HEREND HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR ITS BRILLIANT WHITE PORCELAIN SINCE 1826. ON THE EVE OF THE HUNGARIAN MANUFACTORY’S 200TH ANNIVERSARY (YES, WE’RE A TAD EARLY), WE SALUTE HEREND’S GOLD AND WHITE DINNERWARE DESIGNS, IDEAL EXEMPLARS OF CLASSIC ELEGANCE.
HEREND IS KNOWN AROUND THE GLOBE AS ONE OF PORCELAIN’S finest producers, a favorite of royalty, aristocracy, and folks like you and me who appreciate unparalleled quality and exquisite craftsmanship. Herend’s smooth white porcelain body has been the canvas for sculptors, master painters, and innovative designers who have created a rich history of dinnerware design on the porcelain they dub white gold. Fitting then to pay homage to Herend’s brilliant gold and white patterns as well as their signature, meticulously crafted gold figurines, fishnet and otherwise.
“The Herend body in its unpainted state is so alluring because it begins its journey in a country where beauty is innate, France,” says president Kimberley Kimball. “Components of the clay are imported from Limoges, and it is these elements that impart the Herend base with such an exquisite whiteness. This white body is one of the main reasons that the gold pops so nicely and creates a truly timeless look.”
Today, there are eight gold and white dinnerware patterns, all among the top-selling designs here in the U.S. “I must admit,” begins Dianne Murphy, CEO, “I always used to think of the original gold and white patterns that we stocked as the boy next door: nice, dependable layering pieces, but certainly not as intriguing as our more colorful patterns. It was actually our customers who started treating them like leading man material and prompted us to greatly expand our options in this color combination. Along the way, I became a fan as well. I love how the gold and white pieces are perfect no matter the theme, color, or mood of a tablescape. Also, it’s nice to see such a success come out of feedback we got directly from our customers.”
Joyce Woehrel of Atlanta’s premier bridal registry, fête, couldn’t agree more. “Herend is one of my favorites,” says the longtime tableware retailer. “Herend’s white and gold dinnerware is timeless and an excellent choice as it gives so much flexibility when setting the table. When entertaining, it’s fun to be able to style the table for the occasion, which can easily be done by changing out just the salad plate or the linens. I like the fact that Herend offers eight options of white and gold dinnerware because it accommodates the most traditional to the more contemporary taste.”
That’s been the intent since the category started taking off in the last decade. Golden Edge came first. Created for Count Hadik in the early 20th century, Murphy eyed the design at the factory and thought it’d be a good mix-and-match pattern and also represent a great entry price point for fans who couldn’t afford the more ornate Queen Victoria, Rothschild Bird, or Chinese Bouquet, the designs for which Herend is most renown. Says Kimball: “Golden Edge was on its own for a while, spurred by a younger generation wanting less ornate designs. We all love Golden Edge, which can be dressed up or down–it’s a great neutral–but it was time to add to the offerings.” Next up was Gwendolyn, with gold edging on a graceful scalloped body, the same shape as American Wildflowers, which was designed exclusively for the U.S. market.
Since Gwendolyn’s launch 20 years ago, assortments have grown to include Babos (a modern geometric available only in a charger); Golden Trellis (a variation on Babos which sports flat gold lines, not Babos’ embossed, raised gold lines); Connect the Dots (basically Asian Garden without the chinoiserie decoration–just dots between two gold bands, lending a playful edge to a classic); Fish Scale Gold (Herend’s trademark Fishnet design on the plate’s edge); Golden Elegance (a variation on Fish Scale with white scales, not gold); and Golden Laurel (originally created for the Royal Palace with a golden laurel wreath branch motif). Dinnerware ranges from $325 to $1,275 for five pieces. Jim Gouldin, the longtime director of sales, says retailers love to mix the designs for their registered brides. “It’s a great way to show how versatile the patterns are,” he says. Typically, merchants show at least four gold and white collections. “These patterns offer brides an opportunity to register for Herend since the price points are lower than our more ornate collections,” he says.
................................ I can only imagine the amount of time it takes to paint such intricate details on Herend's handpainted figurines. It makes me appreciate them all the more because of the time and artistry involved in their production. – JOYCE WOEHRUL, FÊTE/ATLANTA
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Herend’s gold and white accessories include Fishnet figurines and limited edition pieces offered to Herend’s loyal collectors, often launched at trunk shows. Gold Fishnet pieces are always targeted at the collector, but every once in a while an item, like the recent Skull, Crown, and X and O, crosses over into the line. The fervent Herend collector, according to product specialist Barbara Train, checks religiously to discover newly launched figurines. "They'll quickly go to stores to order the new piece. With Crown and X and O, for instance, we had so many retailers call to tell us their customers wanted to pre-order. It was clear we needed to add these pieces to the line.” Adds Lisa Zwanziger, marketing project manager: “We lean heavily on our website and social media. Once we post something and it gets reposted and we start getting questions from customers about where they can find those pieces, we know we have a strong seller on our hands.” Still, management is keen on keeping gold and white Fishnet figurine offerings to a minimum. "They will always be unique for our show events at the store level,” says Kimball. “That way our loyal customers feel special because they have something unique to purchase." You might say that makes them worth their weight in gold.