People who have some refinement and culture in their life want to buy and use things that reflect those qualities. They do not want to compromise on quality for saving money. That explains why the demand of Portmeirion's Botanic Garden is high among the elite and aristocrat people. The cookware, dinnerware and accessories of the company feature butterfly and floral design that reflect elegance and boldness.
The ceramic cookware range makes use of antique botanical illustrations. It is sought after by the homemakers all over the world. The origin of the Botanic Garden brand can be traced back to the early 1970s. Susan Williams-Ellis created the designs in 1972. It has more than 30 flowers that make up the entire collection. The cups and plates in its range are made in the shapes of various flower patterns. The distinctive leaf border, flitting butterflies and unique style of drawing conjures the entire mix and match theme.
Over the years, Botanic Garden has evolved as a top notch designer tableware brand. The makers of the brand keep adding to its range and the inclusion of new designs has widened its portfolio. The founder of the group, Susan Williams- Ellis passed away in 2007. She came into the limelight for her innovative skill in manufacturing techniques and designing. She revolutionized ceramic shape design and the designs she made were dubbed as futuristic.
Susan was born in 1918 and was the daughter of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, a renowned architect. As a matter of fact her artistic talents were nurtured and developed in an ambience influenced by friends and family. The sparks of her talent were seen early. She took training in fine art from Chelsea Polytechnic. She benefited from the mentorship of Graham Sutherland and Henry Moore. It was at that time her penchant for three dimensional form and shape flourished. She got a chance to exhibit her artistic skills after getting an offer to make gift items for a village shop in Portmeirion Village.
She acquired A. E. Gray Ltd which was a pottery decorating company in 1960. Another pottery business was also acquired by her. They were merged and that is how the Portmeirion brand of pottery products came into existence. After getting access to manufacturing facilities she started designing shapes which was quite an achievement in contemporary times.
Among the most prominent early Portmeirion designs of Susan, Moss Agate and Malachite deserve mention. They became extremely popular and made Susan famous. Then she surprised everyone with her introduction of bright, floral images like Tiger Lily and Portmeirion Rose. This was succeeded by the iconic Totem design.
Totem played a pivotal role in popularizing the Portmeirion brand in the global market. Its abstract and bold style of embossed stars and spirals became a hit. In the 1970s, Botanic Garden the signature range of Portmeirion was launched. She received recognition for her contribution to tableware design and innovation from the Keele University and University of Arts, London.
Christopher Widener is author of this article on Portmeirion Botanic Garden.
Find more information about Portmeirion Botanic Garden China here.
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