Tableware International by Lema Publishing

TableWare www.tablewareinternational.com

INTERNATIONAL

Month: Sept/Oct 2016

Issue: 4

134

Volume: 138

Each crystal tasting glass is created by Waterford designers and whiskey professionals to bring out the best in every bottle

Tableware Team

TableWare

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 subscibe 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 Vista Alegre. For more information see the website www.vistaalegre.com

TableWare www.tablewareinternational.com

INTERNATIONAL

Month: Sept/Oct 2016

Issue: 4

134

Volume: 138

INTERNATIONAL

e all know that fierce price competition and changing lifestyles is having an impact on the tableware industry worldwide, that cheaply-made product is driving down prices and that in the process, quality, heritage and craftsmanship is being lost. But it’s not all doom and gloom. There are green shoots of hope and signs of recovery, and this is the starting point for a global event, the world’s first tableware symposium, that’s due to take place this November in Arita, Japan, the orgin of Japanese porcelain. With a host of experts from important global ceramic centres, such as Sevres, Arita and Stoke-on-Trent, bringing ideas and inspiration to the table, the aim of the symposium is to develop “strategies in the fields of innovation, marketing, art, design and leisure” that will reinvigorate the ceramic industry, says director of European Ceramic Work Centre and co-organiser of the symposium, We discuss the challenges the ceramic industry currently faces with a variety of experts and find out more about what will be discussed at the symposium on page 32. One of the symposium experts, Kevin Oakes, chairman of British fine bone china manufacturer Royal Crown Derby, will share the secrets to success in ceramics, drawn from his own personal success at the helm of Steelite and RCD for the past 30 years. Having recently acquired 100 per cent of Royal Crown Derby, we talk to Kevin about the acquisition and about his “passion for ceramics" on page 46 and find out more about his plans for the British heritage brand. Part of Royal Crown Derby’s success has been carving out its niche in the luxury hospitality sector, and this month in our regular Trade Talk feature, we spotlight hospitality, discussing tableware trends, challenges and areas of growth with a number of global companies (page 48). We also look at growth and emerging trends in two separate tableware categories this month – flatware (page 52) and decorative (page 62). We talk to manufacturers, distributors and retailers to discover what’s selling, how consumer behaviour is affecting sales, and what trends are emerging, as well as highlighting the latest launches in each. On the retail front, we investigate the growth of garden centres as retail destinations throughout the UK (page 40) and how tableware is becoming an increasingly larger part of this, but our main focus for retail is Stateside this month.

“Having recently acquired 100 per cent of Royal Crown Derby, we talk to owner Kevin Oakes about the acquisition and about his ‘passion for ceramics’ on page 46 and ﬁnd out more about his plans for the British heritage brand.” Challenging the tableware-selling norm, tabletop store Jung Lee in Manhattan, New York, is offering a different type of concept, a lifestyle environment with a personalised approach to creating tablescapes that is working wonders. We talk to Jung on page 36. Moving beyond Manhattan to Corning, we also spotlight glass in retail with a focus on the museum shop of Corning Glass Museum. We talk to buyer Meghan Bunnell on page 44. Finally, with New York on our mind, we spotlight the up-and-coming New York Tabletop Show, delivering an extensive preview that not only outlines the Forty One Madison showroom movements, renovations and openings – find our interview with Make International, a British company making its debut at Forty One Madison this September – but also showcase some of the most exciting product innovations not to miss. See page 70. See you at the show.

Kate Birch Get social with See our latest news: www.tablewareinternational.com ‘Like’ us: Facebook.com/tablewareintmag ‘Follow’ us on Twitter: @tablewareintmag ‘Pin’ us: pinterest.com/tablewareintmag

September/ October 2016 • ISSUE 4

News & Trends 12

News A round-up of international stories

Hospitality news Spotlight on HoReCa

Exhibition news News from the shows worldwide

Retail news News and interviews

Product news The latest launches

Licensing news We spotlight some of the industry's most exciting collaborations

Column: B rights Donna Ferrari reports from New York on the latest colourful trends

Column: Hospitality Our regular columnist looks at the role of white tableware in HoReCa today

TableWare INTERNATIONAL

56 30

Features 30

Proﬁle: Vista Alegre Eleven design nominations and a re-brand of its logo and packaging is on the table for Vista Alegre

Industry: Symposium How the world's first symposium could revive the ceramics industry

Interview: Royal Crown Derby We talk to ceramics leader Kevin Oakes about his recent acquisition of this British fine bone china specialist

Trade Talk: Hospitality We talk industry growth and tabletop trends with five HoReCa suppliers

Cutlery conﬁdential We talk consumer demand and emerging trends with industry experts

Guide: Flatware The latest cutlery launches

Category: Decorative We look at the growth of this category, what's selling and outline the latest launches

Eye on design: Marcel Wanders We discuss tableware collaborations with the award-winning bad boy of Dutch design

Retail 34

Retail column Regular columnist Barry Seaman argues the case for not having ecommerce

Retail: Jung Lee We talk to the event organiser and retailer about her unique approach to tableware and her luxury home concept store in New York

Retail trend: Garden centres We look at how the garden centre segment of retail is a major growth area for tabletop manufacturers and suppliers

Retail: Corning Glass We speak to the buyer at Corning Glass Museum's Shop

Retail: Cutlery We find out what flatware is selling well and where

Shows 70

Show preview: The New York Tabletop Show With two new showroom openings, lots of renovations and plenty of exciting new product, we highlight what's new in New York and preview some of the launches you can expect there

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.

INTRODUCING

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general news

Lucideon expands training with Webinars

Take part in Sagaform’s window display competition To celebrate the Sagaform AW16 launch, its UK distributor Forma House is inviting independent retailers across the UK (six stores or under), to enter its competition to win a weekend spa break to the Kosta Boda Hotel in Sweden valued at £2000+ and a runner up prize of a £300 Sagaform carriage paid order. This is an opportunity for retailers to showcase the Sagaform brand, either in a shop window, or as a major installation in-store. The competition will run from Oct 1 – Dec 12, 2016, and will be judged by a panel from Sagaform and Forma with the winners announced Dec 19. Displays must be in-store for one week or more during the competition period to qualify for entry.

Winners will enjoy a two-night stay at the incredible Kosta Boda Art Spa Hotel in Sweden, to include: a UK to Sweden return ﬂight for two, a spa treatment each plus breakfast and dinner. The competition will be judged on the originality of a Sagaform themed window or instore installation, with a focus on AW16 gifting solutions. It can be a mixed Sagaform product edit, or focused on a particular range such as the Oval Oak or new Club collection. Using the hashtag #sagaformuk, post photos to Forma House’s social media channels: www.facebook. com/formahouse / www.twitter.com/formahouse / www.instagram.com/formahouse. Or email to Forma House info@formahouse.co.uk.

Lehmann Glass is exclusive partner of New York Champagne Week Luxury tableware distributor Kiyasa Group is partnering with NYC Champagne week, presenting Lehmann Glass with its Perfect Glass for Champagne as the official and exclusive glassware partner for the event. The 4th Annual New York Champagne Week (Nov 7-13) mainly targets the trade and media with each event hosting 30 people. Experts taste limited edition and exclusive champagnes paired with exceptional food, and all tastings will use the Grand Champagne glass from the Jamesse collection by Lehmann Glass. Champagne brands include Taittinger, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Champagne Piaff, Champagne Devaux, and participating restaurants include Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, Corkbuzz and Ruffian. www.kiyasa.com

12 2 TAB TABLEWARE T TA LEW EW WARE ARE E IIN INTERNATIONAL NTER RNAT NA ATION AT I AL

Lucideon, the international materials technology company, has expanded its popular training courses given at its headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent or on-site to now include ceramic whitewares training webinars. The remote training courses are aimed at tableware, tile and sanitaryware manufacturers, as well as retailers and suppliers, and are customised for individual business needs. The courses can also follow pre-set training modules which cover a wide range of subjects, from materials selection and kiln firing, to forming processes and testing of ceramic materials and products. Following interest from international companies who are seeking a more cost-effective way of receiving the benefits of the training, Lucideon decided to offer pre-set and tailored webinars to organisations around the world. Nigel Leak, project leader of ceramics at Lucideon, says: “This is a great opportunity for us to reach out to a more international audience with our ceramic whitewares training modules. The courses can accommodate everyone, regardless of their geographic location. “One of our recent webinars saw us broadcasting to an organisation based in several different countries, in various locations, to reach their global workforce. The course brought colleagues from all over the globe together; no one had to travel any further than their place of work and they all attended the same course on the same day.” www.lucideon.com/whitewares

The number of collections by Vista Alegre that have been nominated for the German Design Awards 2017, one of the most prestigious international competitions that has distinguished excellence in global design for more than six decades. The jury awarded the seal German Design Award 2017 Nominee to the Vista Alegre collections Plissé, Orquestra, Blue Ming, Timeless, Jazz, Carrara (pictured), Gárgulas, Love Who You Want, Midnight, Swinging and Trace. For more on this see page 30.

Heath Ceramics becomes Lucideon Industry Associate

An icon

turns 10 Villeroy & Boch’s multi-functional tableware series Flow is celebrating a decade of tabletop success. Representing a modern, stylish attitude, the ﬂuid curves of the Flow series deliver an effect of sleek, archaic shapes. Every single piece has its own distinctive personality, only revealing its full potential when several pieces are combined. Based on culinary-oriented themes, the Flow product range consists of both well-known and unusual tableware items, such as a large bowl with handle, opening up lots of possibilities for combinations and uses. Multi-functional pieces, such as the two-in-one plate or the crouton dish, which is designed to hook exactly into the soup dish, make it fun to play with. Made from premium porcelain, Flow is dishwasher and microwave-friendly.

EXCLUSIVE

INTERIOR

Lucideon announces new Industry Associate Technology Partner Heath Ceramics. Based in California, US, Heath Ceramics is a designer, manufacturer and retailer of tiles, tableware and homeware. As an Industry Associate, Lucideon will help Heath Ceramics improve performance and profitability through its cross-industry expertise, problem solving capabilities and knowledge exchange. Caroline Mullington, Technology Partnership manager at Lucideon, says: “It’s always exciting to welcome a new Technology Partner. We’re looking forward to working with Heath Ceramics through an array of support services, including an unlimited technical helpline, access to our Information Centre for ceramic whitewares resources, testing and training, to name but a few.” Neal Beardmore, production director at Heath Ceramics, adds: “Shortly after my arrival at Heath Ceramics, we transferred our entire ceramic product testing over to Lucideon in the UK. Even before becoming a Technology Partner, the team at Lucideon provided great service and extensive technical support so we’re very pleased to have the depth of technical support Lucideon offers as a Technology Partner.” Lucideon has over 80 Technology Partners across three package levels, from a diverse range of sectors, including ceramics, and retail. To find out more visit www.lucideon.com/partnership or email: caroline.mullington@lucideon.com

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TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 13

general news

Eva Solo 5 minutes with…

John Miles, CEO, Steelite International With Steelite International, a leading manufacturer and supplier of tabletop products for the hospitality industry, having recently been acquired by America’s Division president John Miles, and PNC Riverarch Capital, we talk to new CEO John

You joined Steelite in 1996 as US regional sales manager. Describe your journey... Having worked as a USA regional sales manager for the Mid-West territory for a year, I was appointed national distribution sales manager before becoming VP of sales. In 2005, I advanced to president of the Americas division of Steelite International. I believe our success has come as a result of providing solutions with cutting-edge tabletop products, by supporting the local chef’s community, by developing personal relationships, and by creating partnerships with like-minded organisations who share my passion for making a difference in the hospitality industry. I truly believe Steelite International’s success is thanks to a foundation of strong company values where all employees have a voice and can realise their aspirations. How did the plans to acquire Steelite happen? When Kevin Oakes (former chief executive) and Richard Poole (former finance director) decided to look at exiting the business last year, I expressed interest in acquiring it. We felt the long-term benefit was to sell to myself and PNC Riverarch. What will this mean for the future of Steelite and its international strategy? The business exports nearly 80 per cent of our volume, so international business is vital to our success. The export success has come from strong investment, exciting market-leading new products, and through the creativity and hard work of our people. We plan to continue this success in international markets. That said, I believe we have a great opportunity in the UK, and that is where I’m investing time currently. How important is investment in Stoke-on-Trent? The business is able to continue to fly the flag for Made In Britain by maintaining the tradition of making product in Stoke-on-Trent where we have a fantastic heritage and the greatest expertise thanks to our loyal, skilled and committed people. Steelite will remain committed to the area surrounding the business, to forge relationships with educational links to place itself as an employer of choice and ensure a sustainable future. The Giving Something Back community will continue to support local charities and initiatives. What investments will you make to grow Steelite? The business will remain committed to its development through continued reinvestment. Over the past few weeks, the business has been working to increase decorating capacity through investment as well as multiple projects to improve warehouse efficiency, accuracy and space. All investments are being made to ensure we have the capacity to launch new products and better our service levels. Any plans in the immediate future? We’ll continue the strategy that has propelled the business to success in the last 30+ years. We’re focused on improving efficiencies, ensuring premium service, and launching new products. Our employees are the key to our success, and we’re working to post another record year in 2016. 14 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

joins the Forma family Forma House has been oﬃcially announced as the exclusive UK and Ireland distributors of Danish design brand Eva Solo, which has evolved into one of the ﬁnest producers of truly stunning table and kitchenware across Europe. Susanne Marie Holm, Eva Solo export manager, says: “Forma House has been established in the UK housewares industry for nearly 50 years and we’re really excited to be working with such a respected partner. We also look forward to building on our current brand presence within the UK market and reaching more consumers to share the World of Eva Solo through Forma’s incredible network of retailers.” Simon Maghnagi, Forma House business development manager, adds: “The entire team here at Forma is thrilled to be representing such an Iconic name respected globally across the housewares industry and we now look forward to sharing the new Eva Solo AW collection with visitors at the upcoming Top Drawer trade show in London. www.formahouse.co.uk

Remembering

John Gower John Gower of John Gower Agencies sadly passed away in May 2016 after a short illness. With a career spanning more than 30 years in the UK tabletop retail market, John built a business and, more importantly, a reputation for success, integrity, profitability and professionalism. John Gower’s most significant success was the establishment of Swartons crystal within the UK market, with over 30 years continued success. John also established Stolzle Lausitz glassware and Ritzenhoff & Breker tableware in the UK and played a significant role in consultancy for EP Agencies. John’s business ethics resulted in sustained long-term success for his principals – this will continue through EP Agencies.

Consumers are looking for more than tablescapes. They want products across many categories in a variety of patterns, shapes and materials that coordinate with one another. Today’s kitchen ﬂows into the dining area, and then into the living areas so these coordinated looks are needed. Gibson has the creative resources to deliver complex multi-category groups.

“

”

Laurie Gates, VP of creative and merchandising for Gibson Overseas

African Cheetah, The Big Cat Collection

Royal Crown Derby supports Born Free Foundation

Royal Crown Derby, a worldleading manufacturer of exquisite fine bone china tableware and giftware, has donated the first African Cheetah in its limited edition Big Cat Collection to the Born Free Foundation. Introducing the Big Cat Collection, this stunning 29cm fine bone china collectable is hand-finished in 22k gold. Modelled by Richard T Roberts and handpainted and signed by Jackie Morrison, this sculpture has been handcrafted using the finest materials by the most experienced of Royal Crown Derby’s artisans at the company’s historic Osmaston Works in the heart of England. Ensuring exclusivity, only 100 pieces have been produced and each African Cheetah has been numbered with all collectors receiving a certificate of authenticity. Cheetahs are officially classed as vulnerable and their population is decreasing, so all proceeds from the sales of the African Cheetah will go towards the foundation’s wildlife rescue, conservation and education centre in Enessakotteh, Ethiopia. www.royalcrownderby.co.uk

New president Americas at Villeroy & Boch Since June 22, 2016, Lisa Knierim has been President (CEO) Americas at Villeroy & Boch. In this position Lisa is responsible for the entire sales and marketing division of Bath and Wellness and Tableware, for retail business and B2B for Hotels and Restaurants including promotions and incentives. Before she began at Villeroy & Boch in June, Lisa, who is from Monmouth County, New Jersey, was responsible for Home and Beauty as vice-president at Panasonic. In her career, Lisa has had various positions at Jarden, Black & Decker and Westpoint Stevens and was the CEO at Al cohoot NYC, as well as general manager at Wilton Industries Brands. Lisa follows Bernard Reuter, who largely built the Americas business for Villeroy & Boch, and is now retiring. Villeroy & Boch has been active in the Americas region for over 45 years – a region which includes the US, Canada and Latin America. In 2015, Americas contributed 52 million Euros to company sales, with the US and Canada making up one of Villeroy & Boch’s largest Ecommerce markets. www.villeroy-boch.com

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 15

hospitality news

Dudson turnaround continues at pace

Utopia unveils VIP products Utopia, a leading tableware specialist in hospitality, has revealed its VIP selection, exclusive handpicked elements inspired by the latest market trends, including casual dining, afternoon tea, cocktails, rustic and natural, and craft beer and cider, and designed to surprise and delight. Highly-versatile and competitively-priced pieces inspired by upcoming trends are behind the selection, from functional behind-bar equipment to stylish dishes, contemporary tiki tumblers and bento boxes. Stand-out features include a selection of copper mugs with a polished, hammered or aged finish for an on-trend cocktail serve, which can double up as a quirky vessel for chips; the patisserie plate adds glam when displaying cakes; ceramic milk bottles make for a great talking point; wooden serving platters give a rustic touch to snacks; and for fine dining, the stainless steel cloche is a perfect finishing touch. Kathryn Oldershaw, marketing director, says: “With so much high street competition, it’s never been more important to consider how you’re showcasing your offering and Utopia’s VIP range allows operators to present their food and drink in style. Premium quality basics combined with more stylish elements are essential to any outlet and can really make the difference to happy customers. Put simply, the VIP range is a selection of products that sites can’t do without.” www.utopia-tableware.com

Villeroy & Boch supply Peninsula Beijing

Steelite to distribute Welsh Slate

Steelite International has secured exclusive rights to distribute Welsh Slate to the EMEA region. Welsh Slate is the world’s leading manufacturer of highquality slate, oﬀering three collections, 46 pieces total, in a range of shapes, sizes, colours and finishes, as well as bespoke ware. This partnership aligns with Steelite’s own commitment to British manufacturing and local materials. Welsh Slate uses slate extracted from the Penrhyn Quarry in North Wales which has been at the centre of the UK natural stone industry for more than 400 years. Steelite uses raw materials from Devon and Cornwall and produces all of its core ranges out of its historic Stoke-On-Trent site.

Villeroy & Boch’s A further luxury five-star hotel has joined the customised ranks of the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem Hotel, design for Peninsula Beijing Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, and Venice Simplon Orient Express, collaborating with Villeroy & Boch to oﬀer exclusivelydesigned tableware to its customers. Enter the Peninsula Beijing. With 27 years of history, the Peninsula Beijing was one of the first luxury hotels in China‘s capital. In Winter 2015, hotel renovations began and as part of the restaurant and lobby renovation, the tableware was replaced, the contract for the design of an exclusive dish series for the new Fun Fine Dining Outlet given to Villeroy & Boch. Subsequently, the design team in Luxembourg developed a new decor, an interpretation of the theme Secret Garden – young, modern, fresh, and reviving traditional Chinese elements with modern accents. Complementing the interior’s silver and mother of pearl decor, the discreet, elegant motif was translated with shaded branches and twigs in the classic V&B signature on to the classically elegant dish forms of Stella Hotel, which are Made In Germany from the finest premium bone porcelain.

Did you know...? Handcrafted American luxury tabletop serveware company Annieglass delivers its sustainably handcrafted California luxury serveware to restaurants and resorts throughout the US, including to the tabletops of famed Silicon Valley restaurant, Manresa, owned by three Michelin star chef David Kinch. Versatile and durable, it can also withstand the dishwasher making it perfect for hospitality. Annieglass has just launched its new Mod line, including oval platters that look as if they’ve been dipped in 24k gold or genuine platinum. www.annieglass.com

Dudson, the Stoke-on-Trentbased ceramics manufacturer, has announced solid first quarter trading results with sales growth of 5 per cent and operating profit up by £650k ($875k) on the same quarter last year. Sales have been especially strong in the US, Canada and Australia, which have seen combined growth of 14 per cent compared to the same quarter last year, while the launch last year of the company’s Harvest range has driven significant sales growth across the Group. Following some difficult trading years, Dudson has been through a business turnaround which has seen the divestment of its French manufacturing operation and a realignment of operating costs across the business. Supply of the Evolution product line is being addressed through a £500k investment focused on increasing capacity and improving factory efficiency, while the company is currently recruiting over 30 new factory personnel to allow an additional manufacturing shift to run on Evolution. Dudson is also investing in its commercial and supply chain teams, with Katie Dudson moving into a new role within the company’s supply chain team and new roles being created in the sales teams in Australia, US and the UK. A new Group Marketing Manager has also been recruited to focus on brand development and digital marketing. www.dudson.com

New Hydra pieces, Annieglass

exhibition news

Las Vegas sets summer attendance record

Tableware International becomes gia partner Tableware International has become an official sponsor of the International Housewares Association Global Innovation Awards (gia) programme, which recognises home goods retailers for superior business innovation and creative merchandising, and will be the sponsor for a gia award covering select countries across Europe, including Greece, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, as well as CIS countries including Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Kazakhstan. Derek Miller, VP Global Marketing, IHA, says: “Since its inception in 2000, the gia has grown into the world’s most prestigious award programme honouring retail excellence. The International Housewares Association is very excited to welcome Tableware International into the gia family as a publication partner. Through Tableware International’s global reach, we will be able to evaluate and honour retailers in countries new to the gia programme.” For previous retail winners, being recognised by gia has delivered plenty of benefits, including new ideas and inspiration from networking, and extensive publicity in their home country. The competition is open to retailers worldwide and winners are invited to attend the 2017 International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago, March 18-21, where up to five retailers will be further distinguished as gia Global Honorees. Nominations for the prestigious IHA gia for 2016-2017 are now being accepted. To be considered for this award, or to nominate a housewares retailer, contact one of the sponsoring housewares trade publications listed at www.housewares. org/show/gia-retail. If you’re a housewares retailer in any of the CIS countries or in Greece, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, contact editor Kate Birch at TI, email kate@lemapublishing.co.uk.

Portmeirion among product finalists in The Licensing Awards 2016 Portmeirion’s Vintage Kellogg’s Sunrise Collection has been selected as a finalist in The Licensing Awards 2016, one of 5,000 licensed products entered into the awards this year. Selected by a panel of 130 retail buyers, the collection was nominated in the Best Licensed Home Décor, Tableware or Housewares Range category, along with five others collections, including The Great British Bake Off Range from Wow! Stuff. Winners will be announced September 13 at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. www.thelicensingawards.co.uk

Did you know…? Winners of the European Hospitality Awards 2016 in 13 prestigious categories will be presented with a speciallyengraved Alessi product. Known as the factory of design, Alessi has a longestablished relationship with the hospitality industry. The Awards take place November 3, 2016, in London.

What the retailer says...

“

The Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival is one of those shows that feels more independent than mass market, which is perfect for us. I especially like the Made in the UK product on offer – we are keen on supporting that philosophy. It’s a relaxed show and one that’s easy to navigate due to its great design, plus it gives us time to really interact with exhibitors and get to know what they offer. Claudia Roberts, head of Home, Gift, Clothing & Food, Notcutts garden centres, on The Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival 2016, which took place in July, and which saw a 5 per cent increase in attendance of retailers, both Multiples and Department stores.

”

The just-concluded Las Vegas Summer Market (July 31 – August 4) registered exponential attendance gains, with overall attendance up 8 per cent over last Summer Market, and gift buyer attendance up 28 per cent, as well as showcasing the largest-ever number of resources in the Market’s 10-year history, with exhibitor participation topping 3,100 for the first time, including a record 500 temporary exhibits. “Summer Las Vegas Market was epic,” says Bob Maricich, CEO of IMC. “Punctuated by unprecedented attendance, order-writing and new resources, we’re continuing to deliver on our promise to create the leading furniture, home décor and gift destination in the western US.” While there were year-over-year gains in the market’s three product categories (furniture, home décor and gift), attendance growth was particularly robust in the gift segment, with increases of 28 per cent over, while the increasing home décor category registered strong attendance gains of 4 per cent. Buyers from all 50 states attended, with the largest numbers coming from California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Utah. Internationally, 73 countries were represented, the largest number from Canada, Mexico, China, Japan. Strong attendance increases can be attributed to the swift and sizeable expansion of exhibitors – among the Market’s more than five million sq-ft of product displays was 118,500-sq-ft of new and expanded showroom space, some 66 resources. The Pavilions, home to 80,000 sq-ft of temporary exhibits, registered a 212 per cent increase in buyer traffic since its debut one year ago. Margo Pyne, wholesale merchandising manager for The Grommet, one of 400 temporary exhibitors in the Pavilions says: “The show has grown exponentially since we started exhibiting. The traffic, the summer market orders and the excitement – they are all going! “We’ve seen a decent amount of old faces and tons of new ones. We are seeing buyers are from Arizona, California and Washington primarily, as well as customers that don’t always get to markets on the east coast.” Buyers also were positive about the number of resources and vast array of products presented. Retailer Doug Sanicola, owner/buyer, Outdoor Elegance Patio Design Center, adds: “This market is new, crisp, and a lot of fun compared to other shows. It is very important to the west coast.” The next Las Vegas Market will take place January 22-26, 2017. www.lasvegasmarket.com

Top Drawer

Crafted Neutrals Trend The Marble Collection, Nkuku

announces AW16 trends Top Drawer has teamed up with Stylus, the go-to people for global trend analysis to deliver the trends for Autumn/Winter. Serenity spotlights organic inďŹ&#x201A;uences and delivers an aesthetic thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ&#x201A;uid and a palette thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soft, warm and natural. This was spotted at Aanderson. Stripped back to its bare essentials, Clean Primary highlights a minimalist outlook thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lean, clean and agile with colour seen in ďŹ&#x201A;at and predominantly matt applications and with colour-blocking used to differentiate product components. We found this at Rolfe and Wills. Architecture largely informs the ultrafunctional direction of Urban Nomads, which celebrates simplicity and practicality and features bold graphic styling and patterns. Tranquil and comforting,

Crafted Neutrals sees materials with subtle tactility, exposed textural details and reďŹ ned ďŹ nishes given to humble resources such as cork and bare wood, with colours imbuing a sense of stillness. We discovered this trend at Sue Pryke and in the Marble Collection at Nkuku. Looking to a luxury era of highperformance materials, Modern Metallics shines with luminous colour and clean metallics, while opaque materials like glass lend ethereal qualities. Spotted both at Bredemeijer and at Alessi. Finally, Earth Patterns sees pattern, texture and colour take their cue from Earth with natural colours, organic contours, tonal washes Clean and mottled effects all evoking the natural Primary world. We discovered this at Yod & Co. Trend: Find out more at www.topdrawer.co.uk Rolfe & Wills

As the margins between design and craft, retail and online, contract and end-user diminish, one show on its own will struggle to complete the visitor experience. Two shows might just deliver â&#x20AC;&#x201C; actually we are very sure they will! Jimmy MacDonald, the founder and director of

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;?

the London Design Fair, on London Design Fair (September 22-25) teaming up with the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest running design show Decorex International in order to offer a broader perspective on design.

18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 21 March Chicago, USA The International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago is a must for any serious player in the housewares industry. It showcases the latest products and introduces the fashion trends for the following 12-18 months. The vibrant city backdrop houses some of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest retailers at all levels, both independently owned and the giants of the industry.

Sandy Angus, Managing Director Sheldon & Hammond Australia

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 19

retail news

news in brief

5 minutes with…

Cow & Co, Liverpool, UK Cow&Co was opened in 2012 by Benji and Nicola Holroyd as a homewares store oﬀering beautiful independent designs at aﬀordable prices. Gradually the store evolved into a neighbourhood café, the bricks and mortar store converted into an online one (cowandco.co.uk) but still with a selection of giftwares on the cafe shelves. The online store features 700 products. How do you curate product? We initially selected the things we use in our own home and design studio, and continue to respond to what is selling well to develop the range. Products are useful, designed well, work well and look good. We love working with small British designers with great ideas such as Alex Swain, Baines&Fricker and Block Design, though some of our bestselling items come from Scandinavian suppliers and international designers. Keeping up to date with design blogs and future trend forecasters informs a lot of our buying. How key is it in retail today to have a point of view? There’s so much competition in our domain of e-commerce, so a strong purpose carried through every element of the brand and shopping experience is key and something we’ve concentrated on a lot at Cow&Co.

What trends are you seeing you emerge in homewares? We’re enjoying the emergence of sharp, graphic shapes and bold colours. It strikes a feel of mid-century while being modern and contemporary What tableware does well for you? Unable to find anything quite right for the cafe, we decided to design our own range of crockery – a modern design with rustic charm. Aubrac is a series of stoneware with exposed clay bases that is handthrown by a potter in Lancashire. We offer the full range online and the coffee cup has become our bestselling product. What extras do you offer in-store to attract customers? Around Christmas and other points throughout the year, we host pop up shops to show off the full range from the digital shelves of cowandco.co.uk. How key is visual merchandising in the cafe’s success? We sell hundreds of products online and can only have a selection out in the cafe at any one time. We find that our customers respond well when the products are rotated frequently.

John Lewis to open in Australia John Lewis has announced it will have a physical presence in Australia for the first time by opening shopin-shops within six branches of leading Australian department store Myer. The first shop-in-shop will open before Christmas 2016 on the outskirts of Sydney, followed by additional openings in Melbourne, Perth, Bondi, Chadstone, and Myer’s flagship store in Sydney in February 2017. The John Lewis departments will be between 600 sq ft and 850 sq ft in size and feature an exclusive assortment of John Lewis’s own-brand home and lifestyle products across bed, bath, and living. Once open, John Lewis will have 30 shop-in-shops worldwide.

Designers create exclusive ranges for new

Barbican shop Lindsey Lang

World-class London-based arts and learning organisation, the Barbican is launching a new 330 sqm retail space in the foyers this autumn. With a focus on the Barbican’s architectural legacy, the shop will also shine a spotlight on up and coming design talent. The shop oﬀers a wide range of exclusive commissions iin addition to pop-up space within the new store to showcase emerging mak makers on a revolving basis. With the opening of the new store, have been exclusively commissioned to reinterpret the Barbican’s designers hav historic archite architecture into a retail context, resulting in new capsule collections. While Lindsey LLang has interpreted the building’s bush-hammered concrete into geometrically-inspired homeware, Alfred & Wilde has taken inspiration from in nto a range of geometrically-i th the modernist architectural details in its homeware range, and Kate Farley has created designs th that blend the architectural forms of the Barbican estate with the visual language of music. Alfred & Wilde A

Amazon India’s growth Amazon India saw an almost 165 per cent increase in its kitchen and home segment during the first half of this year compared to the same review period in 2015, with the majority of the growth due to sales in small and mid-sized cities. Macy’s to invest in digital Macy’s Inc. has outlined a series of initiatives to drive profitable growth and strengthen Macy’s as America’s preferred omnichannel shopping destination. This includes closing 100 stores, delivering exclusive products, improving the shopping experience, and re-allocating investments to digital businesses. John Lewis extends global delivery John Lewis has extended the number of countries it delivers to through www. johnlewis.com from 33 to 40, including Hong Kong, South Korea, UAE, Qatar, Switzerland and Malaysia. John Lewis’s online international sales has grown by 50 per cent in the past 12 months, with homewares the most popular items for international customers. HBC releases Q2 sales results Hudson’s Bay Company has released its Q2 sales results ending July 30, which reports comparable sales results. CEO Jerry Storch says: “During the second quarter, we continued to innovate and to execute our strategy, which we believe differentiates us from other retailers. Our results reflect our diversification across both geography and retail concepts.”

Kings of Chelsea launches Roberto Cavalli Home From September 2016, and during London Design Festival (September 17-25), luxury showroom Kings of Chelsea will showcase the new Roberto Home Interiors collection, which was launched in Milan in April, and takes its inspiration from a winter garden. Similarly inspired by a winter garden, the Eden tableware range is crafted from fine bona china and features a stunning floral design in pastel blue hues and finished with opulent gold coloured detailing and Roberto Cavalli’s signature. www.kofc.co.uk

What W ha extras do you offer to d attract customers to your store? We ask retailers…

We have a café and this is essential to the experience of the store as it gives people multiple reasons to visit us and also provides a relaxed and community atmosphere and better enables customers to browse. Owner Shaun Clarkson on his retail store Pitﬁeld London, an interiors and lifestyle shop with café and exhibition gallery

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We have a café in the middle of the ground ﬂoor, which is easily accessible, and in which we try to use as much local produce as we can. We have a store reward card where customers collect points that can be converted into money-off vouchers which they can spend in any of our departments, including the café, and they also receive exclusive offers particularly at sale time and at Christmas. Anne Pitman, Goulds Department Store & Garden Centre, a department store on the high street of Dorchester, UK, since 1902

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We host regular event and private views in the shop. We try to work with interesting designers to both showcase them and the shop. The events are very popular and can help attract different types of people to the store and to the area. Victoria Mullen, co-owner of Triangle Store, a London retailer of beautiful homeware with a distinct mid-20th century feel

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BRITISH LUXURY CERAMICS

Broadway Vase

Height: 625mm, Diameter: 260mm

Chamberlain & Co Tel: +44 (0) 1684 311704 enquiries@chamberlainco.co.uk www.chamberlainco.co.uk

products news

Noritake’s Homage to retro modern Noritake is seeing a rising “interest in retro-modern”, says Kazuo Suzuki, senior manager of overseas marketing, which the showcasing of something antique, vintage, classic within a modern interior. As a result, Noritake is currently doing really well with its newest assortment, the Homage Collection. Part of the Made In Japan bone china Prestige Collection, Homage – which utilises early Noritake designs, but updates these motifs with a more contemporary feel – “is selling better than expected, with the ﬁrst production having already sold out after only four months”, explains Kazuo. The Prestige collection further includes Shikisai Rondo and Wabana. While Wabana has been “a strong seller among earlier Prestige products, Homage is now selling best”, adds Kazuo.

50 years of NewWave Caffe Cities To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the NewWave Caﬀe Cities of the World line, Villeroy & Boch will unveil Rovaniemi, a festive design that pays tribute to Europe’s ultimate winter metropolis, a city in the north of Lapland of the same name. This special décor features a delicate redgold design on the striking and curvaceous premium porcelain mug. The collectable mug comes in a stylish festively-decorated gift box with a practical handle eliminating the need for further wrapping. Launching at The New York Tabletop Show, it’s available from October 2016.

Great Scot! Royal Scot Crystal, a leading crystal company with a reputation for producing the very finest hand-cut crystal tableware and giftware, offers one of the most exciting and comprehensive ranges under one brand. The collection includes very successful traditional and contemporary wine suites supplied in luxury satin-lined presentation boxes in a variety of colours. The established London, Mayfair and Edinburgh wine suites and the modern Skye range are firm favourites. The stunning Belgravia jewel-coloured crystal glasses (illustrated) were inspired by the regality and opulence of London’s fashionable Belgravia – the wines, flutes and tumblers delivered in ruby red, amethyst purple, sapphire blue and lime green. Each crystal glass is lavishly hand-cut creating a stunning kaleidoscope effect. Launched this year and proving quite a stir is the stunning Belgravia Clear collection. Royal Scot Crystal also offers an extensive giftware collection. The British hand-cut Dragonfly and Meadow Flowers ranges, together with the bestselling London giftware are all presented in high-quality packaging. www.royalscotcrystal.com

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I’m thrilled with how my Fall Collection came together. I love how the pieces uplift a look and combine sensational modern style with easy elegance – something I call Modern Luxury. I revel in turning things we use every day into beautiful and effortless lifestyle statements. The Julia Knight Collection is a venue for what I stand for and believe in: beautifully handcrafted designs using only the best natural materials and the highest style. I strive to combine design sensibility with entertaining flexibility. As I’ve always said, when entertaining with my collection it only takes five minutes to be fabulous. Julia Knight on the launch of her Fall 2016 Collection. Aurora Stoneware – gloriously glam yet everyday practical. On Eclipse, there are two new metallic finishes, Steel Blue and Bronze and soft neutral Dune. juliaknightcollection.com

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The number of limited edition teasets available in Rosenthal meets Versace’s brand-new tea services Baroque Punk and La Medusa. Both teasets are bold and innovative, the essence of Versace itself. While Baroque Punk comes in a bold cylindrical shape, matching the iconic Barocco with black shiny layers, La Medusa (pictured) is all about fresh geometry, featuring a handle with the power of the iconic Greek key in matte ﬁnishing. Available in classic white porcelain and audacious black.

nt e d n e p de n I r u o Y tee n a r a u G of this t’ s Produc Origin.

If you value your brand... this tag’s priceless. Do you promote your product as being manufactured in a certain place? V-MARQ is the new badge of origin which is designed to reassure your customers that your product is actually made where you say it is, proving that your marketing claims are true and transparent. As buying decisions are often based on factors such as where the product is manufactured, ethical values and sustainability, V-MARQ is a guarantee and an independent veriﬁcation. So, if you value the way your customers think about your products, then a V-MARQ tag is priceless.

Look for the V-MARQ. Your customers’ guarantee of authenticity. Find out more on v-marq.com

licensing news

V&A reveals recent licensing deals In the lead-up to Brand Licensing Europe (BLE), where V&A (Victoria & Albert Museum) Brand Licensing will be exhibiting, V&A has released an update on its most recent licensing collaborations. V&A’s main licensee in the UK for china and kitchen textiles for the past nine years, Creative Tops has just created a stunning new ceramics range inspired by the original design for Spitalﬁelds silk that features indigo blue ﬂorals and tracings of golden metallic detail. The range draws upon a design for silk by Anna Maria Garthwaite, one of the leading pattern drawers in the English silk industry in the 1700s. In addition, drawings from the V&A’s House of Worth collection – widely acknowledged as

the father of haute couture, Charles Worth opened his fashion house in Paris in 1858 - have inspired the V&A’s new licensee Royal Doulton. Enter an exquisite ﬁgurine collection which brings each glamorous design to life. V&A is also now working with India Jane and just laun ched the ﬁrst part of a very extensive homeware range at Autumn Fair, which includes tableware. Head of licensing at V&A, Lauren Sizeland, says: “We are looking for more collaborations particularly for kitchen textiles, tea towels, oven gloves, tablecloths and napkins.” Find V&A Licensing at BLE, Grand Hall Olympia, K10, from October 11-13. www.vandalicensing.com / licensing@vam.ac.uk

Hudson teams up with Wiggles & Florence One of the oldest potteries still manufacturing in the UK (1875), Hudson & Middleton has been chosen by Wiggles & Florence to manufacture and distribute its range of fine bone china. The range features Susan Robertson’s horticulturally-themed designs, which are synonymous with all things British, fitting therefore that they are produced at the historic Grade 2 listed factory in the Potteries. The range will be handmade in high-quality fine bone china with new introductions including a larger breakfast cup and saucer and a larger mug, plus continued production of Wiggles & Florence’s scented candles in decorated china pots. Email: sales@hudsonandmiddleton.com

Royal Worcester extendsWrendale designs Riding high on its licensing success, Royal Worcester has further extended its Wrendale Designs range to include on-trend tropical animals like flamingos and giraffes. Hannah Dale’s handpainted watercolours captivate the exotic nature of flamingos, elephants, tortoises, giraffes and budgies featured on fine bone china mugs. In addition, other charming animal designs from Wrendale have been extended to now include tableware and kitchenware pieces. www.wrendaledesigns.co.uk / www.portmeiriongroup.com

24 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

BLE

launches Matchmaking Service for licensing A brand-new online Matchmaking Service, which generated over 2,500 meetings as well as $200,000 worth of business from one user alone, at Licensing Expo in June, has been launched by sister show Brand Licensing Europe (BLE). Provided for free this year, it will enable exhibitors and visitors to request meetings with one another through an online portal ahead of the show, which will take place October 11-13, 2016 at London’s Olympia. The tool allows users to create online proﬁles, identify key contacts based on area of interest and job type, build relationships, and create business opportunities, resulting in a pre-planned roster of private meetings at the event. The licensing industry has “embraced this revolutionary service,” says Anna Knight, BLE director, adding that “the take-up rate at Licensing Expo was 5 per cent higher than in any other industry currently using the tool.” John Larson, director at IMG Worldwide Inc., found the service at Licensing Expo to be a “fantastic tool that helped me meet many new contacts” and which delivered “many solid leads and many new contacts.” Now in its 18th year, BLE will run October 11-13. To access the service, visit http://blematchmaking.com

Royal Scot Crystal is known internationally for refreshingly different and beautifully designed hand cut crystal. Britain’s largest collection of quality crystal, reflecting the very best in design, craftsmenship and packaging

Belgravia - a collection of jewel coloured and clear hand cut crystal

Pretty Retro

Cottage Flower

5 minutes with...

Katie Alice

Designer Katie Alice first started collaborating with Creative Tops in 2010 launching her debut range, Cottage Flower, in 2011. You are known for your retro aesthetic… why this styling in particular? I’m a sucker for vintage florals – whether it’s a snippet of wallpaper, a dusty old piece of fabric or a beautiful hand-printed design. I like to see the brushstrokes and pencil marks and all the tiny details that are more typical of vintage artwork – you can tell that somebody has spent so long getting it just right. Nowadays everything seems so rushed and like it has to be much more neat. I’ve never really been a neat person! More recently, with the Pretty Retro range, you’ve looked to Scandinavia for inspiration. Explain… After a few visits to Stockholm I felt inspired by the styles I saw and wanted to bring a little of that into a new collection. I have a new collection launching next year that definitely still has a folksy, Scandinavian feel to it. Inspiration for me comes from anywhere, wandering round the V&A, searching through antique fairs, or travelling to new places.

www.royalscotcrystal.com

Any other directions you’re planning to take? We have plans to launch a Made In England collection soon, so that’s my big focus. I’m also keen to explore different techniques with glazes to complement patterned dinnerware. I’m always looking for new stories to tell with each collection. What’s your philosophy when it comes to creating tableware? I want people to open their cupboards and feel happy when they go to use a Katie Alice mug or teapot. I like Marie Kondo’s idea of ‘spark joy’, where she says every item you have in your home should spark joy when you look at it. A lady once told me that she’d been going through a very sad time, but when she used her English Garden tray it really cheered her up and took her mind off things – that’s exactly what I hope to achieve. How does the process with Creative Tops work? Creative Tops has its own dedicated brand team who I work very closely with. Either we start with a very rough idea of the sort of collection we want to come up with together – a tea story, an everyday collection, a summery collection etc.., then I’ll come up with something that fits the brief. Or, I might just come up with something based on some vintage artwork as inspiration that we work into a collection. How was your recently-launched Vintage Indigo range received? So well! It featured as #9 in the Spring Fair Top Trending Products 2016 and we had to re-order stock almost straight away after the show! We’re working on some additions for next season now. What upcoming launches do you have? For autumn we’re launching a couple of quirky additions to the Pretty Retro collection. This range is a real favourite of mine – I love the retro, stylised floral print as it’s a little different to the more traditional vintage floral. For SS17, we’re going to be tapping into the trend of outdoor dining that’s not strictly for outdoor. We also have a lovely new collection that’s inspired by bohemian and folky styles. Finally, describe your aesthetic in three words? Pretty, nostalgic, fresh. TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 25

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.

Wedgwood

Vibrancy Oneida

French Bull

On the bright side Tabletop brands switch on bright colours and show gold in a new light Vibrancy Colours with vitality, colours in spirited combinations, luxe-looking bijoux tones, clear turquoise, and a riot of piquant red, orange and fuchsia hues are bringing energetic expression to the ranks of fine tableware. At Wedgwood, the Vibrance fine bone china dinnerware collection offers a striking contrast to a market awash in neutral shades. The collection includes a three-piece floral pattern available in the highkey colours of Canary yellow, bright turquoise, deep pink and a rich orange — each accented with touches of black and gold, and, a banded and striped, full dinnerware service in bright turquoise along with black, white and gold. Selling dinnerware in precoordinated mix and match place settings has been with us for a while but the Vibrance collection is an example of an emerging trend where manufacturers mesh very different styles in one collection to gives consumers the flexibility to stage their pieces in a variety of ways. Waterford’s new Lismore Pop crystal barware uses sparkling colours to bring a fresh buzz to the brand’s bestselling Lismore crystal cut; launched in the colours of emerald, purple and cobalt, plus clear (with more colours planned in future), the new collection includes shot glasses, and upsized shapes for flutes, cocktail coupes and DOFs. Oneida’s Terrace collection addresses

Auratic

the trend for upscale alfresco entertaining; the collection spans melamine dinnerware, polycarbonate drinkware, and four stainless steel flatware groups that incorporate colour and texture (Droplet flatware in Aqua shown.) At Vista Alegre the new porcelain Holi pattern, a pattern name inspired by the Hindu celebratory Holi Festival of Colours, is available in four different but interchangeable bright hues. Auratic’s Acca pattern delivers a red colour décor produced using a process that sandblasts the white premium porcelain to reveal the brilliantly coloured under-glaze, and Arzberg has added Amarena — a dark cherry red — to the lineup of colours and items in the TRIC range. The designer Kim Parker, always an advocate for exuberant colour combinations, brings up the brights in the five new porcelain dinnerware collections, including Zinnia Garden — a pattern flush with the dazzling hot colours of those summertime flowers, she has designed for Gourmet Basics by Mikasa. Villeroy & Boch used sundrenched, bright shades of blue and green to update the traditional Deruta-style ceramic decorations which inspired the design of the new Casale Blu premium porcelain. Instead of using colours that blend in, French Bull decorates the camo design of its Glamo melamine dinnerware in shocking colours that can’t be missed.

Spectrum palettes Sets of products designed with a band, or in a range, of colours, like the spectrum in a rainbow, present the newest colour direction following the fashion for ombré eﬀects. The faceted surfaces of Rosenthal’s Hot Spots porcelain vases,

Wedgwood

Waterford Wat

Lenox

Spectrum palettes Moser

Rosenthal

designed by Christine Rathmann, feature colour gradients that change depending on the light and the viewing angle; while sold separately, the assorted vases work well as an ensemble. Herdmar uses a PVD coating technique to create a dazzling turnout of colours on its Oslo Bright Rainbow stainless steel flatware. At Lenox, the new Sculpture Confetti (shown), and Sculpture Green/Blue porcelain dinnerware designs bring clean, bright, colourful palettes to the brand’s existing Entertaining 365 range. Moser uses individual, yet complementary, colours to dress its Optic glass tumblers to the nines. The 10th Anniversary Sophie Conran for Portmeirion’s porcelain tankard and mug do a neat trick; the spectrum of colours in their striped decoration enable them to tie in with the different colours offered in the solid coloured dinnerware range. Since its debut, Waterford’s Giftology crystal giftware collection has been sold in cylindrically shaped gift boxes adorned in saturated, eyecatching colours, such as Daiquiri Blue, orange, Canary yellow, Berry and lime green. Building on the success of using upscale gift packaging, and colour to visually merchandise the collection in colourblock displays, the brand has added pink and purple to expand the rainbow-like colour scheme, and a rich red for seasonal gifting.

Colour connections Colours are connected to emotions,

B by Brandie

relate to symbolism, and link to cultures from around the world. The Lenox By Melli Mello collection is a collaboration between Lenox and the design studio La Terzi. Melli Mello, derived from a similar French word meaning hodge podge, is a brand based on a cosmopolitan view the designers, Lobna Terzi and Erdem Terzi, describe as aiming for a “cross cultural blend”. They believe, “In the past people would stick to a particular style, nowadays we are more likely to combine several styles.” Currently, two porcelain dinnerware patterns, Eliza Stripe (shown) and Isabelle Floral, are available in exclusive distribution. Q Squared NYC also looked to world cultures and the exotic colouring of traditional tile work motifs to create the Tiled collection of ﬁve melamine dinnerware patterns, (Medina shown.) In the Vera Wang Wedgwood Treasures with Love collection the six enameled colours and related gold charms seen on the frames and keepsake boxes, were chosen by the designer for their symbolic representations of emotions and love. Examples of what the collection’s colours and charms represent include blue with a dragonﬂy for joy, red with a heart for everlasting devotion, and black with an X for sealed with a kiss. Or, I imagine, if you like, for seXy.

Gold stars The word aureate, meaning made with or having the colour of gold, dates to the late Latin word aurum.

Gold stars

Colour connections

Lenox by Melli Mello

Lenox

P by Prouna

Decorating dinnerware with gold goes back in time just about as far. Among the latestt bright-thinking aureate dinnerware rware patterns are those taking the initiative nitiative to reflect the times we live in now. These gold star worthy patterns ns Herdmar include: Lenox’s Solar Flare bone one china; this gold pattern bursts with a modernistic design ideal for uptake ptake by Millennials. At B By Brandie, using what hat appears to be a higher-tech interpretation of earlier guilloche engraving techniques, the dynamic decoration on the Channing bone china charges the graphic hi geometric pattern with rad. glamour. To bring modern styling to some of its iconic Jasperware motifs Wedgwood pixilated the neoclassical images on its Gilded Muse collection of fine bone china coffee and teaware. P By Prouna’s Luminous fine bone china brings a lively look to formal Vera Wang dinnerware with its graphic display Wedgwood of gold, rose gold, and platinum rays, and Royal Limoges recasts gold decorated dinnerware from a formal to a transitional mode by encircling its Golden Fire porcelain pattern with a breezy, speckled design. Forward-looking gold design ideas like these shine a new light on how fine dinnerware can adapt to any table setting, be it dressed down, or up.

Q Squared NYC

Column Hospitality Nikko

RAK

Aboutt

Cookplay

A bit of all white? Our regular hospitality industry columnist Paul Brown discusses the role of white tableware in hospitality today

uch like fashion, tableware trends come and go. From coloured plates to abstract shapes to transparent dishes holding within grains of sand from the beaches of Spain – here at CCS, we’ve seen it all and as luxury tableware distributors we understand the need for all styles. For us, it’s essential that we’re always one step ahead of the curve in order to accommodate the most recently emerging trends, while simultaneously supplying classic tableware that can both stand the test of fashion changes and be in continuous demand. While in recent years, there’s been a decline in standard white tableware, thanks to the rise of casual dining – you’re unlikely to use a white fine bone china plate to serve street food – the white plate continues to dominate and to be a favourite among five-star hoteliers and fine dining restaurants. Certainly, there’s a customer expectation when visiting a Michelinstarred restaurant, for example, an expectation of the type of experience customers will have, and fine bone china white tableware is expected – it’s one string on the orchestral bow of the overall fine dining experience, communicating a certain level of quality and expertise. And there’s even scientific research behind the colour psychology of white dinnerware. Just as marketing pioneer Louis Cheskin reported in 1957 that adding 15 per cent more yellow to green 7UP cans caused consumers to perceive the soft drink as having a more lemon28 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

lime flavour, research by the University of Valencia and Oxford University in 2013 found that a dessert served on a white plate was considered more flavourful and of higher quality. This isn’t the only reason for white continuing to be popular in top restaurants though. Aesthetics play a major part too. Think of white and the words clean, blank, purity and perfection spring to mind. A white plate is a blank canvas and the perfect way for chefs, especially fine dining chefs, who consider their profession an art form, to let their food shine as opposed to the plate shining. Speaking to some of our customers, many fine-dining and Michelin-starred chefs, the consensus is that tableware considerations come after the dish(es) they are creating are perfected. Of course, our job as tableware distributors is to make sure we find the right canvas to elevate their work of art to another level. Around 70 per cent of our overall customer offer is white tableware. And while white is one of the most popular colour choices for plates, with competition among hospitality outlets increasingly fierce, we find more and more that operators are keen to ensure their white tableware offer stands out among competitors, that it delivers something different, the wow factor. As distributors of many different brands of white tableware, we’re in a privileged position to witness the creative product development within whiteware and we’re increasingly seeing the emergence of different textures, shapes, patterns and glazes, all allowing hospitality providers to

differentiate their offer, while also retaining a classic white colour scheme that fits their establishment and shows off the food. And such innovative and creative styles of white tableware are growing in popularity among our customers, with brands such as Jacques Pergay, Vista Alegre, Jars, Pordamsa and Nikko all delivering white, elegant tableware with a difference that makes it synonymous with their brand identity and ethos. Take Pordamsa Design for Chefs’ porcelain range – it combines natural elements with irregular shapes to ensure fine-dining operators can find inspiration and use from their tableware. Since 1908, Nikko has succeeded in creating the whitest, very high quality bone china, with 50 per cent bone ash content. With the deepness of its pure white colour and its superb translucency, its tableware has a global reputation for unparalleled durability and quality. Its I.O range boasts graphic lines, combining cutting-edge trends and a classic white colour. Jacques Pergay is an expert in the creation of white tableware with texture. Handcrafted in Limoges, France, each item of porcelain is handpainted by a small team of skilled craftsmen. Each piece oozes delicacy but is actually tough due to the resilience of the porcelain, something which chefs find incredibly lucrative. In fact, organic shapes and irregular lines in whiteware are increasingly in demand, with many of customers choosing such lines as they want to retain a more bespoke look and feel

Continental Chef Supplies is regarded as the world’s foremost supplier of the finest quality catering equipment and professional chef wear, including tableware, and managing director Paul Brown has the enviable task of working closely with many famous names, respected individuals, luxury venues and world-class suppliers within catering & hospitality. Now five years into this role and surrounded by over 320 years of team experience, Paul has become a respected voice within the industry, continually striving to deliver new, inspirational innovation and technology underpinned by the latest trends identified from a worldwide network of artists, craftsmen and manufacturers. With showrooms in London’s Baker Street and County Durham, Paul & the team can be contacted by email at sales@chefs.net or Freephone 0808 1001 777

that mimics natural forms. One of our exclusive suppliers who has responded to this emerging trend is Cookplay. Based in Bilbao, Spain, designer Ana Roquero recently launched the Yayoi range, which delivers smooth, white organic shapes designed scientiﬁcally for function based on healthy eating patterns. In stark contrast to a blank canvas, we can’t ignore the emergence of colour or the increasing popularity of black in the tableware arena and its statement of intent. Black tableware, which is popular among our customers, provides a dramatic and sleek backdrop, as well as emphasising the graphic shapes and colours of the various ingredients on the plate. For example, Jars Celeste, a tableware range mirrored on the dark celestial starry skies, is one of our biggest-selling tableware ranges. In a nutshell, choosing tableware will never be a black and white decision (or any other colour for that matter). For an operator, it will come down to the evolving needs of the customer, the operator’s gastronomic identity, menu style, and what experience they want to oﬀer their customers.

New York Tabletop Market September 27th-30th, 2016

Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market January 10-17, 2017 Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mart, Suite 893

PROUNA Fine Bone China . Lehmann Glass

Greggio Silver

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Dogale

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Kiyasa Signature

Kiyasa Showroom 41 Madison Ave. 17th floor New York, NY 10010 212..481.5657 www.kiyasa.com

Profile Odeon

Vista Alegre

Part of Vista Alegre’s Art Deco collection and a nominee in the German Design Awards 2016, Odeon features a black marble base and handmade crystal body. The vase and bowl are of a generous size.

Top of the tables

With eleven new nominations in design excellence under its luxury Portuguese belt and a brand-new logo and packaging, heritage tableware and giftware brand Vista Alegre is riding high on international success

hen a brand secures eleven collection nominations in just one year from one of the most prestigious international design competitions, it’s a sure sign that brand is doing something very right in the design department Enter premium porcelain and crystal manufacturer Vista Alegre, one of the leading tableware, home décor and giftware brands in the world that has just been awarded huge recognition for its excellence in global design by the acclaimed German Design Awards 2017. The jury of the German Design Council awarded the 2017 Nominee seal to eleven Vista Alegre collections, including Plisse, Orquestra, Blue Ming, Timeless, Jazz, Carrara, Gargulas, Love Who You Want, Midnight, Swinging and Trace.

30 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

These stunning and unique collections in porcelain, crystal and glass were realised thanks to Vista Alegre’s successful design strategy, which includes its internal department of design, its project of international artistic homes located in Ilhavo, the ID Pool, and through its ongoing and unique partnerships with global designers and artists in the ﬁelds of fashion, painting, sculpture, architecture and literature, from Marcel Wanders to Jaime Hayon to the late Oscar de la Renta. Reinventing the age-old tradition of Delft porcelain, nominee Blue Ming is a collaboration with award-winning designer Marcel Wanders; while Love Who You Want was born in the hands of the Christian Lacroix fashion house – a reinterpretation of the surrealist game ‘cadavre exquis’ this collection “astounded the German judges”. Gargulas was developed by renowned sculptor José Aurelio, who replicated the original gargoyles of the

Torre do Tombo national archive in Lisbon, which are 8m (2m x 2m x 2m) in size. José recreated the gargoyles in biscuit in miniature, just 15cm x 15cm 15cm. Currently showing in shop windows of Vista Alegre’s store chain, Gargulas “captivated the jury of German Design Awards”. What has been especially remarkable for Vista Alegre, however, is that four collections nominated for 2017 were developed entirely by the brand’s internal team of designers, and four more from the ID Pool, Vista Alegre’s “neighbourhood, where designers from all over the world stay for one to three months for a bustling dialogue of creativity and experimentation with the factory,” with the aim of creating stunning products and developing ideas that challenge the production line. Take Orquestra, a collection conceived within ID Pool by two young designers, David Raﬀoul and Nicolas Moussallem; Swinging, a

Dorian Featuring a contemporary design, these handmade crystal vases are taken to the level of luxury with a handpainted 20.6k gold ring.

crystal decanter cut from the hand of Brazilian designer Henrique Serbana; and Midnight, from German designer Mendel, whose creative experimentations at ID Pool resulted in the conception of extraordinary and intricate decorative pieces that “combine the art of porcelain with the techniques of crystal”. Being at the forefront of international award-winning design isn’t new to Vista Alegre, however. In the previous year’s awards, the 192-year-old company scooped nine German Design Awards 2016 Nominee seals, with Printemps awarded Winner; Caribe by Christian Lacroix and Transatlantica by Brunno Jahara securing Honourable Mentions.

Gentlemen Introducing heightened sophistication to the custom of snifting, this duo of oversized handmade crystal glasses feature an asymmetric, modern design and come beautifully boxed, making them a great gentlemen’s gift.

Blue Ming Award-winning Dutch designer Marcel Wanders has reinvented the age-old tradition of Delft porcelain, aka Delft Blue, in a versatile collection of symmetrical pieces with sculptural elements.

Swinging Developed under the project ID Pool by Brazilian designer Henrique Serbena, this handmade crystal decanter, nominated for a German Design Award 2017, delivers a distinctive design and features patterns that follow the balance of the nectar, dancing elements that contribute to enhancing the ﬂavour.

Vista Alegre and Atlantis re-brand

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The launch of such extraordinary design pieces and the reception of such distinctions assures us that we’re on the right track to our positioning as one of the greatest international actors on the world stage.

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Nuno Barra, member of the board In addition, Vista Alegre secured two Red Dot Design awards, for Plisse and Orquestra, as well as the Wallpaper Design Award, also for Orquestra. Over the last few years, these nominations “prove Vista Alegre’s vitality and potential, a result of tireless work, developed by all our teams,” says Nuno. “The launch of such extraordinary design pieces and the reception of such distinctions assures us that we’re on the right track to our positioning as one of the greatest international actors on the world stage.” With the bar now set so high, Vista Alegre has a responsibility to continue its international design success and has more recently launched new pieces and lines, in crystal in particular, that highlight further its design excellence, from the rremarkable ﬂoral decor, a combination of cutting and engraving, on the crystal handmade

Jardim collection, to the ingenious cutting work employed in the contemporary crystal Piet collection, inspired by visual compositions of the painter Piet Mondrian. “We’re going to take Vista Alegre to the height of international fame it deserves by transforming one of the oldest Portuguese brands into an international icon of quality, design and prestige,” promises Nuno. Find out more about Vista Alegre at www.vistaalegre.com. Discover Vista Alegre’s US introductions at the upcoming New York Tabletop Show at Forty One Madison, September 27-30, 9th ﬂoor.

Midnight Combining the art of porcelain with the techniques of crystal, German designer Mendel has conceived a number of stunning porcelain decorative pieces.

Vista Alegre has announced that from June 2016, it will trade its crystal and glass products under the brand name Vista Alegre only, rather than Vista Alegre and Atlantis, which it has been doing since the Grupo Vista Alegre’s merger with Grupo Atlantis in 2001. This means that all crystal, glass and porcelain products will feature the Vista Alegre backstamp. This brand uniﬁcation is also being marked by the implementation of two innovations, a new logo, designed by one of Portugual’s best designers, Ricardo Mealha, and new packaging for all products, with the transformation process taking place gradually throughout the year. The reasons for such uniﬁcation include the growth of the company’s internationalisation, which demands a more simple and memorable name and coherent message across all products, and the increasing recognition of the Vista Alegre brand name, its positioning and perception of excellence. TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 31

Spotlight Industry Growth

Fujimaki Seitou, porcelain specialists from 1775 in Arita

Kawazoe Seizan pottery, Arita

Hataman Touen pottery, Arita, founded in 1926

The experts

Arita, Japan, the origin of Japanese porcelain

Reinvigorating ceramics With the aim of reviving the ceramics industry, the world’s ﬁrst symposium on tableware is gathering momentum

et to take to the stage November 16-17 in one of the most important ceramic destinations worldwide, Arita in Japan, the Arita Ceramics Symposium will gather leading voices from the global centres of ceramics, including from Arita itself, from Sevres in France, and from Stoke-on-Trent in the UK, who will offer their views and thoughts on the future of ceramics. Set in Arita, the origin of Japanese porcelain and home to the many world-famous producers of Arita ware, the symposium will take place at the Saga Ceramics Research Laboratory, and will take a multidisciplinary, innovative approach to tableware, asking, what can creativity, leisure, sustainability and technology do for tableware? Because, while fierce price competition and changing lifestyles have decimated the ceramics industry in many areas, there are signs of recovery and therefore of hope. Ranti Tjan, director of European Ceramic Work Centre and coorganiser of the Symposium says: “Europe has lost many different industries” and “right now the 32 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Japanese ceramics industry is fading away, with Arita on the tipping point of survival or destruction. “It’s also clear there is a lack of quality in much tableware today and a struggle against price competition – if offering the lowest price is the key goal, the market will only become dull and meaningless.” He adds: “But a new generation is taking over, and they know they have to change and are willing to take the next step. Now is the right time to join allies, to create a strategy to set new goals for an industry that needs to start changing to survive. “Complete new strategies are necessary to compete with price competition – these strategies could be in the fields of innovation, marketing, art and design or leisure. Ranti believes that if we don’t “focus on quality, innovation cooperation, smart ideas, niches, trends or hypes” and if we don’t “try to brighten the status of the ceramics industry” it won’t attract bright young people to work in the field, nor attract the customers the industry deserves. Key decision makers from the industry, regional leaders, designers, as well as leisure and culture

professionals, will discuss how to prepare for the future. “We asked strong thinkers in the world of industry, culture and forecasting, leading figures who have proven that their way of working is successful because they realised their field was in decline,” adds Ranti. Keynote speakers and thematic session leaders include global trend forecaster and Science of the Time founder Prof Dr Carl Rohde, Royal Crown Derby’s chariman Kevin Oakes, Sevres’ general manager Romane Sarfati, and Kyushu Ceramic Museum director Yukio Suzuta. Romane says: “Arita is one of the most interesting historical places for ceramics in the world, all the more interesting in that its recent dynamic creative revival seems quite successful. “It’s important for us to share with other professionals globally from whom we can learn and with whom we can later organise scientific and cultural projects. “I hope this symposium will help find new strategies in the industrial and cultural fields.” With space just for a select group of 40 participants, register at www.articaceramicssymposium.com

Prof Dr Carl Rohde Who: Prof Dr Carl Rohde, global trend forecaster and Science of the Time founder, he works with 47 universities globally in areas of design, fashion, luxury, business and hospitality and forecasts future consumer behaviour globally. www.scienceofthetime.com Speaking on: The future of consumer behaviour worldwide and the implications that has for tableware, and what’s needed for a successful ceramic industry. What he says: “Due to past successes, the ceramics industry has become complacent, inert and rigid. It needs to reform, to tap into the changing mindsets of consumers today, understand how current millennial demands for tableware are totally different, and how eating habits worldwide are changing, especially with the rise of the urban nomad, the hipster, who loves fashion, design, eating, coffee, organics, and wants to distinguish themselves but differently. Brands need to reinvent themselves to get such consumers on board.”.

Kevin Oakes Who: Kevin Oakes, chairman, Royal Crown Derby, Stokeon-Trent Speaking on: The secrets of business success in ceramics with Steelite and Royal Crown Derby. What he says: “I’m passionate about ceramics, so if I can help anyone in any way to improve their business or strategy in this area, then great. We’ve had a success story that can inspire others, we’ve not only survived the challenges thrown at us in the past 30 years, we’ve thrived. I’m fascinated with Arita, the product is fantastic, the story, history and heritage, the skill and artistry is amazing – I am truly in awe of it. “

Romane Sarfati Who: Romane Sarfati, CEO of Cite de la Ceramique, Sevres & Limoges, a French national institution including a porcelain manufactory (Sevres, founded in 18th century) and two ceramic museums, one in Sevres, one in Limoges. The museums boast one of the most important ceramic collections in the world. Speaking on: What leisure and museums can do for ceramics. I will discuss our collections and cultural programmes and the ways we work with our audience, how people like to see objects being made, and how with ceramics, a universal material, we can provide audiences with innovative experiences. What she says: “The ceramic industry is facing an economic crisis and sociological evolution – a

price competition with low-cost mass production and changes in consumer lifestyle. Professionals need to share the value of ceramics and try to make it known to a very large audience. As far as tableware is concerned, we need to discuss ways and strategies to overcome price competition and to create new concepts as consumer lifestyles change. We also have to discuss and enhance the potential of ceramics as an artistic material for contemporary artists. The future needs to focus on a) contemporary art, the artist’s creativity allowing for renewal of ceramics through new shapes, colours and message; and b) design: with a concrete vision of production processes and consumer practices, designers bring a second answer to the future of ceramics.

Visit us at 41 Madison

Contemporary and Classic Design Made in France

3rd Floor, BIA cordon bleu showroom

www.capdeco-france.com

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 33

Retail Column

Barry Seamann Plate Tableware Plate Tableware opened 10 years ago in Fulham, London, and stocks a contemporary range of tabletop, cookware, accessories and giftware for those with a passion for cooking and entertaining at home. Owner, Barry Seaman, sees dining as a great artistic opportunity and selects products from British and European brands for their quality, design and functionality. www.platetableware.co.uk

Online selling isn’t for me Independent retailer Barry Seaman argues the case for not oﬀering an e-commerce facility

o you sell online?’ It’s probably the question I get asked more than any other – and not just by customers in my shop. Whenever I tell someone I’m a retailer and even when I meet new suppliers at trade shows, it seems to be the standard ﬁrst question. The question is usually accompanied with, ‘Do you mind if I take a photograph? I want to show my husband’. (Though more and more they don’t even bother to ask these days). What they’re really saying is, ‘I like this product and would really like to buy it, but I need to go away and see if I can ﬁnd it anywhere else at a cheaper price.’ However, if for some reason I can’t, then I will buy it from you. So if you sell online it will make it much easier for me by not having to come back.’ People always seem to assume that I do sell online – it’s what’s expected, it’s what’s demanded, it’s an option that most people like to have available. As we’ve said before, millennials, our new core customer, are savvy with technology. They’ve grown up with it, embrace it and adopt new forms of it – especially mobile technology. It’s shaped the way they shop. Sadly, the answer to their question is ‘No, I don’t’. (I never want to and probably never will!). Customer response to my answer 34 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

varies. Some accept it, others look surprised, many look horrified. I’m often told I should consider it, that I’m losing out, missing a trick. At times I’m even given a full lecture on selling and on my failings as a retailer. I appreciate that online retailing is growing at an astonishing rate and accounts for about a quarter of the total retail market, and that retailers ignoring e-commerce may see their trade lessening. But I’ve weighed up the pros and cons on numerous occasions and backed it up with good market research. Of course, I’m well aware of the benefits of online selling and the potential it has for rapid growth. It gives access to a new customer base, expanding from a local to a global market quickly, and to people who would not usually have access to my type of product. There is more flexibility and as a retailer you’re effectively open 24 hours a day and can offer/stock more items than you might in the shop. It’s quite easy and relatively cheap to get started through marketplaces like eBay and Amazon and, with investment in marketing and a decent website, you can make yourself look bigger and better than you actually are. If one wanted to go the whole hog and do away with bricks and mortar premises and no customer-facing staff you would be able to reduce your overheads considerably.

E-commerce on a big scale certainly has its drawbacks, though. A good, well-planned and designed website costs money. Infrastructure costs rise as the business grows – warehouse and staffing needs to be paid for and a generous budget is required to obtain new customers. Security and fraud issue have increased and investment in secure systems is essential. There are many more legal issues relating to customer rights when selling online. It’s very difficult to establish customer trust on a wider scale without brand identification or a physical, face-to-face presence. Even starting on a smaller scale has its issues. There’s a constant problem of competition in a fierce market and lowering margins to get results. Marketplaces take their cut. Administering a site with text and photographs can be very time-consuming. Having done my research I’m pretty sure online selling is not for me. There are so many other small, independent shop owners I know who say the same. If they knew then what they know now seems to be the general message – most suggesting they wish they hadn’t bothered... what with the constant competition, the battling for position, stock level issues, posting, and the inadequate packing facilities. The products we tend to sell in our industry are often fragile – the chance of them arriving at their

destination intact is questionable. Our products are not conducive to selling online – they are tactile – they need to be touched, felt, held and seen before a decision is made to buy them. On a personal level I guess I’m old-fashioned. I hate online shopping. I never indulge in it or even consider it. I like shopping in the traditional way, as a hobby, a pastime. For me, buying online is soulless. I have absolutely no time for those smug people who admit they’ve done all of their Christmas shopping by mid October. To me, it shows a lack of thought both for the people you are buying for and for their local independent retailers. A part of the whole Christmas experience is going out, ploughing through the crowds in search of that perfect gift. Thankfully there are some people who will always come to your shop and get everything they need in one fell swoop – presents, gift wrap, cards, and all they need to create their Christmas table – we love them! I opened a shop for a reason. I want to be a traditional retailer. I love the interaction with my customers. I like to show them my offerings through tempting displays. I offer advice and knowledge and a complete customer experience. I’m happy with my foot traffic and the excitement of impulse buys. I’m sorry to those I’m not reaching – but online selling is not for me!

Retail New York

Making tableware relevant One of the most sought-after event designers in the world, Jung Lee has been running her luxury home concept store in downtown New York since 2013. On a visit to the city Tableware International sat down with Jung to talk mixing and matching, millennial demands and making luxury tableware relatable Les Endiables crystal bubbles glass, Saint Louis Multi-functional design by Jose Levy

Cardinal, Puiforcat Classic, silver-plated pieces from a 17th century drawing

tepping into Jung Lee’s self-titled loft-like homeware store in Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood in New York is like stepping into someone’s individually-curated home. Designed as a set of multiple live-in rooms – entrance area, formal and informal dining spaces, breakfast place, bar, library and greenhouse space – this 4,000 sq-ft open-plan space on West 29th Street screams theatre and storytelling. Dubbed Jung Lee’s ‘residential lab’ it delivers a treasure trove of tabletop and home décor products, everything from elegant furnishings and chic tableware to statement serveware and glamorous barware. An expert on home décor, lifestyles and weddings, as well as one of the most sought-after designers in the world, Koreaborn entrepreneur Jung has been running her own award-winning event design company Fete since 2002, delivering inspired alternatives to run-of-the-mill events. After a decade of travelling the world designing events for an exclusive roster

Voyage en Ikat, Hermes Inspired by Indonesian weaving/dyeing technique

of clients, Jung decided to translate her bespoke event expertise in the creation of distinctive tablescapes to a downtown New York retail destination and experience. Jung says: “The bridal registry market for tabletop was stagnant and old-fashioned, just the oﬀer of a bunch of ﬁve-piece place settings. We wanted to shake up the market and make it relevant, to make tableware interesting and relatable to people’s lives today.” And that’s exactly what Jung has done, changing the shopping of tabletop, whether for a bridal registry or for a new home, from a cookie-cutter experience to a bespoke adventure. Jung believes people are investing more than ever in their homes, “but don’t always know what to buy or how to style”, and that consumers today go to the big box store but return uninspired as they “don’t have relationships with products”. Jung adds: “How you eat, dine and live are personal things and people should be able to relate to the products they use in this space. Registering should be one of the most exciting experiences of the planning process. If it doesn’t feel that way, something is wrong.

“My store makes registry fun and meaningful as brides and grooms can create their lifestyle together.” Clients book an appointment with Jung or one of her design consultants one-on-one in the showroom and together they build a highly-personalised curation of products. Catering for everyone from old-world clients with traditional tastes to hipsters with more contemporary styles, Jung takes a client assessment. She explains: “We find out what they already own, how they live and dine, and not just about how they live now, but how they might live in 10 years’ time, and about how they want to live. We discover what their perfect Sunday brunch comprises and how they entertain... some families need lots of smaller bowls, for example.” Jung takes the clients around the store and begins pulling pieces “back to the sandbox” – also known as the experimental tabletop – and starts layering and mixing, taking clients through a variety of tabletop vignettes. She combines fine china and high-end pieces with more casual and affordable everyday items helping clients create a personal

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Jung Lee on tableware Not only does Jung Lee deliver a unique and individual curation of products in her store and online but a priceless education on how to dine at home.

Deco blue glasses, Ichendorf Deco collection, produced with light glass-blowing technique

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We sell things that can stand the test of time – that are classic, versatile and tell a story, but that are also conversation-starting and memorable, that can be used for many purposes, that can be used every day, and that you would want to hand down to the next generation. style based on their needs that is beautiful, effortless and functional. “We select a pattern they might like then mix it up with something else and something else again to create a whole system that is versatile for their lifestyle and the occasions they live through. “We show them dinner with six of their best friends, breakfast with their family. We show them different seasons and how to dress up casual with a few key pieces. “People often bring in pieces they’ve inherited as a starting point to their look or bridal list and we design around this. Our consultations are very practical, which follows our philosophy. We don’t believe in clutter or extra unnecessary stuff, we believe in function and practicality… and in beauty, of course.” According to Jung every item you choose should serve multiple purposes because when something can be used in many different ways it becomes invaluable. She gets you to think about products creatively. “We sell things that can stand the test of time – that are classic, versatile and tell a story, but that are also conversation-starting and memorable, that can be used for

many purposes, that can be used every day, and that you would want to hand down to the next generation.” Jung doesn’t believe in cluttering your life with too many things but instead with things you love and that can be used beyond the item’s intended purpose. “The core of our business is about showing people how they can mix products to really use them and appreciate them, how they can style it up.” She also believes people should enjoy the best products every day, from the most delicate dinnerware to the most luxurious crystal. “The things you touch and interact with on a daily basis should delight you,” says Jung, outlining that all couples should get beautiful china, quality flatware, beautiful crystal stemware and unique items that reflect joint style. “Here, we showcase how the things that surround us every day can in fact elevate us. I hate things just sitting in a cupboard, I want people to pick things they love and need and not be afraid to use the fine stuff. To take care of things, but to show them off.” A masterclass in the creation of memorable and relevant tablescapes,

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Jung’s aesthetic is all about mixing and matching. She sees her store as a natural extension of her work in events, where she mixes high and low items to create spaces and experiences that are eclectic, luxurious and tailored to each clients’ taste. “Millennials are interested in craftsmanship, they are more educated, and the way they eat and entertain is different. They love mixing pieces together, to create their own unique statement look. “We don’t organise by brand, which I know is a departure from most luxury retail points, but I wanted to mix premium brands with smaller less-known brands and different price points,” explains Jung, pointing out how different brands can and should enhance one another. “Today’s consumers shop in a lifestyle way and like with fashion, they mix high and low so retailers need to follow suit – it’s about curating a distinct point of view and telling a story.” Even the brands have bought into such a concept, with Jung getting a “really positive response, with many premium brands taking cue from our approach and doing similar things.” Baccarat sourced all its accessories

My own aesthetic is on the contemporary side of things, I especially love Art Deco.

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There is a trend towards casual dining today, most clients want casual but with the ability to dress it up and make it work with more ﬁne dining or statement pieces.

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We ﬁnd more and more people are setting up their own home bars, people are having cocktail parties at home and want the pieces to pull it off.

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I believe tableware should journey with you throughout the seasons.

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Having an everyday dinner service and a formal dinner service doesn’t make sense today and that’s how I think about everything in the home, from the bar to the table.

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We encourage bridal couples to register for more items than they need and we hold all of the pieces. This way, they’re not getting products piecemeal, but all at once. The process is very organised and user-friendly. We can re-conﬁgure what they want too.

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TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 37

Jung Lee A/W tableware trends

Retail New York

Jung Lee has highlighted statement barware, sushi vessels and glamorous trays as tableware trends for A/W and moving into 2017. The main tabletop trend right now is that “every tablescape should deliver individual-looking place settings but an overall cohesiveness”, says Jung. “It’s all about mixing different types of materials along with different finishes, whether gold, silver, polished or matte. matte””

Acrylic V&A goblet, Mario Luca Giusti Perfect for casual and upscale, it’s looks just like crystal but is acrylic

The store wall, Jung Lee Atomiser, Seletti Colourful mouthblown glass dispenser for kitchen or bathroom

Statement barware

We select a pattern they m might ightt like then mix it up with something else and something mething else again to create a whole system that is versatile for their lifestyle and the occasions theyy live through.

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from Jung Lee for the Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York, which opened last year, and “interior designers often visit the store for their clients”. The boutique brings together a unique selection of high and low priced home goods, from $20 through to thousands of dollars, each carefully curated piece telling a story and designed to spark creativity and inspiration; unusual one-of-a-kind and exclusive items sourced from Jung’s worldwide travels. “I’ve been visiting Maison & Objet, Paris, and Ambiente for the past 15 years for my events company. I love visiting the European shows especially, Scandinavia has such a proliferation of innovation.” At the Jung Lee store, you can find Baccarat crystal, Hermes china and Christofle silverware, as well as intriguing pieces from small manufacturers, everywhere from Japan to Morocco. There’s everything from Hermes Art-Deco-inspired cup-and-saucer sets and Christian Lacroix Vista Alegre butterfly plates to Mario Luca Giusti acrylic colour-saturated goblets and Ichendorf cruets. Jung only curates pieces she herself likes so “you’re unlikely to find an entire set or line of a particular 38 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Colour block glass, Ichendorf Clear and amber borosilicate glass

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pattern ern or collection here... the boutique tique is just like my home”. The store is given a visual merchandising chandising makeover three timess a year, as well as smaller updates ates throughout the year. “We We do a lot of our buying in January/February ary/February at the shows so receive huge shipments in spring, and this drives the new look for the store – so the event production team will change things up.” The store is also complemented by an online offering, which is proving popular as Jung’s clients live all over the US, have second or third homes in different locations worldwide, and tend to be very busy. “We’ve sold quite a bit online. People are busier today and don’t always feel the need to feel and touch everything they buy. We also find a lot of millennials like to start their search online.” So what of the future? Jung has another store in the pipeline, “a larger platform that will be a bigger extension of the current store but delivering the same approach and format”. Watch this stunning space. www.jungleeny.com

Deco pitcher, Ichendorf Produced with light glass-blowing craft technique, but solid and dishwasher-safe

Sushi stuff

Porcelain cup, Hubsch White cup for hot/ cold drinking or as a decorative vase

Bloom soya sauce jug, Georg Jensen In mirror polished stainless steel Wood tray, Notre Monde Inspired by the European travels of the company founders, the trays have a short, raised, slightly distressed edge

Glamour trays Doris grey tray, Made Goods Shagreen tray with textured handles

attimo

www.crystalex.cz

Navigate Rebu This natural bamboo design, with its eco-friendly credentials, sits well within a more natural store setting like a garden centre

Retail Focus

Portmeirion Botanic Garden Portmeirion ﬁnds that ranges featuring a countryside design and product designed for outdoor dining do well

Originality key Like other retailers, the key to attracting customers is creating a unique experience and a point of difference, and garden centres clearly have a headstart here with their locations and natural appeal. We’re seeing a broadening of the type of product sold within garden centres and also a move towards high-quaity, more original products that can’t be found in the average outof-town stores. Alejandro Campos, event director, Top Drawer

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What’s key for garden centres is the offer of a different kind of product so when it comes to curation, those buyers tend to look for something that isn’t already on the high street. Carol Paris, chief executive, Horticultural Trades Association

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40 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Garden centre growth From trade shows witnessing more buyers to tableware manufacturers ﬁnding sales growth, the garden centre segment of retail is a major growth area of tabletop in the UK. We ﬁnd out more

arden centres in the UK are increasingly becoming successful retail destinations for the sales of tableware and kitchenware products. Carol Paris, chief executive of the UK Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), who has almost 20 years in the garden centre retail industry, has witnessed “extraordinary growth in the categories now on offer at garden centre outlets”. From once selling only plants, garden centres in the UK today – now referred to as retail destinations – “offer everything from cookshop to fashion to greetings cards to restaurants serving afternoon tea”, says Carol. Many HTA members (there are thousands of members with around 1,550 retailers) have seen “excellent growth on housewares and cookshop departments”, in particular, with the majority of garden centres throughout the UK having “added further retail categories in order to pull in incremental business”. Along with the growth of restaurants/cafes, Carol cites Christmas and gifting as major growth areas with homeware, and kitchenware, in particular,

burgeoning categories for such retail outlets; homeware on average taking up some 60 to 80 sqm of space in a garden centre. The dining category – tableware and kitchenware – fits the garden centre environment with its focus on the growing and eating of food, and so “the selling of kitchenware, tableware and gourmet food products is a natural and complementary fit”, explains Carol. She adds: “The proliferation of cooking shows, popularity of The Great British Bake Off, increased interest in cooking and entertaining at home, and passion for farm-to-table and organic, has also certainly seen increased demand for kitchenware and tableware, and especially bakeware.” But you won’t see piles of pots and pans or stacks of white plates and bowls in a garden centre, rather, it will be beautifully packaged small sets or individual pieces that are highly giftable, with gift the main priority in the curation of product. “Garden centres tend to be places where impulse buyers are prolific, so the offer of something giftable, different and interesting fits in with this,” says Carol. “So,

kitchenware and tableware that is highly giftable is the focus for most garden centre retailers.” She adds: “Rather than individual products, what sells well is sets – whether tapas sets or mug and coaster sets, which are also packaged beautifully.”

Focus on gifting On the tableware front, Carol cites T&G Woodware, Maxwell & Williams, Portmeirion, Denby, Creative Tops and Le Creuset as brands that do well in garden centres, with all of them “successful at having tapped into the gifting market”. Portmeirion Group, which distributes via the largest garden centres across the UK and finds garden centres to be “an important part of our sales model”, says Phil Atherton, sales and marketing director and agrees that “gift items are key in the garden centre context”. The same is true for Tradestock, a British tabletop manufacturer and supplier that has “witnessed fantastic growth in this area over the past three years, with our business in garden centres having doubled” and with 25 per cent of its total independent business now accountable to garden centres.

Denby Mugs

Tradestock placemats

Denby’s selection of mugs, all beautifully gift-boxed, do well in garden centres

James Martin by Denby Beautifully packaged giftable sets sell well like these concept food sets

Placemats and coasters featuring ﬂoral, gardenrelated or foodie surface designs do well

Navigate Atlantic Navigate’s outdoor dining ranges are success at garden centres

Portmeirion Wrendale Designs Countryside themes do well, like Hannah Wrendale’s nature decor

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Nature-inspired product or anything with a craft look and feel always does well, with designer Alex Clark’s animal and farmyard-inspired designs, which feature on many categories of product, selling well in garden centres. Carol Paris, chief executive, Horticultural Trades Assocation Offering a vast spectrum of products spanning kitchen and dining, the focus is heavy on gift, with the delivery of its “giftable concepts” a key area of development that “offers garden centres a ready-made complete coordinated display covering many product sectors”, says Keith. One of its latest key concepts for AW is its iStyle My Home branded Christmas collections, which encompass several Christmas-themed surface designs on a selection of items, including placemats, coasters, trays and hot drinks glassware, along with coordinated ranges of square faux leather glitter placemats in traditional festive colours, and candles. Outside of gift concepts, glassware – both the company’s own iStyle My Home brand and its distribution of the Durobor brand – is an “area we’ve had great success with in garden centres”, says Keith. Offering everything from everyday drinkware to hot drinks collections, many are gift packaged and also “address current hot trends, such as prosecco, craft beers and multifunction glassware for the serving of both drinks and foods”.

A new dimension to the Tradestock portfolio, “which is going down well in garden centres and is a natural evolution to its tabletop offering” is the introduction of LED candles, as well as the company’s FreeForm trays and its placemats and coasters also do well, especially those featuring “floral or gardenrelated surface designs.” Its licenced designs from Howard Shooter, ranging from rustic seashells to stylised Pretty Butterflies “sit well within the garden environment” as does its Royal Mail licence which features perfect-for-garden-centre designs such as Birds of Britain and British Butterflies. And, from a functional perspective, its FreeForm trays with their flat-to-formed-to-flat concept make them a “fabulous accessory for outdoor dining”.

Nature-themed HTA’s Carol also finds “natureinspired product or anything with a craft look and feel always does well”, with designer Alex Clark’s animal and farmyard-inspired designs, which feature on many categories of product, “selling well in garden centres”. Alejandra Campos, event director at Top Drawer, a trade

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show that launched its Craft, Food and Home sectors partly in response to addressing product categories that are becoming more key to garden centres, says that products with particular appeal for garden centre customers are those with a “unique and craft-like appearance” and those “that have an indoor/ outdoor application like lighting, planters, furniture or tableware”. Portmeirion Group also finds that ranges featuring a countryside or natural design or product designed for outdoor dining work well for them in garden centres. Phil says: “We work with garden centres to produce bespoke and/or seasonal ranges often with a floral, natural or countryside theme.” Navigate, a company specialising in products primarily for outdoor living, and for whom garden centres play a notable part in retail sales with “a growth of 50 per cent in the last five years in the number of centres we sell to”, does similar – creating picnic and kitchen accessories specifically for garden centres. “Over the last ﬁve years, in the UK and overseas, there’s been a rise of around 30 per cent in Navigate’s picnic and kitchen

What sells well at garden centres Royal Worcester Wrendale Designs Portmeirion Group say the mug and giftware collection featuring wildlife designs from Hannah Wrendale and produced by Portmeirion are one of its bestsellers.

Portmeirion Botanic Garden range Bestsellers for Portmeirion Group at garden centres include its Botanic Garden range, a classic design which features botanicals, while over the Christmas period, The Holly & The Ivy Portmeirion range always sell wells.

Navigate’s Rebu range An eco-friendly natural bamboo collection in bright, dip-dyed colours of salad bowls, servers and side dishes, suitable for indoor and out and with sustainable credentials.

Beau & Eliot’s oven to tableware A boutique brand of Navigate, Beau & Eliot’s tableware and kitchenware pieces do well, as does oven to tableware, textiles and kitchen storage for Navigate.

Denby’s Elements range Denby’s selection of Mugs, James Martin by Denby Gastro range, which is gift-boxed, and Denby’s new capsule tableware range Elements, all do really well.

Tradestock’s Royal Mail licenced product Natural designs such as Birds of Britain and British Butterflies are feauted as surface designs on a range of giftable product, including FreeForm trays (flat to form to flat trays), placemats and coasters. TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 41

Gordale Garden Centre

Retail Focus

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We work with garden centres to produce bespoke and/or seasonal ranges. Phil Atherton, sales and marketing director, Portmeirion

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accessories speciﬁcally developed for multiple garden centres,” say the brand, pointing to its perennial garden centre favourite, Rebu, a natural bamboo design of salad bowls/servers featuring a bright, dip-dyed design. As well as its ability to sit “comfortably within a more natural store setting”, its suitability for outdoor and indoor dining and its “eco-friendly, sustainable credentials, highlighted with its POS material” are what make it of particular appeal for many eco-aware gardeners and garden centre retailers alike, say Navigate. Along with its outdoor ranges, what sells well for Navigate at garden centres is kitchen storage, textiles, and oven to tableware.

Show business It’s not just the manufacturers catering to garden centre growth with giftable concepts or products, however. Trade shows have also spotted chances to increase visitor/ exhibitor numbers by appealing directly to garden centre buyers. This year, Exclusively Housewares and its sister show Exclusively Electrical partnered with the HTA with the aim of encouraging more of its garden centre members to attend the show. “Garden centre buyers have always attended the show,” says show director Simon Boyd, “but we wanted to spread the word about the opportunities for retailing housewares and small domestic appliances more widely among garden centres, so we agreed to collaborate with the Association this year to actively encourage their members to attend.” It certainly makes retail sense. With housewares now providing genuine incremental business for garden centre retailers, Carol at the HTA believes “Exclusively 42 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

is the show to attend for garden centre buyers who want to set up, develop or expand a homeware department in store”. But there are other shows getting in on the garden centre action. Autumn Fair, already a popular show for garden centre buyers, with 5 per cent of its visitors hailing from garden centres, has “seen an increase of 59 per cent year-on-year for garden centre retail visitors”, says portfolio director Naomi Barton. “Garden centres are diversifying their product ranges on oﬀer to cater to their visitors who are happy to visit a ‘one-stop-shop’ retail outlet for home and gift products, as well as core garden centre items.” Garden centres have also been a key visitor category for Top Drawer, with the show always having had a “strong appeal for garden centre buyers”, says Alejandro. Recent developments and additions to the show have signiﬁcantly increased this appeal, including the addition of Home, in part a “response to increasing space being given over to nonhorticultural product within many garden centres for whom homeware is now an important element,” says Alejandro, adding that “the same goes for Food and Craft, both sectors within which we have launched dedicated shows within Top Drawer in recent years and which address the product categories that are becoming more important for garden centres.” The Food Emporium, for example, was launched in January and is already the biggest food gift event in the UK with over 150 exhibitors forecast for January 2017. “We work closely with exhibitors like Garden Trading, Grand Illusions and White Brands to ensure Top Drawer is always ahead of trends.”

Jill Nicholson, chief buyer, www.gordale.co.uk Jill Nicholson is one of two main buyers for Gordale Garden Centre in Cheshire, which oﬀers a coﬀee shop, play area, gardens and retail, including a food hall, home department and gift shop. Jill attends three UK trade shows, including Home & Gift with Gordale sourcing from the Harrogate show for more than 30 years. “Here at Gordale, we have one of the largest gift shops on the Wirral,” says Jill. The home department delivers an extensive range of ceramics, glassware, cutlery and kitchenware from brands like Portmeirion, Dunoon, Denby, Dartington Pottery, Emile Henry, Joseph Joseph and Rayware.

On dining sales Cookware is a good department, especially pickup lines and coloured items. Mugs

always do well in all price brackets, and individual pans – not pan sets – sell well. Glasses, napkins and table linen do less well for us.

On visual merchandising Visual display is important, we change displays regularly but not as a department, sections within change each month. We may do a colour theme or general theme like Leaving School or Wedding Present, telling people to use us for such events and not just pick up when buying plants.

On trade shows Trade shows are vital to us, you can really see the quality of a product as well as its size at a show, which you can’t see in a book and reps can’t carry so much with them or don’t have suﬃcient time to go to all the suppliers.

Notcutts Claudia Roberts, home & gift buyer www.notcutts.co.uk Claudia is responsible for buying in home & gift, clothing and food across all 18 Notcutts garden centres. Notcutts is a family-owned business with a heritage of more than a century, and stocks plenty of home and giftware with departments including The Kitchen Shop.

On dining sales Kitchen textiles and mugs are popular, a mug with a dog on it will always sell well. Brands that do well for us include, for Home, Ulster Weavers, as they oﬀer more contemporary prints, and Biggie Best, easy to buy and not too expensive.

On visual merchandising Visual merchandising is absolutely key for all retail but especially garden centres as impulse buying is proliﬁc.

This means customers need to be inspired to buy. Garden centres can look like charity shops if you’re not careful, so having a vision and central theme or several themes that pull it all together is important. This is a particular strength of ours.

On trade shows We attend an exhaustive list of trade shows, the main UK ones, plus Speciality Food Fair and Pulse, and international shows like Ambiente, Maison & Objet Paris and the Hong Kong Housewares Fair. I don’t like to miss out on anything, or think there’s territory I haven’t walked… you never know what you might miss. It’s important trade shows create the right environment for a buyer, not make it too large and unwieldy, but oﬀer enough.

rebecca

www.cr ystalex.cz

Retail Museum Shop

Best in glass Like the museum itself, The Shops at The Corning Museum of Glass have been created and curated to engage, educate and inspire visitors about glass. We speak to buyer Meghan Bunnell

ow much can you say about glass? Well, quite a lot actually. And that’s the story behind The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG), a not-forprofit museum located in Corning, New York, that is dedicated to telling the story of a single material – glass. “Glass is a versatile, ancient material that is still being explored and understood by artists, scientists, and historians today,” say the Museum. “The story of glass is about art, history, culture, technology, science, craft and design – we tell that story here.” The Corning Museum of Glass, which was founded in 1951 by Corning Glass Works (now Corning Incorporated), cares for and displays the world’s best collection of art and historical glass, featuring more than 3,500 years of history, from the glass portrait of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh through to contemporary sculpture made in glass. But it’s not just the admiration of, and learning about, glass that’s important here, part of the mission of the Museum is to encourage visitors to appreciate and therefore invest in glass and in the industry. And the co-located Museum Stores, dedicated almost exclusively to the retailing of both functional and decorative glass objects from both well-known brands and emerging designers, delivers just this. Located on the ground level, The Museum Shops celebrate and share the beauty and functionality of glassware, offering an extensive variety of glass and glass-related items. “The CMoG mission is to tell the world about glass by engaging, educating and inspiring visitors and the community through the art, history and science of glass,” says head of buying Meghan Bunnell. “We carry products from vendors across the world that help us further that mission. We offer a variety of

products, and our store stands out due to our large footprint, which allows us to have such an expansive inventory. We strive to be innovative and grow the Shops sales through education and promotion of our mission.” The Shops oﬀer hundreds of vendors, from local artists like Dan Mirer, Jeﬀ Mack and Nancy Gong, to large manufacturers such as Orrefors and Moser and, says Meghan, “our selections change on a daily basis as we strive to keep a nice selection of products with a fresh take”. A team of buyers, including Meghan, work together to select products and they “use the Museum events as inspiration for many of our product selections”, says Meghan. “Our focus is to have an excellent selection of glass products – we strive to be a leader in the glass industry and we’re constantly working to improve.” The criteria for selection is that products either “need to be made of glass or be glass-related”, explains Meghan. And because they host visitors from all across the world, they “like to provide something for everyone’s style at every price point, helping in our success by allowing all our visitors to take a memento home from their visit”. The Shops’ selection of some 15,000 items includes jewellery, accessories, holiday ornaments, homeware and collectables across every price range. There are beautiful and original works of glass art by more than 200 emerging and established artists, local artisans like Vitrix Hot Glass Studio and Chris Giordano and other artists like Jack Pine and Gabriele Kustner, Glass Eye Studio and Eidos, as well as from renowned brands such as Swarovski, Moser, Lalique and Iittala. Glassware brands, such as Waterford, Kosta Boda, Orrefors, Iittala, Riedel and Simon Pearce deliver everyday glassware items for the home,

We strive to be innovative and grow the Shops’ sales through education and promotion of our mission. We use the Museum events as inspiration for many of our product selections

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with everything from pitchers and stemware, to decanters and vases. There are champagne flutes from Waterford Marquis, the iconic Kastehelmi bowls designed by Oiva Toikka by Iittala, colourful Pebbles bowls courtesy of Moser and Woodbury DOFs from Simon Pearce. In addition, there are supplementary offerings, non-glass homeware – cafetieres from Bodum, kitchen gadgets from Joseph Joseph, porcelain dinnerware from Corelle and storageware from Pyrex – and books and DVDs covering all aspects of glass. The buying team also looks for collaborations or special commissions. Last year, to celebrate the Museum’s expansion, they reached out to Alfred University to commission a piece for sale. Undergraduate-level glass students were tasked with creating a cost-effective marketable design, having the piece approved by the Shops’ buyers, then creating the products, and delivering. “We wanted to create an opportunity for artists to use this monumental moment for the glass community as inspiration. We have many great artists and designers within

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the glass community and it seemed like a natural choice to work with students,” says Meghan. “From housewares to craft, our team attends more than 10 wholesale shows each year to source products, as well as making museum and studio visits searching for exciting innovative products.” As with any other retail location, merchandising in the Museum Shops is really important. “We work with a decorator to develop seasonal displays that help in keeping our store on-trend as well as being a fun space to shop in, and encouraging our visitors to come every season to see the store changes.” Seasonal events tie in with this, such as the annual Glass Farmer’s Market in October, which gathers together thousands of glass pumpkins, apples, acorns, and more, all of which are handmade in glass, for visitors to buy for their fall table. Another strategy the buyers use is involving visitors, where possible, “with glassmaking – any chance we have to let our visitors touch or interact with the glass, we try to take advantage of”, concludes Meghan.

Glass brands & artists...Waterford, Iittala, Riedel, Kosta Boda, Moser, Lalique, Swarovski, Simon Pearce, Pyrex, Orrefors, Arbiter Collection, Liuli Crystal Art, Holmegaard, Anna Ehrner, Catherine Labonte, Glass Eye Studio, Two Tone Studios, Jack Pine Studio, Eidos, Chihuly Workshop, Josh Simpson, Paul J. Standkard, Gabriele Kustner, Bodum, Corelle, Joseph Joseph, Jonathan Adler, Peggy Karr, Kenny Pieper, Orbix Hot Glass, Ben Dombey, Stephanie Trenchard, Victor Chiarizia

kate

www.cr ystalex.cz

Interview Royal Crown Derby

Darley Abbey Harlequin

“I’m passionate about ceramics” Having just steered the sell of international tableware company Steelite Inernational and acquired ownership of British ﬁne bone china specialists Royal Crown Derby, ceramics leader Kevin Oakes discusses tableware trends, the importance of British manufacturing, and how he intends to secure the future of one of Britain’s oldest porcelain manufacturers

evin Oakes is a man who lives, sleeps and breathes ceramics. For nearly four decades, this British businessman, who has helped steer ceramic companies Steelite and Royal Crown Derby through challenging times, has dedicated himself to the industry and, in particular, to the championing of British ceramics. As chairman of the British Pottery Manufacturers Federation Trustees and due to become the president of the British Ceramic Confederation next year, “I’ve always fought for Britishmade ceramics”, says Kevin. “I’m hugely passionate about ceramics and especially about ceramics in this country, after all, I’ve always fought for Steelite to be made in this country, and for Royal Crown Derby to continue to be made here,” explains Kevin, who has lobbied government to have ‘country of origin’ labelling on UKmade pottery, so manufacturers that move production oﬀshore cannot pass their product oﬀ as British-made. Kevin was at Steelite International, a global leader in the manufacture and supply of tableware in hospitality,

46 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

for an incredible 39 years. He joined Royal Doulton Tableware in 1977, then comprising brands such as Royal Doulton, Beswick, Royal Crown Derby, Royal Albert, Queen Anne and Steelite (then under the Dunn Bennett name and the Hotelware Division of Royal Doulton) and boasting 18 factories. Kevin continued on at Steelite after it was bought by David Edward Dunn Johnson in 1983, becoming Steelite International and, in 2013, while chief executive, Kevin led the acquisition by Steelite of fine bone china manufacturer Royal Crown Derby. In his 10-year tenure as chief executive, Kevin took sales at Steelite from £45 million to over £100 million, with the last six years seeing record sales, and was awarded Ernst & Young Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year for 2012 and presented with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2013. “The single biggest challenge I had was steering the company through the financial crisis,” remembers Kevin. “I took over as chief executive in 2006, we had two years of record performance and then the financial crisis hit and we were plunged into a situation of forced redundancies and

cost-saving measures. But we managed to come out of 2009, a very challenging year, with a proﬁt of £5 million – it was my single greatest challenge and result.” While 2009 and subsequent years have been highly successful for Kevin as a businessman, it is this year – 2016 – that sees Kevin’s passion for ceramics reach its pinnacle. Not only has Kevin been recognised with an Honorary Doctorate from Staﬀordshire University in recognition of his distinguished career and his championing of the ceramics industry, but he’s just put his money where his mouth is, investing more than £1 million of his own money to acquire 100 per cent of the share capital in Royal Crown Derby. The acquisition, which happened late June, was the result of a bigger deal that saw Steelite International acquired by Americas Division president, John Miles, and PNC Riverarch Capital. For Kevin, who had seen the company through very challenging times, the sale of Steelite was a “lifechanging decision, the toughest decision of my life so far,” says Kevin. “I spent time investigating every single option open to the business

and came to the conclusion that it was in the best interests of everyone to put the business in the hands of the existing management team. Who better to ensure the future success of the company than those I’ve worked with and totally trust and, of course, who have strong ﬁnancial backing. “Steelite has been my life’s work and I’m delighted to hand the business over to the team.” For Kevin, Royal Crown Derby, is the “icing on my ceramics career”. He adds: “If someone had said to me that at the end of 39 years at Steelite, I would own Royal Crown Derby, I would have been blown away but overjoyed – I’ve always seen it as the pinnacle of the Royal Doulton brands. “I love the company and the brand, I love the heritage and the history, but more than that, I love the skill involved and the workforce, who are just so brilliant, so loyal, so committed, and so massively skilled. It’s an honour and privilege to be a part of it.” One of the oldest remaining English porcelain manufacturers, the 266-yearold brand, which supplies both retail and hospitality sectors in more than 50 countries, positions itself as a leading

Pearl Palace

Royal Crown Derby by Numbers

Iconic British Bulldog paperweight

Bespoke collection for The Dorchester

The number of years Kevin was on the Steelite International board, he was at Steelite for 39 years, chief executive for ten.

The percentage of Royal Crown Derby tableware that is made in the UK, in the company’s Derbyshire-based factory.

100

The number of people working at Royal Crown Derby’s Osmaston Works factory.

130 Handpainting expertise

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We’re investing in new ranges and new surface patterns. Product innovation is key, our aim to have more product coming to market more regularly provider of luxury tableware on the highest pedestal of retail, as well as offering luxury, bespoke tableware for HoReCa, private individuals and interior designers. “Over recent years, we’ve successfully diversified the business into the luxury hospitality market and we’re now proud suppliers to leading establishments, such as The Dorchester, Warwick Castle and Waldorf Astoria London, and we’ve recently secured the Wynn Casino in Macau,” says Kevin. Its British heritage and artisanship – the company has an in-house design team who deliver on-site design consultations – has led to collaborations too with Bettys Tearooms, delivering tableware for its reservation-only Lady Betty Afternoon Tea; and a commission in 2015 by five-star London hotel, The Dorchester, saw the creation of a bespoke 15-piece banqueting china collection, its largest-ever order to date in hospitality. For the company, bespoke commissions count for around “a third of business sales”, says Kevin, pointing to everything from commissions for Historic Royal Palaces, to corporate gifting, to the handpainting of an iconic Royal Opera House piece. “Demand for unique product is one of two big trends happening in the tableware industry right now,” comments Kevin. “Customers want something unique, to have the only piece of something in the world – to have a one-off is valuable and if quality and heritage exist alongside this, the value will only appreciate.”

The other big trend gaining traction is “the casualisation of the table”, says Kevin, and while Royal Crown Derby continues to focus on the luxury end of the market, “we’ve developed new casual concepts both in retail and hospitality” to tap into the trend. In fact, two of its new casual ranges are being marketed exclusively in key markets by Steelite and moving forward “Royal Crown Derby will continue to work with Steelite, who will represent us in the global hospitality market”, says Kevin. He adds: “We’re investing both in new ranges and in new surfaces and patterns. Product innovation is key, our aim to have new product coming to the market more regularly, to present new product at the shows. “The signiﬁcant experience and skill of our workforce allows us to introduce new, technically challenging products and we’ll soon be launching tableware and giftware collections that we believe will be hugely successful.” And while market conditions remain challenging, Kevin believes investment is key and has plans to “implement changes across all areas of the business to ensure it is appropriately structured and resourced”. He has already started investing in new equipment, technology and people, and will soon be investing in a new website, new IT infrastructure, as well as marketing and market research. “Royal Crown Derby is one of the UK’s most iconic brands and I’ve always passionately believed the business can succeed on the global stage. I plan to invest heavily in the

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business to ensure our long-term vision is realised. “We’ve just appointed a new head of global sales for hospitality, and I’m currently making other appointments within the business, restructuring the company, promoting a number of people to new roles. We’ll have a new structure and new focus.” With an objective “to double Royal Crown Derby’s turnover in five years”, Kevin believes in re-investing profits. “I’ve always believed in making a profit and putting that money back into the business – that’s the secret to business success and it will be no different with Royal Crown Derby. “At this company, we don’t just have skill, heritage and artistry, but also, like our iconic British bulldog paperweight, we have a bulldog spirit, we have tenacity and determination, and my message to the company, to the UK government, and to the wider ceramics industry is that we are backing British skills, British heritage and British manufacturing. “We are committed to longterm manufacturing in Derby and I’m confident that with targeted investments in our team, factory and product innovation, the outlook for the business is positive and exciting.” Royal Crown Derby recently launched new tableware and giftware at Maison & Objet, Paris, and its new casual tableware for hospitality, which will be showcased on the Steelite International stands globally. Kevin is an expert speaker at the Arita Ceramics Symposium in Japan, November 16-17. See page 32. www.royalcrownderby.co.uk

A potted history Huguenot, Andrew Planche established the first china works in Derby in 1750. A relationship with William Duesbury, owner of Chelsea China Works and the Bow moulds, and the subsequent transference of skilled craftsmen to Derby from 1770 onwards, led to the increased awareness of the Derby China Works and the subsequent opening of a London showroom in 1773. King George II recognised the uniqueness of Derby porcelain in 1775 when he granted the factory the rare honour of being able to include a crown into the backstamp. Later, in 1890, Queen Victoria gave the company her approval by awarding the royal warrant and granting the title The Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company. The Osmaston Road factory in Derby was opened in 1877, the start of a period of growth and diversification, with new shapes and decorative techniques added to Derby styles, including raised gilding and piercing, together with rich colours of Persian and Indian art. Royal Crown Derby (RCD) was acquired by S. Pearson and Son in 1964, becoming part of Allied English Potteries Group, which subsequently bought Royal Doulton, before former director of Royal Doulton Hugh Gibson, led a buy-out of RCD in 2000. After Hugh retired in 2012, the company was acquired the following year by Steelite, and sets its sights on a new market providing fine bone china tableware to luxury hospitality. In 2016, Kevin Oakes acquired 100 per cent of the share capital. RCD continues to be Made in England. TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 47

Trade Talk HORECA

Hospitality hot in tableware From a rise in colourful tableware and demand for whiteware that pushes the boundaries of design creativity, ﬁve HoReCa manufacturers and suppliers of tableware discuss industry growth, tabletop demands and the latest trends

“There’s been a rise in colourful tableware”

Artistry Collection, Schoenwald

Libbey Foodservice Susan Dountas, director foodservice marketing https://foodservice.libbey.com Libbey Foodservice, a division of Libbey Inc., offers a full spectrum of inspired tableware products from fine dining to casual, manufacturing and distributing the complete tabletop, including Libbey Glassware and Master’s Reserve, a collection of premium glassware; Syracuse China dinnerware; and World Tableware dinnerware and flatware. In addition, Libbey Foodservice distributes the Artistry Collection, which includes Schoenwald dinnerware, Spiegelau and Nachtmann glassware and Reed & Barton flatware, in select markets. What demands do hospitality providers place on tableware? Most hospitality providers would agree that durability and versatility are crucial. They need products to stand the test of hundreds of washes and handling. Superior service from suppliers is also a big differentiator. Most dining/bar establishments tend to change their tabletop concepts every few years to keep 48 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

things fresh, this means the tableware they choose must stay relevant. Operators are constantly seeking new ways to differentiate their establishments, staying on top of emerging trends and identifying ways to bring those trends to life is key. Libbey provides trend information, data and interpretation through our Professional Insights initiative (http:// insights.libbey.com) and we also match those insights with trend-right tabletop products. Any growth in particular categories or segments? A number of food and beverage trends are influencing the need for new tableware products. Trends toward communal dining, local/fresh and global flavours continue to be popular and are expected to grow. To present these trends at their best, chefs need to incorporate tableware/serveware that adds flair with interesting shapes, textures and sizes. Recent additions to our tableware line include Coos Bay ovenware for authentic presentations

Driftstone

of global dishes like paella; and the Farmhouse collection to highlight more vegetable-centric proteins. Any other trends you’re seeing? While white plates have been a mainstay for years, and will continue to be, chefs are seeking new shapes, textures or accents in shades of white and in colour to enhance the look. Mix and match is a big trend and we’re excited to see chefs working to strike a balance between white and non-white tableware. Our latest dinnerware lines of Driftstone and Pebblebrook are examples of diﬀerent colours, textures and sizes that look beautiful alongside whiteware. Natural and organic shapes are continuing to grow across all segments – again, Driftstone and Pebblebrook incorporate organic coupe shapes with natural earthy tones and textures. There’s also been a rise in colourful tableware. Schoenwald from Libbey recently gave a sneak peek of the Shabby Chic collection at the NRA show, which mixes rustic blues and

grey patterns. Bowls are a huge trend and have become the dinnerware of choice based on their versatility. Day to night, there’s a bowl for every portion size and cuisine type to accommodate an operator’s menu from shared appetizers to desserts. What’s doing well for Libbey right now? The Master’s Reserve Collection has done very well in both full service restaurants and hospitality. The collection of premium glassware, which features ClearFire glass formulated with high brilliance soda lime for radiant shine, and an HD2 rim with high deﬁnition and high durability, has recently expanded to include barware and stemmed glasses. The Artistry Collection is also popular, it features dinnerware from Schoenwald, glassware from Spiegelau and Nachtmann and ﬂatware from Reed & Barton. It’s popular as the pieces are versatile and perform well, they are artistically-inspired, so great for framing food that is memorable.

Buﬀet selection

“There’s demand for more interesting whiteware” Craft

Steelite International

Heather Lovatt, head of marketing www.steelite.com Established in its current form in 1983, Steelite International has industry roots, which span more than 100 years. A privately-owned company employing more than 1,000 people in the UK and over 100 countries globally, Steelite has recently been acquired by Americas Division president John Miles, and PNC Riverarch Capital. The company’s core chinaware products are manufactured at its factory in Stoke-on-Trent, one of the most modern and eﬃcient production units in the world, with up to half a million pieces of ware made every week. Steelite trades with more than 140 countries across the globe, its business spanning a number of industry sectors, including commercial catering, from cruise lines to retirement homes, and the hospitality market, including restaurants, casinos and hotels. Hilton, Four Seasons and P&O are among its clients. Steelite hosts a number of portfolio brands, including Spiegelau glassware, Elia and Hepp cutlery and speciality knife collections, as well as being the exclusive supplier of Bodum to the UK hospitality industry.

Square starter plate

What demands do hospitality providers place on tableware? Presenting customers with plates that look out of place in their surroundings or are chipped and cracked or stained can alter a customers’ opinion of a restaurant, potentially impacting repeat custom and ultimately affecting the success of a business. Replacing plates every couple of weeks due to damage or general wear and tear will, over time, result in a lot of money being spent unnecessarily. Clients should seek proper advice before investing – we offer a consultative service that can help advise on tableware to look great, not just with food but interiors, too, and that will work for each business. Good commercial tableware is designed to withstand the daily rigours of a busy, modern professional kitchen, so Steelite’s vitrified ranges are made with high alumina content to ensure ultimate strength, and are covered by a lifetime edge-chip warranty. Any growth in particular categories or segments? We’re seeing the traditional barriers of fine and casual dining blurring, more and more high-end operators are focusing on giving customers

an experience – a sense of theatre, memories and value for money, rather than the pomp and ceremony typically associated with fine dining. Bowls are playing a major part in different food presentation options like buffets and world cuisine, which often require bowls of multiple sizes. We’ve also seen a real increase in bowls being used as part of the health food movement as they offer a perfect way to consistently measure and control portions. Any other trends you’re seeing? What we’re noticing now, in whiteware, is demand for more unique shapes and designs that push the boundaries of creativity, while maintaining that classic whiteware style. Our Frame range, for example, is a series of square and rectangle plates with a rim profile that is proportioned perfectly to balance against the plating area. The range is designed to act as a literal frame for food. There’s also been a huge switch towards coloured tableware over the last decade. The launch of our Craft range in 2012 confirmed this, the following year we launched an additional colourway due to its success. Orginally designed as a

casual concept, Craft is now used in fine dining. Over the last few years there’s been a huge growth in the number of street food outlets, one of the trends rising is Mexican cuisine, and tacos, in particular. We recently launched our Terramosa range to include square and rectangle pieces to fit the food, and in four colours that complement the hot and spicy ingredients. What brands/collections are doing well right now? Our Craft range has been a topseller since launching in 2012, its gem-like glazes marry with simple forms and shapes to produce a unique and individual appearance, giving the range a rustic joie de vivre. Each piece is individually hand-decorated, so no two pieces are ever the same. Further individuality is created in the kiln as the glaze reacts with the heat to produce beautiful and unique textured effects. Recently, we’ve seen a real growth in chefs creating rustic, artisan food from natural, locallysourced ingredients, and this is reflected in the popularity of the Craft range. TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 49

Trade Talk Hospitality

“Bone china is coming back to the table” Goodfellow & Goodfellow Valda Goodfellow, co-founder www.goodfshop.net Established in 2012, G&G originally focused on the high-quality restaurant sector, curating brands and creating products to appeal to the most demanding chefs. The company has since added ranges that appeal to all sectors, covering all dining styles and price points, from chain restaurants to Michelin-starred restaurants, and for restaurants, hotels, contract caterers and event caterers. Ceramic brands G&G carry include Narumi (bone china), Figgjo, Hering Berlin, Fuerstenberg, Montgolﬁer, Pieter Stockmans, Serax, Degrenne Paris, Costa Nova and Bonna, as well as unique products made in collaboration with its own producers. Other materials are also key, including wood, stone, copper, silver, pewter and glass. “We like to oﬀer clients a whole concept, which mixes interesting materials with ceramics for a truly individual style,” says co-founder Valda Goodfellow. What demands do hospitality providers place on tableware? Tableware is a major competitive issue – customers are looking for a total experience, the food has to taste good, and look good in its entire concept. Demands are unique to each 50 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

client but it’s generally a balance of price, durability, styling, what their competitors do, and whether it fits their concept. Clients expect products to be on the shelf at all times, for immediate fulfilment of orders, and so we have to carry a lot of stock to ensure good service. However, clients are now more understanding about products that are handcrafted or made toorder by smaller specialist producers. They’re willing to wait for something special or individual. Any growth in particular categories or segments? The casual dining market grew massively through the recession and is still growing but clients want to be innovative, they want something unique and different. We always put food first, building the solution around the food and if we don’t have something that ideally fits a particular dish, we’ll go and find someone to make it. This is particularly true with concepts for sharing food, we design serving formats that go beyond a platter. We’ve seen an increase in demand for small bowls, largely due to street food trends developing bowl food concepts and also tapas/social dining. Street food is a really interesting

Goodfellows Showroom

development and has a long way to go yet, mainly due to the increasing interest in all aspects of Asian cuisines. Any other trends you’re seeing? Since the end of the last recession and with the middle market catching up with the coloured, earthy plate trend, we’re now seeing fine dining restaurants return to a more elegant style of presentation, to differentiate their style. Whiteware is popular once more, but fine dining places want to differentiate their whiteware, it has to be distinguishable in material or styling. Bone china will always convey elegance and finesse, but there are amazing designers like Stefanie Hering and Pieter Stockmans, who offer individuality with great innovation and quality – this is where the market is moving towards. On the shape front, coupe shapes or rimless plates are a huge growth area, the majority of plates we sell are this. Tables are getting smaller – you can deliver the same size serving on a smaller coupe/rimless plate. We remember when everything matched on the table. What’s significant today is that restaurateurs want to stand out, they don’t just want to order from a catalogue anymore, they want advice, and personalisation.

What brands/collections are doing well right now? I think we’ve been at the forefront of bringing the use of bone china back to the table. For a long time, bone china was consigned to hotel use, particularly through the years of the Noma effect, where chefs and restaurateurs wanted their own designed stoneware plates. However, the sheer beauty and elegance of bone china is enchanting chefs and restaurateurs alike. Narumi supplies our bone china and they’re an amazing company, even offering bespoke designs for clients wanting an individual look. We see a lot of development at the highest levels in the market, where brands like Hering Berlin, Pieter Stockmans and Fuerstenberg offer amazing designs in white porcelain. We would also say that Montgolfier continues as a big favourite with chefs because of its reactive glazes and durability. For contract catering and buffet use, there’s no better brand than Figgjo. The development of its ranges have revolutionised the buffet sector in the last couple of years, and they’ve introduced plate ranges for modern casual dining that are strongly growing in popularity as they have accurately read the needs of this sector.

Melodia

“Being creative Utopia is key”

Soup + salad

“Coupe and organic shapes are trending” Dudson

Kathryn Oldershaw,

Dan Goodall, design director

marketing director www.utopiatableware.com With a sourcing network that spans the globe, Utopia stocks the UK’s most comprehensive range of tableware, encompassing brands including contemporary crystal glassware range, Nude; Pasabahce Professional; internationally renowned glassware manufacturers RCR and Rona; fine china and cutlery from Anton Black and cutlery from hospitality specialists, Eternum. Based in Chesterfield and with a dedicated showroom there and also in Holborn, London, Utopia gives customers the chance to experience the products first-hand. The range spans cutting-edge design through to hardwearing, practical and cost-effective solutions. Backed by a weight of sales and customer service expertise and bolstered by a nationwide network of distributor partners, the company is able to specify exactly the right range to help take front-of-house operations to new levels. What demands do hospitality providers place on tableware? Innovation, theatre and creativity are incredibly important factors for operators. The most savvy sites surprise and delight diners by squeezing multiple uses out of tableware and getting imaginative with service – whether it’s cocktails and smoothies served in ceramic milk bottles or miniature desserts in bento boxes, being creative is key. Not only does this make sense from a financial point of view, changing the traditional usage of certain pieces can also leave a lasting

www.dudson.com impression and showcase a real quirky point of diﬀerence. Any growth in particular categories or segments? Craft beer glasses and cocktail barware. With two new breweries reportedly opening each week in the UK, and the larger, multi-national brewers getting wise, the UK is in the middle of a craft beer uprising. The choice of glass is just as crucial when it comes to beer and can greatly enhance the subtle nuances of taste, smell and colour. At the other end of the drinks spectrum, cocktail culture is blazing a trail through the UK – and the cult of the mixologist has grown in line with the popularity of the drinks themselves. A sensory and visual process, even the most fundamental pieces of equipment need to match up to a venue’s surroundings. The value of imaginative presentation should not be overlooked and by choosing stylish glassware, operators can really add value. What brands/collections are doing well right now? Utopia’s Barware Collection, which provides every item from the measure to the pour to the very ﬁrst sip in the cocktail-making process, in a variety of vessels in various textures and materials, including hammered copper. All-important tools of the trade, such as shakers, strainers, ‘30s-inspired dash bottles, corkscrews, muddlers, spoons and beautiful seltzer syphons are in demand.

A world-leading specialist in the manufacture and supply of tableware to the hospitality industry, Dudson ceramic tableware is found in hotels and restaurants all over the world. Dudson combines cuttingedge design and state-of-the-art manufacturing with a wealth of experience within the hospitality market, and can adapt quickly to market trends so products reflect the latest food culture changes. Dudson offers two ranges of ceramics, Finest Vitrified Tableware, and Fine China, along with glass and cutlery from leading manufacturers. What demands do hospitality providers place on tableware? Main demands are longevity, aesthetics, fit for purpose and value for money, and this is especially relevant when designing bespoke tableware for our customers – the people factor is extremely important. We work together with our customers to produce tableware that uniquely represents their brand. In the banqueting sector where operators may require thousands of pieces, timelessness and longevity are key because of the initial outlay. The extreme demands of such a busy environment means quality of product is also key, and it has to stand up to the demands of a working kitchen, but also look a million dollars. Twist from the Dudson Fine China range is a good example of this – we offer our lifetime edge chip warranty on flat items, so the operator has peace of mind that the range is fit

for purpose. Twist is white, but with a subtle embossment that takes its inspiration for a classic ceramic design, so though modern, it’s also timeless – operators don’t have to worry about replacing tableware every few years. Any growth in categories? We’re seeing increased demand for bowls and flexibility of service items. Tableware should be suitable for all parts of a menu – starter, main/side and dessert. Sharing is still a big trend, but not necessarily sharing a large platter. The trend now is more for smaller individual portions, like tapas – serving various types of bowl food to be shared between diners. This is why we offer such a large selection of different sizes and shapes of bowl in our Harvest range. Any other trends you’re seeing? Coupe shapes and organic shapes. The handcrafted look is on-trend and reflects the farm-to-table philosophy. We’re also seeing more demand for colour, for example, Floral, which we only launched a couple of months ago, has exceeded our expectations in only a short space of time. What’s doing well right now? Harvest from our Finest Vitrified Tableware range is really popular at the moment. We only launched this last spring and it’s being ordered across all market segments from coffee shops to fine dining restaurants. Twist from our Fine China range is also doing extremely well in the banqueting sector. TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 51

Category Flatware

Sambonet Lorenzo Nasini, marketing manager Sambonet offers a wide range of cutlery with different price positioning, styles and materials, from everyday casual to luxury, at retail and HoReCa. Each year, Sambonet launches new lines and new finishes of evergreen products, such as photoengraving and vintage. How is the cutlery business for Sambonet? In Italy, we’ve been in a leadership position since starting out, in international markets, even where we have a consolidated position – many European countries – we’re seeing opportunities to enhance our business with a consistent marketing strategy towards retailers and customers. We’re also experiencing strong growth in new booming markets, thanks to our focus on making distribution more efficient.

With Asian markets more westernised, are you finding flatware growth here? China is changing extremely fast and there’s a hunger for new concepts from other countries. Generally, in China, cutlery from international brands needs to gain a higher position in the purchasing funnel. Since Made In Italy is popular in China, our task is to convince customers of the value of high-end cutlery through parallelism with other sectors, for example, ‘If you love Italian food, enjoy eating it with Italian flatware’. What are current consumer demands? For a few years now, there’s been a trend, especially in daily use, to spend less on cutlery, so the big challenge is to bring back the focus of customers to the pleasure of eating with high-quality cutlery – in terms of functionality, materials, style

Make cutlery count From current consumer demands to emerging trends and communicating the value of high-quality ﬂatware, we discover more from the industry experts

“Vintage, new industrial, and colourful decorative styles are on trend” and design. Gourmands and design lovers understand the pleasure, it’s convincing the wider consumer base. With giftable housewares growing, there’s certainly an opportunity for sets, not just made up of cutlery, but also in combination with porcelain. The synergies with the porcelain brands of our Group, like Rosenthal, Arzberg and Thomas, are key – it means we can oﬀer our customers a full package for the table. Any trends emerging? And how do you balance trends and timelessness? Vintage, new industrial, and colourful decorative styles are on trend. Some trends can appear to be in contrast, though they often combine well. We strongly believe Sambonet is a brand that balances trends with timeless design. We combine tradition with innovation and new trends.

What the operator says… “When selecting flatware, our criteria includes how the items look on the table, how they feel in the hand, and how durable they are. The design we choose must be in keeping with the rest of our restaurant design and tableware but it must also be user-friendly. We offer stainless steel cutlery over silver – firstly, because we have a small team and if silver isn’t looked after properly, it loses its appeal and we just don’t have the staff to do that, and secondly, because we are in the home of stainless steel, Sheffield. Carrs Silver, also based in Sheffield, is our preferred cutlery supplier – they offer us a bespoke service, so our entire cutlery range boasts our brand logo. They also offer a personal service and deliver great quality pieces. As diners are now more discerning than ever, it’s important restaurants recognise this and offer quality – our cutlery never goes unnoticed.” Alistair Myers, owner, Rafters Restaurant, Sheffield, UK

What do you offer retailers to support sales of cutlery? To be successful today, it’s crucial to find the right mix of different marketing components – one single element, even if strong, just isn’t enough. Displays, shop windows, brochures, packaging, online and offline advertising, events and training. What’s very important is to communicate every single element within a consistent, clear and effective marketing strategy. This year, for example, we want to sustain our flatware with a new shop window adding value to the product, highlighting the design, quality and extension of our medium to high collection – the same communication elements are available across all POS materials, something that differentiates us from the entry-level market.

What visual merchandising techniques can retailers utilise in the sales of cutlery? Some of the most simple tips are to show product honestly, and in situ. Don’t overwhelm customers, keep the collection tightly curated, featuring complementary brands that specialise in their own product categories. Show hints of the brand’s personality without taking away from the product.

“

William Welch, owner, Studio William

Robbe & Berking Nils Dageförde, export manager Robbe & Berking is among the world’s leading manufacturers for high-end silver and silverplated flatware and table accessories since 1874. All of its products are still made in Flensburg, Germany. A speciality of Robbe & Berking is its outstanding quality and unique designs, which sets the company apart from the majority of silver companies and defines their status as a high-end brand. How is the cutlery business for Robbe & Berking? Over the course of the past two years we’ve seen a significant growth of silver-plated and sterling silver flatware, mainly due to interior design projects in the sectors of private yachting, aviation and holiday homes. We’re finding the sales of sterling silver items, especially, are going up. We feel people are more focused on long-term investments into high-end products rather than buying compulsively as was the case in the recent past.

”

“ “Sales of Sterling Silver items are going up” Also, hospitality clients – fine dining especially – are increasingly compelled to distinguish themselves from the competition. The demand for top-notch products is rising, therefore, especially in the Americas and Asia. We’re in a good position to satisfy this demand for enhanced guest experience since our products are touched and handled by every customer during the whole evening. This gives silverware a much higher relevance compared to items that are less recognised – plates or candleholders, for instance. With Asian markets more westernised, are you finding flatware growth here? In Asia, the demand for highend German products is clearly emerging, with precious metals in combination with carefully hand-manufactured products in demand. This is partly due to Asian culture and the fact that parties or private functions are used in part to show off one’s financial status.

What are current consumer demands? Robbe & Berking is renowned for its contemporary designs even though our current collection also features some classic shapes featuring delicate details that emphasise the fact they’re made from real silver. We find that second time silver buyers who normally go for classic designs tend to opt for minimalistic modern patterns, while younger clients almost exclusively prefer our modern collections. It´s a trend we embrace – where more ornate designs obfuscate little blemishes, the clean lines of modern flatware exhibit all imperfections such as dents and scratches. The majority of silver manufacturers have compromised their quality for the sake of lower labour costs in far eastern countries, but they simply can´t offer a competitive product with sleek shapes. In contrast, we still handcraft our products piece by piece in Germany, a benefit that results in not just better quality silverware but highly customisable products.

We recommend stores taking ownership of cutlery merchandising. Many people see cutlery as a commodity whereas it actually has a huge potential for profit. Don’t sell poor quality cutlery at cheap prices because it will affect your retail brand, your long-term customer interface and your profit margin. People want quality cutlery and you will see the profits increase. To support this, we offer branding, catalogues, POS, bags and displays units to support activity.

”

Simon Price, CEO, Arthur Price

Cutlery is a tactile product and the consumer has to be able to hold and feel it.

“

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Helen Duffy, marketing manager, Elia

Flatware should be featured alongside dinnerware and glassware so customers can imagine how their own table might look.

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Edouard Froment, MD, Capdeco

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TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 53

Category Flatware

“We’ve selling more sterling silver cutlery”

Carrs Silver

Dune, Sophie Conran

Arthur Price

Richard Carrs, managing director Carrs Silver sells cutlery into the luxury/premium market in retail and hospitality, as well as delivering bespoke commissions for wealthy individuals and even royal families. Exports account for over half of the company’s business thanks to demand for high-quality silverware that is Made in Sheffield. Carrs offers a unique service that gives total flexibility to the buyer allowing them to select and build the place setting from over 30 unique dining pieces per design so they can tailor the range to individual requirements. How is cutlery business for Carrs? Cutlery is the biggest single category we have in terms of volume. We’re seeing good growth in our bespoke and retail ranges. Hospitality is still pretty small for us but we’re developing a core business that I’m confident will be extremely good for the company in the long term. With Asian markets more westernised, are you finding flatware growth here? To date, we’ve not seen great demand – at the lower middle end of our range, there’s an abundance of stainless steel cutlery Made In China so demand for low-cost options are

covered locally. We’ve seen a swing at the top end of the market, though. Chinese customers make up a good proportion of our turnover in our Harrods concession, for example. This type of customer is looking for something unique – fortunately this is exactly what we cater for. What are current consumer demands? In cutlery retail we have three main focus areas of our range – stainless steel, silver plated and sterling silver. Stainless Steel has grown recently with the introduction of smaller boxed gift sets at competitive prices designed to generate volume. At the other end of the scale over the last couple of years, in particular, we’ve sold much more sterling silver. Any trends emerging? And how do you balance trends and timelessness? For Carrs, timeless design is key, many of our designs are hundreds of years old and are still among our bestsellers. New fresh designs are good too and we’re constantly developing, but I do ﬁnd many of the plain designs available are very similar and can often look a little bland.

Simon Price, CEO

“There’s an appetite for textured products” Arthur Price designs and manufactures a broad range of timeless cutlery pieces together with more contemporary styles at various price points. The company sells in various markets in the UK and overseas ranging from retail via major department stores to a small number of approved e-sellers to its own concessions in various stores throughout the UK. Corporate hospitality is also a large part of the business from major hotel chains to international airlines. How is cutlery business for AP? Business is good and growing, especially in the Middle East and Russia, countries that love all things British. The hospitality sector is growing for us, thanks to an increase in tourism activity. Finally, department store sales are also up due in part to the wide choice these outlets oﬀer the customer and our products standing out.

What the retailer says... “Around five per cent of our tableware product offer is cutlery and we offer mainly cutlery sets in stainless steel and mostly everyday, easy patterns. We find less expensive sets sell well, as do more modern and simple designs. Colourful good-quality cutlery is a trend right now and we sell such cutlery sets from Arzberg and Sambonet – these can be matched with colourful stemware and all styles of placemats, runners and white or colourful porcelain. On the brand front, WMF cutlery sells here as it’s a well-known brand. Cutlery from Zwilling, Sambonet and Villeroy & Boch also sells well.” Mary Sarafidis, chief buyer, Parouisasi stores, Greece

Good quality colourful cutlery sells well, including from Villeroy & Boch

With Asian markets more westernised, are you finding flatware growth here? We’ve been working with partners in China for some years now. Changing a nation from chopsticks to cutlery is not what we’re about but it’s interesting to see the westernisation of the country. Indeed, we’ll see three House of Fraser stores opening soon and our products will be stocked in there. What are current consumer demands? There’s an appetite for textured products and also eight-piece sets due in part to more people staying at home to dine and entertain. Following the incredible success of the first Monsoon Eloquence range, we’ve just launched Monsoon Mirage, it has a hammered finish. We’ve also recently launched a brand-new Sophie Conran pattern, Dune, which features a starburst textured pattern on the front and back of the handles.

Balsa

Studio William

“We’re seeing an emphasis on human-crafted elements”

William Welch, owner Studio William, which exists wholly in the cutlery sector, oﬀers premium, design-led cutlery to high-end food service and retailers, ranging from four-star hotels to three-star Michelin-starred restaurants. The company is perfectly positioned to elevate creative chefs’ restaurants and outlets by enhancing human sensory experiences. How is cutlery business for SW? The food industry is in growth in developing countries such as China and India. We’re also seeing a lot of interest from countries like the UAE and Hong Kong. Interestingly, we’re seeing a lot of engagement with Studio William from Michelin-star chefs, who are looking towards our creative dining to add a unique experience.

With Asian markets more westernised, are you ﬁnding ﬂatware growth here? The tabletop aesthetic in China is becoming more diverse, moving away from traditional styles, into a more modern design. There’s a growing middle class with more spending power, but they’re still reserved in their spending patterns. Malls are popping up in urban areas across China, creating a window into the western consumer world. What are current consumer demands? The retail sector is looking to follow developing cultural trends and so doesn’t tend to look for longevity. There’s a current trend for Victorian copper and the brass aesthetic, popularised by handcrafted, artisanal

coﬀee shops and bakers. We’re seeing an emphasis on human-crafted elements, with a focus on weathered or aged products – along the lines of the salvaged or vintage aesthetic, but new. It’s all about Perfectly Imperfect – people are looking for human-made objects with character.

by timeless natural forms, this means when we release a range we intend to make sure it stays available for as long as we exist, oﬀering our customers the opportunity to add to their collection.

Any trends emerging? And how do you balance trends and timelessness? Consumer tastes seem to be leaning more towards human craftsmanship and skill, with a more raw and honest appeal. In the cutlery world, this means handﬁnished and aged cutlery. However, timeless design is key, allowing for a product to transcend the now and always be relevant. We create and design cutlery inspired

What do you offer retailers to support sales of cutlery? We offer in-store training with samples, including an emphasis on the care of cutlery. Too often customers mistreat their products. We’ve developed a guide to keeping cutlery as beautiful as the day it’s bought. We also help create a point of sale for the Studio William brand experience, this helps tell the Studio William story, creating a point of difference without being overbearing.

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 55

Category Flatware

ROBERT WELCH Robert Welch flatware uses the highest quality 18/10 stainless steel (18 per cent chrome, 10 per cent nickel) in the manufacturing of its forks and spoons, while the knives are forged from a single ingot of specially-hardened stainless steel with a content of 13 per cent chrome for a fine cutting edge. Robert Welch currently retails around 30 flatware patterns through its own channels with its top-selling patterns available to trade customers. The design company’s most recent cutlery pattern is Arden (pictured above), a simple yet striking design with delicate lines and gradually tapering handles. As well as securing the coveted Good Design Award 2016, Arden has proven especially popular in retail and hospitality. Other award-winning patterns include Bud, Molton and Deta, but its bestselling pattern is Radford (aka Caesna in the US), which boasts over 50 different pieces, including a spork, lobster pick and ice tongs. All flatware comes with a 25-year guarantee.

www.robertwelch.com

STELLAR Cutlery is a large part of Horwoods’ product portfolio under the brands Stellar and Judge. Over the last few years, both brands have brought out new lines, new pack formats, made packaging more shop-friendly and invested in merchandising units. With their lifetime guarantees, the boxed sets from Stellar make perfect wedding presents. The Stellar Rochester and Judge Windsor collections oﬀer loose cutlery alongside boxed sets of items, such as steak sets, pasty forks, latte spoons and butter knives, plus large box sets, including the 72-piece Judge Windsor range. Made from high-quality 18/10 stainless steel, mirrorpolished for an extra shine, the new Stellar Sterling cutlery (pictured left) is stylish and practical, with an Art Deco-inspired design. Dishwasher-safe, this design includes spoons, forks, knives and tea spoons, and comes in 24 and 48-piece sets, with each set gift-boxed with a viewing window for attractive presentation.

www.horwood.co.uk

Did you know…?

DANSK

Wood accents cents on flatware are all the rage at design-led -led Danish brand Dansk this season. Classic sic Dansk flatware gets a a functional and on-trend update with new range ge Braxton, a combination of stainless steel and Dansk’s modern dishwasher-safe r-safe wood alternative. In addition, the he brand’s range LaSalle is a contemporary porary take on wood-handled d-handled flatware combining mbining sleek lines nes with the brand’s dishwasher-safe her-safe wood alternative ternative and stainless nless steel.

www.lenox.com lenox.com

VILLEROY & BOCH For the classically elegant table, Villeroy & Boch has introduced silver-plated versions of its three successful cutlery lines: the historically-inspired Neufaden Merlemont and Kreuzband Septfontaines, and the modern La Classica, all made of high-quality 18/10 stainless steel. Neufaden Merlemont delivers an elegant droplet shape at the end of the handles and a strand that peters out as it moves away from handle, while Kreuzband Septfontaines is underscored by delicate ornamentation on the handles and back of the tops of the cutlery. La Classica delivers straight contours, clear lines, a simple geometry and a deliberately minimalist design language. These three selected cutlery lines have now been given high-quality silver plating in Germany, which, thanks to special manufacturing techniques, also makes them food-safe and dishwasher-proof. They come in 24, 30, 74 and 113-piece sets. La Classica has also been given a partially goldplated makeover (pictured) – the soft, matt gold colour contrasting beautifully with the lustrous stainless steel.

www.villeroy-boch.com

Renowned for its technically-challenging ﬁnishes, Sambonet has just introduced a brand-new special ﬁnish, PVD Copper Vintage, a twophase process that combines the vintage effect with the PVD processing technique, delivering a charming and stylish retro effect on the 1965, Flat and Linea Q collections.

Where form and function combine perfectly and quality is paramount. At Elia, innovation is second nature. Elia. Serving Professionals.

Elia International Ltd. 10 Aintree Road Perviale, Middlesex UB6 7LA United Kingdom Tel +44 (0)20 8998 2100 Fax +44 (0)20 8997 5596 sales@elia.co.uk www.elia.co.uk

Category Flatware

SAMBONET Sambonet offers various lines of cutlery as well as innovative finishes for retail and hospitality. Vintage is a dining theme this year and includes the launch of its 1965 and 1965 Vintage cutlery. The contemporary design features the décor, grace and ornamental taste typical of classical flatware. The flat front of the handle corresponds to a gently curved back, while the softness and roundness of forms make each piece easy to hold, and so very functional. The 1965 range (pictured) comes in 24 and 36 piece sets, and gift sets of dessert forks and teaspoons, in a polished mirror finish. The vintage edition is made using a finish, an innovative mechanical processing technique. This same finish, a worn-out effect, has been applied to other ranges.

http://corporate.sambonet.com

ARTHUR PRICE Started in 1902, Arthur Price is a British cutlery company, offering from £99 box sets up to £5,500 canteens for retail and hospitality. After the successful 2015 launch of patterns Camelot and Warwick (pictured), the Signature range sees a third design launch for Autumn 2016. Cascade is a contemporary design with smooth petal-shaped handles, which “epitomises a cutlery pattern design for perfect handling”, says director Simon Price. Available in a 42, 56 and 84-piece sets, Cascade’s launch coincides with three new items in all designs of the Signature range – coffee spoon, fish blade and fish knife. Also new for autumn is a follow-up pattern to Rivelin by Sophie Conran. Influenced by Sophie’s love of simplistic geometric shapes, Dune boasts a distinctive textured finish, and includes pastry forks, salad servers and steak knives, plus a 24 and 44-piece box set.

STUDIO WILLIAM British design-led cutlery brand Studio William offers premium, design-led cutlery to high-end food service and retailers and is “perfectly positioned to elevate creative chef’s dining experiences by enhancing human sensory experiences,” says marketing director Frances Bull. The latest cutlery design Balsa was launched last year for the company’s 10th anniversary and has since racked up prestigious design awards, including the Good Design Award 2015 and the Red Dot product design award 2016. Balsa is an elegant, clean form, combined with sophisticated balance and ergonomics only achieved with the highest levels of manufacturing. The top surface of the knife boasts a totally flat, clean form, while the fork heads and spoon bowls are deliberately elongated and slender so the diner can pick up smaller food portion sizes, “allowing them to really think about the tastes and textures”, says Frances. Balsa is made using the finest quality 18/10 stainless steel and is available in mirror finish only.

https://studiowilliam.com

www.arthurprice.com

ROBBE & BERKING Robbe & Berking, around since 1874, is among the world’s leading manufacturers of high-end silver and silver-plated flatware and table accessories with all its products Made In Germany. The company offers more than 20 different cutlery designs, with each piece handmade, processed via 80-100 hands. There is availability on patterns until 2040 and customisation. The Martele collection is one of the company’s most successful, especially in yacht fit-outs. “The hammered structure obfuscates scratches, which occur more easily in restaurants due to everyday handling,” explains export manager Nils Dageforde, “plus, the design combines a modern outline with a rustic touch, which the yachting industry loves as it’s similar to the ocean’s waves”. All 50 individual pieces are silver-plated and in sterling silver, with availability “guaranteed until 2040”, adds Nils. The latest cutlery pattern is Eclipse (pictured), which delivers a wide handcrafted edge that gives a 3D appearance, resembling an eclipse. 58 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

https://www.robbeberking.com

CARRS SILVER Operating in Sheﬃeld, UK, since 1976, Carrs Silver is a leading British brand of sterling silver, silver-plated and stainless steel products, including cutlery, supplying both retail and hospitality, and to retailers in over 80 countries. The company also oﬀers a specialised bespoke service. A new cutlery development for Carrs is the creation of 18/10 stainless steel cutlery sets that come in a range of cutlery patterns and in 16, 24 and 32 piece sets. Aimed at the retail sector, the sets are neatly gift-boxed for easy takeaway and come in various patterns.

www.carrs-silver.co.uk

TED BAKER BY PORTMEIRION The Portmeirion Group offers an array of giftable cutlery across its major brands, from a cake slice, to a set of six pastry forks. The cutlery all boasts porcelain handles with a stainless steel body and is designed to complement existing dinnerware ranges, for example, Portmeirion’s Botanic Gardens and Spode’s Blue Italian. At the recently-held Home & Gift Buyer’s Festival, Portmeirion Group launched giftable cutlery sets in its award-winning Ted Baker Portmeirion brand. The stainless steel cutlery sets boast an elegant rose gold effect beautifully balanced with a pristine white porcelain handle decorated with a rose motif from the popular Rosie Lee collection. The new cutlery sets of four, which includes pastry forks, teaspoons, cake slices, cheese knives and spreaders, perfectly complement the current fine bone china tableware range. Available this month.

www.portmeiriongroup.com

SEEBA

Seeba offers unique, inspiring and on-trend flatware designed to make a style statement, including a bold array of hues like gold, copper, brass and even a matt black, dramatically changing the look of a setting. Gold flatware (Cairo Gold, pictured) is a popular and on-trend hue that gives a formal setting the perfect gilded touch. Flatware sets also showcase innovative finishing options including intricate and laser-etched designs and two-toned styles “Innovation and quality designs remain key to our collections. We also believe that a modern, classic design that is functionally simple and aesthetically appealing can never go out of style,” says Anand Baldawa, CEO, Seeba Group of Companies.

www.seebagroup.com

ELIA INTERNATIONAL Elia International offers one of the most extensive ranges of cutlery in the UK, with over 70 different designs, unique configurations of sets, and various different finishes, including brushed, satin, mirror and hollow. Elia has been supplying the UK and international retail markets for over 25 years. Designed by international product designer Nick Holland, Palladio (pictured) is the newest line of cutlery from Elia International. Influenced by Palladian architecture, Palladio combines modern lines, classic elements and a distinctive hexagonal shape, delivering a striking pattern. Made from the highest grade 18/10 stainless steel, this pattern includes a full dinner setting with a choice of solid or hollow handle knives and coordinating steak and serving pieces.

www.elia.co.uk

Study of a design classic

Scandia returns to Iittala collection Revolutionary when it was designed by Kaj Franck in 1952, the Scandia cutlery from Iittala shook the existing then concept of cutlery, setting a new standard, and becoming one of the most loved everyday classics in Finnish homes. Designed at the same time as the classic Kilta (today known as Teema) tableware, the Scandia cutlery collection followed very much the same philosophy Kaj Franck is so known for: highly functional everyday design where form follows the function creating simplified and timeless aesthetics for everyday. At the time, while in continental Europe and wealthy Scandinavian countries consumers were using delicate silverware as a standard, the Finns mostly used very simple and sturdy steel utensils produced by local factories Hackman and Fiskars. In the ‘50s Kaj Franck renewed the table setting by destroying the idea of full, decorative dinner sets by replacing them with multifunctional, combinable and essential dishes of simplified, unicoloured design. Rethinking the cutlery was a logical addition. He flattened the spikes of the fork and created a solid base to the root of the spikes for more easy picking of peas and rice from the plate; while the spoon was designed rounder and deeper for convenient use with soups, the coffee spoon was of a practical size to serve more purposes than one. Scandia was created for the practical, everyday needs of the Finnish, and during 40 years of its production it became one of the most popular and most loved cutlery designs in Finland. Now, Scandia has returned to Iittala’s collection – complementing Iittala’s cutlery selection with an everyday option that matches Franck’s other everyday classics, Teema tableware and Kartio glasses. The slightly larger new size matches the modern dining and tableware and it comes in a new nostalgic emerald green colour. TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 59

Category Flatware

What the retailers say… Four retailers discuss ﬂatware suppliers and bestselling patterns

Kevin Glancy Kevin Glancy, director Since 1989, Kevin Glancy has forged a reputation for sourcing exquisite porcelain, crystal, and silver for the world’s ﬁnest yachts, private residences and aircraft.

“Robbe & Berking is one of our most trusted suppliers”

Brown Thomas Edel Woods, group buyer, ktichenshop, electrical and seasonal

“We’ve been working with Robbe & Berking for 13 years and they remain one of our most trusted suppliers. We stock a vast array of samples from the brand and our showroom is full of beautiful products, which are regularly used in presentations to clients old and new. “The silver Riva cutlery range is popular as it can be engraved, so the handles can be customised to match any design or theme. For example, a pattern that is present in the table linen sourced by our sister company, Jonathan Fawcett, can be engraved into the silverware. “Monogramming is another popular customiSation of the Riva range, which is ergonomically designed so that it feels incredibly comfortable to use. “The high quality of the products and the reliability of the Robbe & Berking team are crucial to our strong relationships with the brand. They have agents in the UK and are always quick to deliver, keeping within deadlines so that the entire process of working together feels eﬀortless.”

Bentalls

“Craftsmanship and sustainability sets Studio Alison Lock, buyer, Bentalls, KIngston William cutlery apart” “Promotional box sets are Brown Thomas is a chain of four Irish department stores, always good sellers” located in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick.

“We’ve stocked Studio William and sister brand Charingworth for ﬁve years, we carry Studio William patterns, Mulberry, Mahogany Satin, Karri, Balsa, and Charingworth’s Mimosa, Baguette, Raphia and Santol. “Our customers love Mulberry as it’s a truly timeless design, while Charingworth’s Santol has proven a huge hit. “What we love about Studio William are the designs and the unwavering attention to detail the brand champions. It’s the craftsmanship and sustainability that really sets the company apart. The passion that owner and designer William Welch has for the product is so infectious and this is something our teams always take away from training sessions, making the selling of the product so much easier and more natural. “The company has worked closely with us on in-store point of sale and ﬁt outs, always with a focus on customer experience, and from a marketing perspective, they always have a quirky angle that takes the cutlery to a whole new level – it always has to be experiential.” 60 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Part of the Fenwick store group, Bentalls is a department store – one in Bracknell, one in Kingston upon Thames. “The Arthur Price oﬀer, which we’ve stocked for many years, is one of Bentalls’ key cutlery brands and has a very large presence in the Dining Department. We oﬀer a wide range to suit all customers, including three ranges of Signature, six ranges of Arthur Price of England cutlery, Vintage, children’s cutlery, Present Day, promotional box sets, and licences from Sophie Conran and Laurence Llewelyn Bowen. “Promotional box sets are always good sellers. In SS16, our bestselling pattern was AP Kings and Sophie Conran. “The products are a great quality and design in great packaging is great. Our customers are drawn to the Arthur Price brand as many have had Arthur Price cutlery for many years and know the outstanding quality. “As a stockist, the great support we receive from Arthur Price is imperative to the success of the brand. We work closely with the headquarters’ team to keep everything running smoothly.”

5 minutes with…

Dom Farfora Elena Sokolova, sales director, Dom Farfora. a multi-brand retail chain with eight stores across Moscow www.domfarfora.ru What cutlery offer do you have? We sell cutlery at a variety of price points, from luxury to casual. In the upper price segment, we offer cutlery as open stock, in the lower segment it’s sold in sets. We find consumers invest once in high-uality flatware, though some buy different patterns or brands for different occasions. What brands sell well? Heritage brands with a story that offer handcrafted product, like Odiot and Puiforcat; and brands that offer a good balance of quality and price and collaboration with designers, such as Arthur Price. Also, brands that produce high-quality like Robbe & Berking. And bestselling patterns? We have three very popular flatware collections: Robbe & Berking’s silver-plated Martele flatware, Odiot’s sterling silver Demidoff flatware; and Wilken’s Palladio collection. How do you merchandise flatware? We believe a customer has to be given free access to the cutlery, especially to pieces of high value, so we expose our flatware on the table and segment them by patterns. Any flatware trends you’re seeing? Longer cutlery size, longer fork and spoon neck.

Category Decorative

Decorative touches Delivering plenty of diﬀerent styles at diﬀerent price points will ensure success in the decoration category

he decoration category of tableware, characterised by product such as candlesticks, vases, statement bowls, sculptures and photo frames, is one that has undergone significant metamorphosis in recent years, but is a category experiencing a resurgence. So says Thomas Kastl at Messe Frankfurt – and he should know, having been head of dining at Ambiente for the past 23 years. For a while, due to changing consumer tastes, says Thomas, simplicity reigned tabletop supreme, with tableware decoration in private households kept to a bare minimum, but “in recent years, we’ve experienced a new opulence in arranging the table” and consequently demand for decorative items has increased. And retailers, distributors and manufacturers, especially those in the luxury/premium segment of the market, are certainly seeing the category riding high. “Decorative objects make up a large part of our tableware stores,” says Mary Sarafidis, executive buyer for Greek tableware chain, Parousiasi. “They are bought largely as occasion gifts, as something that is pretty affordable, yet also special-looking and well-accepted, especially vases and statement centrepieces.” 62 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

For Martyn Lewis, owner of UK luxury tableware distributor Lewis Wark, the decorative category is “a huge part of our business, with periods of the year like pre and post Ramadan, as well as Christmas, where the category becomes the strongest part”. Furthermore, luxury tableware retail chain Dom Farfora, which has seven stores across Moscow, is seeing decoration as “a wellperforming category and one that is growing in sales”, says retail sales director Elena Sokolova. Elena points to Michael Aram as a brand that is doing especially well sales-wise, mainly because it is “stylish and contemporary” and also delivers numerous novelties giving retailers and ultimately consumers “lots of diﬀerent patterns to suit diﬀerent tastes”.

What consumers want Delivering such a wide choice of styles to suit diﬀering tastes is a very important part of succeeding in the decoration category today. Similar to tableware, Thomas says consumers today want to be able to pick from a multitude of styles and to be able to mix and match such styles, to create a unique look and to easily change up that look. Fine bone china specialists Prouna ﬁnds decorative pieces

LSA International LSA International’s extensive collection of decorative accessories spans vases, tealight holders, storm lanterns, and more, in a variety of original designs, from timeless classics to high-fashion design. Innovating without compromising function, aesthetic or quality, each piece is individually crafted using traditional techniques. All of LSA International’s mouthblown glassware beneﬁts from a quality and ﬁnish that can only be achieved by the most skilled glass artisans. Each item in LSA International’s collection is gift-boxed for strong in-store visual displays. Launched for 2016, the Modular collection features block-shaped vases inspired by architectural structures. The vases can be combined to create a series of pieces to build a skyline of varying heights and proportions.

https://trade.lsa-international.com “that mix and match well with lots of other styles are especially in demand by our customers”, says Prouna’s Jackie Kim; while Villeroy & Boch delivers decorative products across all styles, tastes and budgets that allow consumers “to combine diﬀerent products without changing their complete décor”, says Jessika Raunch, global PR manager. Luxury retailer Dom Farfora ﬁnds the same. Elena says she’s seen a rise in consumers wanting to “mix and match product,” as well as more recently witnessing increasing numbers of consumers shift “from classical design to a more contemporary design”. Manufacturers are responding to this demand, not just creating a broad range of product for all styles that can be mixed and matched, but delivering modular ranges of decorative product that have been designed to be interchanged in

order to create an individual look and highly-versatile décor concept. Earlier this year, Iittala unveiled its collectable and versatile vase range Ruutu, a collection of 10 vases in ﬁve sizes and seven colours, so when combined, "they make small seamless installations that can be mixed, matched and interchanged," say the brand. And for 2016, LSA International has launched its Modular collection, which features an array of diﬀerent-sized, shaped and coloured block-shaped vases. Inspired by architectural structures, they can be combined to build a skyline of varying heights and proportions. Being functional, as well as being design-driven, is also a key consumer demand today. “Many pieces by Rosenthal have a function, but also stand as an art object in their own right,” says Rosenthal MD, Gianluca Colonna.

Villeroy & Boch The decorative category is an important one for Villeroy & Boch, who offer different seasonal collections – Easter/ Spring and Christmas – across vases, candleholders and decorative ashtrays, to cover different styles, tastes and budgets, and to be mixed and matched. Functionality is also key and Villeroy & Boch has introduced a new two-in-one decorative product that is both a candleholder and a vase. The company is also oriented in lifestyle trends, including Pantone colours, and this year launched different vases in the two Pantone colours of the year, Serenity (pastel blue) and Rose Quartz (pastel pink). Among Villeroy & Boch’s Autumn 2016 launches are handcrafted additions to the Oronda series – decorative designs in their own right that deliver marbled effects. The vases come in two sizes and two marbled colours.

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Similar to tableware, Thomas Kastl says consumers today want to be able to pick from a multitude of styles and to be able to mix and match such styles, to create a unique look and to easily change up that look.

Unique is key Elena at Dom Farfora also ﬁnds that “individuality of the product” is important for sales in this category. So, whether an unusual design, a collaboration with a particular designer or artist, or limited edition, exclusive pieces, uniqueness is what is reigning decorative supreme. Uniqueness is certainly key for distributors of luxury tableware and giftware Kiyasa, which is seeing particular growth “with limited edition and collectable pieces”, says owner Kiana Bahadorzadeh. Collaborations with artists or designers often deliver that designdriven uniqueness consumers are looking for – they bring something unique or of interest to the table.

Collaborations with designers is a topic “becoming more and more important” and can “bring a breath of fresh air” to a product or design, says Peter Goldberger of Noritake, pointing to Noritake’s Karacho design, a collaboration with Japanese traditional wallpaper company Karacho. Vista Alegre is renowned for its partnerships with external international designers from the worlds of fashion (Christian Lacroix), interior design (Patrick Norguet) and industrial design (Karim Rashid), delivering tableware and decorative items that are unique and designdriven and that have secured plenty of publicity and numerous design awards for the Portuguese porcelain company. Rosenthal is also well-known for this, partnering with fashion designers (Versace) and architects (Bjarke Ingels Group) on unique decorative interpretations. In fact, the lifestyle trends driving product development in this category include “colours, materials and concepts from the worlds of fashion, architecture and design” says Gianluca at Rosenthal. Such collaborations can also bring cachet, recognition and appeal to a new audience, too. Take Versace Meets Rosenthal. A luxury

Lewis Wark

UK tableware distributor Lewis Wark distributes luxury brands like Moser, Daum Crystal, Haviland Limoges, Lalique, Mackenzie Childs, Missoni, Robbe & Berking and Richard Ginori. We talk to codirector Martyn Lewis.

www.villeroy-boch.com

Villeroy & Boch concurs, explaining how consumers are looking for pieces that “can fulﬁl several criteria simultaneously” and that can “oﬀer a practical and functional use, that is high quality but also eye-catching and statement-making”. And that means providing more than one or even two purposes. Villeroy & Boch is experimenting with this and has unveiled a decorative piece, designed to “be used as a candleholder and a vase at the same time, a two-in-one decorative product”, explains Jessika.

5 minutes i with… ih

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licensed line delivering decorative product that takes its lead from high fashion – it’s a bestseller for retailer Parousiasi in Greece.

Trends While clean and contemporary continues to be key in the decorative category, a resurgence of consumer interest in vintage and nostalgia has led to distinct demand for modern product with a retro / classic twist. Mixing of materials in a design is a further trend retailers like Dom Farfora are seeing, while Mary at Parousiasi says she’s finding “designs with organic shapes and multicultural styles, such as Indian and Asian” to be good sellers right now. Ultimately, as Thomas Kastl explains, the companies that succeed in this category will be those who understand they cannot simply design, produce and distribute goods that fit just one target group. Instead, matching diversification on the products’ side is key to “unlocking the gate to consistent revenue”. And that includes delivering decorative product that covers all price ranges. As Kiana from Kiyasa concludes, “it’s very important to have an entry level pricing to your brand, especially in luxury, for the new joiners, as well as for impulse purchases.”

How big is decorative for you? It's a huge part of our business. We have periods of the year where it becomes the strongest part, like the Ramadan period and Christmas. Vases, bowls and centrepieces form the main category for us. How are you seeing cnsumer buying behaviour in this category? Pre and post Ramadan we have a lot of clients who buy our bowls to fill with chocolates and give as gifts. Vases also sell fast during this time, mostly in pairs – we rarely sell a single vase anymore. Lately, the trend is to give the vase with the flowers in it, and to give big vases – height and weight equals perceived value. Our bestselling category used to be 30cm pieces, now its 50cm pieces. Both luxury brands Daum and Lalique have had a positive increase in this category. We also have Jay Strongwater, which is strong with vases and photo frames – it used to be the 5 x 7 that sold best, now the 10 x 8 is bestseller. Oversized is a trend. What brands do well for you? Daum, Lalique and Moser on the crystal side; Haviland and Richard Ginori on the porcelain side. Haviland, with the super contemporary Infini collection and Ginori with its Oriente Italiano, a revived classic. We find the decorative area of the business largely linked to interior designers. A huge proportion of our business now, whether retail, trade or wholesale, has an interior designer involved at some point – this is another trend that is having a positive effect on the industry and especially on decorative. TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 63

Category Decorative

PORCEL ROSENTHAL Decorative is key for Rosenthal which delivers decorative objects that extend its tableware ranges, as well as unique pieces, collaborations with global artists. “Colourful vases are a trend, as is playing with structures and haptics,” says MD, Gianluca Colonna. Sebastian Herkner’s Interiors collection in coloured porcelain does well, as do porcelain vases Fast, Vase of Phases and Squall. To commemorate the late Philip Rosenthal’s 100th birthday, the brand collaborated with various designers to create a number of unique vases and bowls in porcelain and glass. The latest launch, a collaboration with avant-garde designer Charlotte von der Lancken, is the Gedankenblitze vase (pictured above), the design of which brings together the best quotes of Philip Rosenthal in one of the oldest forms of display – the pedestal. Finished in gold and platinum, and using lustre techniques, this porcelain stand highlights the featured quotes and vases, lending them signiﬁcance. The series comes in three sizes and vase designs.

www.rosenthal.de

Full Gold and Full Platinum from Porcel are sets of ﬁve pieces covered in precious metals, one with gold and one, platinum, and have been created to add special decorative complements to the Porcel tablescape, dressing up the table. These complements include coasters, candle/egg cups, a tray and two diﬀerent types of bowls and each piece with its vibrant shiny surface can either be used as a complement for Porcel dinner sets by mixing and matching or can shine alone as a decorative piece.

DOGALE

The Laguna collection by Dogale reveals stunning colourful vases from classic to trendy in tones of Hot Orange, Red, and Turquoise, to calm Natural Beige, White and Black & Golden Rim (pictured left). Perfect to bring just the right amount of pop of colour, the Dogale vases are all made in Italy, handpainted and silver/ gold-plated by artisans just outside of Venice. Dogale is exclusively imported and distributed in the US via the Kiyasa Group.

www.kiyasa.com

RICHARD GINORI From Richard Ginori comes new accessories in the ﬁne porcelain Labirinto Collection. Strict and rational, the décor picks up on a logical thread of design featuring a labyrinth and creating a graphic frame that delivers a unique design. The design represents a perfect blend between ancient culture and modern design, for which creative genius Gio Ponti was one of the utmost champions. New accessories include a high bowl, oval bowl, urn, cachepot, plate and Ming vases (pictured left) in large and small sizes.

www.porcel.pt

GREGGIO SILVER Massini candlesticks by Greggio Silver are designed as a set of two modern candlesticks made to sit independently or brought together artistically as one piece. Greggio Silver is exclusively imported and distributed in the US via the Kiyasa Group.

www.kiyasa.com

www.richardginori1735.com

What the retailer says… “In the decoration category, one that is in growth sales-wise for us, we sell products from Michael Aram, Julia Knight, L’Objet, Lenox, Moser and Christoﬂe, among others. Michael Aram is one of our bestsellers, his product is up-to-date and stylish and easily adapts to different interior styles. The brand also regularly launches novelties, with patterns suiting different tastes. In the luxury sector, cut-glass manufacturer Moser is a bestseller, especially the latest launch, cut vases with gradient colours. Consumers are looking for individual design, mixing of materials and affordable luxury – highquality products with design for less money than real luxury.” Elena Sokolova, retail sales director, Dom Farfora, seven luxury stores across Moscow, Russia

Did you know...? Sambonet combines innovation and the latest generation production capacity with photoengraving to deliver a sophisticated decorative technique on stainless steel. Through a physical-chemical action, iron plate thickness is reduced in speciﬁc points to deliver elaborate decorations and patterns, for example, on an elegant set of Cesello Carre stainless steel photo frames. Subtle stainless steel engravings confer charming contrasts to the mirrored objects, offering a 3D effect. www.sambonet.it

VISTA ALEGRE

LENOX New from Lenox in the decorative category is the Novia 12-inch glass vase (right), a stunning art glass piece featuring swirls of purple, grey and white, that catches the eye. Also new and bound to make a statement are these casual photo frames, a diverse collection of designs, textures and ﬁnishes, including gold, copper and ombre ﬁnish. Photo frames from left to right (above) – back row: Gold Coast, Organics Reef, Alvarado, Organics Copper; front row: Merona.

www.lenox.com

PROUNA With decorative a growing category for fine bone china specialists Prouna, decorative pieces and especially vases and little boxes are bestsellers for Prouna, which is exclusively imported and distributed in the US via Kiyasa Group. In the US, “our bestsellers are larger pieces, especially vases, and the Prouna fine bone china ones especially sell well”, says Kiana Bahadorzadeh, owner of Kiyasa. Kiana points to the 14-inch Princess vases in gold and platinum and decorated with over 1,200 Swarovski crystals at the luxury end of the market ($5,500) and the Emperor Flower urn vase with no crystals ($210) both as “star sellers each to their own customer category." Following the huge success of Prouna’s Marble collection in four colours, comes the Marble Urn vases (pictured left) in Venice Fog and Azure. Made with 24k gold in the decal, this fine bone china range mirrors the pattern of real Carrara Marble.

www.kiyasa.com

This year sees Vista Alegre deliver various decorative objects, both in porcelain and crystal – vases, boxes and centrepiece bowls, many of them, collaborations with designers from the worlds of fashion, design and architecture. In crystal, there’s Odeon, a vase and bowl combining a black marble base with handmade crystal body that was recently nominated for the German Design Award 2016; Dorian, contemporary crystal vases featuring a handpainted 20.6k gold ring; and Gabbia (pictured), a set of decorative crystal boxes with an Art Deco design.

www.vistaalegre.com

VERSACE MEETS ROSENTHAL In addition to several new dinnerware sets and crystal glassware ranges, this year the Versace meets Rosenthal brand, which is renowned for its innovation and daring has unveiled Medusa Madness, a range of vases featuring an edgy new vertical cut that changes the traditional volume of the vase, delivering a piece that is both original and glamorous. It comes in transparent or black crystal with the iconic 3D Medusa in Versace gold.

www.rosenthal.de

FUERSTENBERG Fuerstenberg has launched Les Fleurs, a new organic décor for vases from designer Sebastian Menschenhorn that features tenderly entangled blossoms. Fuerstenberg worked with star florist Bjorn Kroner to develop the vase form, designed to be versatile. The flower inserts, which fit into the vases, are new and feature various sizes and numbers of perforations to make creative floral arranging possible. The collection of vases are available in two sizes (7.9 and 11 inches) and combined with the flower inserts allow for a broad variety of floral compositions.

www.fuerstenberg.porzellan.com TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 55

Category Decorative

Did you know...? Villeroy & Boch’s new range of vases for Autumn 2016, Oronda (left), are handcrafted by skilled glassmakers. The individual marbled effects of bright orange or vibrant blue with white highlights are created in a skilled process using four layers of glass. The colours for the marbled effect are ‘spun on’ using a cone, wound like a thread around the basic glass gob overlaid with clear glass. The structure is achieved by rotating the glass gob at a speciﬁc and consistent speed. www.villeroy-boch.com

ROYAL CROWN DERBY

POOLE POTTERY

In the gift market, Noritake is regarded as a company that not only delivers a good sense of design but also delivers the extra elements that create “a gift of high value”, paying as much attention to the elaborate packaging design. “We believe the giving and receiving of a gift should be as special as the gift itself,” says senior overseas marketing manager Kazuo Suzuki. Patterns that sell well in the decorative category include Ayaminamo and Yoshino, as well as Homage, part of the Prestige Collection, sold out after only four months.

Royal Crown Derby has extended its giftware offering to include a diverse range of traditional, contemporary and iconic options. The first piece in Royal Crown Derby’s new Big Cat Collection, African Cheetah, is a sculpture. Limited to 100 pieces, the 29cm fine bone china piece is created through more than 20 hours of intricate handpainting. To mark the 50th anniversary of much-loved pattern Old Imari Solid Gold Band there is a series of new products, including a decorative candleholder, tray, trinket box and charger plate, wtih a modern coupe shape. The rich floral pattern is offset with striking bands of 22k gold that are hand-gilded. The company's popular Royal Butterfly collection has recently been extended to include a Column Vase, with butterflies handpainted in pale pink and blue with touches of handgilded 22k gold. Finally, Royal Crown Derby offers exceptional pieces of art and a timeless investment in its range of Artistry Vases (pictured right). Extravagantly shaped, these handcrafted pieces are part of its bespoke offer and adapted from the historic botanical pattern archives popular with the wealthy gentry in the 18th century.

www.noritakechina.com

www.royalcrownderby.co.uk

Designing and handcrafting unique pieces in the UK since 1873, British brand Poole Pottery introduces new range, Celestial, which takes its inspiration from the solar system, with a design that depicts a celestial body blasting through a veil of dust and stars. The range features galactic colours, from rich sky blue to burnt orange and deep grey, and comes in Poole Pottery's most popular pieces, including 11 statement vases, an oval dish and a round bowl.

www.poolepottery.co.uk

NORITAKE

What the retailer says… “Around 20 per cent of each store display is given over to the decorative category, which is necessary for gifts and bridal gifting, in particular. In our stores located in more prestigious areas, contemporary design and mix-and-match items are more popular, while our other stores sell more traditional items. We love to showcase a mix of materials and styles in our stores. We’ve noticed that organic shapes and multicultural styles sell well now. Brands in this category include Rosenthal, Villeroy & Boch, Lenox, Silverstadt and Madelene – the Versace meets Rosenthal brand is a bestseller for us as it’s a strong well-known brand and we also have foreign tourists, who love the brand.” Mary Saraﬁdis, chief buyer, Parousiasi, multi-brand tableware stores, Greece

5 DECADES, 5 MATERIALS Celebrating 50 years of creativity and craftsmanship with new collections Utility and Circle trade.lsa-international.com

Design ign Interview

Blue Ming, Vista A Alegre re Launched earlier this year, Blue Ming delivers high-qualityy pieces that highlight the heritage of Dutch Delft Blue and Cobalt Blue ue and stand as a “harmonious combination of tradition and modernity”. Taking centrestage is a set of pieces, including a tea cup up and saucer, sugar pot, fruit bowl and soup terrine, that combine to create reate a cylinder. There’s also a candleholder and flower vase, more re sculptural iconic pieces that offer unique versatility – the vase becomes omes a small bowl, the candleholder can be used to hold a flower. A variety ariety of plates – dessert, side, soup, dinner, charger, serving – complete the collection, with the borders of these pieces revealing different patterns erns when stacked, delivering a re-interpretation of the traditional Delft Blue.

EYE ON DESIGN

www.vistaalegre.com

Marcel Wanders Each issue we cast a spotlight on a designer in tableware. Having collaborated with luxury brands globally, from Alessi to Christoﬂe to Vista Alegre, product and interior designer and art director Marcel Wanders and his creative director Gabriele Chiave talk to Tableware International Dubbed the Lady Gaga of Design, Marcel Wanders is a multi awardwinning European product and interior designer regarded by many as an anomaly in the design world. His designs, which often mix innovative materials and techniques with references to well-known historical styles and archetypes, so users can easily connect to the pieces, excite, provoke and polarise, but never fail to surprise for their ingenuity, daring and singular quest to uplift the human spirit, and entertain. Marcel has received international recognition for his design work. He was selected by Business Week as one of Europe’s 25 leaders of change in 2002, and secured award wins, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s modern design collaborative award, Collab. He’s also had his designs featured in the MoMa New York and San Francisco, London’s V&A and Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum. In addition to Marcel’s successful design label, Moooi, of which he is also art director, Marcel’s design studio, which he opened in 1995 in Amsterdam, has grown to now number 50 international design 68 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

specialists and together they’ve produced more than 1,700 products and projects. His interior design projects, which are embraced for their enveloping of people in multi-layered, sensory experiences, include the Mondrian South Beach hotel in Miami, the Villa Moda ﬂagship store in Bahrain, and the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht Hotel, the latter operated by Hyatt Hotels and which has been hailed as an experience akin to Alice in Amsterdam. In addition to the Knotted Chair and Snotty Vase, products that have “received much of the acclaim of my earlier work”, says Marcel, the Marcel Wanders’ portfolio includes products for private clients and premium brands such as KLM, Puma, B&B Italia and Swarovski, as well as plenty of tableware, a result of collaborations with brands such as Alessi, Baccarat, Christoﬂe and Vista Alegre. We talk to Marcel Wanders and his creative director Gabriele Chiave about tableware design, the reemergence of artisan, and about his collaborations with tableware companies. www.marcelwanders.com

Tableware features prominently in your designs, any reason? Marcel We create things for people, whether we’re trying to make someone’s life better or to bring people together, our purpose is the same. I believe people find happiness when they experience belonging and a sense of place and it’s the dining table, more than any other place, where we connect most. The very best design allows people to feel welcomed and a part of the design experience. What are the main elements of good design in tableware? Gabriele We actually don’t set out to make tableware at all, but instead, to create an experience with true character. To us, design is synonymous with experiencing a fuller, richer life and is crafted for the sole purpose of uplifting the human spirit as it entertains. When creating the in-flight trays for KLM, we developed everything with a mixand-match principle. To reveal and accentuate each piece’s individual functionality, we adhered to the criteria and laws of the material – each piece is then able to stand on its own and find its own possibilities.

It was a pleasure to work for such a house, to immerse myself in its history, to get in touch with a slower way of doing things. For Garden of Eden we sat around a table and pondered calmly, letting it be, letting the dough stand. Our work rhythm was the antithesis of today’s lifestyle.

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Designing tableware is about sharing time and expressing emotions, as we're all happiest when we’re communicating.

How do you decide which brands to work with? Marcel Often the collaboration we’re involved with happens organically, where a conversation about art or design brings about an idea and from that comes a vision and concept. Other times, a company invites us to bring a certain character or style to a line or collection. The brands we work with all share the utmost passion for their brand, their concept and their audience. They’re committed not only to what they do but why they do it. We look for opportunities to work alongside those who are true artisans. You talk about design’s ‘new age’ – are you seeing this emerge? Marcel What I often speak of is my passion for bringing the human touch back to design by ushering in a new age in which designer, craftsperson and user are reunited. We’re trying to move from materialism to conceptualism and connect back to what design is

Jardin d'Eden silver spoon and porcelain dinnerware Dressed Collection

Jardin d’Eden, Christofle In 2007, Marcel set out to create an extraordinary silverware collection for Christofle. Enter Jardin d’Eden, a family of exclusive edition pieces that celebrate outspoken etching work, noble materials and Marcel’s unique design. The iconic signature pattern revives a Baroque style and shows interlaced leaves, curled lys flowers and decorative apples against a geometric matrix reminiscent of the lush garden and the seven sins. The silver flatware delivers decorated handles and backs with a single engraving. Flatware, dinnerware candelabras, trays and centrepieces form the majority of the collection.

www.christofle.com for – moving g the human spirit. design needs to be To do that, desig more personal, rrandom and I think perhaps, a bit accidental. ac we’re seeing a in some ways, w more personal shift toward m artistic expression, craft and artist technology has made however, techn easy to get away it almost too ea approach. As a designer, from this approa struggle to keep I understand the str the work handcrafted handcrafte as we continue to pursue replacing tthe coldness of industrialism with the poetry, fantasy and romance of different ages and vividly bring them to life in the contemporary moment. Millennials especially are favouring more handcrafted pieces. Are you seeing this? Marcel Millennials don’t want stuff, they don’t want to acquire things as much as they want to collect experiences. If there’s a story to something, they want to be the ones to tell it. If there’s a place to find, they want to be the first to share it. If there’s a mission to something, they want to be the first to get behind it. Along with the experiences millennials are striving for some fantastic stories that can be shared, retold and reimagined all over the world. With this generation, we’re seeing the rebirth of nostalgia and the re-emergence of artistry. As technology advances, we have more ways to celebrate design and share it. This confluence of expression, technology and personal,

experimental craft is why we’re seeing the cultural shift towards appreciation for the luxurious, the meaningful and the artisan. What does luxury mean to you? Marcel To me, luxury is a state of mind. And as a designer, my mission should be to connect people to a setting or an item that draws from within them that which they may not know is inside – a joy, an emotion. As a designer, I need to bring a sensitivity to the material I use, and to work with it in a way that brings out its best qualities and possibilities. So, our silverware for Christofle – the decor spans the entirety of the flatware in a single engraving. It’s luxurious because of the special detail and thoughtfulness added to the basic shapes and material of flatware. It is poetry made real. You’ve worked with every material, any you especially love? Gabriele Each project and material brings its own enjoyment as each gives me a new chance to think in different ways. Each allows for different juxtapositions and surprise. Working with wood, there is a very natural connection made, it can be easily shaped and reimagined to create almost anything. With porcelain, there’s an opportunity for objects to be more accidental and handcrafted and we can deliver some unexpectedness. Silver lets us explore the balance between functionality and ergonomic luxury.

Dressed, Alessi The Dressed collection was born in 2011 with a series of porcelain plates, followed by pots and pans in 2012, and in 2015, the Dressed for breakfast and Dressed in wood lines. This holistic tableware solution features Marcel’s iconic lace pattern. While the breakfast line includes a porcelain/resin egg cup with spoon/mini hammer and a biscuit jar with a bell inside, the Dressed in wood items are sculpted using a wood-cut laser technique, and includes trays, serving boards and a cake stand.

www.alessi.com Why choose Alessi, Christofle and Vista Alegre as partners? Gabriele Each of these brands execute at the highest level. Having a legacy of dedication to being the very best is important to us when collaborating, it gives us the confidence that working alongside them will be a mutually beneficial experience. Working with such brands, we knew that the work would be held to the highest standard. Each has spent decades staying true to its unique approach to tableware, while pressing forward to not just stay ahead of current trends, but to shape them. Vista Alegre, for example, has a Portuguese history that dates back to the 1800s, and the brand is still renowned for its investment in luxurious innovation and artisan design. Each brand we work with truly understands form, function, material and craftsmanship, and most importantly, the connection with the human spirit. Your latest range with Vista Alegre was inspired by Delft Blue, how did the partnership work? Gabriele The collaboration represented the chance to work with a manufacturer that shares Marcel’s ability to continually evolve and adapt to social and aesthetic changes. We wanted to create an entire set of iconic tableware that is elegant, versatile and modern. Combining tradition and modernity, we chose to highlight the Dutch

heritage through the use of the traditional Delft Blue colour. Each piece is the mingling of two cultural histories and countries – the Dutch Delft Blue and the Cobalt Blue – forging a new language. What do you enjoy most about the collaborative process? Gabriele We believe passion desires passion – it seeks it, craves it. When you find someone you connect with, you feed off each other and enjoy a symbiotic relationship. There’s an energy you get from collaborating, sharing ideas, being enlightened and finally coming to a solution. Finally, what’s so exciting about being involved in design today? Gabriele As designers, we’re always searching for the newest innovation that presents itself as being able to enhance the experience of design – the connection made between design and the consumer. Looking forward, there will be changes in technologies and materials that will allow us to experiment and try different things. The same holds true for everchanging consumer trends and cultural shifts that will inspire and challenge us to find new solutions. We think the great thing is that we don’t know yet what the future will be. We’re interested to see how the next level of innovation will allow us to balance art and function, the poetic and the practical, the phenomenological and the physical.

Did you know…? In 2001 Marcel co-founded the successful design label, Moooi, of which he is also art director. Conceived as a platform for design talent from around the world, today the company works with some 40 designers, is present in 79 countries, and is renowned for its quirky, eccentric take on the objects that surround us. TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 69

Presenting the new of New York Show Preview 41 Madison

A new showroom opening, multiple renovations and plenty of exciting new product will be part of the earlier-than-usual New York Tabletop Market, which opens September 27

ith an earlierthan-usual date of September 27 -30, the fall edition of The New York Tabletop Market is cranking up with two new showroom openings, untold new product introductions, and a swirl of activity as Forty One Madison undergoes its first major renovation in 42 years. From across the pond comes two UK-based companies, set to make Forty One Madison their US home, and the New York Tabletop Market, their US-based trade show. First up comes Typhoon, a company that is aggressively growing its presence in the North American market, and that will move into its firstever showroom, a 1,200 sq-ft location on the 8th floor. For the past 20 years, since its founding, this family-owned company has developed a compelling portfolio of hip, retro-cool kitchen, dining and cookware products. Under the Rayware umbrella, it includes other globally recognised brands like Mason Cash, Kilner and Price & Kensington. The space will serve as Typhoon’s North American headquarters. Also, Make International, a Britishbased ceramics company has taken a showroom, a 1,000 sq-ft space on the 17th floor, giving the company its firstever North American showroom. With Keith Brymer Jones, renowned potter and presenter of BBC2 TV programme The Great Pottery Throw Down serving as head of design, Make International has had its profile raised, and the company is “looking forward to serving all retailers in the US, who have been patiently waiting for our products for years”, says CEO Dominic Speelman, adding that the company has “already received our first order from Bloomingdale’s, so we see a bright future ahead for us in the US”. Forty One Madison’s director and senior vice president Laurie Burns adds: "Make International, as a young tabletop brand, selected New York and Forty One Madison to showcase its line and offer buyers a prestigious and conventient meeting location. This

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modern and fresh new showroom, added to an already strong lineup of leading resources from around the globe, gives retailers and buyers even more reason to make the upcoming show a must attend." As for renovations, the 4th floor showroom for Robinson Home has undergone a gut renovation, totally transforming the presentation of the company’s collections, which include Oneida, Swish and Zing. On the 7th floor, Pasabahce, the acclaimed Turkish resource for glass and other tabletop needs, also is the beneficiary of a full showroom and US headquarters renovation. The redo includes a dedicated space for the company’s distinctive design series, Nude, a contemporary collection of glass creations for the entire home. The building’s own makeover continues with a focus on the entrance, lobby, and lower level buyer’s lounge. “We’re in the thick of the renovation and we're excited that it’s on schedule,” says Laurie. “The show will go on with all 95 of our showrooms open for business and unaffected by the construction. Our temporary reception desk will be operational to register visitors and ensure everyone does so quickly. The complimentary daily coat check will be relocated on the 10th floor, also on the 10th floor, will be the Media Wall, where a variety of home and lifestyle magazines are complimentary, courtesy of the publishers.” Interior Designer Day, planned for September 29, kicks off with a private breakfast hosted by Laurie to introduce designers to Kaitlin Petersen, editor of the recently revived Metropolitan Home magazine. Following, guests can explore and shop the participating showrooms. “Interior Designer Day has proven to be extremely valuable for interior designers, growing in-depth knowledge about this category and expanding their network of go-to resources for the types of décor details needed to complete residential and commercial projects,” says Laurie. www.41madison.com

Auratic 14th floor Following on from the launch and subsequent positive reception to Auratic’s first Christmas pattern at April’s Market, the company will now display its new and festive Christmas gifting and décor line. Designed to bring out the spirit and joy of the season, motifs of Christmas ornaments, trees, mistletoe and snowflakes in shades of either blue or red feature on canapé dishes, accent plates and mugs.

www.auratic.com

Noritake 7th floor Noritake will debut Slate, its latest addition to the successful Colorwave Collection, which features a matte-textured, deep colouration on the outside suggestive of a dove’s feather, weathered rocks and stormy skies. This is combined with a glossy, cream-coloured glaze inside. The three place setting options are coupe, rim and square, plus accessories and serving pieces. The Colorwave Collection, made of fine stoneware that is microwave, dishwasher and freezer-safe, continues to be a success story globally with Noritake continually expanding it, and in the US, it’s been the top bridal registering and selling collection for more than 15 years. The wide range of colours, from Apple, Chocolate and Mustard to Raspberry and Terra Cotta, as well as shapes and accessories, means the range can be dressed up or down, offering hundreds of possible table setting combinations for any occasion. "Not only are we creating dinnerware in a trending neutral shade that will appeal to current dinnerware shoppers, we are also creating an opportunity for current Colorwave owners to expand their collection and explore the opportunities of mixing and matching our different hues,” says Peter Goldberg, Noritake’s executive vice president.

www.noritakechina.com

5 minutes with…

Gibson Overseas

Make International

10th floor This Market, Gibson will show its design leadership with a wide range of fashion-forward collections and brands, including Holiday designs from Studio California. From the more traditional evergreen, to the bright and fun Home for the Holidays, this collection has something for everyone. “Studio California dinnerware and accessories is the perfect way to add joyful tradition to your holiday table,” says Laurie Gates, Gibson’s VP of creative and merchandising. Gibson will also deliver expanded offerings in the Italian-designed Tosca collection, a multi-category tablescape (from dinnerware to flatware to glassware, metals, accessories) infused with the rustic spirit of Italy, yet with a high-end feel, its texture of debossed lines, knits and swirls delivering a “refined, yet pastoral, beauty to the table”, says Laurie. Finally, Gibson will reintroduce its Florence Broadhurst licence, a collection including classic prints such as Turnabouts, Honeycomb, Japanese Floral and Cockatoos on porcelain.

www.gibsonusa.com

Porcel 9th floor With the American market firmly in mind, Porcel will unveil three new collections, Liberty, Infinity and Florence. While Liberty is inspired by the ornamental Art Nouveau style, featuring shades of green and gold and both organic and geometric designs, Florence is a dinner, tea and coffee collection with an organic approach to design. Fluid floral elements gently kiss the surface of each porcelain piece in bright shades of green, pink and blue. Infinity is a collection that features delicate thin lines of golden infinite circles, creating the illusion of a vanishing point in the pattern. Porcel will also launch new decorative pieces in its Exclusive Premium Gold collection – pieces that are entirely handpainted and that celebrate gold in an authentic approach to craftsmanship – including a coffee set in deep green with touches of gold and two leaf-shaped trays.

www.porcel.com

Make International will be opening its debut showroom at Forty One Madison this September, we talk to CEO Dominic Speelman

You’re opening a showroom at 41 Madison, why now? We’ve had our eye on 41 Madison for a while. It’s an iconic place to be within our industry and we really love the idea of being one of the 95+ permanent showrooms. Now couldn’t be better timing for us – we’re in a great position financially and product-wise with a large variety of unique designer products and an expanding brand portfolio. Additionally, our head of design, Keith Brymer Jones, is returning to BBC2 later this year for the second series of The Great Pottery Throw Down, which continues to raise the profile of the company. What will Make International offer the US market? At the moment our representation in the American market is low compared to that across the UK, Europe and Australasia, and parts of Asia. America is a huge market for us as we offer several different brands of contemporary, British-designed products, which the US simply hasn’t seen before. We feel we stand out with our welcoming personality and design ethos, creating stylish products that are pleasing to the eye, practical in the modern home but, above all, make people happy! What’s more, we feel there’s a gap in the American market for contemporary, design-led products, which are affordable and appeal to the millennial market. Why do you feel a showroom at 41 Madison will be beneficial? We plan to

grow our US customer base and feel it’s important to meet our US customers face to face, to build strong relationships with them. Forty One Madison is the destination many buyers visit to find the top brands selling the finest quality products, and being relatively new to the US market, placing ourselves among the respected tableware brands at 41 Madison is a credible way to demonstrate we fit in and for new buyers to be confident we are the trusted and respected company our current buyers know us to be. . Any particular brands or collections you will be pushing in the American market?

There is strong interest in all of our brands, however, we’ll be pushing our Keith Brymer Jones ceramics and his brand-new glassware. Keith Brymer Jones, our head of design, is a master potter and the creative engine behind the renowned word range, as well as starring on BBC2's popular TV show The Great Pottery Throw Down. The KBJ glassware is the ﬁrst of its kind and has already had a fantastic response in the UK and from the few in the US who’ve seen it. At the request of Bloomingdale’s, we’ve created an extra-large KBJ mug with American-style words on. Another brand we’re excited to introduce is Scion Living with its quirky, charming and individual style, and our Jane Foster range, which is fun, quirky and distinctively British. Our new Hokolo collection, of ﬁne china ceramics, which stack seamlessly, is quite unique and newly available to the US market.

Global Debut Herend Making its worldwide debut at the show is Herend’s Butterfly Garden pattern. Anchored by a bold green stripe with butterflies dancing among it, this pattern is available on a cachepot as well as other accessories. Find Herend on the 10th floor.

Show w Preview 41 Madison adison

Lenox 24th floor Taking centre stage for Lenox this market are extensions of its popular patterns across melamine and stoneware, including the new Butterfly Meadow Preppy Melamine collection, which boasts all the beauty of Butterfly Meadow with scalloped rims and butterflies in cheery patterns and colourful combinations. French Perle Melamine (pictured) is also launching, featuring the fanciful beading, scalloped rims and tea stained accents of French Perle, but shatterproof and dishwasher safe. It comes in four colours – kiwi, blue, slate and aqua – and has coordinating acrylic drinkware. Finally, Butterfly Meadow Carved is a new chip-resistant stoneware dinnerware range featuring an embossed butterfly motif glazed in soft hues, with scalloped rims, and four colours – vanilla, blue, slate and blush. Barware also features in Lenox launches with the successful Tuscany line of glassware extended. There’s the perfectly-crafted Hurricane glass, great for cocktails and tropical drinks, Modern Cocktail, an architecturallyinspired 100 per cent lead free crystal cocktail glass, a beer flight, including a beechwood board (pictured), assorted flutes for bubbles, a smoothie glass and ice cream bowl.

Fiesta

www.lenox.com

16th ﬂoor Homer Laughlin China Company has a new product launch to add to its colourful and iconic Made In America brand Fiesta Dinnerware. “The Large Heart Bowl is just in time for Valentine’s Day,” says Rich Brinkman, VP of sales and marketing at Homer Laughlin. “But judging from the popularity of our small and medium heart bowls, this will be a hot item all year round.” This is the largest of three, with the Small Heart Bowl available to independent retailers only. All come in 15 colours, including Claret, the colour for 2016.

www.hlcdinnerware.com

Herend 10th ﬂoor

Lifetime Brands 45 Madison Avenue

Lifetime Brands will showcase introductions across its brands, including Mikasa, Towle and Wilton Armtale. In decoration, Mikasa will unveil new glass vase and bowl lines, including Colbie rose bowls in pastel hues with a gold banding. In dinnerware, Mikasa extends its Savona range of dinnerware to include Savona Floral, a delicate floral design, and Savona Stripe, a geometric design, both in grey, teal or beige, to be mixed with each other and with the solid-coloured line. Also new is Coronado, an organic shape on terracotta with a lustre finish, and Shea, high-quality stoneware with a reactive glaze finish and organic shapes.

www.lifetimebrands.com

In addition to the debut of its Butterfly Garden pattern, Herend will showcase a number of additions to its diverse assortment of fishnet figurines. Among two new vignettes is a French bulldog enjoying a bath in a sudsy, old-school washtub with his BFF, rubber ducky, and a skating penguin with scarf flying clearly having the best day on ice. Also available are figurines with a more classic presentation: a dachshund and a King Charles Cavalier spaniel; a beautiful fantail goldfish figurine and a clownfish. Finally, Herend’s skill in the creation of beautiful bird figurines will be on display with the introduction of a very proud and self-assured cockatiel on a perch and two turtle doves, a perfect wedding gift.

www.herend.com

Market reintroduction

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Gibson Overseas will reintroduce its Florence Broadhurst licence. A renowned designer and French couturier, Florence created a library of timeless and distinctive prints that garnered attention worldwide. Broadhurst’s inspirations for the table will be showcased via Gibson at this year’s show with the collection including mix and match classic prints like Turnabouts, Honeycomb, Japanese Floral and Cockatoos on ﬁne porcelain. Find Gibson Overseas on the 10th ﬂoor

Nambé 6th floor Renowned for its use of exciting materials in exciting new ways and combinations, Nambé will unveil a new stoneware dinnerware collection. Versatile,, p practical and stunning, the collection comes as a four-piece place setting and open stock, with four different coloured accent plates – bright blue, grey, rey, slate and citron – and flatware to match. Nambé will also unveil a new w serveware collection – made of ash wood, a new wood for the brand brand, mixed with Nambé alloy. Finally, there will be a number of extensions xtensions to Nambé’s popular Eco Collection (pictured), including ng photo frames, as well as a brand-new cast iron tea pot. ot.

www.nambe.com

Richard Ginorii 17th ﬂoor

Inspired by botanical manuscripts from the 18th century, found in the historical archives of the Richard d Ginori Manufacture, The Perroquets (Parrots) is Richard rd Ginori’s latest collection. An expression of know-how,, of excellence and of Made In Italy expertise, ink pen, ﬁlm and silk frame are the methods used in the development ment of the colour composition of each parrot. The background ound is coloured by using the craft technique of punzecchio. Each plate is hand-decorated, for a particular colouration and forr a ﬂavour of authenticity of the past.

www.richardginori1735.com

Vista Alegre Vi 9th floor Vista Alegre will launch giftable din dinnerware sets, ideal for newlyweds and those buying for their first home. Th The First House Collections come in 20-piece sets, including six dinner plates, soup plates and dessert plates, plus a salad bowl and serving platter, and feature some of Vista Alegre’s most popular lines, including Domo White, Harvard, Trasso and Prairie. Also new is Vista Alegre’s Holi collection n (pictured), a versatile range that comes in a variety of colourways, including inc blue, green turquoirse and coral, allowing for seamless mixing and matching. Pieces include a charger, platters, mugs, cereal and salad bowls, and five-piece setting. s

www.vistaalegre.com

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Show Preview 41 Madison

Villeroy & Boch 18th floor Following the successful launch of its trend-based food concept series BBQ, Pizza and Passion Pasta, Villeroy & Boch will unveil its new Soup Passion for autumn, and will also continue its Gifts a la Villeroy & Boch strategy with the introduction of new gift articles, including NewWave animals, featuring butterflies, and Oronda, glass vases featuring a marbled effect. In glassware, there are new line extensions with Grand Royal Gold, crystal glass goblets featuring a vintage look and golden rim, and Boston Coloured in a new shade, grey, for a subtle smokey look. In tableware collections there are extensions to Anmut Samarah (pictured), featuring shades of gold, and to porcelain line French Garden (pictured), which delivers the new Antibes and Beaulieu series, offering mix and match at breakfast. Finally, new products in all three spring collections – Mariefleur Spring, Spring Fantasy and Farmers Spring – will launch.

www.villeroy-boch.com

Kiyasa 17th floor Boutique luxury distributor Kiyasa will deliver a number of new introductions from its various brands. As the exclusive importer and distributor of Prouna, Kiyasa will showcase the new Marble by Prouna four-piece dining set, an affordable and practical yet luxurious set, including dinner salad, mug and cereal bowl, in both Azure and Venice Fog colours. Greggio Silver will showcase its new Masini Bar Cart/Trolley (pictured). Perfect for holiday entertaining, the cart, which will soon be available at retailers like Parci Parla in Brooklyn, includes a removable tray and is non-tarnish. Finally, under its own in-house Kiyasa Signature line, Kiyasa is introducing the Python Red Dragon trays and table accessories (pictured), a range including trays in three shapes – round, flat, rectangular – along with a coaster set, napkin holder and guest towel holder.

www.kiyasa.com

Libbey 7th ﬂoor

A landmark year for LSA International, this season’s collections reflect and respect their design heritage as they celebrate fifty years of creativity and craftsmanship. This Autumn/Winter the brand has developed exciting and functional new collections that combine a variety of artisan techniques and materials. AW16 presents a broad range of products and price points for gifting and entertaining. The collections are characterised by a modern approach to metallic finishes, contemporary mixed materials and simple forms with original features. In addition, a selection of its bestselling ranges have been extended to offer new colourways and gift boxed sets. Attention to detail and a finish of the highest quality, AW16’s sophisticated and original drinkware, serveware and decorative accessories offer original presentation for any occasion, festive or otherwise.

The Libbey Showroom will deliver a versatile assortment of unique collections that span the range of holiday celebrations and elevate holiday tablescapes, from informal cocktail hours to seated dinner parties. “Today’s home entertainer is seeking products to help create an atmosphere and tone that matches their personal style,” says Serena Williams, director of retail marketing. “They want products that are fashion forward, multifunctional yet affordable. They want to make every occasion a memorable celebration.” Libbey will also showcase a wide variety of giftable collections. “Gifting is up double digits this year. Consumers are eager to find gifts that offer functionality and fashion,” adds Serena. “For example, brunch is booming and Libbey’s mimosa and Bloody Mary sets are a perfect gift for hosts.” Also new is Aviva Serveware, an assortment of glass serving pieces; Modern Bar, unique consumer insights serve as inspiration for these giftable collections; and Craft Brews and Spirits, a classic collection reimagined with fresh and contemporary packaging that delivers more than 30 giftable sets.

https://trade.lsa-international.com

https://libbey.com

LSA International 17th ﬂoor

Download the App Before you arrive, download the 41 Madison app, and get more out of your visit. The app lists the showrooms, alphabetically, and by ﬂoor and category, allowing users to view the brands’ newest introductions in the Image Gallery, connecting them to a showroom by email or phone with the touch of a ﬁnger. It also offers a To Do feature so users can plan and list appointments, and a local guide to restaurants in the Flatiron District. www.41madison.com/downloadapp.php

THE NEW YORK TABLETOP SHOW

2016 SEPTEMBER

27– 30 Future Show Dates April 4 – 7, 2017 October 17 – 20, 2017

Where the most important brands and buyers meet.

41 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010 • 212.686.1203 • 41madison.com • A Rudin Building

American Silk Anchor Hocking Arc International Artland Auratic USA BauscherHepp Inc. B.I.A. Cordon Bleu Bormioli Rocco Glass Cambridge Silversmiths Certified International Christofle Circle Glass Crystal House International Crystalite Bohemia Inc. Degrenne Paris Denby USA Deshoulières DeVine Corp. Euro Ceramica, Inc. Fisher Home Products Fitz & Floyd Fürstenberg Gibson Overseas Godinger Group Gourmet Settings Hampton Forge Herend Hering-Berlin Hermès Home Essentials and Beyond Homer Laughlin China Co. iittala Jay Import John Jenkins Joseph Joseph Julia Watts LLC Juliska Kiyasa L’OBJET Lee’s Group International Lenox Corporation Libbey Lifetime Brands LSA International Luigi Bormioli MAKE International Maxwell & Williams Meyer Corporation Michael Aram Michael Wainwright Moser Mottahedeh Mr. Christmas Nambe Nikko Ceramics Noritake Odiot Oneida Ltd. Orrefors Kosta Boda Over & Back Pasabahce USA Pickard China Portmeirion Prima Design Prouna Puiforcat Q Squared Design LLC RAK Porcelain Ralph Lauren Home Reed & Barton 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 Sango America TL Scafati & Company Shinepukur Ceramics Signature Housewares Inc. Spode Steve Dolce Marketing 10 Strawberry Street TarHong Direct Tervis Typhoon Homewares Tzeng Shyng Vietri Villeroy & Boch Vista Alegre Waterford Wedgwood William Yeoward Crystal WMF Yamazaki Tableware Zak Designs Zwilling J.A. Henckels