Tableware Team
TableWare
EDITOR KATE BIRCH kate@lemapublishing.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER PAUL YEOMANS pyeomans@lemapublishing.co.uk
PUBLISHER MARK NAISH mark@lemapublishing.co.uk
MANAGING DIRECTOR MALCOLM NAISH malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR PAUL NAISH paul@lemapublishing.co.uk
DESIGNER MARIAN MCNAMARA marian@lemapublishing.co.uk
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INTERNATIONAL
Month: Sept/Oct 2016
Issue: 4
2
134
Volume: 138
INTERNATIONAL
W
e all know that fierce price competition and changing lifestyles is having an impact on the tableware industry worldwide, that cheaply-made product is driving down prices and that in the process, quality, heritage and craftsmanship is being lost. But it’s not all doom and gloom. There are green shoots of hope and signs of recovery, and this is the starting point for a global event, the world’s first tableware symposium, that’s due to take place this November in Arita, Japan, the orgin of Japanese porcelain. With a host of experts from important global ceramic centres, such as Sevres, Arita and Stoke-on-Trent, bringing ideas and inspiration to the table, the aim of the symposium is to develop “strategies in the fields of innovation, marketing, art, design and leisure” that will reinvigorate the ceramic industry, says director of European Ceramic Work Centre and co-organiser of the symposium, We discuss the challenges the ceramic industry currently faces with a variety of experts and find out more about what will be discussed at the symposium on page 32. One of the symposium experts, Kevin Oakes, chairman of British fine bone china manufacturer Royal Crown Derby, will share the secrets to success in ceramics, drawn from his own personal success at the helm of Steelite and RCD for the past 30 years. Having recently acquired 100 per cent of Royal Crown Derby, we talk to Kevin about the acquisition and about his “passion for ceramics" on page 46 and find out more about his plans for the British heritage brand. Part of Royal Crown Derby’s success has been carving out its niche in the luxury hospitality sector, and this month in our regular Trade Talk feature, we spotlight hospitality, discussing tableware trends, challenges and areas of growth with a number of global companies (page 48). We also look at growth and emerging trends in two separate tableware categories this month – flatware (page 52) and decorative (page 62). We talk to manufacturers, distributors and retailers to discover what’s selling, how consumer behaviour is affecting sales, and what trends are emerging, as well as highlighting the latest launches in each. On the retail front, we investigate the growth of garden centres as retail destinations throughout the UK (page 40) and how tableware is becoming an increasingly larger part of this, but our main focus for retail is Stateside this month.
“Having recently acquired 100 per cent of Royal Crown Derby, we talk to owner Kevin Oakes about the acquisition and about his ‘passion for ceramics’ on page 46 and find out more about his plans for the British heritage brand.” Challenging the tableware-selling norm, tabletop store Jung Lee in Manhattan, New York, is offering a different type of concept, a lifestyle environment with a personalised approach to creating tablescapes that is working wonders. We talk to Jung on page 36. Moving beyond Manhattan to Corning, we also spotlight glass in retail with a focus on the museum shop of Corning Glass Museum. We talk to buyer Meghan Bunnell on page 44. Finally, with New York on our mind, we spotlight the up-and-coming New York Tabletop Show, delivering an extensive preview that not only outlines the Forty One Madison showroom movements, renovations and openings – find our interview with Make International, a British company making its debut at Forty One Madison this September – but also showcase some of the most exciting product innovations not to miss. See page 70. See you at the show.
Kate Birch Get social with See our latest news: www.tablewareinternational.com ‘Like’ us: Facebook.com/tablewareintmag ‘Follow’ us on Twitter: @tablewareintmag ‘Pin’ us: pinterest.com/tablewareintmag