Dish of the Day: the chicest new dinner plates
Functional, yet often a piece of art in its own right, crockery has always been highly collectible, but for a table to look fresh rather than fuddy-duddy, matching sets are out and an eclectic aesthetic is in. Liberty homeware buyer Calum Wild believes a change in society is behind this trend of curating a mix of plates. ‘People are using their table as an inner sanctum, a moment’s pause from the noise of technology and life,’ he says. ‘With this comes the desire to dress it in a way that feels connected to who they are.’
He’s seen sales of matching sets decline by over 25 per cent, with shoppers instead building their collections plate by plate, mixing pieces picked up on their travels with heirloom china and contemporary purchases. ‘As the trend of mismatched dinnerware grows, this allows people to invest in higher-quality pieces that they will keep forever,’ he adds.
Svenskt Tenn’s Tora Grape agrees, reflecting on the philosophy championed by the brand’s founder, Estrid Ericson, who loved blending the traditional with the contemporary a century ago. ‘She saw design as an opportunity to bring joy, personality and a sense of play into everyday life,’ explains Grape.
When it comes to that blended mix, bone china is always popular, but porcelain and stoneware are gaining traction for their durability and more contemporary aesthetic. ‘Ceramic is popular, too,’ adds. Paola Piccinelli from the Source team at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, which helps guide modern collectors. Ultimately, she believes beautiful things shouldn’t be kept on display in a cabinet, but used and enjoyed. ‘Even a piece of toast can look so elegant on the right plate,’ she declares. ‘We deserve a bit of beauty every day.’
‘Harlem Toile de Jouy’, Sheila Bridges for Wedgewood
This fine bone china plate by Wedgwood featuring Sheila Bridges’ ‘Harlem Toile de Jouy’ is now part of the permanent collection at the V&A. The American interior designer wanted to reimagine a traditional 18th century French toile to celebrate Black heritage and culture, using art as a playful yet powerful tool for storytelling and change. From £80, wedgwood.com
‘Ode’, Armani Casa
Inspired by Japanese tableware, the ‘Ode’ dinnerware set has a blue, gently scalloped edge. The dessert plates are decorated with different marine animals, including a turtle, crab and stingray, while the dining and bread plates feature a two-tone wavy stripe and others are plain, allowing for a layered display on the table. £140, armani.com
‘Flower Eye’, Bitossi
Surreal mashups of figurative, botanical, astrological and geometric designs define Bitossi’s distinctive Italian aesthetic. Pieces have been made in the same factory in Tuscany since 1921 and today that heritage combines with an array of young artistic talents. This ‘Flower Eye’ porcelain saucer is a perfect example – with its hypnotic eye and gold trim, it’s a guaranteed dinner party conversation starter. £16, bitossihome.it
‘Tricolore’, Astier de Villatte
The colours of the French flag radiate boldly from the centre of this ‘Tricolore’ plate. Each piece is handmade in Paris and stamped with the Astier de Villatte monogram and the initials of the artisan who crafted it. Approx £94, astierdevillatte.com
‘Faded Peony’, Burleigh x Ralph Lauren
Quintessentially English chintz meets classic Americana in this denim blue design. Intended to be mixed with the prints and patterns from the rest of the range to create a unique table setting, every plate is finished using Burleigh’s centuries-old tissue transfer printing technique using hand-engraved copper rollers. £38, ralphlauren.co.uk
‘Epin Rere’, Yinka Ilori
Named after the Yoruba phrase for ‘my destiny’, ‘Epin Rere’ is a limited-edition collection of ribbed ceramics. Through each stoneware plate’s vivid hand-painted ombre tones and ribbed edges, Ilori seeks to evoke the rippling waters and sunset colours of Lagos’ beaches, paying tribute to his British-Nigerian heritage. £135, shop.yinkailori.com
‘B-Form’, Meissen
The ‘B-Form’ porcelain service was created between 1844 and 1855 by Ernst August Leuteritz. In royal blue with 23-karat gold reliefs and hand-painted floral elements from the Renaissance, Rococo and Baroque periods in its design, it’s a beautiful expression of European dining culture from an era when the bourgeoisie displayed their wealth and status through their table. Approx £1,412, meissen.com
‘Butterfly Parade’, Christian Lacroix
A colourful cluster of butterflies drifts across the delicate plates of this collection, a collaboration between fashion designer Christian Lacroix and Vista Alegre, the renowned Portuguese porcelain manufacturer. Designed to be mixed with other less decorative designs, the ‘Butterfly Parade’ is a fresh take on the traditional. Approx £133, vistaalegre.com
‘Tressages Équestres’, Hermès
The fashion house is forever associated with the equestrian world and the new ‘Tressages Équestres’ porcelain dinner service honours the relationship between horse and rider in the most elegant way. In a fresh, zesty palette, Virginie Jamin’s precise lines offer an abstract yet evocative depiction of the cotton and leather braiding used in harness-making. From £115, hermes.com.
‘Pink Tulip’, Laëtitia Rouget
Citing Grayson Perry, Matisse and Luke Edward Hall as influences, Lisbon-based French artist Laëtitia Rouget refuses to take life too seriously and her brightly coloured stoneware ceramics bring that joyful perspective to the dining table. She illustrates each prototype in her studio, before they are hand-painted by artisans in Portugal. £90, laetitiarouget.com
‘Tesori’, Ginori1735
Two centuries ago on the outskirts of Florence, the Marquis Carlo Andrea Ginori opened a porcelain factory, which is still producing the most beautiful pieces of tableware today. The latest collection, ‘Tesori’, features vivid combinations of pink and navy, teal and royal blue, giving the classical patterns a fresh spin that makes them perfect for mixing and matching on the table. £125, ginori1735.com
‘1948’, Jonathan Adler
Named for the temperature at which gold melts, the ‘1948’ collection has a suitably celebratory feel that makes it perfect for festivities, but sturdy enough to withstand everyday life. And why not? The real gold splattered across the surface of each porcelain plate will elevate the most basic of dishes to something extra special. £50, uk.jonathanadler.com
