Laurence L/ewelyn-Bowen photographedwith the Beat rangefrom Johnson Bros

The Sexy spoon fromArthur Price

Best-known for his work on television interior design and decoration

programmes, British designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has recently

entered the tabletop world, with work for ceramic producer.Johnson

Brothers and cutlery supplier Arthur Price of England.

SUSAN FENTON reports

Wit, kitsch and thecomin of gla our

We're movingtowards glamour,luxury, quality,'says designerLaurenceLlewelyn-Bowen

when asked for his predictions about comingtrends in homewares. 'The buzzwords arewitty, feminine, borderline kitsch.'

But the coming of luxury, he says, is notabout conspicuous consumption. 'It's notabout money - you can look terriblyglamorous by putting your own stamp onthings.'

Llewelyn-Bowen himself has achieved acertain trademark glamour through hisshoulder-length hair and his penchant forpurple clothing. Nevertheless, he believesthat the root of housewares trends is deeperthan clothing fashion: politics is alsoinfluential in creating trends.

'Nations express themselves through

design and that comes through their history.Since 1997, design has been aggressivelycontemporary but that's now softening. It willbe interesting to see what happens in the wakeof the US election.'

Consumers, he says, see tabletop and otherhomewares items not as products per se but aspart of a lifestyle. 'People want to create intheir homes an environment they havecomplete control over. They need to use theway their room looks as an antidote to life.This means tableware goes deeper thanfashion - it's part of consumers marking theirterritory.'

It is perhaps, he says, the first time thatconsumers - the British in particular, whosedesign consciousness was heavily influencedby the 19th century artist William Morris —have had the disposable income to indulgetheir long-standing desire for glamour andopulence.

It is, it seems, the age of the celebrity

j '

I

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 26 APRIL 2001

Above and below: items from theKernow range for Johnson Bros.With its textural feel, the patternis meant to be evocative of theCornish coast: it gives, saysUewelyn-Bowen, a fee/ing offreedom and integrates into theroom the emotions of being on thebeach

designer — Llewelyn-Bowen beingone of many who are making theirnames known far beyond thehorizons of their core specialism.In turn, he says, the celebrity cultis heightening the stature ofdesigners who are as yetunknown.

'I have been finding in otherproduct sectors that, because mydesign works for one company,other companies start trusting

their own designers' judgement.'In his work for tabletop

clients. Llewelyn-Bowen aims to"understand the tradition, learnthe vocabulary of the medium andthen come up with somethingnew.'

'I look at how people put thefood on the plate,' he says."People arrange their food aroundthe pattern and that makes it morethan just food and more like an artform. The food might be shop-bought but there is a moment ofcreativity when the food comes tothe table, so I work at givingpeople the chance for creativeengagement with theirenvironment, within their budgetand within their limited time.

"The crucial thing for me is tocome up with something that itwould be a shame to put in thecupboard, something that makes adefinitive design statement.'

The idea of matching sets ofeverything might be passe, hebelieves, but tabletop designcannot be undertaken in isolationfrom its environment.

'I never just design a product,I think too about the room it goesin. Co-ordination got a frightfulname in the 1980s but I havetried to make the ceramic ranges

Simple from Johnson Brothers is,says Llewelyn-Bowen, 'closest tomy personal design aesthetic. Ithas a romantic streak with arobust delicacy that sums up theEnglish nation'. In design, he says,flora/ is a tradition to becelebrated in an updated way. Aromantic and feminine statement,the buzzword for Simple is sexysuburban

uncontrived - to look like chancepurchases that fit together.'

There is, he says, no suchthing as a single Llewelyn-Bowenlook. "I'm moving from one styleto another all the time. Inexploiting the decorativepotential of tabletop products ordesigning rooms, I love

celebrating diversity. I want tosmash through the idea thatthere's good taste and bad taste.'

With his designs for ArthurPrice of England and JohnsonBrothers already launched anddoing well, Llewelyn-Bowen istalking to other companies in thetabletop arena about possibleliaisons.

'I spend a lot of time decidingwho to work with,' he says. 'Theytend to be iconic names in theirfield, with a tradition of qualitymanufacturing. I want the productto be well made and welldistributed and I want a happy,symbiotic relationship with thecompany - there's a security andsolidarity to being with the rightpeople.' 18

HOUSEHOLD GOODS TRADE FAIR24th-26th September 2001, Poznari24th-25th September - days for professionals

domexpo 2ooiPoland's first and largest household goods trade fair

Commodity groups:household appliancesdomestic electronicsillumination equipmentequipment and materials for interior finishing and refurbishmentfurniture, decorative goods and articles for interior designglass, porcelain and ceramicsbathroom fittings and accessoriesheating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipmentcandleshousehold chemicals

Date of the event: 24th-26th September 2001Deadline for applications: 9th May 2001

Those submitting their applications by 9th May 2001 will benefitfrom a 10% DISCOUNT and a reduced deposit of only 20%.

Poznari International Fair is a centre for East-West trade,whose significance extends far beyond Poland" borders. With 80 yearsof experience, the fair has become a byword for professionalism.

Organiser:POZNAN INTERNATIONAL FAIRA1 Project TeamTel. +48 61/869 24 41, 869 22 97Fax +48 61/869 24 76e-mail: domexpo@mtp.com.plInternet http://www.mtp.com.pl

RepresentativesJ.C. Exhibitions Ltd.3 Priors Close, HistonCambridge CB4 9HXTel+44 1223/233952Fax+44 1223/234537enquires@jcexhibitions.comwww.jcexhibitions.comGreat Britain

TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 27 APRIL 2001