Designer Karim Rashid captures the essence of what Magpie leaders are trying to achieve in their tableware designs -- capturing consumers' emotions and helping them to improve their health and environment with soothing, appealing, and functional designs. His Sushi Set is a porcelain delight with smooth, elongated oval shapes and uses far beyond what its name implies. The set comes with a service plate that has a space for wasabi or other condiment applications, as well as a chopstick holder, bowls, and a serving plate. Rashid's Titani is a horn-shaped salt-and-pepper shaker that simply screams style. For more information, call 212-731-2345, or send e-mail to sam@magpie.com.
Newly designed shapes captured the attention of buyers in the tabletop arena with such launches as Sagaform's Paus, a new coffee and tea series designed in collaboration with Helene Tiedmann. The series achieves what designers wanted -- to make you pause and take notice of its soothing shapes while sitting back and enjoying the moment. The series also follows another trendy motivation that is the mix of materials, as it combines white porcelain, clear glass, walnut wood, metal, and textiles. For more information, send e-mail to salesinfo@sagaform.com.
Villeroy & Boch was recognized for its uncommonly shaped NewWave design -- a cup and saucer featuring a flowing plate and curved handle that evokes a wave image that lives up to the name. A hollow die-casting method is used to manufacture the precision asymmetrical shapes; the cup itself is unique as its curvaceous design turns into the formation of the cup in a simple, uninterrupted unit. Villeroy & Boch will be at the Las Vegas Gourmet Products Show for the first time this year. Retailers interested in the line should call Nancy McCloskey at 800-845-5676.
A toast to high design was discovered at Schott Zwiesel with its two ranges of lead-free crystal stemware. The new Zweisel 1872 range marks the company's handmade collections that include beautifully designed Salon and Fino. The contemporary Salon offers a distinguished, eye-catching design with a modern flared bowl and a thin, elegant profile. Fino is a graceful line with long-legged stems for a visually stunning appearance. The collection is comprised of 13 crystal glasses designed to present wine at its best. Zwiesel is branding its machine-made range as Schott Zwiesel Tritan. For pricing details, call 800-296-7508. All Zwiesel products are made with titanium crystal for improved durability, clarity, and brilliance. Ranges also include decanters and pitchers.
Stripes continue to be the rage and no one does them better than iittala with its classic range of Origo by Alfredo Haberli, now available in a several colorways from pink to blue to orange. Now, iittala fans can complement the range with Teema, a mix-and-match collection of solid colorways (blue, white, olive green, and brown) originally introduced in 1952 by Kaj Franck. Accent ranges of turquoise and yellow complement the range, which is comprised of 12 pieces from dinnerware to cookware to serveware. The bold variations of geometric shapes make setting the table an inspiration. For more trend-setting table fashions, check out www.iittala.com.
Tendances by Pillivuyt combines several trends. From fine porcelain shapes worked into organic complexions with soft edges and oversized rims, this white collection also encompasses the small plates dining craze. Designed to mix and match, the dinnerware service is comprised of squares and rectangles, a beautiful departure for this classic French porcelain company. Another bold statement is its oversized bakeware pieces that just cry out for dinner. For pricing and additional information, call 952-938-1672.
ASA Selection stepped into stripes with its Capri collection of ceramic serveware and home decor. Reminiscent of the sea, the collection is strikingly fun with its orange, magenta, and turquoise colorways. The line is comprised of dinnerware, pitchers, bowls, tea lights, and ceramic jars with plastic lids. An interesting new shape for ASA was its Soup Bowl with a built-in spoon rest across the top. Available in small, medium, and large, pricing will range from $18.50 to $30 a set. ASA, who does great work with decals and photographic art, also had fun with a new range of coffee mugs called cows ($8.20 an item). The porcelain mugs are packaged in a clear gift boxes for easy merchandising. Its new breakfast range gives you something to wake up to with delicious croissants and other breakfast items pictured on a range of dishes, containers, and serveware. For more information, e-mail catrin@asa-selection.de.
Trendy and inspiring are words that also describe Ritzenhoff, whose first year in the U.S. has provided some fresh ideas for giftable tabletop collections. One of the company's signatures is its fresh approach to packaging, which complements products in such as way as to make merchandising a snap. For example, when the mugs in the My Darling Collection sit atop their boxes, they complete a full image. Six new mugs were introduced at the show, all of which will instigate smiles during coffee breaks. New for Ritzenhoff is its Tabledance coaster collection made of high-grade stainless steel with decorated plastic inlays for a sophisticated and fresh table setting. For more information, call Kress International Importers at 630-305-7377, or send e-mail tofranz.kress@ritzenhoffusa.com.
Trend-setting inspirations are always the case with NOW Designs-Danica, a company you can count on for great colors to illustrate the latest runway fashions and designer looks. This year is no exception as designers launched five new color stories with shades of cayenne, marigold, chartreuse, warm reds, peapod, chocolate, peacock, and more. NOW Designs has a complete range of textiles and tabletop, with patterned accent pieces. This season's patterns include Kukka print, a Scandanavian-inspired Marimekka-ish print that's sure to attract attention. Each of the five patterns holds its own in the world of emerging color palettes, but our favorites included Baltic, a combination of chocolate, teal, peacock, carob, and latte blends that simply speak to the world of color. Also hot is Soho, a sophisticated mix of black, white, and reds. Still, we're a bit green with Envy, a pattern that captures this year's fashionable infatuation with the color green. For more details visit www.nowdesigns.net, or call 866-253-9001.
Bozz Trade specializes in tableware, accessories, and gift items for the high-end marketplace. The Turkish design house made a splash at the fair with inspirational plates and serveware decorated with traditional Turkish designs and modernly bright and bold colorways and treatments. The Bowls and Dishes Collection is expected to make its way to American shores in the coming year. Designs are packaged in wooden boxes for gift-giving occasions. For information, contact info@bozztrade.com.
Sisson Imports (800-423-2756) represents two fun and contrasting tabletop lines with new introductions at Ambiente. Fine French porcelain company Revol tested buyers' reactions to its small plates collection called Bombay. Designed for tapas dining, the collection is set in squares and rectangles with contrasting colors -- black, transparent, and white (glass and porcelain). New additions to the Belle Cuisine Collection include 2.5-liter (84-ounce) Covered Baking Dish and a 1-liter (35-ounce) Baking Dish, both with lids.
On the lighter side is Connecticut-based designer Jill Butler with her new Paris Souvenir Collection (dinner sets, tidbit plates, glassware, textiles, and coasters) with whimsical approaches to Paris landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc De Triomphe. Glass and kitchen textiles are completely new to the artist's range. Also new for Butler is a gourmet collection called Gifts from the Garden, which is great for merchandising spring and summer displays. Bright crisp peas, peppers, and radishes make their own plate appearance with trendy red-orange and sunny yellow colorways. Polka dots also brighten the line, giving it a fun, fresh approach to the table.
More fun in the dining room came from Waechtersbach with its new Willy & Emma range of red and white dinnerware perfect for the fourth quarter and beyond. The animal motif is a line-drawn silhouette of whimsical creatures that works well beyond the seasonality of its design. For information, call 800-821-9872. Waechtersbach also introduced Hazelnut. A departure for the bright, bold collections they're known for, it's a combination of warm browns, amber, and bronze on square plates, coup shapes, and deep bowls.
Portmeirion also introduced a departure for them with The Cafe Collection, a rich palette of espresso and cappuccino that marks the company's first full glaze treatment. The twisted, textural design is also comprised of mixed materials with wood, metal, glass, and ceramic complements. The range holds 29 SKUs, including dinnerware, oven-to-table items, and serveware. Place settings are expected to run $35 for a 4-piece setting. For information, call 212-889-3535.
A new approach to children's dinnerware was discovered at WMF with its Starter Kid range of children's cutlery. The range comes in three collections designed for the different stages in a child's dining progress. Starter Kid 1 (0-1) is designed for newborns. The two-piece set has an 18-centimeter-long spoon for feeding and a learning spoon made of plastic available in either blue or pink. The Starter Kid 2 set is for the child's first birthday and includes a spoon, a fork, and a blunt knife. The ergonomic shape and orange plastic handles are ideally designed for the age group up to three years. Starter Kid 3 is for the 'grown-up' children who are beginning to feed themselves with utensils; this collection is perfect for children over the age of three. Handle sizes are ergonomically shaped for small hands and well-balanced proportions. For more information, call 631-293-3990.
And metal accents from silver to copper are also continuing to litter the tabletop landscape. One item of note is that these elegant stories are now being offered in a range of price points. Lynns Concepts debut its latest introductions, including titanium-plated porcelain and Fem-matrix, an elegant style with pearlized decals that is also microwave safe. For more information, contact info@lynnshk.com.
The category of outdoor products is expected to experience enormous growth in the coming year. Manufacturers provided ample supply for the potential growth in demand with new tabletop, barbecue, and outdoor decor items.
Gibson USA gave a sneak peak of their Max & Lucy Collection, a smart, humorous line of tabletop and giftware designed to complement the kitchen, dining room, grill area, and more. Offered in Gibson's Melacore, as well as in high-quality ceramics, the launch includes a 16-piece Food for Thought range with fun phrases, such as "Rib Hot Lover" and "Let's Make a Dill." Melacore is Gibson's new composite plastic that has many of the properties enjoyed by melamine -- vibrant color and high-end feel, while offering up to 40 percent lower price points. For more information, visit www.gibsonusa.com, or call 800-281-2810.
Inside or outside the home, Jason Products Limited brings art to the table with its placemat and coaster collection that are easy to care for (just wipe clean with a damp cloth) and fashionable. New for the range is the New York Botanical Collection, a modern translation of the museum's plants and botanical research. The range includes modern translations of Himalayan Plants, as well as more a more traditional botanist approach in Flore D'Amerique. The uniqueness of Jason's line is that many patterns come with six different complementary designs in each set. Retail pricing ranges from $14.95 for coasters to $39.95 for placemats. Popular designs are accented with paper napkins. Other beautiful releases include Terra Viva, a collection of vegetable photographs that have a three-layer effect in the photography process to give it a textural appearance. The vegetables were photographed on a deep brown surface and the lens has a Vaseline wash that greatly affects the final product. The company is launching its own U.S. distribution platform this year and will have more information available for retailers in the coming months. For more information, send e-mail to ginac@jason.co.nz, or check out www.jasonproducts.com.
