Jonathan Anderson, Wedgwood and the archive of Lucie Rie — the celebrated Austrian ceramicist — come together in a collaboration that brings to light a project left on hold for more than sixty years: a series of Jasperware cups and saucers designed by Rie in 1964 and never produced. Today those sketches finally take shape in Wedgwood’s signature blue with crisp white inlays, available as teacup-and-saucer and coffee-cup-and-saucer sets.
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Alongside Lucie Rie’s designs, Anderson also introduces his personal collection of mugs inspired by ancient Greece and, for the first time, two brand-new accessories for the house: a washed cotton cap and a hybrid tote–shoulder bag. Each piece sets up a dialogue between historical references and contemporary vision, united by the same respect for craftsmanship.
The cups are made entirely by hand by Wedgwood’s master artisans using traditional turning techniques: the clay is shaped, left to dry until it reaches a “leather-hard” state, then meticulously refined on the lathe — echoing Rie’s poetics of purposeful imperfections and functional elegance. The mugs come in three two-tone pairings — Blue/Saxon Blue, Chocolate Brown/Black and Canary Yellow/Mimosa Yellow — while Lucie Rie’s cups and saucers feature delicate white sgraffito against a tactile, matte surface.
“Lucie Rie is one of the greatest ceramicists of the twentieth century,” says Anderson. “I believe she would be happy to see these objects finally produced, especially as part of a project that gives back.” Proceeds from the special collection will support the new Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation, dedicated to preserving archives and funding scholarships.
The Jonathan Anderson & Wedgwood Special Collection is already available online via the Wedgwood and JW Anderson webstores and at select retail locations in Europe, the United States, Japan and China.
