Interview Rosenthal
Meet the creatives
New studio-line design vases
Rosenthal, a powerhouse brand famed for its many iconic collections, prides itself on being a leader in porcelain production. Unafraid to push boundaries, Rosenthal celebrates the creative processes of some of the world’s most forward-thinking designers. Robert Suk and Insa Doan – heads of design and art direction at Rosenthal’s Creative Centre – give Tableware International some insight into the brand… For Robert Suk and Insa Doan – head of design and art direction at Rosenthal’s Creative Centre – inspiration lies everywhere. Every nook, every cranny, every face they meet, every place they travel – it’s built into the fabric of their beings. Given they are the people responsible for driving the powerhouse that is Rosenthal’s design centre, the
heart of the company’s creative engine, it’s really no surprise they find influence from so many different facets of being. “We walk around with open eyes and observing the zeitgeist,” they tell us. “We both travel a lot and get inspired from various cultures, art, food and trends from all around the world.” They also cite trade fairs, exhibitions and forecast
Inspiration from Rosenthal 2024 For 2024, Rosenthal has taken inspiration from a myriad of crafts and materials – while pastel shades are big news. The design team tells us: “We rely on delicate colours that convey strength and a lot of calm, which is certainly a strong trend. Pastel colours are also a big trend we´ve seen on catwalks around the world. This is something that will also translate into interior: the combination of colour-in-colour tones will be strong. We are both fanatical when it comes to essential food tendencies and we always keep these in focus. We can see, for example, that sharing plates are trending in gastronomy, and also when it comes to table setting at people´s homes.” 52 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL
presentations for giving insight into possible future trends. “We both like to research a lot, which can go in very different directions. For example, a new relief structure could come from a piece of fabric or a new shape from an
after Kumihimo, a traditional Japanese technique in which yarns, ribbons and cords are artfully woven together.) Being too early with a trend is as bad as being too late, Robert and Insa say, so they will – generally
“This year we rediscovered our iconic designer vases from the studio-line, where from 1961 artists, designers and architects turned avant-garde designs into porcelain creations” archive inspiration. You will see with our beautiful new Kumi line that woven patterns, handwoven fabrics and the artisanal handcraft of producing baskets, leather handbags and furniture inspired us,” they reveal. (Interestingly, the new Kumi collection is named
speaking – forecast up to two years ahead of the curve. And while brands can forecast as much as they like, products need to sell, so the creative must always meet the bottom line. With that in mind, how does Rosenthal’s Creative Centre anticipate what will sell and