always ask for visitor analysis to check that we are likely to capture our target customers.
Do organisers try hard enough to make the exhibitions appealing? I think some try really
Exhibitions are really hard work for visitors and exhibitors, so making it a more enjoyable experience is key. Many exhibitors use the catering areas for more casual meetings away from stands and improving how this works would be hugely beneficial to all.
Are we in a good place? Location is a key factor, not only with regard to how easy the show is to reach (don’t get me started on public transport!) but also in terms of where our target customers are. If we are trying to break into a new market, exhibiting may be a great way of meeting new target customers. Achieving a good stand location within an exhibition can be both expensive and hard to achieve, especially if you are new to a particular exhibition. Competition is fierce to secure the best opportunity of being seen by the most visitors. Experienced visitors usually have a method of exhibition navigation, but almost everyone will miss out some areas (usually the back and the edges of the halls), especially if short of time. If we can’t afford a good location, then we are going to have to work harder on ensuring people know where we are in the hall. The organisers can’t do this for us, so in addition to our exhibiting costs, we always budget for marketing to our target customers.
Can we show off our brand effectively? I am constantly astounded at the size and opulence of some stands but not everyone has the budget. If our budget is tight, can we show off our brand effectively, especially against the big spenders? I do think this is quite difficult to achieve but some shows are really good at ‘clustering’ smaller exhibitors together, so the difference is less noticeable; but then location within the hall may be an issue unless the organisers promote and signpost the cluster effectively. Invest in being remembered if you can’t afford the best location.
Can we talk? Even when you try to make appointments with people on your stand, it doesn’t always go to plan. Visitors can easily get sidetracked and delayed; or you might be talking to someone else when the person you’re scheduled to meet arrives. I know it’s a frustration for all exhibitors when people are waiting to talk to you but you don’t want to be rude to the person in front of you. I have lost count of the number of times I have seen people leave or pass by a stand because everyone is too busy. It’s hard to quantify the cost of missed opportunities, so make sure your staff know who you are expecting, so that if you are busy, they can welcome your VIP visitor while you finish your conversation.
About G & G
G&G displays during the debut Table exhibition in London
Founded by Paul and Valda Goodfellow, G & G Goodfellows is a highly creative design & Distribution Company with an amazing showroom in Little Portland Street. Offering a truly hands-on service, Goodfellows passion is to bring new and exciting, bespoke food presentation concepts to the UK’s culinary scene. As well as offering a wide variety of the world’s best branded tableware, kitchen equipment, clothing and machines, Goodfellows also collaborates closely with UK craft producers for totally unique products. It works with all sizes of restaurant and catering projects, happy to supply anything from an individual plate to a full restaurant concept.
Is the impact lasting? If we exhibit over three or four days, how long will the impact of the exhibition have on the visitors we meet? If we stand out by being just what our visitors are looking for, then the impact might be long-lasting and significant on business. If we don’t stand out, the impact may not even last the day. Some exhibitors are amazing at following up contacts made at a show, others either don’t get in contact at all or weeks later. By then, is it likely they will remember you? It is crucial to follow up all contacts quickly. Is it worth the investment? We look at what exhibitions are scheduled and what the costs are. We assess the stand costs, but we also have to factor in staff costs, accommodation, marketing and, importantly, what are we not doing while we are doing the show? Once we add everything together, it’s a big investment, even for a small show. As we don’t usually take orders at the show, it’s harder to quantify any return on investment. However, building our brand awareness is priceless and may warrant the
spend, particularly if competitors are trying to get ahead of us.
What is the alternative to exhibiting? It depends on your brand and your market. For us, investment in other forms of marketing and direct customer reach can sometimes have more impact: social media, investment in our website, and other digital marketing initiatives, as well as investing in our sales staff and showroom. However, shows and exhibitions provide significant opportunity to capture a lot of customer attention in one concentrated period and may even save time and money by not having to make individual trips to see those customers. Although we always question whether we should exhibit, we do succumb to the lures of a show when we have something to show off, but we never exhibit just because we are too frightened not to. If we can make a compelling case for the investment and the organisers try really hard to promote the show, then we do it. I just wish I could make that case for Showing Off in Paris!!
Inspired | Luxurious | Joyful
PARTNERS.BEATRIZBALL.COM ATLANTA • DALLAS • L.A. • LAS VEGAS • NY NOW TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 65
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ollowing the launch of the Tableware International Awards of Excellence 2019, Tableware International has received 274 entries from 148 different brands, up from 218 entries from 94 brands last year. The 274 entries span 17 product categories, from fine dinnerware and decorative, to cutlery and casual glassware, and deliver an especially large number of entries for the categories of Fine Dinnerware, Casual Dinnerware, Fine Glassware, Giftable Tableware and Coffee/Teaware. Many of the brands and manufacturers which participated in the first edition of the Awards, for 2018, have returned this year with new products – brands such as Rosenthal, Orrefors, Royal Crown Derby, Lenox, Prouna, Nikko, Denby, Alessi, Herend, Portmeirion, Stelton, Vista Alegre, Noritake, LSA and Pasabahce, to name but a few. In addition, there are brands and manufacturers making their Tableware International Awards debut, entering products and collections for the first time – Riedel, Waterford, Wedgwood, William Edwards, Lehmann Glass, ASA Selection, Revol, Degrenne, Richard Ginori, Kahla, Crystalite Bohemia and Moser, among many others. “Following the success of the debut Tableware Awards, we had high expectations for the second edition and those expectations have not just been met, but exceeded,” says Kate Birch, editor of Tableware International, the international industry publication, which organises the Awards. “We are delighted with the entries this year, not just in numbers, but in the quality of the brands and manufacturers, including many new ones, that have chosen to participate, and the fantastic collections and products they have put forward. “Such an amazing response is testament both to the innovation and 66 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL
What’s exciting about the tableware industry today?
We ask the judges…
Awards 2019
148 brands enter Tableware Awards 2019 creativity of the tableware industry and the many companies that make this possible, and to the credibility and authority of Tableware International.” The next stage of the Awards will see the 274 entries across the 17 categories assessed by Tableware International’s prestigious panel of 28 international judges, which is made up of buyers, retailers, distributors, designers and industry experts. Eight new judges have joined the panel this year, including department store Debenhams; tabletop specialist stores, The Studio of Tableware in New Zealand and TableArt in Los Angeles; gift/housewares chain of stores Hutter Group in German; designer consultant Hugh Biber; award-winning British ceramics designer Billy Lloyd; freelance tabletop designer Brigitte Moulinier; and the University of London’s retail space Not Just a Shop. These new judges are joined by last year’s panelists, including Amara. com, Wayfair EU, John Lewis, Rustan’s, Parousiasi, Dom Farfora, William Ashley, Skandium, Glancy Fawcett, Lewis Wark, Jorges Perez, Studio Levien and David Queensberry, among others. The judges will assess the entries according to the criteria of Design/ Functionality, Innovation, Aesthetics and Storytelling, and shortlist three finalists in each category, along with a final winner. The finalists will all feature in Tableware International’s Awards supplement in January 2019 and the final winners will feature in the Awards Winner supplement in March 2019, with the finalists acknowledged and winners announced at our Awards Ceremony on Sunday, February 10 at Messe Frankfurt, during Ambiente 2019. If you’re interested in sponsoring the Awards, please get in touch with Paul Yeomans at pyeomans@ tablewareinternational. com or visit www. tablewareinternationalawards.com
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I think the hospitality market is on the brink of some major changes. That is why we are exploring some exciting new developments which will involve us working on our own brand. I am proud to work with some amazing designers and manufacturers who are helping us evolve into a unique type of organisation.
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Valda Goodfellow, owner and MD, G & G, distributors of tableware to hospitality
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The tabletop industry combines tradition with style – it’s amazing to walk through design studios and manufacturing sides of large heritage brands and understand how much investment flows into a dinnerware set until a customer is able to purchase it with a click. To bring these products to an online environment is even more exciting – it opens up so many opportunities with regards to brand pages, tailored branded events, social media and PR campaigns. We work closely with all brands we sell to ensure we are an extension of their own brand page – adjusting to these individual realities makes the work diverse and fun. Linda Kasselkus, heads up the Housewares categories at Wayfair EU, the global leading online retailer in homeware
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Tableware certainly has a traditional aspect, but largely, it’s a dynamic category. I find it exciting to see and report on how the ambit of tableware patterns and products are steadily expanding to reflect worldwide food cultures, different society’s evolving modes and manners of daily living, and even tableware that makes a connection with exogenous trends like those triggered by celebrities and influencer marketing. Donna Ferrari, leading journalist and photo stylist reporting on tabletop for 36 years, US
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This is a very exciting time to be in the tableware/entertaining, dining industry as it is in flux and designers and brands alike are at their most creative trying to figure out how to engage the new consumer. This struggle often results in some of the best product innovations.
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Jorge Perez, designer, on-air TV personality and tabletop industry icon, US
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For Lewis Wark, the increase in customer demand for lifestyle brands is becoming more exciting. Having brands such as Lalique, which offers items from all areas of luxury home, means that we tend to work with the customers at an earlier stage and for longer. There’s just so much talent and energy out there right now – it’s a positive time to be in luxury. Martyn Lewis, owner, Lewis Wark, UK
Meet the 28 Judges Our panel of 28 judges are made up of some of the best retailers and experts in the industry. Amara, UK Sam Hood, founder and creative director, Amara, global ecommerce platform of luxury homewares, including tabletop
Billy Lloyd, UK Billy Lloyd, award-winning British ceramics designer Brigitte Moulinier, France Feelance tabletop designer Debenhams, UK Claire Brown, Cook & Dine buyer, Debenhams, a chain of department stores in the UK and overseas
Dom Farfora, Moscow Elena Sokolova, commercial director and buyer, Dom Farfora, eight luxury tabletop stores across Russia
Donna Ferrari Leading tabletop journalist and photo stylist Goodfellow & Goodfellow, UK, Valda Goodfellow, MD of G & G, distributors of premium tableware to the UK hospitality sector
Glancy Fawcett Kevin Glancy, company director, Glancy Fawcett, tableware suppliers to luxury yachts and private jets
Hopson Grace, Canada Martha Grace McKimm and Andrea Hopson, co-founders of lifestyle boutique Hopson Grace Hugh Biber Design, US Hugh Biber, design consultant Hutter Group, Germany Hermann Hutter, owner, Hutter Group, eight housewares and gift stores across Germany
Jorge Perez, US Cuban American designer, on-air TV personality and wedding industry icon
John Lewis, UK Nicola Hattersley, buyer Tabletop and Charlotte Thomason, junior buyer, John Lewis department store chain
Lewis Wark Martyn Lewis, co-owner, Lewis Wark, distributors of luxury tabletop and gift in the UK Nick Holland Design Nick Holland, creative director of product design consultancy
Parousiasi, Greece Mary Sarafidis, managing director, Parousiasi,
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45 luxury tableware and gift stores across Greece
Queensberry Hunt, UK David Queensberry, owner Rustan’s Department Store, the Philippines Cecilia P. Hermoso, home division manager, Rustan’s luxury department store
Skandium, UK Karen Lester, buying and merchandising manager, Skandium, three London stores
Studio Levien, UK Robin Levien, co-owner and designer The Corning Museum of Glass, US Meghan D. Bunnell, buyer for tabletop, luxury brands and art glass products, The Shops, eight boutiques within the museum
The Studio of Tableware, New Zealand Jocelyn Wilson, director of this independent luxury boutique
TableArt, US Walter Lowry, owner, TableArt, the premier destination for tabletop in Los Angeles
T is for Table, US Michele Trzuskowski, owner of this independent
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I love the whole world of tableware. It encompasses so many good aspects of life – eating, dining, food, family, friends, special occasions, holidays, travel, style, elegance, design, noble materials, tradition, evolution, innovation. Tableware is essentially about celebration and as a designer it is a joy to be working in this world. Nick Holland, creative director, Nick Holland Design
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tabletop boutique
UAL Not Just a Shop, UK Natalie Stevens, enterprise space retail manager, The University of the Arts London’s retail space
Wayfair EU Linda Kasselkus, housewares category management, Wayfair EU, global leading online etailer for homeware William Ashley, Canada, Jackie Chiesa, president of this independent luxury tabletop boutique in Toronto
William & Son, UK Lucy Asprey, director of homeware, a London emporium with specialisms in glass and porcelain
Trade Talk Shows
Show ‘n tell
From China to the US to Frankfurt, we talk tableware category growth and dining trends with six global tradeshows
“Craft is influencing”
Top Drawer Alejandra Campos, event director, Clarion Events
“Glasses are getting bigger”
Ambiente Thomas Kastl, director of dining, Ambiente How are you seeing the dining category faring? When we look at the latest developments, we can see tableware becoming fresher, more contemporary and more dynamic. Take a plate today – it doesn’t have to be plain white. There’s currently a trend towards printed patterns and unusual materials. Long-standing traditions are no longer authoritative or prescriptive: when there are several courses on a menu, the same dinnerware doesn’t have to be used throughout – you can mix and match, using different ceramics for the starter and main course, serving cheese on a slate plate, and dessert in a glass. Any categories in growth? With so many hotels and restaurants opening worldwide, demand for tableware continues.
Ambiente seeks to respond to the growth in the HoReCa market and to the needs of the industry by bringing together manufacturers, planners, investors and consultants, by providing sustainable inspiration for the hospitality industry and by sowing enthusiasm for new business ideas. What trends are driving the tableware category at present? One trend area is beverages and the idea that every drink should be served in the right glass – an idea which is being promoted, among other things, by the current publicity surrounding gin and other spirits. Glass beverageware is also getting bigger, a trend that probably came from the US. In fact, tableware seems to be increasing in size – today’s dining plates are clearly bigger than they used to be.
How are you seeing the dining category faring? There are certainly challenges facing the industry, whether it be changes in buying habits, rising rents and rates, supressed spending, and, of course, Brexit. But, with these challenges also comes opportunity. For example, Table, an area at Top Drawer 2018, was born in response to the rapid growth of the global hotel and catering industry, attracting the world’s leading buyers including Accor Group, Starwood, Hilton and Rocco Forte. Exhibitors are increasingly looking to diversify and explore opportunities in the hospitality space; happily, the UK and London, in particular, is an important global centre for the sector, with many international groups, brands and operators based here. This year, Table will move into the Home sector in the National Hall alongside Kitchen & Dining. Any categories in growth? Glassware is the area in which we are seeing the most rapid growth and diversification. This applies to shape – balloon glasses for gin, stylised whisky sets et al – and also texture. Ribbed, scalloped, faceted – we’re seeing it all. Some say the seventies are just around the corner, so expect to see a return to space-age shapes and louche living. Casual dining is still the order of the day with a focus on the versatility of product. What trends are driving the tableware category at present? Retailers are abandoning traditional models in favour of those that place
emphasis on a unique experience for each individual customer. Key to this is personalisation, a trend that extends beyond monogramming. In tableware, personalisation means giving customers opportunities to create their own looks in line with their personal tastes by offering complementary collections and products. In contrast to today’s wider retail environment, this relies heavily on in-store experiences with worldclass customer service, and expert knowledge and guidance from the retailer. The recent addition of & Partners to the John Lewis brand seems subtle at first, but actually speaks volumes about the direction in which they are moving. These Partners include a legion of personal shoppers and experts to guide customers through their own unique, individual experience. We are also seeing homeware being sold in a wider range of outlets. High-end farm shops, food stores, and delis, for example, are crafting increasingly large retail corners within their stores, with the idea to complement the food on offer with cookware, tableware and other related gifts. For these retailers, everything they need can be found at Top Drawer. Another interesting point is that the term ‘luxury’ is no longer associated with just specific brand names; it can also be someone taking the time and using their skill to create something unique to the customer. So, we are also seeing a heavy influence of craft on tableware. Think organic-looking stoneware, artisan glassware and pewter cutlery.
“Flatware is in growth mode!” “Chinese consumers care about brands”
IH+HS Chicago Jon Jesse, VP industry development, IHA
Interior Lifestyle China Ms Wendy Wen, senior general manager, Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd How are you seeing the dining category faring? The market growth for tableware and dining products looks positive. Although a lot of international brands are already enjoying the China market, there’s still room for more. It’s a market with very high potential. With so many consumption upgrades, due to new house purchases and renovations, people are looking for better quality tableware. What’s more, Chinese consumers care about brands, and especially overseas brands, which represent high quality and value. New brands continually join the fair, including Guzzini, Koziol Joseph Joseph, Kitchenaid, Smeg and Blendtec. And this year, new brands such as Ceramic Japan, Lenox from the US, and Kuhn Rikon from Switzerland, signed up.
Any categories in growth? Tableware suitable for daily use is in growth – consumers are upgrading the products they use in their everyday life. In terms of branding, the Chinese market most appreciates brands with history and a story behind the designs. Brand value is essential, especially in the upscale market. What trends are driving the tableware category at present? While tableware from the luxury high-end sector is always popular for gifts, weddings, festivals and other special occasions, demand is also high for modern, designorientated products that are reasonably-priced. It’s worth noting that contentbased marketing certainly drives the sales of tableware.
How are you seeing the dining category faring? The tableware category appears to be trending up. Bridal registries are alive and well and manufacturers are making new introductions, especially in the casual dining space. Some manufacturers are focused on the Millennial sensibility, offering fashion trends in the form of colour, texture and shapes to appeal to their own self brand and style. Open-stock programmes make it easy for Millennials to purchase their choice of quantity to accommodate small living spaces. Affordable and fashionable dinnerware make it easy for any consumer to change out their dining-ware more often to create a new look on a whim. Any categories in growth? Flatware is in growth mode! Flatware is being offered in a plethora of colours, new and interesting shapes, open-stock programmes and sets. Colour is trending in flatware with black being a big colour along with brushed silver, gold and rose gold. Rainbow flatware is ontrend in every price range and the rainbow motif is spilling over into other dining and entertaining trends like cocktail shakers, ice buckets and glassware.
Another growing category is pressed glass, with just about every assortment of dinnerware accompanied by pressed drinkware. Also available in an array of colours and shapes, pressed glassware has a vintage aspect to it and is making a fierce comeback. What trends are driving the tableware category at present? Mixology, bar accessories and the art of serving a craft cocktail in sophisticated glassware is the biggest trend driving the tableware category at present. There is a strong emphasis on glassware for the perfect pour of whiskey, the trendiest mixology craft cocktail, the classic martini and several shapes and sizes for craft beer. The glassware in which these spirits are served suggests a sense of cleverness on behalf of the server and the drinker. Bar accessories further support the speciality beverage category with a mix of materials, sizes and shapes, including whimsical shaker and bar tool sets in the form of bicycles, dachshunds and aircraft, to name but a few. Stone or marble, on cutting/ serving boards, is a material that’s trending, often merchandised with barware showing a connection between cocktails and nosh!
“Barware is performing strongly”
“Conversation and legacy pieces are big”
Spring Fair Laurie Marrington, key account manager, Spring Fair Kitchen & Dining How are you seeing the dining category faring? The tableware showcase is always a strong draw for Spring Fair’s visitors, remaining popular among our most loyal exhibitors, with a significant number of our bellwether brands returning year-in year-out. February’s Spring Fair will see the Kitchen, Dining & Housewares sector continue to grow. Among the biggest will be Churchill China, The DRH Collection, David Mason, Samuel Lamont and Denby. The loyalty of our exhibitors is testament to the continued performance of the sector, and Spring Fair is the sourcing destination for all of retail with 56,000+ visitors including online players, multiples and independents. Of course, we will also be welcoming some exciting new and returning brands to the 2019 edition – February’s show will see Maxwell & Williams’ products on display for the first time at Spring Fair for three years.
Any categories in growth? Glassware and barware are performing strongly. The gin revolution and wider consumer interest in craft spirits are fuelling a demand for specialist barware. With consumers keen to replicate what mixologists serve up in their favourite bars, we’re going to continue seeing increased interest in barware and glassware. Specialist glassware and cocktail equipment kits, in particular, are very giftable items, making them a probable key seller for 2019 What trends are driving the tableware category at present? The sector as a whole is becoming far more aware of the push to eliminate plastics from products and supply chains and keen to showcase their sustainability credentials. It’s been fantastic to see the sector start to respond to the trend. The sustainability drive is allowing some manufacturers to showcase their penchant for design innovation with greater ranges of biodegradable and even edible tableware becoming increasingly available.
Las Vegas Market Joy Jansen, director of leasing – Gift + Home, International Market Centers How are you seeing the dining category faring? The dining category continues to expand and evolve and we’re seeing strong growth at Las Vegas Market. We launched the category with about 150 housewares/tabletop/ gourmet brands two years ago and that number has grown – we now have over 750 lines. I constantly find myself inspired by the new and innovative work coming from these companies. At the next show, I believe you will see a resurgence and re-imagining from some of our finer dinnerware companies such as Kiyasa, Mariposa, Riedel, Match and Skyros Designs. Any categories in growth? Barware still seems strong on both coasts and you can see that at Las Vegas Market on the furniture, home décor and housewares side, and the gifts side. Setting a table has become competitive as consumers are demanding unique, a setting
that will take their dinner party to that next level of wow. It’s a category in which trends come fast and hard – there’s always fresh and new. What trends are driving the tableware category at present? Conversation and legacy pieces are top of the list; if not actually bespoke, the sense of bespoke is desired. You still need the good china, but you also need interesting tablescape décor, accent pieces and elevated or eco-friendly disposable items. Companies like Sophistiplate and bambu home are changing the way we picnic and do casual parties. Hester & Cook always comes out with something fresh every Market; Olivia Riegel puts so much thought into its merchandising; and there is so much creativity coming out of Fishs Eddy. Alessi, Ameico and Areaware, always delivering fun tabletop products that are very giftable.
Show Review 41 Madison
New York Show-stoppers From anniversaries and celebrity appearances, to fashion collaborations and successful collection extensions, we spotlight the highlights from the October New York Tabletop Show Greggio celebrates 70th anniversary In the Kiyasa Group showroom, celebrations were underway for the 70th anniversary of Italian silver brand Greggio. To pay tribute to its silver handcrafted heritage, Greggio unveiled a limited-edition special collection of Pastry/Fruit Stands in the Empire style, just 30 pieces for each item, all crafted by master silversmiths. “We decided to produce them in the unique Empire style Impero, which is the sign of elegance and refinement with a timeless beauty,” says the brand. The Pastry/Fruit stands have a historical importance for the group as they were one of the first items produced 70 years ago. Each piece is marked with a limited-edition number and each is silver-plated with a 15-micron thickness applied. The wires are mounted and welding at 60 per cent silver.
Revol celebrates 250th anniversary Luxury high-end ceramic French brand Revol, which opened its showroom at 41 Madison last year, celebrated its 250th anniversary with the unveiling of brand-new collection, Caractere. Designed by Noe Duchaufour-Lawrance, the collection takes inspiration from Revol’s Drome workshop. Caractere features elemental, imperfect shapes with strokes of black, both thin and thick, encircling pieces. The collection comes in both pure gloss and warm, spice-inspired colours and includes plates, gourmet plates, cups and saucers, an oval dish, salad bowl, centrepiece, pedestal and vase.
Alessi spotlights new finishes New colourways and finishes across key products and collections were the highlight of the Alessi showroom, spotlighting its expertise in PVD finishes. Alessi introduced new finish, Golden Pink, which was splashed across a bottle opener, spoon rest and the Big Love teaspoon; while its Colombina cutlery was given a new PVD finish in granulated brass. The brand’s Extra Ordinary Metal Collection, including a Round Basket and Twist Again fruit bowl, was given
new finishes of brilliant red and sleek black matte; while tableware collection Tonale was presented in a new black colourway inspired by the “chromatic intensity of Japanese lacquers”.
Reed & Barton goes retro In addition to unveiling a brand-new line of tableware (Maison Couleur Jour de Mariage Indigo d’Or), designed by Thomas O’Brien, and inspired by French Limoges 1900s wedding band tableware, Reed & Barton extended its popular Indigo glassware with brand-new retro shapes, also designed by Thomas, including three stunning stand-out pitchers. In barware, the brand unveiled sets of four champagne flutes, with each glass featuring a different cut on the flute, both stunning and unusual.
Gibson spotlights cross-category In addition to revealing its new licensing programme with Chrissy Teigan, exclusively for Target stores, Gibson showcased a continuation of cross-category lifestyle programming. “Gibson receives a lot of interest from our retailer partners for collections that make a coordinated statement across complementary product categories,” says David Nicklin Gibson’s VP of marketing and licensing. “These mixed-medium programmes offer strong entertaining options that help retailers create a clear and compelling story at retail, tapping into the eclectic trend for mixed materials, with everything from wood and enamel to ceramic and metal.” Gibson expanded its whimsical Urban Market Collection with 15 new Life on the Farm items featuring decorated bamboo serving pieces, including trays, coasts and a lazy Susan.
Nikko celebrates 50 years in US It was celebration central at Nikko with the Japanese-born brand not only celebrating 110 years in business, but 50 years in the US – it was one of the seven original tenants of 41 Madison. During the show, the brand hosted several events in its showroom on the 8th floor and presented a handpainted bone china plaque to Bill
Rudin of Rudin Management, which founded and owns 41 Madison. “America is the most important market outside of Japan for Nikko,” explains Akiko Mitani, global CEO of Nikko. “We couldn’t be successful in the US without 41 Madison.” Nikko also debuted two new collections, designed by the American artist Dorothy Feibleman, including Wave, a white-on-white pattern featuring undulating waves that seem to be captured in time; and Geometric, a study of colour and shapes – to mix with existing products.
Lenox spotlights mix and match Eclectic was the name of the tabletop game at Lenox, with an array of new launches in the mix-and-match category. Tapping into the trend for ethnic cultures, Lenox’s new cross-category programme Global Tapestry delivers a treasure trove of patterns, colours and materials across dinnerware, drinkware, serveware and decorative pieces, in wood, metal, ceramics and glass. A vivid palette of saturated colour (turquoise and garnet) is grounded by earthy hues, elaborate patterns and touches of microwave-safe gold. Lenox also extended several mixand-match ranges: Chelse Muse has a new colourway, Navy; Triana now includes glassware in blush, merlot and slate; and Contempo Luxe has four new pastel colourways.
LSA ups the gin ante Following the success of its Gin Collection worldwide, including in the US, LSA International introduced its popular gin balloon stemmed glasses with decorative finishes. The stems of the glasses are hand-painted in metallics. The brand also unveiled its new collection, Bar Culture, all featuring hand-drawn stems and mouth-blown bowls along with its new shape of balloon glass.
Juliska introduces 30 brand-new skus In addition to its introduction of pendant lighting and chandaliers, a new category for the brand, Juliska delivered plenty of newness. There was the first new colour in a
decade for its popular pattern Berry & Thread, a Chambray shade – a sort of whitewashed purply-grey – across 10 pieces, including a serving bowl and platters. Berry & Thread melamine was also expanded with a large tray, fish server and acrylic drinkware, and Juliska’s melamine programme was further extended with new design Flora & Fauna – think a crackle effect of bold flowers with a tropical feel.
Royal Albert partners with a blogger Royal Albert announces its new partnership with Samira Kazan, a London-based recipe developer, food photographer and blogger. Through her highly successful Alpha Foodie blog, Samira shares her passion with plant-based recipes, flowers and London living. “My life seems to be very colourful and I love my food to be colourful too as the eyes eat first,” says Samira. Alpha Foodie is a collection of fine bone china teaware and giftware available in two colourways, pink and turquoise, the designs inspired by Samira’s recipes and chosen by her loyal followers. Each piece is decorated with a stylistically fresh fruit and floral pattern, presented in Royal Albert packaging with a whimsical Alpha Foodie logo.
Wedgwood unveils 260th anniversary campaign In the Fiskars’ showroom at 41 Madison, Wedgwood unveiled its campaign for its 260th Anniversary in 2019. Throughout 2019, Wedgwood will celebrate 260 years of creation and innovation, and to mark this amazing achievement, will highlight collections that are at the very heart of the brand, including the white tableware collections, such as Gio, Wedgwood White and Nantucket Basket. Versatile and stylish, each range can stand alone or layer with others and is crafted in translucent fine bone china. New whiteware courtesy of the Wedgwood and Vera Wang partnership also launched – Vera Perfect White combines signature coupe shapes and new bridal tableware configurations.
Alessi
Revol
Juliska
Reed & Barton
Greggio LSA International
Royal Albert
Wedgwood
Lenox
Nikko
Gibson
Lenox, Brian Gluckstein
Mikasa
Iittala delivers new colourways Every year, Iittala’s glass colour library, which holds more than 1,000 secret colour recipes, is explored to pick a colour of the year. Introduced at the show, Iittala’s colour of 2019 is Sea Blue, a shade inspired by the Nordic feel of water, that has been splashed across pieces in the Kastehelmi, Aino Aalto and Aalto ranges, as well as in Kartio and Valkea. Iittala also introduced its new colour for Teema for Spring 19 – Powder, a soft-washed neutral that evokes the soft, tranquil sky of a Nordic sunset. Designed in 1952, the game-changing range delivers functional items in various shapes, sizes and colours. Powder launches in six new products – a mug, plates, a bowl and deep plate.
Villeroy & Boch extends coffee series In addition to extending its artisanal handcrafted Manufacture Rock collection with Desert Art, an aboriginal-inspired pattern – think delicate white dots on dark ceramic accentuated by an earthy and sensual red – Villeroy & Boch has taken its Coffee Passion series to an artistic level with 80s-inspired Awake. This collection of innovativelydesigned double-wall, heat-resistant mugs and cups (they are crafted with a rounded internal base, which allows the cream to develop to a distinctive velvety texture, and are stackable) features a simple, yet artistic design of white with black brushstrokes.
Brian Gluckstein makes appearance Lenox hosted a cocktail party to celebrate its partnership with interior designer Brian Gluckstein, who was in attendance, and who unveiled his latest dinnerware for the brand. The new Brian Gluckstein by Lenox Delphi collection is a modern expression of classic design, reinterpreting pattern pairing. Gold accented subtle stripes and Greek key patterns combine perfectly to create a graphic and modular collection on fine china. “Tableware today is like the jewellery of the space,” says Brian, “consumers like
to curate their own tablescapes and make them increasingly personalised. They like to layer and this collection is designed just for that”.
Kate Spade showcases evolution Now under new creative director Nicola Glass, Kate Spade New York showcased its brand evolution in the Lenox showroom, with the delivery of new and cool functional shapes, more casual offerings, new colour palettes and kitsch stories, including Melrose Avenue’s on-trend Taco story, which mixes in wood. The star of the Kate Spade show was the Nolita Collection. Spanning dinnerware, barware, kitchen and glassware, Nolita is defined by its colourful palette and modern details. While the dinnerware, made of stoneware, features modern graphics and a tonal colour palette, the barware, made from metal and lucite, delivers on-trend pastels.
Kate Spade New York
Mikasa ups its casual dining ante Experimentation with form, finish and colour took centrestage at Mikasa, with organic and coupe shapes and lots of reactive glazes, including crackle and layered finishes, and iridescence. Lea stoneware delivers a casual, rustic, hand-sculpted feel, each piece an organic shape with a pressed-leaf pattern in blue tones; while Tisley delivers a mix of crackle and iridescence for a worn look in brown tones. There were lots of bowls among the dinnerware offerings.
Royal Copenhagen
Royal Copenhagen taps into global foods Tapping into the trend for Med-style eating (think tapas) and global food, including Asian, Royal Copenhagen has extended its Blue and Black Fluted Mega design to include a large square plate that holds four smaller square plates, making it a perfect set for tapas, sushi or small, shared dishes; as well as a smaller bowl and two sizes of shallow bowl-like plates in Blue Mega, designed to recognise the global bowl food phenomenon.
Iittala
Villeroy & Boch
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Tradeshow Calendar
January Jan 8 – 15 The Atlanta Int’l Gift & Home Furnishings Market Atlanta Convention Center, Atlanta, USA The first and largest home and gift furnishings Market of the year, with some 9,000 brands and dozens of seminars, demos, networking events, and exclusive product. www.americasmart.com
Jan 13 – 15 Top Drawer S/S Olympia London, UK The S/S edition of the highlycurated home accessories, gift and gourmet trade show, which includes Table, bringing the world’s leading professional and luxury tabletop brands together. Includes unique buyer trails and a RetailFest too. www.topdrawer.co.uk
Jan 16 – 22 Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Dallas Market Center, Dallas, US The premier destination for home décor, gifts, gourmet, housewares and accessories, offering permanent showrooms and Temps. www.dallasmarketcenter.com
Buyer’s Guide
Jan 31 – Feb 3 Formland 2019 MCH Mess Center, Denmark
The spring edition of this Nordic design show, featuring lots of Scandinavian product and trend zones. www.formland.com
February Feb 3 – 6 NY NOW Javits Center, New York, US The leading design-led US market for home and lifestyle for innovative and exclusive products, with a focus on gifting and on handmade. www.nynow.com
Feb 3 – 7 Spring Fair 2019 NEC Birmingham, UK The biggest UK tradeshow, find thousands of new home and gift products here with some 2,500 exhibitors across 14 sectors, including Dining. www.springfair.com
Feb 8 – 12 Ambiente 2019 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Leading international design-led home and interiors show featuring luxury tabletop brands, from Porcel and Fuerstenberg to Artel and Magisso. www.maison-objet.com
The world’s most international and largest consumer goods fair, with 4,600+ companies from 94 countries and boasting the world’s most extensive dining offer, from luxury porcelain and crystal to design-led tabletop, and a big focus on the hospitality segment. Features the prestigious Tableware International Awards of Excellence. https://ambiente. messefrankfurt.com
Jan 25 – 28 Homi Milano Fiera Milano, Rho, Milan, Italy
Feb 18 – 22 IHGF Delhi Fair Greater Noida Expo Centre & Mart, New Delhi, India
Jan 18 – 22 Maison & Objet, Paris
Paris-Nord Villepinte, Paris, France
The January edition of this lifestyle fair delivers an increased focus on tabletop, with brands such as Rosenthal and LSA, and with a focus on Italian-made product and inspiring displays. www.homimilano.com
IHGF is among Asia’s largest gifts and handicrafts fair, with 14 clear product categories and 2,900 exhibitors. www.epch.in
Jan 27 – 31 Las Vegas Market World Market Center, Las Vegas
Household Expo 2019 Spring
The most comprehensive furniture, home décor and gift market in the western US with 4,000+ lines and a growing dining sector. www.lasvegasmarket.com
Feb 27 – March 1 Crocus Expo, Moscow, Russia The 23rd edition of one of the world’s leading fairs for gift articles, featuring 750 exhibitors from 50 countries, and including a Tableware section. https://hhexpo.ru/en
to the 2019 shows Tableware International’s definitive guide to the leading trade shows for tabletop in 2019
March March 2 – 5 International Home + Housewares Show McCormick Place, Chicago, US The US’s largest home goods and housewares marketplace, organised by the IHA, featuring 2,100+ exhibitors and lots of seminars, exhibits, trend displays. This year’s Trending Preview focuses on craft beverageware. www.housewares.org/show
March 13 – 15 Atlanta Spring Gift, Home Furnishings & Holiday Market Atlanta Convention Center, Atlanta, US The latest products and trends for Gift and Home with a focus on the 2019 holiday season. www.americasmart.com
April April 2 – 5 The New York Tabletop Show 41 Madison, New York, US Showcasing the best brands, more than 160, in tabletop from around the world, 41 Madison is the premier tableware building with its many luxury permanent showrooms. www.41madison.com
April 9 – 14 Salone del Mobile Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy
May 18 – 21 NRA, Chicago, US McCormick Place, Chicago
July 17 – 19 Interior Lifestyle Tokyo Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo
Sept 8– 10 Top Drawer A/W Olympia, London, UK
The annual National Restaurant Association Show is the platform to discover, learn, connect, inspire and gain the tools needed to innovate in the global food marketplace. https://show.restaurant.org
An international trade fair for Tokyo to propose lifestyle concepts in interior design markets. https://interiorlifestyle-tokyo.jp
The Autumn/Winter edition of this leading UK retail trade event for creative lifestyle buyers, showcasing a curated edit of 1,500 brands. www.topdrawer.co.uk
May 19 – 22 ICFF Javits Center, New York, US High-end, contemporary furniture and accessories fair brings international designs to New York, with some 900 exhibitors. www.icff.com
June June 11 – 12 Exclusively Housewares Business Design Centre, London, UK UK tradeshow run on behalf of BHETA featuring more than 120 housewares suppliers and distributors. www.exclusivelyhousewares.co.uk
July 15 – 18 Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival Harrogate Int’l Centre, UK Tens of thousands of homeware products and gifts with a sneak peek at the SS20 ranges. www.homeandgift.co.uk
July 28 – Aug 1 Las Vegas Market World Market Center, Las Vegas, US The summer edition of the fastest growing gift and home décor market in the US. www.lasvegasmarket.com
August Aug 11 – 14 NY NOW Javits Center, New York, US
June 19 – 25 Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Shop an exclusive range of innovative products from 2,300-plus suppliers. Dallas Market Center, www.nynow.com Dallas, US Premier destination for connecting retailers and manufacturers in home décor, gifts, gourmet, housewares. www.dallasmarketcenter.com
Aug 15 – 18 Formland 2019 MCH Mess Center, Denmark The autumn/winter edition of this Scandinavian-focused show. www.formland.com
An international benchmark event for the furnishings and design sector, featuring more than 2,000 exhibitors. www.salonemilano.it
June 26 – 28 Ambiente India Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India
April 16 – 18 Home Expo India 2019 India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, India
The premier tradeshow for the homeware industry in India. https://ambiente-india. in.messfrankfurt.com
A three-day event showcasing product from Gifts & Hanicrafts, Textile, Fabrics, Housewares and Lifestyle. www.epch.in/homeexpo
June 29 – July 1 Tendence 2019 Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
The season’s number one wholesale gift and home trade event in the UK, featuring 12 curated show sectors. www.autumnfair.com
April 20 – 23 Hong Kong Housewares Fair Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
This first ordering event in the second half of the year and European showcase for new product ideas is growing. https://tendence. messefrankfurt.com
Sept 5 – 7 Dallas Total Home & Gift Dallas Market Center, US
Asia’s largest housewares show featuring 2,280 exhibitors. www.hkhousewarefair.hktdc.com
May May 12 – 14 Pulse London Olympia, London, UK The UK’s ultimate boutique trend-led trade event for inspiring new gifts. www.pulse-london.com
July July 9 – 15 The Atlanta Int’l Gift & Home Furnishings Market Atlanta Convention Center, Atlanta, USA A seven-day show with a huge array of home and gift product, featuring 8,000 brands, along with seminars. www.americasmart.com
September Sept 1 – 4 Autumn Fair 2019 NEC, Birmingham, UK
Delivering product in home décor, gifts, gourmet and housewares. In addition to permanent showrooms, the Temps provide hundreds of additional unique resources. www.dallasmarketcenter.com
Sept (TBC) Homi Milano Fiera Milano, Rho, Milan, Italy The autumn edition of this lifestyle fair features innovative spaces and services, along with thousands of products in home and lifestyle. www.homimilano.com
Sept 11 – 13 Interior Lifestyle China Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China China’s number one international consumer goods fair, presenting a wide range of international and domestic high-end interior designs and products. https://interior-lifestyle-china.hk
October Oct 1 – 3 Brand Licensing Europe 2019 Olympia, London, UK The annual definitive event for licensing and brand extensions in Europe. www.brandlicensing.eu
Oct 1 – 4 The New York Tabletop Show 41 Madison, New York, US The Fall edition of the US tabletop show, showcasing exciting and trendled products and trends from more than 160 tabletop brands. www.41madison.com
Oct 6 – 9 Decorex International Olympia London, UK The destination where interior design professionals discover luxury products in a brand-new location for 2019. www.decorex.com
Oct 14 – 18 IHGF Delhi Fair Greater Noida Expo Centre & Mart, New Delhi, India IHGF is among Asia’s largest gifts and handicrafts fairs. www.epch.in
Sept 6 – 10 Maison & Objet, Paris Paris-Nord Villepinte, France
Oct 18 – 22 Host Milano Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy
The AW edition of this design-led home and interiors show renowned for its broad yet curated offering. www.maison-objet.com
An international leading event in the foodservice and hotel industries, with thousands of innovations. https://host.fieramilano.it/en
Show Spotlight India
Spotlight on… Arta Broch We talk to Rishabh Patel, director of Arta Broch (www.artabroch.com), a fine bone china manufacturer based in India, which has been exhibiting at Ambiente since 2015.
Passage to India The second Asian country to be chosen as Partner Country for Ambiente, we find out from Ambiente and from an exhibiting Indian tableware manufacturer why choosing India for 2019 is so important
T
he Partner Country project, which has been in place for eight years now, is designed to honour the work of the nation highlighted, giving them the opportunity to present that country’s design world to an international public and creating a major PR focus. Following countries such as Italy, the US, the Netherlands and the UK, for Ambiente 2019, India has been announced as Partner Country for Ambiente 2019, the second Asian country to be selected, after Japan. The number of Indian exhibitors at Ambiente has risen over the last few years, maintaining a consistently high level, with 420 in 2017 and 450 in 2018, and with expectations high for the 2019 edition. “To date (September 18), about 400 Indian companies have registered for Ambiente 2019, however, quite a lot is likely to happen over the next few months – we believe we will be welcoming just over 450 Indian exhibitors to Ambiente 2019, a slight growth on last year,” says Nicolette Neumann, VP Ambiente.
Ambiente and India have a long history of success, with Messe Frankfurt welcoming Indian customers to Frankfurt for more than 50 years. “The Indian world of design combines a great arts and crafts tradition with modern visions, which has enriched Ambiente for many years now,” says Nicolette. Ambiente even runs its own Indian subsidiary, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. “Our colleagues at Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt. Ltd. organise Ambiente India as an inspiration for Indian wholesalers and retailers as well as the country’s hotel sector and interior design industry.” So, what does design, business and manufacturing in India actually stand for? “Brightly-coloured and creative products that enrich the world design,” says Nicolette. “Our Indian customers are classic sourcing providers with many years of experience in mass-produced merchandise and come from a country where so much has developed from the arts and crafts
field – this will be India’s main focus at Ambiente. The country’s business scene has reliable suppliers and high-quality standards for a wide range of products.” She adds: “However, India also has a large number of companies in the dining segment with successful industrial-scale production, targeting hotels, restaurants and cafés. They include M/S Two Brothers Holding Ltd., Clay Craft India Pvt. Ltd., and BKP Enterprise, to name but a few.” Among Ambiente 2019 Indian exhibitors are suppliers such as Apaar Cutlery, Arta Broch Ceramics (fine bone china), Bhatia’s Silverware, Metal Products of India, Clay Craft India and Chandra Glass House. As before, there will be a special presentation dedicated to the partner country (“This is one of the most popular shows at Ambiente,” says Nicolette), and activities on the Indian stands on Partner Country day (February 11, 2018). “Visitors and exhibitors can already look forward to exciting stimuli as well as a new perspective on present-day Indian design,” concludes Nicolette.
“
India is happy to be the Partner Country at Ambiente 2019, one of the biggest global consumer goods and trade fairs. It will provide a platform to position the handmade industry as the source for quality and niche design products for the world. India’s participation will add to the vibrancy and diversity of the fair and familiarise global manufacturers, retailers and brands with the robust entrepreneurship in Indian textiles, apparel and consumer products industry and will open up opportunities for sourcing and investment in India. India is looking forward to this collaboration that will help to develop longterm sustainable partnerships of Indian industry with the value chain in Germany and other countries.
”
Ajay Tamta, Indian Minister of State for Textiles
Are you finding India opening up? About 25 per cent of our sales is to the Indian market, but this is slowly growing. The major challenge in India is the limited distribution and retail network for luxury products. There is a push for more trade, however, the infrastructure and disposable income have to catch up. India has the potential to be an interesting market in 15 years. Companies in the EU get a 22 per cent saving on taxes and duties when importing from India, a benefit, along with smaller MOQs, handmade/ labour-intensive products and more respect for Intellectual Property. What's the tableware offer in India? The industry has been dominated by metal, glass and melamine. Over the past decade, as disposable income has increased, there's been an increasing shift towards ceramics in the premium market – that’s where we come in. What does Indian design represent? Design and fashion in India are evolving rapidly. India has a rich craft heritage and a culturally diverse population, giving its designers a huge palette to draw from. Contemporary interpretations of traditional designs are defining the aesthetics of high fashion in India today. Why do you exhibit at Ambiente? Ambiente is the most important show for us. At first, we exhibited to find new customers, but as we’ve grown, its purpose has shifted to one where we meet our existing customers to showcase our collections and plan for the year ahead. While the number of new customers is limited, we’ve had large retailers and brands visit us – it’s a great place to network and meet people from the industry. India still has a relatively small representation in the luxury and premium halls at Ambiente, but I would expect this to grow over the next few years. How key is India as Partner Country? It's exciting that India has been chosen – it's a country coming of age and the next few years should be quite exciting for us.
OUT OF THE ORDINARY Image Credits: LSA International | Guzzini | Mono by BlissHome
S/S 19
BREAKING BOUNDARIES, DEFINING TRENDS At Top Drawer we search the globe for an extraordinary and distinctive edit of design-led and luxury tableware so you can create an offering that is out of the ordinary.
Register at topdrawer.co.uk/tableware
13—15 JANUARY 2019 OLYMPIA LONDON
Show Preview LVM
Aesthetic Movement C198 At the Aesthetic Movement booth, you will find various brands, including recycled glassware from Dassie Artisan and handpainted pitchers from MOMA. The Raawii Collection from MOMA offers sculptural ceramic pieces inspired by the still-life paintings of Danish modernist artist, Vilhelm Lundstrøm. Handmade in Portugal using a slip-cast technique, the bowls, jugs and vases marry refined simplicity with everyday function, picking up on the colour palette and minimal yet mindful proportions that characterise Lundstrøm’s work.
www.aestheticmovement.com
Dining on up at Las Vegas
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With market-over-market growth in the gourmet and tabletop category, the Winter edition of Las Vegas Market, January 27-31, is a draw for dining buyers
ollowing a successful summer market in July, with strong buyer traffic, increased order writing and growth in the Gourmet sector, in particular, the upcoming Winter Las Vegas Market is set for continued growth and success. Taking place January 27-31, the Winter Market will see particular growth in the Housewares, Tabletop and Speciality Food sector. “The tableware/dining category continues to expand and evolve and we’re seeing strong growth,” says Joy Jansen, director of gift and home leading for IMC. “We launched the category with about 150 housewares/tabletop/ gourmet brands two years ago and that number has grown market-over-market to where we currently sit, which is just over 750 lines.”
“In the last year alone, we have recorded nearly 32,000 sq-ft of gourmet-focused leasing activity – additions, expansions and renewals.” For Winter Market, C11 will showcase a concentration of 300 gourmet resources, with another 450-plus presented across campus, in both showrooms and in The Pavilions. Notable gourmet resources include: Alessi, Arte Italica, Chilewich, Costa Nova, Eva Solo, Fishs Eddy, Hester & Cook, Ameico, Riedel, Sagaform, Match, Skyros Designs, Beatriz Ball, Nambe, Match, Mariposa, Olivia Riegel and Kiyasa with its Prouna, Greggio and Dogale brands. This Winter Market will see new exhibitor Supreme Housewares, a producer of high-quality kitchenware and whimsical products, debut in 294-sq-ft on C11; while current exhibitors BIDK Home (suppliers of European
products for the home) and Keena (showing more than 30 lines) are expanding their showroom space by more than 75 per cent (C1) and 30 per cent (C10) respectively. Four gourmet suppliers have recently renewed leases for showrooms in Building C, including Pottery Avenue, a distributor of Polish pottery stoneware (in 158-sq-ft on C11); and Mepra, an Italian manufacturer of cutlery, crockery and cookware (in 552-sq-ft on C1). Furthermore, Temporary exhibits will showcase 500-plus new and returning gift and home décor exhibitors in six categories, including Home, Design Home, Design Lifestyle and Handmade, and Discoveries. Joy adds: “I’ve heard from many retailers who shop at Las Vegas Market that they really appreciate the breadth and depth of our product offerings. I would say
that also goes across several other categories, but we are especially deep into tabletop and housewares.” One retailer, Sarah Haven, retail manager for Gallery One Visual Arts Center, says: “The Las Vegas Market is the largest on the West Coast, which makes for terrific one-stop shopping.” Beyond products, the show offers the First Look trend presentation, a curated showcase of products that reflect the Market’s diversity, as well as product demos; and special events and industry networking opportunities, including the 2019 Housewares Design Awards, which recognises design excellence in 11 core categories, including Tabletop. Las Vegas Market takes place Sunday, January 27 through Thursday, January 31, 2019. www.lasvegasmarket.com
Don’t miss… Beatriz Ball Designed for the way we live now, Beatriz Ball offers collections in metal, wood, melamine, ceramic, glassware, acrylics and linens. Signature fine handcrafted metal tabletop products are made by hand in the company’s own foundry, each piece made one at a time using the ancient art of sand-casting and hand-polished, with pieces including serving platters, trays, bowls, ice buckets and pitchers. See the latest launches. Booth C696 https://beatrizball.com
Don’t miss… abbiamo tutto Renowned for its Italiandesigned and manufactured ceramics, abbiamo tutto will present its brand-new collection for 2019, Palm Breezes. Think hand-painted palm trees. Booth C109. www.E-AbbiamoTutto.com
Match C191 Renowned for its handmade in Italy pewter products, Match will present an array of new products including a contemporary Barware Collection – a martini pitcher, cocktail stirrer, bowl, cheese knife, and glassware (martini, rocks, hiball) – that fuses handmade Italian pewter with lead-free crystal.
www.match1995.com
Nambe P1-4018
Sagaform C177 The coffee & more collection from Sagaform is designed in cooperation with Margot Barolo and features a flirtation with the direct, playful and straight-talking language of the 1970s. The series comprises various pieces, patterns and colours (Grey, White, Yellow), which complement each other and are designed to be mixed and matched for a fun and joyful table. The stoneware collection includes coffee cups, latte cups, a tea pot and a large serving tray and pieces are dishwasher and microwave-safe.
www.sagaform.us
From Nambe’s Pulse Collection, which embodies contemporary functional form, comes the new Pulse Bread/Fruit Bowl. Designed by Sena & Seidenfaden Design, this sleek, stainless-steel design features an acacia wood base held in place by a magnet that can be removed after use to allow the stainless-steel bowl to be placed in the dishwasher. With its intriguing slit design, this is a piece users will want to leave on permanent display.
www.nambe.com
Costa Nova C139 Grespresso, Costa Nova’s new coffeeware collection, was inspired by ocean waves. The artisanal feel of this collection will enrich the ritual of savouring coffee. Available in eight colours – from a soft pink to a sophisticated black – Grespresso brings a sensation of energy and beauty to the everyday coffee experience. The cups, which are sold in sets of six, are made of fine stoneware, which helps maintain the temperature of liquids for a long time. Colours include white, grey, yellow, soft pink, red, denim, aqua, black.
www.costa-nova.com
Show Preview Homi
Dining the Italian way With a focus on dining, delivering brands such as Rosenthal, Sambonet and LSA International in attendance, and with plenty of food for thought in terms of workshops and seminars, tabletop buyers will no doubt flock to the January 2019 edition of Homi Milano
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reparations for the upcoming edition of Homi Milano are in full swing, with the home and lifestyle show (January 25-28, 2019) set to deliver an extensive and varied offering awash with new stylistic ideas. Tableware and kitchenware, accessories and furnishings, textiles and fabrics, as well as fragrances, gifts and decorative items, will again be the focus of the January edition, with Italian tableware brands such as Greggio, Guzzini, Argenesi Italy, Ichendorf, Sambonet and Mario Luca Giusti joined by international brands like Rosenthal, Riedel and LSA International. “We are pleased to support our Italian agency, Maino, celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2019,” says LSA International’s brand director, Mark Jonas, adding “LSA International will be located in Main Hall 2, presenting an edit
of our Spring/Summer 2019 collection”. As always, the January edition will also deliver the Festivity sector, a vast space dedicated to the Christmas period, which will open two days before the main show to enable specialised buyers to benefit from a more thorough inspection of the product. To promote the most creative innovations, Homi will feature pathways and spaces where visitors will find original product / displays, such as Homi Creazioni, which presents premium-quality design and craftsmanship proposals of Italian and global companies, selected for their outstanding technical and research abilities. Finally, an array of seminars, workshops and talk shows led by sector experts will be held delivering an overview of new trends and providing retailers with useful ideas to grow their business.
“Our tried-and-tested format offers an extensive and diversified product offering, including both well-known brands and small companies, brimming with creativity and a desire to innovate,” says Cristian Preiata, exhibition director of Homi Milano. “The areas dedicated to experimentation and the special events will be enhanced at the next edition and there will be many opportunities to explore the latest sector trends alongside experts, thanks to a schedule of talks and meetings that will include occasions for training. “Our main objective is to continue to offer a complete platform, both versatile and useful to the operators in attendance, who are increasingly seeking new business opportunities.” Homi Milano takes place January 25-28, 2019 at Fiera Milano. www.homimilano.com
Don’t miss…
LSA International On Italian agency Maino’s stand, located in Hall 2, LSA International will present new mouth-blown ranges from its SS19 collection, including dramatic Champagne Theatre with theatrical tiered detail and braided textures; its new Rum collection (pictured) with cocktail drinkware, a tasting glass, punch sets and a cigar ashtray, inspired by Havana rum bars; and Stems, handmade vases and lanterns inspired by and designed for the varying heights of plant stems. LSA will also show updated items within bestselling collections, Coro, Gio, Polka and Utility. http://trade.lsa-international.com
Sambonet
Sambonet will present its new Tailor Made project, a personalised approach to flatware, which allows consumers to create tailor-made flatware in five simple steps, choosing from a wide range of models, from modern to classic; an array of finishes, from silver-plated to Vintage; and a host of colours, thanks to the company’s futuristic PVD technology. The final touch is the engraving of a logo or monogram, which can be added to make a special person or an unforgettable moment in time. www.sambonet.it
“Naturedriven themes have returned” We talk to Cristian Preiata, exhibition director of Homi Milano, about dining How are you seeing the dining category faring? The Tableware market is continually evolving with considerations of many different customs, delivering an offering that is extensive and fragmented, from the most sumptuous, classical-style porcelain dinner services, to more contemporary re-interpretations inspired by recycled materials, to minimalism and those featuring futuristic lines. This offers manufacturers countless possibilities to re-invent dining customs, honour age-old traditions, or create entirely new approaches to tableware. Any categories in growth? In recent seasons, we’ve seen the return of nature-driven themes, inspiring both shapes and materials, from plates shaped like leaves, to mugs and cups inspired by flora and fauna, and using natural materials and elements, from stone to wood. The result is a sauvage and asymmetric table that’s engaging and awash with appeal. What trends are driving the tableware category? The ever-globalised table is pushing us towards practical, multi-use and easily reusable objects. There is a strong sense of duplicity between the classic table, where classical-style porcelain dinner services reign, and the contemporary table, with runners instead of tablecloths, large multi-use plates and strong multi-ethnic influences.
Show Preview Maison
Sieger by Fuerstenberg Hall 7 In addition to presenting its brand-new The Sparkling 4 tumbler series (see page 19), Sieger by Fuerstenberg will present its champagne cooler Faces, which are now available in a Satin Black finish. Displaying three feminine faces in artfully rendered reliefs, this unique sculptural piece is made entirely by hand and can also double as a vase. The new Satin Black finish on the interior and exterior has the look and feel of cashmere, a pure black powdery-matte finish, that accentuates the stylised features even more strikingly. Faces now comes in five finishes – matt or gloss white, matt black, gold or platinum.
www.sieger-germany.com
From Paris with inspiration
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Following the brand-new format launched in September, the upcoming edition of Maison & Objet, Paris, January 18-22, promises interest, ideas and inspiration in spades
ollowing on from the entirely new and revamped September edition of Maison & Objet, Paris, the upcoming January edition, set to take place January 18-22, will further reinforce the new format that was put in place to improve visitor experiences and encourage chance discoveries. The brand-new structure, created more than 20 years after the high-end interior design show’s inception, features two aptly named hubs – Maison and Objet – and delivers a layout that allows for a more “intuitive experience of the fair, promising unexpected and exciting discoveries”, says Philippe Brocart, MD of Maison organisers SAFI. The seven sectors of Objet, including Cook&Share, showcases the most compelling objects, accessories and home accents by
product family, and is all about “going off the beaten track, offering refreshing and intuitive purchasing experiences, unexpected and surprising discoveries”, says Philippe. Buyers can discover exciting and original tableware product from brands such as Czech crystal couture brand Artel; Portuguese porcelain company Porcel; contemporary craftsmanship brand LSA International; fine bone china mug specialists Dunoon; fine bone china fashion-led brand Roberto Cavalli Tableware; French glass brand La Rochere; design-led giftable brand Sieger by Fuerstenberg; and awardwinning Finnish brand Magisso, among many others. Paired with an increase in average stand size, this change shines a new light on the fair’s offering, helping to bring about new partnerships. And with new inspirational displays,
expanded to four locations, such as What’s New?, buyers get a quick read of the season’s innovations and gain insight into emerging trends. Themed walks with visits to 200 different locations, each featuring original exhibitions and the season’s latest creations, add to the experience. Over the five days, too, an exceptional conference programme of more than 50 seminars will be chaired by leading personalities in design and decoration, discussing consumer trends and the challenges of brick and mortar retail. Since 1995, Maision & Objet, Paris, has been the world’s foremost event for professionals of the lifestyle, interior and design industries, with each edition bringing together some 3,000 exhibitors and more than 80,000 unique visitors, of which 50 per cent hail from outside France. Its complementary digital
platform MOM, launched in September 2016 and now showcasing some 5,000 brands and 90,000-plus professional subscribers, offers a comprehensive overview of the latest products by exhibitors, delivering inspiration for retailers and a way for buyers and manufacturers to establish direct conversation. “MOM has allowed us to make a significant number of new contacts, both French and international,” says Nadia Dafri, founder of her namesake brand, “and we’ve already received several orders as a result. It’s also helped us in our international development, because it was a chance for us to meet buyers from all over the world.” Maison & Objet, Paris, takes place January 18-22. www.maison-objet.com
Spotlight on innovation…. Fratelli Guzzini Designed by Pio and Tito Toso, heirs to the Murano glassmaking tradition, the La Murrine collection from Guzzini incorporates a ground-breaking technology, 3Color Tech, which renders the exquisite effects typical of Murano art glassmaking affordable to all. The first company worldwide to apply this ground-technology to designer objects for the home, 3Color Tech utilises three levels of overlapping plastic, which delivers, via three successive moulding phases, truly eye-catching interplays of colour. La Murrine features rounded forms and effects created with transparency and colour, solids and spaces, delivering endless variety. The successful collection is extended with a 20cm bowl and 12cm bowls sold in a set of two.
Don’t miss… Nude’s collaboration with Iris Apfel Global design brand Nude has announced its partnership with fashion icon Iris Apfel on a year-long worldwide campaign that will delier a striking collection of customised collectibles inspired by Iris’s indomitable style, along with Iris-inspired products, including Tomas Kral’s Beak collection, which has been re-imagined in acid bright colours and bold stripes, and a playful Iris doll, designed by Harry Allen. See the launch at Maison! www.nudeglass.com
Sebastian's Beret collection for Nude Glass
Creative Tops Hall 2 Stand C72 / D71
Sebastian Dunoon Hall 1 Stand B83 Herkner named 2019 Designer of the Year German designer Sebastian Herkner has been named as Maison & Objet’s Designer of the Year for its upcoming January edition. With some 30 global design awards under his belt, Sebastian has collaborated with a variety of international design houses, including tabletop, from Rosenthal to Fuerstenberg, with no less than 21 projects in 2018. Sebastian is known for creating designs that fuse tradition with creativity and new technology with craftsmanship. “Different cultures, skills and lifestyles all my fuel my inspiration,” says Sebastian, who uses sustainable materials and respects the time taken to create his pieces. Some of his latest tabletop designs include collaborations with German porcelain company Fuerstenberg, on porcelain lamps, and with global glass brand Nude, on glass jars, both of which will be on show at Maison.
Bone china mug specialist Dunoon will present a variety of new and distinctive designs on its fine bone china mugs, which are made in the heart of Staffordshire, UK. There are two new contemporary designs on its popular Orkney shape, which feature watercolour-themed feathers in blues and reds and incorporate patterns within the feather shapes; as well as two new designs on the Lomond shape – Ferns feature delicate silhouettes of fern fronds portrayed in rich 22k gold and copper mica on textured black-and-white backgrounds. Following on from the success of Yasir on Dunoon’s Cairgorm shape, the two designs have now been put on to the smaller Jura shape, perfect for espresso, delivering bold patterns in eye-catching two-tone 22k gold on white-and-black backgrounds. Finally, on the popular large sized Cairngorm shape comes two new designs, Nero and Rosa, which feature in-vogue marble-inspired patterns in black and pink colourways, highlighted with real 22k gold.
www.dunoonmugs.co.uk
Creative Tops will unveil its SS19 collections, with key highlights, the launch of London Pottery and Maxwell & Williams. For over 30 years London Pottery has been supplying a wide range of British designs of teapot in a selection of capacities, styles and colours, from iconic Globe teapots and Farmhouse filter teapots to Geo filter teapots and Pebble filter teapots. Maxwell & Williams is an iconic brand that's available in over 50 markets and is known for producing high-quality fine bone china, porcelain, glassware, stainless steel and acrylics – all at a great value price. A mix of materials like marble, metals and ash wood add a natural touch, while vibrant mix-and-match patterns, animal prints and statement colour bring vivacity to the table. From Wayfarer with its reactive glaze and Boho with its eclectic mix-and-match style to Caviar Black's matte textured finish (pictured), all collections play with aspirational trends.
www.creative-tops.com
Porcel Hall 1 Stand B67
La Rochere Hall 1 Stand A69 La Rochere introduces a new colourway to its Abeille collection – a mass-dyed rich emerald green that emphasises the design of the glass and its strong lines, revealing many reflections in patterns of glints and shades. The range, in pressed glass, features a tumbler and wine glass.
www.larochere-na.com
For the upcoming Maison, Porcel will present a new set of selected pieces that will become part of its Elements concept, introduce for the first time in January 2018. Following the launch of its first Elements’ collection, Lush Forest, this new collection will be a fresh approach to the natureinspired, raw-textured concept, resulting from the brand’s approach to the hand-decorating process and its one-of-a-kind finishes.
www.porcel.com
Column Bheta
Clarity and conviction About BHETA With recent negative retail and tradeshow stories and stats, Will Jones emphasises the need to remain optimistic, positive and be clear with your direction
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ere at BHETA, there aren’t many members – housewares, tabletop or home improvement – who have not been impacted in some way by recent events at Homebase and House of Fraser. Taken together with the air of uncertainty still hanging over the whole UK marketplace, big name troubles like these do not help the atmosphere. In fact, I think even those players who might derive some short-term gain from others’ troubles would agree with the majority who believe that the best outcome for everyone in the market is that bricks and mortar retailers can turn the corner and find their way back into happier territory. Lack of optimism is perhaps the biggest danger of all. The flurry of autumn shows where numbers were down just illustrates how important it is that everyone maintains a clear and positive approach if a good outcome is eventually to be achieved. For Glee, the golden ticket was probably the extraordinarily good summer which buoyed the market and ensured buyers and exhibitors were able to remain upbeat with a busy feel around many stands. Even here, however, so much of the innovation was about making it quicker and easier and prettier and cleverer – not to mention smarter – to deliver the same functionality as was there before. 86 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL
Truly new, ground-breaking concepts seem too few and far between, even at exhibitions; another symptom of the problem of lack of confidence. Other recent exhibitions have offered good opportunities but had mixed fortunes in terms of visitor – and exhibitor – volumes. Moreover, at all these events, how much harder it seems everyone must work to capture the imagination of the visitors who do come along! A similar experience, but one that reinforced my advocacy of clarity and positivity, was my visit to Maison & Objet, Paris, in early September. The Maison show is about furniture, lighting, textiles, housewares, tabletop and decorations and, as you would expect, there’s a wide range of gorgeously presented products. The exhibition is also a brilliant communication and information platform for the industry, offering exhibiting companies and visitors the chance to mix with experts and learn about the latest trends. The show features two aptly named hubs – Maison and Objet – and a brand-new layout allows for inspirational displays starring new products. Combined with the Trends Forum and a new ‘inspirations book’, this approach offered the chance to get a quick read of the season’s innovations in a really stimulating environment. It was great to see not only design and lifestyle trends, but also shopping, merchandising
The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) is the voice of authority on everything home improvement and home enhancement, including DIY, housewares, garden, small domestic appliances and home decor. It represents £5 billion at retail and 9,000 employees and brings together manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and opinion formers to drive growth at home and abroad. For more information about retailer and supplier co-operation, contact BHETA on 0121 237 1130, or email wj@bheta.co.uk, or visit the website at www.bheta.co.uk
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My main take from visiting Maison & Objet is how the luxury end of the market persists despite the trials and tribulations of the mid-market arena; and how therefore it can afford to inspire and stimulate as exhibitions – and we all – should do. BHETA’s housewares sector director, Will Jones
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and display styles and ideas, and yet again, it was obvious that shows aimed primarily at one or two sectors can be just as useful for suppliers and retailers as others. So, Maison & Objet delivered in spades. My main take from this lovely exhibition is how the luxury end of the market persists despite the trials and tribulations of the mid-market arena; and how therefore it can afford to inspire and stimulate as exhibitions – and we all – should do. This may sound like complacent praise of the top end, but it’s not. Just as impressive in their confidence and sure-footed progress are the suppliers and retailers who operate in what used to be termed the discount sector. Here again, there are clever, ambitious ideas informed by
top-end trends. They have just been translated into affordable, accessible products which are clear and positive in their targeting of different generations, home owners or renters, all of whom have different attitudes to material possessions and lifestyle. The lesson for both suppliers and retailers is to be clear – and perhaps, even ruthless – in acknowledging what it is you offer; and then delivering it with conviction and positivity in attitude and communications. The future is not about hankering after what went before, if that is no longer viable. It is about reinventing clearly and getting on with it with enthusiasm. For more information, contact BHETA member services on 0121 237 1130 or www.bheta.co.uk
41Mad_TabInte NovDec BC 1_Tableware International 10/4/18 6:56 PM Page 1
THE NEW YORK TABLETOP SHOW
®
April 2 – 5, 2019
Future Show Dates October 1 – 4, 2019
Where the most important brands and buyers meet.
41 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010 • 212.686.1203 • 41madison.com • A Rudin Building
10 Strawberry Street Alessi American Silk Anchor Hocking Annieglass Arc International Artland Bauscher Hepp, Inc. B.I.A. Cordon Bleu Bormioli Rocco Glass Cambridge Silversmiths Canvas Home Certified International Christofle Circle Glass Crystal House International Crystalite Bohemia Inc. Darbie Angell Daum Degrenne Paris Denby USA Deshoulières DeVine Corp. Ercolano Italy Euro Ceramica, Inc. FIESTA® Fisher Home Products Fitz & Floyd Gibson Overseas Gien Godinger Group Gourmet Settings Hampton Forge Haviland Herend Hering-Berlin Hermès Home Essentials and Beyond Homer Laughlin China Co. Iittala J. Siegnolles The Jay Companies John Jenkins Joseph Joseph Julia Watts LLC Juliska Kiyasa L’OBJET Lee’s Group International Lenox Corporation Libbey LSA International Luigi Bormioli MATCH Maxwell & Williams Meissen Mepra Michael Wainwright Moser Mottahedeh Mr. Christmas Nambé Nikko Ceramics Noritake Odiot Oneida Orrefors Kosta Boda Over & Back Pasabahce USA Pickard China Portmeirion Prima Design Prouna Puiforcat Qualia Glass R Squared RAK Porcelain Ralph Lauren Home Raynaud Red Vanilla Reed & Barton REVOL Ricci Argentieri Richard Ginori 1735 Riedel Crystal Robinson Home Products Rosenthal USA Royal Albert Royal Crown Derby Royal Copenhagen Royal Doulton Royal Limoges Royal Worcester Saint-Louis Sambonet Signature Housewares Spode Steve Dolce Marketing TarHong Typhoon Homewares Tzeng Shyng Vietri Villeroy & Boch Vista Alegre WMF Waterford Wax Lyrical Wedgwood William Yeoward Crystal Yamazaki Tableware Zrike Brands