Tableware International October 2020

TableWare www.tablewareinternational.com

INTERNATIONAL

Month: October/November 2020

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Issue: 4

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Volume: 142

M O O "L OLLECTION #

Tableware Team EDITOR MAIREAD WILMOT mairead@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

To subscribe to the magazine email: ROBERT THOMAS robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

Published by Lema Publishing Ltd. 1 Churchgates, The Wilderness Berkhamsted Herts HP4 2UB Tel: 00 44 (0) 1442 289930

Front cover supplied by Bordallo Pinheiro For more information see the website www.bordallopinheiro.com

TableWare www.tablewareinternational.com

INTERNATIONAL

Month: October/November 2020

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Issue: 4

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Volume: 142

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INTERNATIONAL

ews that Ambiente 2021 will not be the Ambiente we are familiar with didn't really come as too much of a surprise to anyone.

Trade show organisers are in a particularly sticky situation – an onus of care exists to exhibitors and visitors. Yet in the same breath, business needs to get done, buyers want to see and touch collections, so figuring out how to make that happen during frankly, unprecedented times, is not an easy task.

Messe Frankfurt's solution is an interesting one, they have paired Ambiente with Christmasworld and Paperworld – all three shows will be held simultaneously under the International Consumer Goods Show banner with the event running from 17 to 20 April. The show will be supported with a digital arm, called the Consumer Goods Digital Days. Given the current global state of play, Messe Frankfurt's hands were tied – 2021 is already throwing us curve balls but adaptability is key to success, and adapt we will. 41 Madison, for example, is taking place this month. They too have taken a flexible approach to their event with a digital arm running alongside the physical show. See our 41 Madison preview from page 50. New to 41 Madison is Turkish glassmaker Lav, we spoke with Esin Güral Argat, vice president on the board of parent company Gürallar to learn more about the company’s expansive plans on page 56.

Lav's plans for taking on the US market are central for the company so its interesting to read about their approach.

Meanwhile, on page 28 you'll see our interview with Nuno Barra, member of the Vista Alegre board, who talks about Vista Alegre and sister company Bordallo Pinheiro's collaboration with supermodel Claudia Schiffer on the much-anticipated Cloudy Butterflies collection. Nuno also speaks about the next natural extention for Vista Alegre as the company branches into textiles with scarfs and blankets.

These pieces have been inspired by the Duality, Amazônia, Transatlântica and Ivory collections with Nuno saying they "transcend the concepts of tableware and gifts, and fit directly into the sophisticated universe of home décor. A logical and desirable complement to the brand’s offer."

Turning to page 18, we speak with Jan Dibbern of renowned tabletop company Dibbern.

Jan speaks to us about one of Dibbern's latest collections Coupe – an assortment which personifies what the company stands for; highend, contemporary design. We also get some insight into the company's ethos and philosophy.

This issue is one where we focus on the cutlery/ flatware sector – you'll find that on page 30. Such an important element of the industry, cutlery is central to a well-dressed table but there are challenges when it comes to selling it. As more and more of us turn to online shopping, how do we grow the digital sales of cutlery when, traditionally, it would be seen as a brick and mortar purchase?

"We have noticed that the online sales of flatware have been doing very well," Marco Hoogervorst, sales manager with Amefa tells us.

"The main difference is that for online sales you must be aware and put more effort into the buying experience.

In a physical store, customers can touch the product and see it from different angles, online you must provide extra tools like ambiance images to evoke the same thoughts and feelings."

We pose the same question to other industry insiders who give us their view on the matter, along with viewpoints on other flatware related topics.

Of course, we also focus on trends such as luxe living (page 58) and autumnal shades (page 26) along with new products (16), HoReCa focused products (44), and regular columnists.

With so much going on this year, it is reassuring to note that we are proud to – once again – be hosting the Tableware International Awards of Excellence. Please visit www. tablewareinternationalawards.com for a full list of categories to enter.

“Messe Frankfurt's solution is an interesting one, they have paired Ambiente with Christmasworld and Paperworld – all three shows will be held simultaneously ”

Mairead Wilmot Get social with

See our latest news: www.tablewareinternational.com ‘Like’ us: Facebook.com/tablewareintmag ‘Follow’ us on Twitter: @tablewareintmag ‘Love’ us on Instagram: tableware_international

TableWare INTERNATIONAL

For the collections that matter… enter the Tableware International Awards of Excellence 2021

www.tablewareinternationalawards.com

2021 The categories are: Serveware

pieces made of metal

serving pieces, platters, bowls

Hospitality Dinnerware

Barware

HoReCa specific collections

tools, drinkware, serveware: collection or specific

Hospitality Glassware

pieces

HoReCa specific collections

Flatware/Cutlery

Casual Dinnerware

collections or individual items

everyday, informal

Casual Glassware

Fine Dinnerware

everyday, machine-made

bridal, formal, premium, luxury

Fine Glassware

Innovation Award

premium, crystal, mouthblown

collections or individual pieces with stand-out,

Decorative

innovative elements either in design or make

vases, bowls, candlesticks, photo-frames,

2021 Designer of the Year

figurines

a designer whose work is considered excellent

Coffee/Teaware

Lifetime Achievement Award

full set and/or individual coffee/tea pieces

someone who has made an outstanding

Metals

contribution to the industry

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October 2020

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News & Trends 12 News A round-up of international stories 16

N ew Products What's hot on the market

20 R etail One of Thailand's best-known stores, Central Department Store, talks shop 26 T rend: Autumnal tones Exploring autumnal styles

26

In focus 18 Interview: Dibbern High-end, design-led and contemporary, we talk with Dibbern

24

24 C ollection Dissection: Crystalex 32 I nterview: Vista Alegre Nuno Barra tells us about the company's successful 2020 collections 38

I nterview: Nick Holland delves into his 40-year history of designing cutlery

24 30 C ategory: Cutlery All things cutlery unveiled 44 N ew Products: HoReCa Focus on fresh products 48 The Chef's Table Chefs tell us what they are using in their kitchens 58 T rend: Luxe living Looking at luxury

18

56 I nterview: LAV As LAV opens its 41 Madison showroom we learn more about the glassmaker

Regulars 22 Column: Retail Preparing for Q4 40 Column: HoReCA Valda Goodfellow on trust and confidence 50 Show preview: 41 Madison

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.

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Mixology Circon Collection

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general News

Tanja-Simone Pigorsch steps into role at Rosenthal Rosenthal welcomed TanjaSimone Pigorsch to a new role on 1 September. Responsible for the marketing and sales divisions of Rosenthal GmbH as managing director, together with Carsten W. Hense, the trade expert now forms a dual leadership team in the Rosenthal GmbH management.

With a managerial background in companies such as Douglas, Beiersdorf and Porsche Design, most recently, Tanja-Simone Pigorsch was responsible for

international business and the development of new business areas for natural cosmetics brand LaVera at Laverana GmbH. "A traditional brand like Rosenthal offers an incredible amount of potential for the future," she says.

"I would like to help to continue the success story of this brand – with a clear attitude and a corporate strategy that focuses on values such as authenticity, sustainability and appreciation.”

Richard Ginori unveils new brand identity Italian porcelain maker Richard Ginori 1735 has rebranded to Ginori 1735. With a new logo, the company says its fresh brand identity supports “the transition to a global lifestyle design brand, specialising in the highest quality, artisanal porcelain tableware and homewares”.

Speaking about the rebrand, chairman and CEO Alain Prost says: “We are returning to our roots, changing our name, and investing in our legacy of bringing a deep sense of place, a graceful manner, and an effervescent spirit to all who embrace our mission. Richard Ginori is now, and once again, Ginori 1735.”

Inspired by… city living

Limited-edition recycled collection launches Iittala has introduced a 100 per cent recycled glass collection. The limitededition collection of design icons is made solely of recycled waste glass from the Iittala Glass Factory.

With sustainability at the core of what they do, Iittala was one of the world’s first industrial manufacturers to create tumblers solely from waste glass in 2019.

Now comes the company’s new specialedition collection again made entirely of waste glass from the Iittala Glass Factory. The unique collection includes iconic designs such as the Aalto vase (160 mm), the Aalto tealight candleholder (60 mm), the Kastehelmi tumbler (30 cl), the Kastehelmi tealight candleholder (60 mm), and the Raami tumbler (26 cl). The colours of the collection, which depend on the waste glass used in the production, vary from cool blue to calming green.

12 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Royal Doulton’s Signature 1815 has been designed with city living in mind. Created for individuals and couples, the collection comes in an on-trend colour palette – think chalky pink, fresh coral, cool green and soft blue.

Released over the summer, Signature 1815 includes dinner and side plates, pasta and cereal bowls, coffee mugs and more, all sold as single items or in small sets.

Sold in sustainable packaging that can be re-used and recycled, every piece from the Signature 1815 Collection is dishwasher and microwave safe – designed to make busy urban living that little bit easier.

mins with Sambonet’s 5Xavier China

Madame recognised

Sambonet’s Madame collection – an assortment of stands and decorative design pieces – received an honourable mention at one of the world’s most recognised awards ceremonies, the Compasso d’Oro ADI. A well-respected industrial design award, the Compasso d’Oro originated in Italy in 1954 and Sambonet’s Madame was noted at the most recent edition. Madame, a project entirely “made in Sambonet” – designed and developed by the company’s creative department together with their centro stile – met the approval of one of the most eminent evaluation committees in the world, recognising the company’s craftsmanship and design prowess.

285

the number of years Ginori 1735 has been in continuous operation.

Charlotte Baly, director of Xavier China which was co-founded with Nicky Sansom (her mother), talks to Tableware International about why they set up a new company in such an established market, and their most recent launch – The Wilding Collection...

Tell us about Xavier China – what are the company’s origins?

It all began when my mother and I went out to buy tableware for a new family home. We wanted bone china due to its translucency and strength, but we found ourselves having to choose between a limited range of quite expensive retailers, plain white plates or an antique dinner service. It seemed odd that Josiah Spode’s brilliantly practical invention had become so difficult to buy. So, we asked a friend to draw a design based on our home, found a factory and ordered our own dinner service.

Ultimately, we had exactly what we wanted for a decent price and thought, ‘surely other families want this too?’

What has reaction been like to your collections thus far?

At first people are worried that our plates are too fragile for daily living, which is the great misconception about bone china. We spend a lot of time explaining that everyone must get their grandparents bone china out of the cupboard because, despite its delicacy, it is much less likely to chip than thicker earthenware or pottery.

Lots of people are excited about the idea of putting a coat of arms or monogram on their china, and the Classic Collection provides the perfect canvas for personalisation. Customers are also particularly interested in hand-painted elements, like the french edge or a painted border.

Have there been any industry curveballs that surprised you?

We were surprised to learn how many

historic companies had moved production overseas and assumed this meant we wouldn’t be able to manufacture at home in the UK. After a bit of research, however, we found we could definitely follow our dream of having the bone china made in England.

Tell us about The Wilding Collection?

The Wilding Collection builds on the design for our own family home, which is situated in the middle of an ancient French hunting forest. Our friend, the wonderful David Urmston, drew us a beautiful boar leaping through the woods who we put in the middle of our plates.

David agreed to add five further stunning pen and ink drawings that celebrate the rewilding movement in Britain. Together they herald the return of six keystone species once integral to the British countryside but sadly hunted to extinction: the beaver, boar, wolf, lynx, white stork and auroch.

The Wilding Collection will launch on 18 October 2020 in three colours inspired by nature: french grey; forest green; and red earth. It will be available to buy on our website. It will also be available to view at the Wedding Present Company and Kelling Designs in London.

What next from Xavier China?

We have some thrilling collections coming out over the next 12 months including two exciting collaborations with Kelling Designs and Kinship Press. We can’t wait to offer everyone exactly what we wanted – fine bone china for modern family living! xavierchina.com

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 13

general News Viewpoints…

Supermodel Claudia Schiffer’s Cloudy Butterflies arrives at retail Cloudy Butterflies, the collaboration between Vista Alegre and sister company Bordallo Pinheiro with supermodel Claudia Schiffer has launched.

The highly-anticipated collection is composed of three pieces in art glass with Vista Alegre brand – one centre table vase, one high vase and one low vase – and eleven Bordallo Pinheiro pieces – one giant wall piece, two further wall pieces in smaller dimensions, a vide-poche, one cake plate, two vases, one box, one fruit bowl and two salad bowls, decorated with butterflies in several colours. The art glass pieces from Vista Alegre and the Bordallo Pinheiro oversized pieces will be produced bespoke for each customer, available on demand in stores and shop online.

See more on page 28 in our chat with Vista Alegre’s Nuno Barra.

Let’s look at…

Wrześniak Glassworks

Experts in crafting both clear and coloured glassware, Polish-based Wrześniak Glassworks is a company that knows what it is doing. Priding themselves on creating the feeling and ambiance of a small workshop – despite having more than 4,000 employees – Wrześniak creates and supplies thousands of products for the global market. Limitless options are available to clients in a myriad of shapes and styles, think decorative pieces such as vases, candleholders and tabletop products like tumblers, jugs, stemware and more, all in clear or coloured glass, depending on their client’s needs. Interestingly, Wrześniak point out they are open to working with clients on new and fresh ideas while simultaneously offering the huge capacity of the largest handmade glass manufacturer in Europe.

www.glassworks.pl 14 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Which global territories are performing well for you at the moment and what is selling there?

“Porland is an industry leader that exports to more than 30 countries on four continents.

We have an eight per cent share in the UK market within the field of gastronomy, and are planning to expand this route to Africa, Australia and the USA and to offer our own premium products to new markets. The Ethos series, Iris Gray, Iris Blue (pictured) and Root Rusty can be listed among the most demanded products in the field of export.”

Imge Pamukcu, COO, Porland “As a global company, there isn't one country that we receive most projects from; however, the majority do come from North America, the Middle East, Europe and Russia. All of our clients are entirely different; tableware and interior tastes are such an individual thing. We love that no two projects are the same; this is the reason we are always striving to innovate and develop our product portfolio.”

Elizabeth Quiligotti, senior business development manager, Glancy Fawcett “Our strongest US territories are the south east and south west. We have incredible retailers in all 50 states but Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia and Alabama are among our top five.

Retailers could not get enough of our luxury melamine this summer, especially Nube our satin finish collection and for fall, our newest collection Sierra Modern, in gorgeous metallic finishes, that are dishwasher safe is on every order.”

Kelly Wenzel, national sales director, Beatriz Ball “We distribute to over 50 markets around the world. Lots of the big trends that one might assume are predominantly in the UK actually permeate through most of them – I’m thinking, for example, of gin goblets and gold-coloured lines. A specific territory that is doing exceptionally well for us right now is the Netherlands, where there’s a lot of demand for some of our more creative tableware lines. Our Dutch HoReCa customers are looking for high quality, distinctive designs that differentiate while also being cost effective. Bright and strong colours are popular with them, recently top sellers have included our Koi, Ink, Hedonism and Atlantis lines.”

Kathryn Oldershaw, marketing director, Utopia Tableware

New Products

Phoenix rising Herend has introduced a stunning new collection, designed by artisan craftmakers for the most discerning of clients. The Phoenix porcelain collection includes a limited-edition wall plate, figurines, along with other handmade accessories – all meticulously hand-painted by Herend’s skillfull team.

In Greek mythology, the Phoenix symbolised resurrection and rebirth, while ancient Egyptian and Chinese myths associated it with the Sun God. Legend has it that the Phoenix is reborn every five hundred years, by perishing in a colourful display of fire, with a new Phoenix rising from the ashes. The flames remove all sins of the past and purify to begin life anew. A symbol used throughout history, the rejuvenation of this mythical firebird reflects the continued renaissance of humanity.

www.herend.com

Focus on…

new products Bringing you the most recent releases from the world’s best tableware brands

The gift of giving Sambonet has curated a selection of bridal gifts which can be personalised through the company’s unique Tailor Made service. Gift givers can create their own “tailor-made” favours by choosing their own piece of cutlery – think dessert forks, dessert or espresso spoons etc – as well as choosing the collection, finish and colour from the well-stocked Sambonet catalogue. And thanks to the Tailor Made project you can add an engraving of initials, a specific symbol, or a special date. Moreover, Sambonet offers gorgeous, classic packaging – a white box with delicate embossing, a stain ribbon decorated with a love poem and, to top it off, a coordinated shopper.

www.sambonet.it

Inspired by…. true blue Take a deep dive into blue with the MacKenzie-Childs collection of Lapis Flower Market dinnerware and servingware. The collection features a rich royal blue that is inspired by the blues that surround the MacKenzieChilds studio in upstate New York, from the blue sky overhead to the blue water of nearby Cayuga Lake. Topping that blue are bright and brilliant floral blossoms that are always in bloom. Mix and match Lapis Flower Market with other Flower Market colours, including black, green, and white, or pair it with Royal Check or Courtly Check for a check mate.

www.mackenzie-childs.com

Mythical beauties www.dunoonmugs.co.uk Dragon from Dunoon is a stunning set of designs by Dave Broadhurst depicting three mythical creatures – Norse, Celtic and Asian.

Embellished with 22-carat gold, these rich and bold patterns are launched on the popular Lomond shape fine bone china mug, which is made in England.

16 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Historic update Nikko’s historic Sansui collection, first designed in 1915, has been given a fresh update. The collection has remained steadfastly in vogue for the past 105 years, becoming one of Nikko’s longest-selling assortments. Previously, Sansui has been made using sheet copper decoration on ironstone china.

Now, it has been newly released with its decorations applied to pure white fine bone china using Nikko’s advanced paper transfer technology. With these advancements in production, Nikko says Sansui has been enhanced, now boasting pure white surfaces with more delicate motifs, the collection is also stronger making it suitable for commercial use while retaining its original charm. Interestingly, the “willow pattern� on Sansui is a motif of an ancient Chinese love story. A rich man’s daughter and a young servant fell into an unpermitted love and attempted to run away together. However, they were caught. Unable to be together in this world, the two became birds and vowed eternal love. The illustration, named “hiyokurenri�, symbolises a man and woman’s harmonious relationship.

Make it fashion The Sip Of Gold Champagne Goblets from Sieger By Fßrstenberg now feature four additional dÊcors. An homage to fashion classics – with Vichy, Pepita, Glencheck and Herringbone, four icons now adorn the Sip of Gold champagne goblets. Featuring a wall thickness of just two millimetres, the handcrafted tumblers have been adorned on their interior and on their exterior rim with 24-carat gold.

www.fuerstenbergporzellan.com &2 % 2 /. 2 . (+/%0,# 0-, % 2 +1011")$)-#110 $-1*'11*2 .10

www.nikko-company.co.jp

Re c o n n e c ti n g th e i nd us t ry a ro un d

a n d

Differentiate your offering and gain a competitive advantage by sourcing products, trends

Find: Thousands of new & innovative home, housewares and Internet of Things products Learn: About color and consumer trends, retail best practices, design and smart home

and ideas not yet available in

Discover: Inspiring new retail concepts, merchandising and branding

TheInspiredHomeShow.com

Visit: World-class retailers such as Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma and The Container Store

your market!

New Dates for the 2021 Show! | 7-10 August | Chicago, USA

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 17

Interview Dibbern

“We combine traditional craftsmanship with aesthetically appealing simplicity to create a contemporary design”

Contemporary craftsmanship A name synonymous with excellence, Dibbern has created a niche for itself – creating tableware with style, substance and flair. Simplistic yet beautifully designed, the company’s collections are coveted at both hospitality and retail. We spoke with Jan Dibbern about past, present and future

T

he essence of the Dibbern brand name is, it is fair to say, one of virtue. The family-run business is very much a partnership, a meeting of minds between founder Bernd Dibbern, and his sons Jan and Ben. Porcelain has become second nature, flowing as freely as blood through the Dibbern family veins, built into their very being.

The company we know today, one which sees traditional craftsmanship meet contemporary design, has been built on a devoted passion to excellence.

When Bernd Dibbern founded the company back in 1966, his operating model was simple – introducing and distributing Scandinavian brands such as Iittala to the German retail market. It was when Dibbern began designing

“

Our aim, as a team, is to create products that... meet the highest standards in terms of quality, design, functionality and durability Jan Dibbern

”

18 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Jan and Ben Dibbern

their own collections with German porcelain producers and Italian glass manufacturers that the brand had its international breakthrough.

“That was in the early 1980s,” Jan Dibbern explains, “with the product line Solid Color, a shape that was initially designed during the Bauhaus period.”

Another major milestone in the company history was in 1997 – Dibbern’s reopening of the Carl Magnus Hutschenreuther porcelain manufactory, which was founded in 1814 in Bavaria.

Today, the family business is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality design products in the field of fine dining, and employs 150 people at two different locations – the company’s headquarters located nearby Hamburg and at the production site in Hohenberg, Bavaria.

“The first collections in the ‘60s and ‘70s really established the

company’s philosophy,” Jan tells us.

“It’s a philosophy still valid today for all Dibbern products –

Coupe

A moment with

Coupe...

Pastell

traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary design. In other words, we combine traditional craftsmanship with aesthetically appealing simplicity to create a contemporary design.”

With this ethos acting as the backbone to the company, Jan says Dibbern creates porcelain and glass collections that meet the highest standards in terms of quality, design, functionality and durability.

Each year sees the company release collections in Fine Bone China, Solid Color and glassware, with the timeline for initial conception through to retail launch about six months – that is six months of planning, precision and perfection.

The Dibbern family’s collaborative approach to running the business means Bernd, Jan and Ben are all involved in the development of the collections.

“Our aim, as a team, is to create products that match with our existing collections and meet the highest standards in terms of quality, design, functionality and durability,” Jan says reassuringly. And while Dibbern develops collections for both the retail consumer and HoReCa customers, they say “certain products meet the needs

Coupe is one of Dibbern’s newest collections, introduced at Ambiente 2020. We learn more about the series which epitomises all Dibbern stands for – high-end, contemporary design Bernd Dibbern

of hospitality more than the requirements in private households”. That’s not to say retail customers are not well catered for, quite the opposite. Dibbern boasts a flagship store in Hamburg which is “very important to us” says Jan, explaining “the showroom allows us to present to our customers the way we think about contemporary table culture.”

When asked if expanding the retail side of the business is something which interests the company, Jan seems agreeable – the concept store in Hamburg has gone down well, he says. “In the long term, we would like to open more Dibbern stores in various European cities.”

That, we can say confidently, is most likely something all tableware fans would like to see. www.dibbern.de

The impact of Covid

Aqua

Like most companies, Covid-19 has had an impact on Dibbern. “Due to the worldwide impact of Covid-19, several international projects were delayed, postponed or even cancelled,” Jan confesses. “A huge part of our fine bone china is produced for the hospitality industry. This sector has been coping with huge revenue declines. As a result, the priority for the purchase of tableware products was little.”

But, he says, online sales saw “tremendous growth” as more and more people invest in interiors and spend on high-end products.

What was the thought process behind the design of the Coupe collection? What did Dibbern want to create?

The Coupe series stands for uncompromising minimalism in the creation of authentic, pure and elegant shape. It was our ambition to design a new shape that meets today’s culinary style in line with our entire fine bone china collection.

How many pieces are in the collection?

Coupe comprises 16 articles and can be combined with a lot of different items and series of the whole fine bone china collection.

How has it been received so far by buyers?

We launched it during the 2020 Ambiente trade show, where it was well received. It is currently available in retail.

Who is Coupe designed for?

Coupe is a shape that meets the contemporary style of dining. It may be used for various different serving dishes. It offers the perfect fine-dining mainstay for restaurants as well as creating the perfect ambience at home.

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 19

Retail Central Department Stores

First class service Central Department Store in Thailand considers themselves to be a “second home” for their customers. Michelle Hespe finds out more about this gia honoree who calls themselves a “customer-centric omni-channel retailer”…

C

entral Department Store’s mission has never wavered, it constantly strives to be the most-loved store in Thailand. By the looks of things, this gia honoree has achieved and continues to maintain that impressive position.

For more than 72 years, Central Department Store has upheld its founder’s mission of maintaining “a commitment to contributing to Thailand’s prosperity and enhancing the quality of life of its people.” The store is a world unto its own where co-living, co-dining and shopping is the name of the game.

“We have created a bond with our customers – placing great importance not only on their needs, but also on their preferences through an everchanging competitive landscape,” says Natira Boonsri, president of Central Department Store. “We are

a second home that transcends generations.”

By leading the way with innovations in Thai retail, Central Department Store has evolved with its customers, offering a seamless lifestyle shopping experience through a network of stores. “Our ever-expanding digital channels and our customer engagement platforms – e-commerce, social commerce and e-ordering – fulfill our modern-day vision to be the best omni-channel retailer in Southeast Asia,” says Natira.

“The CEOs of Central Group and Central Retail lead the way in fulfilling this philosophy, with constant innovations in our omnichannel platforms. I truly believe in this philosophy, and our entire team at Central Department Store are fully invested in concentrating on a customer-centric omnichannel mindset.”

Everyone working for Central Department Store follows the brand’s guiding philosophy that shopping today is no longer a mere transaction between sellers and buyers, but rather an interactive experience. “We have therefore allocated some of our selling space to more lifestyle-inspired elements,” explains Natira.

For example, the store’s Living House concept is the latest implementation and iteration of this retailing approach. It’s a beautifully designed “co-living and co-eating” space where home merchandise and Michelin Guide Thai street food and other food and beverage offerings merge seamlessly together, creating a home-like environment for families to enjoy.

In order to engage families and customers of different generations, Central Department

Store frequently hosts cooking demonstrations and workshops by famous chefs and other activities that are shared on social media.

Live music and mini-concerts in the Living House area further entice customers to spend more time in-store.

“We converted 35 per cent of our home department space into eateries, yet sales have increased by 20 per cent and sales per square meter have increased to as high as 75 per cent,” explains Natira. “We plan to add more eatery selections and adjust our merchandising to include more high-end brands in order to cater to our target customers.”

Central is constantly innovating and staying on top of mind of its customers. In 2019, the store launched a hugely successful campaign that was a fresh take on its signature “Central

Sponsored and organised by The Inspired Home Show and the International Housewares Association (IHA), gia (IHA Global Innovation Awards) is the world’s leading awards program honoring overall excellence, business innovation and creative merchandising in homegoods retailing. For more information about the gia retail program, the cosponsors, or participating in gia, contact Piritta Törrö at piritta.torro@inspiredconnection.fi.

Additional information on gia is also available online at TheInspiredHomeShow.com/Explore/Awards/gia-Excellence-in-Retailing.

For more information about The Inspired Home Show and to pre-register for the 2021 Show, taking place in Chicago on 7-10 August 2021, please visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com.

20 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Dealing with COVID-19 “We converted 35 per cent of our home department space into eateries, yet sales have increased by 20 per cent and sales per square meter have increased to as high as 75 per cent” Natira Boonsri, president, Central Department Store

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the percentage sales increased followed a successful marketing campaign.

Midnight Sale.” Natira and her marketing team, along with a reputable advertising agency, brainstormed several ideas that they believed would capture the attention of millennials and office workers.

“We decided to do this via a viral story-telling video series embedded with everyday humor,” she says.

In 2018, the first video entitled “Work Hard, Shop Harder” and was introduced, followed by “Don’t Die Till That Day” in 2019. The videos were a hit, rapidly gaining over three million views and 14,000 shares. This led to the campaigns garnering numerous awards including the Gold Award Film from Ad Stars 2019 from South Korea and three Silver Awards from the Advertising Association

of Thailand, and an amazing 40 per cent increase in sales during the campaign period.

“Our customers are our top-most priority – whether they are here for one visit or are regular visitors,” says Natira.

“Central is a store where the staff and other people are like family for them. It is a place of coming together where memories are created.”

To provide customers with the most enriching service and experience, Central Department Store has pioneered a detailed “Customer Service Excellence” training program and refresher course for floor staff. It focuses on training, concentrating on customers’ individual needs, and proactive servicing.

“This all leads to creating a memorable shopping experience, and since the program’s roll-out, our customer compliments have increased 25 per cent with corresponding complaints dropping by 12 cent,” explains Natira.

To further incentivise staff, Central implemented a C-Star Awards program that gives monetary awards to sales staff who have received the most positive customer comments.

“Impressive service stories are also shared on Central’s Facebook Workplace to give

recognition to members of staff, for all our staff to gain inspiration from,” says Natira.

When it comes to the company’s goal of being the most popular store in Thailand, the facts speak for themselves. Central’s “The 1” loyalty program has 16 million active members, which amounts to more than 20 per cent of Thailand’s population. These members contribute to over 90 per cent of Central Department Store’s sales.

“It is our firm belief to constantly evolve with our customers, resulting in many of our pioneering innovations in the Thai retail industry. We endeavor to offer complete, unique instore shopping moments through our products, services, store designs and lifestyle elements, that blend together in harmony with our omni-channel platforms for a seamless shopping experience,” says Natira. “This ensures that our customers will always have Central in their lives; anytime, anywhere, and it also means that we remain Thailand’s number one omni-channel department store and the best-loved department store for Thai people.” www.central.co.th

“Subsequent to the temporary store closure, alternative sales channels became very important as customers could no longer shop in-store. It became even more important to provide customers with as many channels to access and pay for merchandise as possible, and services that do not require any physical contact,” says Natira.

As the company already had a solid omni-channel approach to retailing, it was able to smoothly continue operating the business through the worst of the pandemic.

Despite store closures, Central’s online shopping website and “Chat & Shop” shopping service via the LINE messaging app ensured the business carried on, almost as per normal.

“In response to higher demand for online shopping, we increased our assortment alongside increased communication to promote Central Online awareness through various campaigns,” says Natira.

Remarkably, Central Department Store’s online sales grew over 600% in April compared to the same time in 2019. The company also accelerated the roll-out of new alternative sales channels such as the “Call & Shop” shopping service via telephone and “Drive-Thru Pick Up” service for self pick-up. Staff also delivered merchandise to customers’ homes and increased calls to regular customers to let them know of new products.

“All of these new services will continue once the situation has returned to normal, as they are in line with our strategic omni-channel retail focus,” says Natira. A special crisis management team was developed and the team held “war room” meetings daily to update the situation and tackle any arising issues.

Now that the store has reopened, everyone who enters Central Department Store must wear a facemask and proceed through a temperature check at the entrance.

Ventilation has been increased to 10 times an hour throughout the stores, with the ventilation system constantly being sanitised with UVC units.

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 21

Versace

Retail Column

On point for buying

About T is for Table Halcyon Days

With the fourth quarter buying period encroaching, making sure your stock is on point is as important as ever, says Michele Trzuskowski

22 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Mixology-oriented barware and stemware Let’s face it, the cocktail hour never goes out of style, and in fact with Covid has probably increased everyone’s need to relax at the end of the day. This is a broad group but within it I like the following as each one appeals to different customer groups; Vagabond House’s midcentury modern Tribeca Collection, Michael Wainwright’s artisanal Truro gold or platinum collection; and Juliska’s mouth blown subtly

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s a retailer, like many of you, our business has been affected by Covid-19. But with Black Friday still some time away, I still believe there is time to take advantage of emerging and existing trends that will help drive sales and make the most of the fourth quarter, and fingers crossed, end 2020 on a high note.

Many experts believe that consumers will still be spending during the holiday season, partly based on pent up demand, and secondly, let’s face it, it’s the holidays. Now in saying that, it will no doubt be a challenging season and more than likely be a mobiledominant one due to the pandemic.

Hopefully, if you are an independent retailer you already have an online presence or at least established one going into the end of the year. I still argue and believe, however, that your brick and mortar retail store is the best way to tell your story and your brand’s story. Call me naïve, but as far as I’m concerned, the online experience can never replace the one-on-one shopping experience a customer receives in your store.

My main advice heading into fourth quarter is – stick to your strengths with categories and brands that work for you. Do not overbuy, and if you are going to experiment, do so with caution.

What follows are several categories that are still trending and are expected to remain strong during the holiday season. Although Covid-19 may prevent us from having large gatherings over the holidays, we will still be entertaining within our own bubble and want to do it in style.

dinnerware follow thereafter. Some great trending examples are from Rosenthal x Versace’s new Jungle Animalier pattern which features jungle motifs infused with animalier accents for a bold statement in style. It may have been awhile since Jennifer Lopez walked on stage with her infamous Versace green dress, but you can see this same influence within these dinnerware designs. It is fabulous! Likewise, inspired by modern geometric design influences comes Halcyon

Call me naïve, but as far as I’m concerned, the online experience can never replace the one on one shopping experience a customer receives in your store shimmering and textural Carine stemware. I’m also seeing many add-on items that fall into the hostess gift category. For this group, items such as Alcoholic Cocktail Gummies from Smith and Sinclair with their Eat Your Drink Collection, and Te Tonic’s Vodka and Gin Mixers and Infuser Sets are sure to get the party started... and let’s not forget reusable straws like Orrefors’ Peak Set of 4 gold straws with complimentary cleaning brush.

There are so many products within this category that if you have found something that works, stick to it and build on that base.

Modern design and fashioninfluenced dinnerware As we know, wherever home décor and fashion design go, china and

”

Days’ Aragon Collection of fine china featuring bold and dazzling designs from Historic Palaces fabrics and architecture. Its simple shapes, white background and strong colour contrasts are three elements of contemporary dinnerware sets that beautify table decorating with geometric patterns.

Going green, earth-inspired colours I am still seeing a growing trend in the more earthy tones and finishes both in tableware and linens.

Matte finishes are continuing to be introduced by companies like Skyros with their Cantaria collection, and Costa Nova goes a step beyond with their new recycled stoneware collection called Lago Eco Gres, a perfectly

T is for Table is a luxury independent boutique, with a focus on tabletop, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, that offers an experiential and inspirational space dedicated to helping customers tell stories, create traditions and celebrate life. The boutique offers everything from fine pottery, china, glass, serveware and table accessories, to home décor, jewellery and body products, and delivers a custom service with its custom engraving, home visits and gift registries. www.tisfortable.com

imperfect line in shape and touch. A handcrafted line that balances artisanal elements with modern finishes.

Many table linen manufacturers are also following this direction.

Linens with neutral colour tones (brown, beige or soft pastels) are becoming more popular and when combined with more modern textural dinnerware lines create a truly eco-style setting.

Crown Linens create great napkins and runners within this category, while Bodrum Linens have the broadest collection – two of my favourites.

Customisation This category remains strong especially surrounding gift giving.

Statement engraved picture frames or wood cutting boards, along with monogramed or embroidered linens all make great gifts and consumers love having their input on a gift. Custom colour placemats (Deborah Rhodes) and customsize tablecloths (Patricia Spratt for the Home) continue to be two of our strongest sellers. Clearly this is a year we’d all like to forget but there is still reason to hope that shopping trends and behaviours will soon be back to some kind of normality, and if you’re like me, sooner is definitely better than later. Good luck!

EXTRAVAGANCE

Crystalex.cz

Reminiscent of the tradition and elegance of the Bordeaux-coloured Grace collection. It is certain to welcome the Christmas spirit and wonderfully decorate your table.

Product Spotlight

Prosecco Collection Dissection Crystalex

Aperol and Fizzing Prosecco

by Crystalex C apturing the spirit of frivolity in a glass, Crystalex’s collections Aperol and Fizzing Prosecco in the Meadow have enjoyed a buoyant time at retail since hitting market in July.

Part of the company’s fresh design outlook which they first introduced at Ambiente, both Aperol and Fizzing Prosecco in the Meadow have sold thousands of units.

In fact, Crystalex’s production capacity was nearly overwhelmed by demand for the collections but thankfully, despite Covid-19, all orders have been met and sales have been well above expectations.

Focus on Aperol For the Aperol collection, Crystalex used spraying and screen-printing techniques on matte white, which is a new feature for this year, together with matte black. The décor inspiration was bubbles, with the glass crafted specially for lovers of Aperol Spritz while also being perfect for other cocktails.

24 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Focus on Fizzing Prosecco in the Meadow This delicate summer collection uses screen-printing to capture the perfect summer scene. Each glass in the set boasts a different décor with Crystalex offering the collection in a stemless glass, which they say is both on-trend and practical.

Retail reaction While the summer collections are primarily available in the Czech Republic, the company also made the collection available to all their customers and saw huge demand from the Russian market.

Retail reaction has been very positive, in fact, within half a year the collection was nearly sold out and had to be remanufactured and restocked. www.crystalex.cz

Aperol Did you know?

Crystalex has noted more and more sales being generated through e-commerce networks, including, they say, social media. With that in mind they are working on a new project designed to strengthen their position in the market globally.

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Trend Autumnal Tones

Moments of joy Lykke from Porland has been designed with a particular ideal in mind – capturing special moments around the table.

Porland says they believe happiness comes from being “perfectly in tune with nature”, hence Lykke’s colourways, natural textures, and minimalist designs.

www.porland.com

Home harmony Iittalia’s Kuru, designed by Philippe Malouin, is a collection of ceramic bowls, a small glass bowl, and a glass vase in a range of colourways from dark green to beige and light grey.

All of the pieces are designed to work in harmonious balance together, but they also have enough personality to stand on their own.

www.iittala.com

Autumn calling

Tonal living

As the months turn colder, we celebrate collections with a gorgeous, rustic aesthetic – perfect for cosying up next to the fire

A dream in green The Lush Forest collection from Porcel features an intense dark blue and deep green glaze – inspired by nature. Brush gilded with gold, each surface is similar but unique due to the hand-applied decoration, and the patterns are randomly determined during the firing process turning it distinct in colour, in texture and offering a visual and tactile experience – the perfect canvas for a sublime table setting.

www.porcel.com

Romance of mist Nikko’s Misty Dot is a collection which garners its name from the organic gradation of the décor, reminiscent of mist. The pattern (moire) has been created from the overlapping of dots, creating a gentle movement on each piece.

www.nikkoceramics.com 26 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Combining four tonal glazes in rich, earthy hues and taking influence from soft natural tones, raw textures and subtle glazes, Denby’s Studio Craft is a celebration of all things autumnal.

The artisan collection is available with either a smooth or ridged texture and features woody colourways in Elm, Birch, Walnut and Chestnut, creating a natural aesthetic when mixed with existing ceramics in the home.

www.dendypottery.com

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Profile Vista Alegre

Creative excellence Nuno Barra, member of the Vista Alegre board, talks to Tableware International about how the company’s 2020 launches have been received – as well as delving into the exciting release of supermodel Claudia Schiffer’s Cloudy Butterflies collection

28 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

“At Vista Alegre we are always looking to the future, of hot-melting the various colours horizontally without concerned with innovation, quality, design, looking for mixing them.” new challenges, projects we are passionate about. This year, 2020, has been marked by new achievements.

Collaborations Vista Alegre expanded its collections into new areas, “As regards collaborations with renowned artists, reinforcing its links to design, art and culture, and Marcel Wanders offers a new variation of his continuing its involvement in social responsibility projects.

Blue Ming collection, while Vortex (pictured below) We are now launching a very important and outstanding

by Ross Lovegrove represents a genuine challenge to collection – a partnership with Claudia Schiffer. porcelain production. Two Vista Alegre projects that Cloudy Butterflies is the collection reveal its proximity to the best in “Vista Alegre challenges contemporary design. name for both of the collaborations its creative capacity... Launched in partnership with designed by Claudia Schiffer, composed of three pieces in art Always working with Brazilian NGO Ecoarts Amazônia, glass, with the brand Vista Alegre the popular Amazônia collection the most experienced – one centre table vase, one high continues to grow. The three artisans, and all vase and one low vase - and eleven new decorative pieces, the joint with the sole objective work of the painters of Vista Bordallo Pinheiro pieces – one giant wall piece, two further wall pieces in Alegre’s manufacturing team, of creating pieces smaller dimensions, a vide-poche, and indigenous Kayapo women, whose beauty and one cake plate, two vases, one box, continue drawing attention to sophistication will one fruit bowl and two salad bowls, the cultural, social environmental decorated with butterflies in several heritage of the world’s largest surprise” colours. Both collections require a rainforest. Part of the collection’s high level of technical execution and a lengthy handmade revenue reverts directly to the Kayapo artists process. The vases in particular are produced using the and to the reforestation of the Amazonian area, complex ‘incalmo’ technique, frequently used in the where Ecoarts operates. The original hand-painted Middle Ages. Demonstrating the mastery of the brand’s pieces will be donated to museums worldwide to glassmakers, these pieces, in addition to being blown celebrate, for the first time, an ancient culture and handled without a mold, present the added difficulty joining efforts with a luxury brand for the preservation of the Amazon rainforest.”

Did you know?

Vista Alegre is entering the textile segment with scarfs and blankets.

These pieces, inspired by the Duality, Amazônia, Transatlântica and Ivory collections, transcends the concepts of tableware and gifts, perfect for home décor and lifestyle.

Textiles

Nuno Barra

“Vista Alegre also marks its entry into textile segment with scarfs and blankets. These pieces, inspired by the Duality, Amazônia, Transatlântica and Ivory collections, transcend the concepts of tableware and gifts, and fit directly into the sophisticated universe of home décor. A logical and desirable complement to the brand’s offer.

Once again, Vista Alegre challenges its creative capacity and the elevated diligence it presents on everything it designs, idealises and produces.

Always working with the most experienced artisans, and all with the sole objective of creating pieces whose beauty and sophistication will surprise.”

Duality

www.vistaalegre.com

Fact!

The Vista Alegre vases in the Cloudy Butterflies collection ((left)) are produced using a complex techniques called ‘incalmo’, frequently used in the Middle Ages. In addition to being blown and handled without a mold, the pieces present the added difficulty of hot-melting the various colours horizontally without mixing them – showcasing the skills and talents of the brand’s glassmakers.

Vortex

Point of interest...

The Cloudy Butterflies collection by Claudia Schiffer has been designed for both Vista Alegre (three pieces) and sister company Bordallo Pinheiro, with 11 stand-out products in that range.

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 29

Vista Alegre

Bordallo Pinheiro

Sambonet

Feature Cutlery

Style meets substance with Sambonet’s innovative Rock cutlery collection which cleverly uses interesting colourways and the very best of Italian design know-how to create a collection people want. Thick stainless steel and a versatile range of colours – think champagne, gold, copper, black – are just a number of Rock’s key features. Sambonet points out that Rock brings “character and individuality to the table”, adding: “the angular shape and robust steel are special features of this collection and a clear reference to its functionality and modernity”.

www.sambonet.it

Studio William Frances Bull, sales and marketing director on advancements in merchandising

The key element

Cutlery has always been central to a welldressed table; it is unfaltering in its necessity.

The trick is making it stand out in a bustling marketplace…

What advancements have been made in merchandising flatware in store?

Cutlery has been displayed in store generally in the same fashion since the early ‘80s. It is a difficult subject, mainly because each retailer has complex visual merchandising outlines and floor space. For the ROI per sq. foot, cutlery can gain amazing sales for such a small footprint on the floor. The key is to make it a strong visual statement, clear signage about the brand, pattern and selling points. Also, the sales staff should have knowledge of the brand and product category, this is where the customer will gain confidence not only in the brand but the store itself. The overall stock should be kept free from scratching and damage to the packaging. It would be prudent to have a display set on show, so the customer can hold it, this would then need to be cleaned and replaced on a regular basis, as it will look shop worn after a time.

Elia International Adam Walker, sales manager, talks recent sales and what extensions are popular with customers How have sales of cutlery been over the past number of months?

The past few months have been challenging for all businesses in the industry. However, many consumers have used this time to improve their homes and therefore, cutlery sets and tableware have continued to sell.

In terms of products, what extensions to the “usual” cutlery pieces are popular with consumers?

Serving items such as serving spoons and forks and accessory items such as cake forks and servers, latte spoons and fish cutlery are always popular items for consumers. Elia have a comprehensive selection of serving items and accessory items, which add to an elevated dining experience.

30 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Amefa Amefa’s latest addition to its trend collection dives into the art of craftmanship. The Felicity pattern captures a robust hammered finish on both sides of the handle and has an angular shaped design. The crafted look of the Felicity turns into a glamourous table piece when it’s featured in a high gloss colour finishing. The range comes in four appealing PVD colours: modern black, classy champagne, glamourous gold and, for the first time, the new stylish rose champagne. Also look out for Rome, a 42-piece collection which includes your day to day cutlery with steak knives, iced teaspoons and vegetable spoons, and the Royal Steak Lunar, which embraces both the natural imperfections of wood and the uneven surface with a hammered decoration. For optimal cutting performance, the Lunar has an extra fine serration, combining both function and style in one steak knife.

www.amefa.com

Elia

Feature Cutlery

A welcome addition to their already diverse cutlery offering, Aquila is truly timeless in its bold simplicity.

Designed with clean fluid lines and a handsome profile the generous handle emanates luxury and quality when held. A delightful range that exudes the charm and elegance of a classical dining setting but with a modern twist.

With the shapely handle that tapers effortlessly from a robust triangular base to a defined curve that adds character and style. Crafted in 18/10 stainless steel this range will elevate any dining setting.

www.elia.co.uk

Gibson Overseas

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David Nicklin, senior vp marketing and licensing on recent cutlery sales How have sales of cutlery been over the past number of months?

The past few months have seen the pandemic greatly impact standard consumer behaviour. As the pandemic raged on and people were called to remain in their homes and entire cities were forced to shut down, people had no choice but to cook at home and get reacquainted with their knifes. We’ve seen

housewares sales continue to grow to unprecedented levels, categories that have seen the greatest demand are cookware, bakeware, cutlery, and dinnerware. By now, consumers have become accustomed to cooking at home and according to the data, they are shopping for housewares on a consistent basis.

Amefa

Marco Hoogervorst, sales manager, on the uprise in online sales for flatware In your experience, does flatware sell as well online as in brick and mortar stores?

We have noticed that the online sales of flatware have been doing very well, the main difference is that for online sales you must be aware and put more effort into the buying experience. In a physical store, customers can touch the product and see it from different angles, online you must provide extra tools like ambiance images to evoke the same thoughts and feelings.

How can we grow the sale of flatware online?

Customers want to feel confident when they are buying a product, flatware is no exception. By having videos, 3D images and other helpful tools you can increase this certainty of having the right product for the right customer.

People are drawn to visual support, more than a text explaining the product. Flatware is not just a utensil, it’s part of the dining table’s decoration, images and videos can show how.

Inspiration motivates buying.

Sabichi Sabichi’s 16-piece hammered cutlery sets come in shades of gold, copper and matt black. Made from durable stainless steel, they are designed to suit a modern tabletop.

www.sabichi.co.uk

Nikko Nikko’s ceramic spoon has been loved for more than 30 years, since its first launch in 1983. Made of fine bone china, the spoon has been one of the best-selling products popular with fan.

The appeal of ceramic cutlery is its moderate thickness in the mouth, coupled with the smooth texture of bone china.

www.nikkoceramics.com 32 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Seeba Seeba Group’s Dora collection adds a touch of class to every tabletop. The flatware lies comfortably in your hands thanks to its simple and functional design.

www.seebagroup.com

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Feature Cutlery

Wedgwood

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Fernando Castro, marketing manager and sales expert, talks advancements in merchandising

The 16-piece Globe set shows the softly organic and naturalistic forms which have inspired this cutlery collection, combined with simple, elegant detailing and a beautifully mirrored finish.

Including four dinner knives, four dinner forks, four dessert spoons and four tea spoons, each piece is stamped and etched with the Wedgwood brand, produced in high quality 18/20 stainless steel and dishwasher safe.

www.wedgwood.com

What advancements have been made in merchandising flatware in store?

We support our partners, providing them with material to promote our flatware not only in stores but with a global strategy mix of online and offline. In stores we supply product exhibitors, flyers, mood images and signs for the products, but recently the main support request is for highresolution images so they can be used to sell the products online due to lockdown.

Mepra

Luca Prandelli, managing partner, on cutlery sales over recent months How have sales of cutlery been over the past number of months?

Our retail division is seeing a tremendous growth this year. This mainly comes from dropship. We have invested a lot in the last few years to be able to make over 500 SKUs available for immediate shipping at any time and this is helping us meet the expectations of our customers. In addition to this we have noticed an increased demand in tabletop and cooking products, probably due to the fact that

Forge de Laguiole Forge de Laguioleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new table knives are made with beige opalescence acrylic handle with a high polish finish. They are dishwasher safe and water resistant for ease of maintenance.

These knives, from the Tradition range, are the perfect combination of craftsmanship, quality and refinement. The original Forge de Laguiole knife is characterised by its fluid and silky cut, which underlines the pleasure of a carefully prepared meal and a table set with love and care.

www.forge-de-laguiole.com

Vista Alegre Prism from Vista Alegre has been inspired by the geometric beauty of the iconic Bicos collection in glass. The collection has a complex texture and sparkling finish that gives it an unmistakable sensorial appeal.

www.vistaalegre.com 34 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

people, with lockdown, increased their interest in cooking and entertaining at home and decided to invest more in these categories. The increased sales in retail has been able to compensate the drop of sales faced by our hotel and restaurant division. In fact, restaurants are currently spending less because of the uncertainty they are facing. But we are very optimistic about the future. As soon as the pandemic is under control people will travel and dine out even more than before.

Feature Cutlery

Sambonet

Andrea Sarasso, marketing and brand manager talks online sales

Mepra Mepra recently announced a new product development – antibacterial nanotechnology treatment.

The treatment is available for both stainless steel and PVD products with three finishes available – mirror, ice and pewter – initially in Mepra’s Atena, Brescia and Linea (pictured) flatwear collections.

The new advancement is based on the company’s PVD technology, which it first developed in 2008.

Mepra says the treatment has the capacity to “not only to block the bacteria proliferation on surfaces but also to kill the bacteria on the surface of the flatware.”

www.mepra.it

Villeroy & Boch The NewMoon cutlery set from Villeroy & Boch is made of high-quality stainless steel that has a surprisingly innovative and ergonomic shape. The triangular shape of the back side means the pieces lie perfectly in your hand and are suitable for right and left-handers. In addition to soup spoons, coffee spoons, dinner knives and forks, there are also cake servers, espresso spoons, serving spoons and salad servers.

www.villeroyboch.com

In your experience, does cutlery sell as well online as in brick and mortar stores?

Cutlery is sold both online and in brick and mortar stores with different dynamics and approaches. Online the price is the most important factor, together with the speed of purchase to satisfy the customer’s need. The shop is, and still remains, the choice to deal with qualified staff, touch the product and live the direct purchase experience. In this case the quality of the cutlery, its aesthetic plusses, the brand, as well as the reliability of the retailer, are the main factors.

Why do you think this is?

Brick and mortar stores are fundamental both in terms of global sales and customer journey. Retailers are still a real strategic consultant for the final consumer’s choice, and they are difficult to replace with online shops. They can win if they renew their image through good visual merchandising and opt for new communication languages that involve customers.

How can we grow the sale of flatware online?

Seeba

Anand Baldawa, CEO, on sales over the past number of months

How have sales of cutlery been over the past number of months?

With more people eating in rather than eating out, there is definitely more demand for cutlery and kitchen products in the house. These are either refurbishment, replacement or upgrades. As a result, sales have been great and have shown triple digit growth in some instances and on some platforms.

Studio William Studio William’s Grove Tongs have recently been honoured by the German Design Council and European Product Design 2020. The studio say they identified a need for beautiful, design-led tongs and created a range of specialist pieces for enhancing food presentation, for all-day-dining and buffet settings in high-end hotels and restaurants. Ergonomic features create positive user interactions, while the organic forms add to the interior presentation and atmosphere of the venue.

www.studiowilliam.com

36 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

The fundamental aspects that regulate other sectors and product categories can also apply to tableware, especially cutlery. In addition to the brand that plays a decisive role, we cannot underestimate the product image, rendered through inspirational, glamorous and eye-catching pictures, and the information which must be complete, clear and as detailed as possible.

www.rosenthal.de

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Profile

Nick Holland

Domo Gold for Vista Alegre, designed during Nick’s time as design director at the company

About

A 40-year love affair…

with cutlery From collections inspired by a knife his mother got as a wedding present to pieces dreamt after observing an Inuit fisherman’s knife, Nick Holland has been designing cutlery for around 40 years. Here, in his own words, he tells us about his long-standing passion for the art “To be a successful designer of cutlery you need the following attributes – the obsession with detail and precision of a watchmaker, the knowledge of an engineer and the artistic talents of a sculptor.

My first commission to design cutlery was when I joined Danasco as design director around 40 years ago.

As a recent Industrial Design Masters graduate of the Royal College of Art, London, I was lucky to get the job.

Danasco was the UK distributor of Hackman cutlery, Arabia ceramics, Iittala glass, and many other famous Scandinavian brands.

I designed a collection that was well received at the Birmingham International Fair, only to see the company unable to finance it, and a whole raft of other products in ceramics, glass and melamine that I

had spent two years designing!

Terence Conran of Habitat had particularly liked my cutlery design, and I decided to produce a new version myself in Sheffield, on the back of a nice opening order from Habitat. I used my own name for the company, Nicholas John, and went on to manufacture other cutlery ranges, as well as contemporary mugs in bone china, stoneware and earthenware, kitchen textiles, and other kitchen products. The company became well known for its colourful and innovative products, which sold well around the world, and eventually enabled me to set up my own independent product design company.

I now focus on designing cutlery, ceramics and glass for clients in many different countries.

An important moment in my cutlery

Nick Holland Design is a leading British product design company, founded in 1997, with its main studio in Porto, Portugal.

Specialising in the design of tableware and housewares products, especially in ceramics, glass and cutlery, its clients are high-quality manufacturers in many different countries around the world. www.nickhollanddesign.com

design work was when I met Mr Kim, the owner of Elia International Ltd. Like me, Mr Kim is a perfectionist, as well as a very astute businessman and it has been a great pleasure to work with him and his team for more than 20 years.

The first cutlery designs I made for Elia were inspired by my love of aircraft – a series I named Airstream, which has three separate designs; Mirage, Mystere and Valiant. Other new designs followed over the years, Longbeach and Sanbeach which had ultra-long, slim rectangular handles, Corvette which was inspired by the sculpted lines of a 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, Ovation which referenced an elegant bone-handled table knife that my mother had as a wedding present, Quadrio knives which were inspired by an Inuit fisherman´s knife with soft rectangular spoon bowl shapes.

Did you know?

Nick has designed cutlery for Elia International, Crate & Barrel, Eternum, Vista Alegre, Amefa, WMF, Cambridge Silversmiths, Villeroy & Boch and others.

38 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Nick Holland

A more recent design is Palladio, named after the famous Regency architect. This more deco style is now very much on trend and the collection also includes many beautiful accessory pieces. Elia International always insist on the highest quality of production and materials, working closely with factories to achieve excellent results.

This is something that, as a designer, I really value and appreciate. Other companies I have been fortunate to have worked for in this area include Crate & Barrel, Eternum, Vista Alegre, Amefa, WMF, Cambridge Silversmiths, Villeroy & Boch and others.

The creative process It is not an easy thing to design and develop a successful new cutlery collection. To start with, so many designs already exist worldwide and almost everything has been done before in design terms. So, how do you get inspiration for a new design that is both original and can be successful in an overcrowded market?

For me, inspiration can come from so many random sources – nature, architecture, art, an object, observing

20

+

the number of cutlery collections Nick has had in production over the course of his career.

Bach for Amefa

Palladio for Elia International

“

An important moment in my cutlery design work was when I met Mr Kim, the owner of Elia International Ltd. Like me, Mr Kim is a perfectionist, as well as a very astute businessman and it has been a great pleasure to work with him and his team for more than 20 years

things in the street. Once you are focused, creative sparks can appear at any time and in any place. I use my phone camera as a visual notebook and also make many early rough sketch ideas. Then, when I feel I have some interesting ideas, I sift through them and sketch up the ones that seem most promising. Pencil on paper – no computer!

Slowly, one or two ideas start to emerge as options, and I draw them

”

up in more detail. This now starts to get exciting and almost obsessive, it’s difficult to stop, and the feeling that something good is developing is quite addictive. Only after this initial stage do I start to draw the designs up accurately by hand, gradually improving and refining them, and only when I feel it is perfect do I then use computer software to finalise these into final 2D technical drawings. My next step is to develop the design concept across

Domo cake servers for Vista Alegre

more items and to build accurate 3D models, which can then be easily converted into rapid prototypes that you can handle and feel. In the past, prototypes would always have to be made by hand, carving wood or plaster or metal, but 3D computer modelling has become a very useful process for product designers.

Designing cutlery is a very precise art. A difference of as little as half a millimeter in a dimension can make a

real and visible difference. You need to have a great concept, and be a total perfectionist until the design is completed!

I like to think I am, in some way, following in the traditions well established by famous British cutlery designers, such as Robert Welch and David Mellor, and continued by their descendants. Designing cutlery gets into your blood – a kind of love affair with stainless steel.”

Mystere for Elia International.

The first of three designs in the Airstream series

Miles for Crate & Barrel stores, USA TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 39

Costa Nova

Column HoReCa

About G & G Founded by Paul and Valda Goodfellow, G & G Goodfellows is a highly creative design & Distribution Company with an amazing showroom in Little Portland Street. Offering a truly hands-on service, Goodfellows passion is to bring new and exciting, bespoke food presentation concepts to the UK’s culinary scene. As well as offering a wide variety of the world’s best branded tableware, kitchen equipment, clothing and machines, Goodfellows also collaborates closely with UK craft producers for totally unique products. It works with all sizes of restaurant and catering projects, happy to supply anything from an individual plate to a full restaurant concept.

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rust and confidence.

I have used these words more over the past six months than I have ever used them in my whole life. Why? Because in times of crisis and chaos, trust and confidence are the things people look for most when seeking a safe haven for either their money or, to place their belief in what is best. Even Michel Barnier used these very words when trying to describe his exasperation with our government. In his twitter feed, he said: “For there to be any future relationship between the EU and the UK, there must be mutual trust and confidence between us – today and in the future.”

Like all brands, the UK needs to uphold these critical values if it wants to maintain its integrity. And so too it is with brands trying to navigate

Trust and confidence Building trust with the end user is something which takes time, but that confidence in your brand pays dividends, says Valda Goodfellow their way through today’s chaos. From chefs to manufacturers, whatever changes around them, they must stick to their principles, whatever they are. Their consumers, diners or customers must know their belief in them is justified.

From a restaurant perspective, I have seen a shift in what diners are choosing to place their trust and confidence in. They are reverting back to well-known classics and the comfort of restaurant names they had maybe moved on from preCovid-19 – when it was fashionable to seek the next shiny, new and exciting concepts.

During lockdown, they returned to those favourite restaurant names with more than an aroma of nostalgia about them. Some of these names have been through it many times before and weathered the trials and tribulations of fickle

Did you know?

Costa Nova’s Friso and Lisa, with feature pieces from Lagoa and Riviera, are proving popular with Goodfellows at Home diners.

40TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

customers, changing tastes and economic crashes. They survive where the fashionable concept of the moment might fail because they have not had the chance to fully establish trust and confidence.

Take Chris and Jeff Galvin from London who, for many years, have been the darlings of the industry with their exemplary French bistro cooking style. Great food, evocative atmosphere, an integrity embedded in its ethos and fabulous value for

money. During lockdown, Chris and Jeff put together a takeaway service and started doing part-prepared meal kits for delivery to homes.

The reaction from customers was overwhelming, not just in numbers but the feedback they received. There was a deep sense of appreciation and love for the brand and what it meant to more than one generation in terms of memories of happier times. Trust and confidence in what they do brought those diners back.

Montgolfier

Creativity and Beauty

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G L A S S W O R K S

www.glassworks.pl

Montgolfier

Costa Nova

” Such was the success of both services they will continue to enhance their ‘At Home’ concept and now want to develop a whole brand offering to build on that momentum regained through Covid-19.

When the UK government launched the Eat Out To Help Out initiative which subsidised consumers spending money in restaurants in order to provide a crucial boost to the hospitality industry; the momentum gained by the Galvin Restaurants brand, brought diners back to the restaurant in huge numbers when almost every restaurant around them was struggling (they are located in the city where there the huge office buildings which were the lifeblood of many restaurants, remain almost unstaffed). So, they benefited from a significant number of diners being lured back to their restaurants because they made such an effort online, throughout lockdown, reminding their old customers what a great concept they have.

This is not the only example of chefs reaching out to diners and consumers in their own homes. This is becoming a movement which is not only growing in London but in many other cities around Europe.

Our role in all of this, other than to be as aware as possible of what is happening in our industry, is to be in a position to support our own customers facing the new challenges and opportunities presented in this rapidly changing world. We are doing this by helping

Fact!

them establish their own ‘shops’ on our Goodfellows at Home website, which offers consumers the opportunity to buy the tableware featured in their favourite restaurants.

Customer demand for tableware on Goodfellows at Home, falls into two distinct styles – casual dining and designer. The casual dining bundles we put together suit most cuisines and are great for family dining. We show great food images that consumers can relate to which really helps.

This casual style appeals most to chic professional couples and those with young families who fully embraced the newfound opportunity to cook more at home during lockdown. They actively sought out those chefs who were streaming videos online and who could help inspire them with recipes and enhance their skills. The most popular ranges include Costa Nova’s Friso and Lisa, with feature pieces from Lagoa and Riviera.

The designer collections appeal more to those who really want to make a statement with their table presentation. They tend to favour Montgolfier’s stunning reactive glazes and F2D’s Claro Gold or Silver. These consumers have probably seen the plates already in restaurants they visit and want to replicate the look at home; or something like it. Again, the food images and lifestyle settings really

The designer collections

offered by Valda and her team appeal more to people who want to make a statement with their table presentation. They tend to favour Montgolfier’s stunning reactive glazes and F2D’s Claro Gold or Silver.

42 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

From a restaurant perspective, I have seen a shift in what diners are choosing to place their trust and confidence in. They are reverting back to well-known classics and the comfort of restaurant names

appeal to those who appreciate great design.

The return to trusted restaurant names is reflected in what people want to cook at home. If we take out the obvious most-searched recipes (banana bread and chocolate cake), it feels like we are all looking for bistro-style dishes or healthy food.

That’s why stoneware plates with earthy tones and cast-iron casserole dishes will be hot favourites for the winter months.

However, our chefs always crave innovation. They are looking beyond the consumer’s desire for nostalgia and want us to inspire the next wave of food presentation. So even in the face of today’s economic gloom we are set to lead the market again with the release of our brand-new

”

Portfolio 5 brochure. This time we are using augmented reality to bring the images on the page to life simply via a smartphone; with video footage of the dishes being plated. This shows the chefs what the plates look like with and without food. It provides them a unique perspective on how to choose their tableware and provide them with greater confidence in making that decision when it is becoming harder to see before they buy. Trust and confidence is built on many levels, whether it is belief in what the brand stands for, belief in the quality if it’s service or products, or even in its government ministers.

It takes time to establish in people’s conscience and can be lost in a heartbeat. It is precious and should be protected at all costs.

Goodfellows are using augmented reality in their new brochure

Tableware International Noritake.pdf 1 30/06/2020 4:13:54 PM

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Product Focus HoReCa

The elegance of opera Sambonet’s Opera collection brings an unparalleled glamour to buffet service. Intricate design excellence, typical of Sambonet’s Centro Stile, means Opera brings a depth of interest to service – think modular elements with square and rectangular bases in varying shapes, textures and colours.

In essence, it is architecture at the table.

Metallic moments Porland’s Ethos Scatter collection has been designed for both professional and everyday use. Texture and depth make this collection ideal for chefs looking to maximise impact with their creations while a delicate metallic hue finishes each piece.

www.porland.com

www.hotel.sambonet.it

Focus on…

HoReCa With restaurants, bars, hotels and cafes open for business, we take a look at products designed for the hospitality market

A beautiful blend Rosenthal’s Blend collection has it all – versatility and elegance while also being perfect for casual dining settings. Designed to meet the demands of the hospitality industry, Blend’s strong body comes with reinforced edges and stackable pieces and it is available in white and mineral shades.

www.hotel.rosenthal.de

Inspired by…

Hokusai’s The Great Wave of Kanagawa Utopia’s striking Ink range of bowls and plates contrasts a dark blue matt glazed interior, the colour reminiscent of writing from a fine fountain pen or the wonderful ink wash on the famous The Great Wave of Kanagawa, by printmaking master Hokusai. The exterior is an unglazed dark cream. The bowls stand proud on the table on a short pedestal to enhance presentation, give height to the serve and accentuate the elegant lines of the pieces. They are available in 15.4 and 23cm sizes. The plates, available in 21, 26.2 and 29cm, have a shallow curve at the edges, showing off the cream exterior.

www.utopia-tableware.com 44 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Serving in style The versatile wood boards from T&G Woodware are ideal for serving and sharing foods from mezze and antipasto to breads and cheese. The featured giant boards offer a dramatic backdrop to food. They can also be personalised with branding.

www.tg-woodware.com

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Product Focus HoReCa

Luscious lavender Churchill has introduced a twelfth shade to its perennially popular Stonecast collection – a gorgeous and impactful lavender. New for AW ’20, Churchill says lavender is a perfect pastel tone, designed as a statement piece for desserts, brunches and meat-free dishes. They add that through extensive market research, they have tracked trends and changes in the hospitality industry, noting the growing popularity of pastel colour schemes.

www.churchill1795.com

Streetfood scene Hepp’s new Streetfood cutlery collection has been designed for takeaways and the events sector. Consisting of three pieces which are slightly smaller than normal – a fork, a knife and a spoonafork, the collection has well-balanced proportions with special eye-catching features. On the fork and spoon, the sloping shape at the transition from the handle to the tines immediately stands out, while the knife has a tapered tip.

www.hepp.de

Great grip Nikko’s Cirrus has been designed with hospitality in mind. Clever ripples on the surface of the back of the plate mean it is both easy to hold, but also light to touch. Nikko adds that the plate’s ribs mean fingertips are stable and the piece is less slippy when picked up, as well as making for an attractive design feature.

www.nikkoceramics.com

9

the number of pieces in the Vervino gourmet glass collection from Zwiesel which has been designed with wine lovers in mind.

With its thin-walled bowl, refined stem and wide bottom plate, the high-quality machine-made series appears virtually handmade. Developed with experienced sommeliers for maximum sensory refinement, the glasses perfectly bring out the bouquet of different grape varieties - for pure enjoyment and unparalleled hospitality.

www.zwiesel-kristallglas.com

46 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Black magic Utterly impactful, Sango Hospitality’s Black Slate is a collection crying out to be used with high colour foods. The collection contains a range of accessory items in Sango’s tough high-alumina ceramic body with a semi-matt glaze over a soft textured surface, giving a stunning slate effect. Black Slate can be used alone or mixed with the company’s White Grain for an impressive table presentation.

www.sangohospitality.com

HoReCa

A place for Chilewich “Good looks aside, Chilewich placemats also have plenty of practical advantages. They’re extremely durable, stainresistant, and easy to clean and maintain. I can tell you that these placemats withstand a lot of abuse and still look new.”

Chef Tom Colicchio who saw the beauty and durability of Chilewich’s placemats early on, using them in all of his restaurants. Pictured are Chilewich placemats at Craft NYC.

The Chef’s Table

Excellence personified With a reputation for excellence, Italian bar BE Barman Eventi uses Paderno’s bar collection. The venue offers a creative service specialising in tailor-made cocktails, as well as managing the beverage service at both company and private events.

“I think the mixology selection by Paderno has got quality, variety and style,” says owner Alessandro. “These are the same plusses we aim to offer in each service, whether it is a luxury or fashion brand event, or a wedding. We are testing the brand-new mixology collection by Paderno and the feedback is extremely positive. First, it is made of a premium quality stainless-steel, perfect for intensive use, and at the same time it is stylish and trendy thanks to its amazing and contemporary colours – gold, copper or total black shades. This allows us to choose different looks for different events, without sacrificing the right tools.”

Showcasing the best produce on the best products…

From Utopia Tableware’s Under the Pale themed selection is Temple, used by The Beacon Garden Kitchen in Tunbridge Wells.

Temple is a stoneware design, its pale tones and subtle texture set off the restaurant’s colourful food and complement the bright tabletop motif. The choice of shallow and deep bowls adds variety to the presentation.

The Beacon also uses Utopia’s Zen plates and bowls, which are white porcelain, which is also part of Utopia’s Beyond the Pale theme.

Tasty treats Fitness expert and sports nutritionist, chef Maya Pereira Sawant, founder of Lean Kitchen, is pictured plating up on Denby, distributed in India by Seeba.

From the glorious garden

Denby darlings “Growing up a short walk away from Denby Pottery, it means a lot to me that we are able to use Denby ceramics. It’s very special that we’re able to use a local pottery to supply our plates and bowls, especially as Denby is made with local clay. Not only does Denby look beautiful and complement our food, it’s exceptionally strong and durable so is ideal for use in our bistro and cafe.” Andrew MaliaBarlow, owner, The Cottonworks, Derby. The restaurant uses collections such as Studio Grey and Denby Halo.

48 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Tableware · Home Decor · Giftware · Hotelware

Tableware · Home Decor · Giftware · Hotelware

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Petites Histoires by Sam Baron

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Show Preview 41 Madison

New York style Ginori 1735 Floor 17

41 Madison will take place this October with showrooms open for in-person appointments along with an exciting online digital show hub for those who can’t be there

T

he hallowed halls of 41 Madison will once again ring with the steps of the tableware industry this October. The New York Tabletop Show runs from 13 to 20 October, and it is the same… but different.

The ongoing impact of Covid-19 has meant the market has been slightly reimagined to cater for the entire industry – those who can attend in person, and those who can’t.

Those who can make it to 41 Madison in person will be welcomed by appointment but for those of us who can’t be in New York, an online digital show hub has been cleverly created by organisers.

Virtual New York Tabletop Show As part of it’s new, inclusive approach, 41Madison.com will host a dedicated New York Tabletop Show hub with new digital features designed to help visitors better connect with brands from afar.

You’ll find dedicated brand pages which have been

50 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

developed to conveniently offer downloadable sell sheets, interactive 3D virtual tours of showrooms, and direct lines of communication with showrooms.

There will also be a full schedule of events and webinars with topics such as the Future of Hospitality: a discussion with leading hoteliers and chefs, Grateful Gatherings: transforming traditions in entertaining for holiday 2020, Covid-19 impact on consumer spending and tabletop trends: crucial recovery considerations.

There will also be a Look Book featuring top new products across 200+ brands and a digital reading room featuring the latest issues from industry publications. To finish off, there will be Tastemaker Takeovers with live Instagram feeds featuring favourite products curated by industry influencers.

Over the next few pages, we highlight just some of the brands who will be showcasing their tableware at 41 Madison.

www.41madison.com

See London artist Luke Edward Hall’s continued collaboration with Richard Ginori on the dynamically designed, Il viaggio di Nettuno, at 41 Madison. The collection, driven by Hall’s clear passion for Greco-Roman mythology, has been enriched with fresh elements that unveil new mythological characters, always maintaining a reference to the depths of the sea.

A mermaid, mythological creature famous for her melodious song, lays on a vide poche tray to enchant sailors. Neptune, god of the sea, shown holding the trident, is the protagonist of the new charger plate. Bronze busts with male and female faces that bring to mind submerged treasures appear on a mug, while patterns evoking the marine ecosystem characterise the four coasters, perfect as a gift for a special occasion or to give a table setting an extra something special.

Il viaggio di Nettuno is a collection where the playful evocations of Luke Edward Hall are skillfully brought to porcelain thanks to the craftsmanship of Manifattura Richard Ginori.

www.ginori1735.com

5

the number of new pieces in the Graphik collection from Christofle. See them on floor 6 at 41 Madison.

A NEW GL A NEWASS SENSA TION

MAKE ROOM FOR LAV IN YOUR LIFE

TIME TO CELEBRATE Merry moments An absolute must

/LAV-us

GLAMOROUS TABLE SETTINGS

Aesthetic Form Inspire Your Creativity SHOW YOUR UNIQUE STYLE

Show Preview 41 Madison

Haviland Floor 6

Palmeraie is a new collection by Haviland, inspired by Moroccan landscapes. This ephemeral edition is inspired by the majestic Medina of Marrakesh, and Oasis, one of the most prestigious dinner services of Haviland.

The collection explores the mysteries of the One Thousand and One Nights, from tableware to decorative objects. Full of Andalusian influences, this cultural escapade brings the city’s history to life through porcelain. The set consists of bowls, salad bowls, serving platters, and plates: a dialogue of objects created in the spirit of the Red City.

What to expect when visiting in person...

■ Mandatory mask wearing ■ Temperature checks ■ Appointments made directly with showrooms

www.us.daum.fr

Christofle

Floor 6

Christofle will showcase several collections at 41 Madison, amongst them the new Royal Chef collection, along with extensions to the Graphik bar range (pictured).

Royal Chef is a modern and elegant collection of knives crafted in solid oak and silver plate, along with two cutting boards and a chicly understated presentation tray. The paring knife, universal knife, Santoku knife, bread knife, chef’s knife and steak knife offer an invitation to create gourmet delights and give free rein to your imagination.

The Graphik collection, meanwhile, has been extended with the addition of five new silver-plated items including a champagne bucket and a wine cooler, a double-walled insulated ice bucket, a shaker and a jigger.

www.christofle.com

Villeroy & Boch Floor 18

Orrefos Floor 9

With inspiration taken from jewels and gemstones, designer Lena Bergström has renewed cut crystal with the glass series Carat (pictured). The sharp and unique asymmetrical grinding reflects our times with a scent of Nordic romance. The cylindrical vases have a yinyang effect. The vase that is ground at the top creates a sparkling collar for flowers.

Meanwhile, Discus by Lars Hellsten is now available in steel, gold and frosted colours. Designed expressly to herald the World Athletics Championships in 1995, inspired by its namesake, the discus is polished above and patterned beneath, the finish sparkling in the candle glow like an Olympic flame.

www.orrefos.us 52 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

One of Villeroy & Boch’s latest collections, NewWave Stars unites celestial bodies in the shape of zodiac signs with their corresponding constellations on porcelain. The décor of the high-quality NewWave mug combines a dark blue background on pure white porcelain with subtle, gold shimmering zodiac signs. This shiny gold metallic finish enhances the look of the zodiac signs while accentuating the charm of the décor. NewWave Stars brings together the astronomical and astrological study of the night sky with a distinctly stylish décor. The twelve mugs (300 ml) also represent uniqueness: they are individual gifts for special people who are interested in the stars and zodiac signs, who appreciate the best-selling NewWave design and who want to enjoy a moment of indulgence by celebrating a good tea or coffee served in this extravagant mug.

www.villeroy-boch.com

Kosta Boda Floor 9

www.kostaboda.us Septum by Mattias Stenberg will be showcased by Kosta Boda at 41 Madison.

The outer shapes of the vases are simple and smooth, but inside there is an irregularity and playfulness that makes every single vase a unique individual. It was this notion of a vibrancy and a “structure” within the outer walls of the glass that triggered the idea of the Septum vases.

Meanwhile, Contrast (pictured) is an artsy and expressive collection by Anna Ehrner. Choose between bowls, a dish and a vase in different colours. The coloured veils and bars inside the glass have become of a signature for the designer. Now also available in grey.

Nude Glass Floor 7 Nude Glass will be presenting their design-led collections at 41 Madison. From the Savage by Remy Savage suite of cocktail glasses designed by the famed mixologist to the Rock & Pop (pictured) collection which is a collaboration between the glassmaker and several on-trend artists. Nude will also present Ace, cleverly inspired by a golf club and golf ball’s unique texture, Caldera – a series of whiskey glasses with a unique V-shape design in the glass itself – not to mention Glazz, a clever collection of stacking glasses. Meanwhile, the Big Top collection is made from clear lead-free crystal etched with a raised linear pattern. Inspired by the magic of the circus, the series is designed to liven up any drink and offer an incredible tactile experience when held.

www.nudeglass.com

Vietri

Floor 19

Vietri on Floor 19 of 41 Madison will present the Fauna collection to visitors. The Fauna Pheasants combine the outline of the classic hunting bird paired with nature’s greenery to depict what is commonly found during the hunt (la caccia) in Umbria, the Italian land known for capturing wild pheasants. Menawhile, the Rufolo glass collection brings shimmer to celebrations with the glowing gold trim dinnerware and serving pieces.

www.vietri.com

Herend Floor 10

Visit the Herend showroom at 41 Madison to see the glorious Golden Elegance collection. A variation on a theme of Herend’s Fish Scale, the new Golden Elegance pattern retains the essence of the scales but lets the increased negative space create a dramatic interplay of tension and light between the gold and white.

Did you know?

LSA International has introduced nine new collections for AW ’20. See them on floor 17 at 41 Madison.

www.herendusa.com TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 48

Show Preview 41 Madison

Qualia Floor 15

Vista Alegre Floor 9

Visitors to Vista Alegre’s showroom at 41 Madison will step into a stylised world of design excellence. See Constellation D’Or, a collection which is born of an age-old tradition of applying gold in pieces, which used in the porcelain of Sèvres in the late 18th century. Known as “pointillé d’or” or “sablé d’or” (or even “partridge eye”), these motifs mixed golden dots with shades of blue fire, forming small circles. The Constellation d’Or service recreates these geometric patterns and modernizes them, keeping the same decorative technique.

Meanwhile, the Petites Histoires (Small Stories) collection designed by Sam Baron takes us into the dreamlike world of the designer, where collages subtly blend with beautiful sketches to adorn objects with poetic and somewhat surreal narratives.

The French designer uses the decorative codes of the centuries-old brand Vista Alegre, with whom he has collaborated since 2001, and takes them further, rewriting them in a personal way.

Also see the Cloudy Butterflies by Claudia Schiffer collection – these three vases are produced using the complex in calmo technique, frequently used in the Middle Ages. Continuing to demonstrate the great mastery of the brand’s master glassmakers, these pieces, in addition to being blown and handled without a mould, present the added difficulty of hot-melting the various colours horizontally without mixing them.

Another collection of note is Golden which the ancient Chinese zodiac is represented by twelve animals, real and imaginary. Chosen for their temperament, they symbolise the dominant qualities and traits of each sign.

The Golden collection enhances these qualities with numerous engraved and gold-painted details, reminiscent of traditional Chinese designs.

www.vistaalegre.com 54 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL

Did you know?

Guests visiting 41 Madison can enjoy a newly open dining option, Mark’s Off Madison, by chef Mark Strausman, known for creating the legendary Freds at Barneys New York in New York, Chicago and LA. The restaurant is slated to welcome patrons beginning mid-tolate September for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as takeout/delivery and catering. Socially distanced outdoor seating will be available.

If it is bling you want, look no further than Qualia’s Glass Bling Martini glass.

Perched upon a ball shaped base bedazzled with sparkling embellishments, this stemless martini glass is a fine representation of modern luxury. Likewise, the Qualia Glass Gild DOF has been enhanced with genuine gold leaf accents suspended to create a floating illusion.

The same can be said of the Qualia Glass Gild Pitcher which has been handcrafted with care out of fine crystal glass, this pitcher is a merely perfect portrayal of decadence and sophistication.

Suspended within the thick, extra dense base of the pitcher you'll find real gold flecks fixed into place.

www.qualiaglass.com

Libbey

LSA International Floor 17

LSA International’s AW ‘20 collection comprises nine new ranges that exemplify the principles of form, texture and decoration in the production of exquisite glassware; Mini Metropole, Vessel, Madrid, Boris, Verso, Chevron, Century, Epoque and Rotunda.

The diverse collection sits in LSA’s tradition of design, heritage and craft, spanning 50 years of production.

Through the skilled use of hand tools and an understanding of high-quality raw materials, craftspeople use time-honoured techniques to transform mouth-blown glass into products of intrinsic value.

The distinct silhouettes of each new design in the collection highlight LSA’s broad and masterful use of glass, each telling their own stories through their form, texture and decorative detailing.

www.lsa-international.com

Floor 7

Libbey has debuted five new gift sets featuring its high-end Signature series of stemware.

Beautifully packaged, each set includes four glasses from Libbey’s bestselling Kentfield or Greenwich collections. Libbey Signature glasses are made in America with a state-of-the-art ClearFire process.

www.libbey.com

Gibson Overseas Floor 10

Inspired by her homes and informed by her impeccable taste, new dinnerware and serveware from Martha Stewart stays true to her entertaining roots while bringing fresh looks to casual tables.

Classic whiteware, vibrant florals and artisanal reactive glazes offer stylish options to match a variety of moods, in addition to seasonal sets for spring, harvest, and holiday. Gibson is proud to introduce this expansive assortment of dine and serve essentials from Martha Stewart alongside new flatware, cookware, bakeware and other Martha must-haves.

9

www.gibsonusa.com the number of new ranges in LSA International's AW '20 collection. See them on floor 17 at 41 Madison.

Revol Floor 19

Arc

Floor 21 Luminarc brings you a variety of products you can enjoy in the comfort of your home.

From Smart Cuisine, comes brand new square and rectangular shapes available in different sizes. Now available with a stylish grey lid that is spill proof and allows easy storage and transportation. And they stack too!

The new specialty glassware from the Kill the Canary collection boasts everything from vintage looks to iconic classic ones to new modern classics, these glasses fill any home bartender’s dream!

Meanwhile, set the most dazzling holiday table this season with the Holiday Glow collection. Mix and match the dinnerware and drinkware pieces to create a warm and shiny atmosphere. The stemless and tumbler glasses are decorated with gold and silver trees while the wine glass and flute stems have a sparkly gold look that glows.

www.arc-intl.com

Fiesta’s Coastal design features a mix of coral, starfish and shells in a variety of Fiesta-hued blues set on white ceramic dishes. The Coastal collection is available on the 15oz Tapered Mug and 9” luncheon plate.

Revol has launched a new, eco-friendly collection, which will be showcased at 41 Madison, made from recycled ceramic clay and enamels. No.W is part of the company’s efforts to significantly reduce the use of water and primary minerals in its porcelain production.

Revol has developed Recyclay – a new way of processing its industrial waste water and the new collection No.W is the first to be made from Recyclay with Revol describing it as “a simple, subtle and durable hand-made range, but also one of the most robust and functional for professional chefs”.

The launch comes as part of the company’s eco-commitment for 2020 which was to reincorporate its industrial waste water into its production process meaning they will use 80 fewer tonnes of primary materials (kaolin, feldspath, clay, silica).

www.hlcdinnerware.com

www.revol-pro.com

Fiesta Floor 16

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Interview LAV

New kids on the block Ranked fifth amongst the world’s largest glassware suppliers and with a new showroom open at 41 Madison, LAV is positioning itself to break into the key US market. The brand is young, modern, fresh with a very driven management structure behind it. Tableware International speaks with Esin Güral Argat, vice president on the board of parent company Gürallar to learn more about Lav's expansive plans Tell us a little about LAV. As the Gürallar Group, we have been in the glassware manufacturing business since 1996. We created the LAV brand with the motto ‘a new glass, a new sensation’ in 2014 with an investment of $2 million. We positioned LAV as a young, modern, stylish, exciting, and inspiring brand.

LAV made us younger, rejuvenated, and dynamic... we started our journey with 100 employees and daily production of 150 thousand pieces. Today, our daily production is two million pieces – enough glassware to circle the earth when lined side-by-side.

3,500

Of course, it is not just our production capacity which elevates us to the glassware industry's top tier but the high quality of our products and the positive impact they have had on consumers has paved the way for us to reach the heights. We serve 3,500 kinds of different products to consumers with 350 business partners and 200,000 retail stores worldwide.

We export half of the glassware we produce to 135 countries around the world. While we are the youngest brand producing glassware in Turkey, we are also the second biggest. And we are ranked fifth among the world's largest glassware producers.

the number of different products LAV offers consumers with 350 business partners and 200,000 retail stores worldwide.

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Do you also supply HoReCa? We produce wine glasses, lowball glasses, bowls, tumblers, ashtrays, mugs, jugs, jars, carafes, storage containers, and ice cream containers either for home-use and professional industries like HoReCa. We are trying to produce glass tableware products that can be an irreplaceable part of a house's table, a restaurant's kitchen, or a hotel's lobby.

Excitingly, you have a new showroom at 41 Madison – why did you choose to establish yourselves there?

The USA is our most important target market, and our key objective is to bring a brand-new perspective to glassware based on the market and consumer researches we'd carried out. And there is no better place to be than 41 Madison, which has made its mark as the world's premier destination for the tabletop industry featuring over 90 permanent

showrooms and over 200 leading brands and manufacturers.

Is 41 Madison your primary US base?

Yes, indeed. Our showroom in 41 Madison is very important, breathing the same air with the industry's strongest players and allowing us to present our innovative products that showcase trends to our current and potential business partners. This showroom grants us a vital opportunity to introduce American consumers to LAV's design world and how we can develop products according to their needs and preferences specifically.

We also established a New York-based sales and marketing company to keep a finger on the market's pulse.

What sort of collections can visitors expect to see in New York?

We present our unique aesthetic and stylish product lines as well as

“While we are the youngest brand producing glassware in Turkey, we are also the second biggest. And we are ranked fifth among the world's largest glassware producers” European market – is it strong in any particular territories?

In the European organised retail market, our products meet varying consumer groups in chain stores such as Auchan, Kaufland, Walmart, Maisons Du Monde, Sainsbury’s, Debenhams. We attend important fairs and organisations, meet new stakeholders, and transform these meetings into business partnerships.

We are constantly renewing ourselves and our products with the importance we give to R&D and innovations. As I mentioned earlier, we export half of our production. Thus, we become a guest in homes in many different places around the globe with our original designs that we constantly renew. In the B2B segment, influential, global brands such as Coca Cola, Pepsi and Unilever are among our customers.

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How did the company approach Covid-19? our collections specially made for the US market. Our collections are a combination of modern and designled products with particular forms.

In the 2020 LAV collections, pastel tones are transformed into powerful forms, glittering presentations showcasing the beauty of nature, unique patterns of different cultures, and rainbow colours with high energy.

forecast agencies. As a result of all these travels, data, and research, we bring the most suitable products to our consumers' tables. Since each country's culture is different, Turkey's most popular products include teacups and storage containers, while it is whiskey glasses for the United States, and Italy favours wine glasses and tumblers.

What is your bestselling range?

Have you noticed a trend towards any particular type of glass shapes from consumers?

We can't make such a distinction because we offer consumers unique, trendy, and innovative products suitable for their ever-changing needs. We continuously monitor and explore habits in different cultures and the changes to these habits over time. The LAV design team travels to at least five countries every year to pursue cultural enrichment and understanding by visiting glass museums, design fairs, attending workshops, and events. We also work with world-renowned trend

In line with the rapid change process that the world is in, our customers' needs and expectations change, even on a daily basis. In order to be able to respond to these needs and expectations in the most efficient way, we put ceaseless effort into enhancing our product quality significantly.

How would you describe LAV's foothold in the

Just like the other countries, the Coronavirus pandemic affected Turkey negatively. There were sectors in which the production stopped completely. At LAV, we took precautions by planning from the first stages of the epidemic and continued our production without interruptions.

We continue to abide by the plans we put into practice strictly. Our rules for masks and social distancing have been upheld since the first day of Covid-19's presence in our country.

We regularly clean and disinfect all areas of our production facilities, from common areas to our employees' shuttles. We implemented the contact-free door system to minimize the interaction of our employees in our facilities and factories. We do not

accept visitors to our facilities, and we conduct our meetings and interviews online. We put signs reminding our staff of social distancing and placed alcohol-based hand sanitizers in easily accessible areas.

What are your plans for 2021?

Gürallar Group is an entity that invests an average of $13-15 million each year.

Industrial investments must increase for economic growth.

As Gürallar Group, we continuously invest in the industry, qualified human resources - which is another must for growth - as well as innovation. As LAV, we aim to increase our penetration in foreign markets that are strategic to us and appear in consumers' homes with our original products in most parts of the world. We will continue to satisfy the needs of our customers with our products and keep being a creative, solution-oriented business partner for the entire beverage industry and food manufacturers that use glass packaging. Our priority is to bring a different perspective to this sector with our flexible production capability, timing advantages, proactive solutions, and expertise in researching and understanding consumer trends.

With an innovative and thoughtful approach in every aspect of life, LAV moves ahead of just being a glassware manufacturer and promises a positive vision for the future. Empowerment of women and energy efficiency have been our foundational stones for decades. Without implementing any quotas, 45 per cent of all our employees are women. In this context, we are working on gender equality, one of the United Nations' development goals.

We develop new technologies that clear the path for unmatchable energy efficiency rates in the industry. While relentlessly increasing our production quality, as one of the largest glass producers globally, we also consider our impact on nature. We will continue to support sustainability in our two factories with the lowest energy and water consumption in the glassware industry.

http://company.lav.com.tr

Did you know?

LAV recently opened its 41 Madison showroom on floor 7. Make an appointment to see them at the New York Tabletop Show.

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Trend luxe

Glorious gold Designed by Brigitte Moulinier, Porcel’s Parisien and Parisien Night are two Porcel collections with details on the contrast between shiny and matte.

With the Parisien collection (pictured) the shiny gold laid on matt gold and Parisien Night the shiny silver placed on matt silver, both distinct by a contemporary flower design contrasting with porcelain whiteness which characterises Porcel so well. Both collections can serve as a whole or for the boldest they can mix and match between each other for the most original table setting.

www.porcel.pt

Drink up This is tableware but with added oomph. We look at collections with an iridescent glow, golden sheen, shimmer and shine – perfect as we approach the festive season

If it is a statement you are looking for, Artel’s Cabinet of Curiosities Imperial Bee Gilded in Gold could be your answer. The gilded gold Imperial Bee motif on the DOF glass is a new offering from Artel, having been introduced to the collection in September.

www.artel.com

Decorative gems Behold the Maia bowls from Beatriz Ball, part of the newly released Sierra Modern collection. The Sierra Modern collection includes serving bowls, salad serving sets and platters in eight different textures. There are also decorative gift items like photo frames and small bowls. The collection is available in gold, rose gold and gunmetal finishes – all easy care and dishwasher safe.

www.beatrizball.com

Shine on The My China! dinner service from Sieger By Fürstenberg combines the quality of handcrafted tableware with universal functionality. With My China! Treasure, 99 per cent platinum and 24-carat gold are applied by hand in narrow bands or as a reflective surface. This creates subtle interplay between different border widths. The same variety and exceptional quality can be found underneath the plates too: the fine band of platinum or gold continues onto the underside. Both versions can be mixed and matched individually.

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www.fuerstenberg-porzellan.com

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