Tableware: publishers turning the tables

Isn't the strength of a small structure agility? At least, that's what the publishing houses that have entered the tableware sector seem to be proving, and they're doing so successfully, giving it a new lease of life in the process.We're a bit like the Swiss Army knives of the sector," says Bertille Carpentier of Non Sans Raison, with a touch of humor. Our responsiveness means we can offer turnkey solutions quickly, and respond more easily to special requests."Indeed, because they are small in structure, they don't feel the "heaviness" of the workings of a big company, and can act and react promptly. Freed from the constraints of manufacturing - entrusted to factories in France or Europe - even if they follow it with great care, publishing houses concentrate on what is their strength: imagination and creativity, either by relying on their in-house capacity or by partnering with outside designers. "We can be more daring and sometimes go very far, allowing us to create collections that are almost unheard of today", says Guilhem Nave.says Animal Fabuleux co-founder Guilhem Nave, referring to "Faux-semblant", a collection made with 17 colors per piece! A gamble that seems to be paying off: many of these publishers are now winning contracts with prestigious houses, expanding their sales abroad and becoming solid partners in the hotel and catering sector.

• Non Sans Raison puts audacity on the plate

• Ibride pushes the limits of imagination

French publishing house Ibride, founded in 1996 by Carine Jannin, Rachel and Benoît Convers, imagines furniture and objects that challenge and even question. As for tableware, the company is also eclectic. The "Parnasse" collection features porcelain plates with designs that pay homage to carved stone, and stackable melamine services that look like a vase when stored, but reveal multiple containers and fabulous designs. In addition to these objects, imagined in-house, Ibride also collaborated with Constance Guisset. The designer came up with "Morphose", firstly a "chimera" mug, then more recently ceramic cloches in three sizes, which conceal a tray to shelter whatever you wish from view...

• Animal Fabuleux cultivates freedom of tone

Guilhem Nave founded the Animal Fabuleux publishing house with his partner Claire Sudres in 2009 with a certain vision of excellence, manufacturing almost to order. "We respect the classics of tableware, and our aim is to revisit them by adding a contemporary touch, through extremely meticulous decorations, in the spirit of curiosity cabinets, anatomical plates... We allow ourselves this freedom of tone, to do what we want.of tone, to do what we want, whether it's developing a tableware collection or stepping outside the box to explore other subjects, such as the "Chateau" lamp.Like the "Chips" lamp, recently created with Julien Barrault, with a ceramic base and a plaster base - a real challenge in our sector!"

• Maison Fragile continues the family tradition

Mary Castel, the founder of Maison Fragile, didn't come to tableware by chance. Since April 2017, she has been carrying on a family tradition with one aim:"To revisit tableware to magnify ephemeral moments, to put the creativity of tableware back in the spotlight."Maison Fragile works with young artists such as Jean-Michel Tixier and Sonia Sieff, and chefs like Alain Passard and Guillaume Gomez. Maison Fragile is also involved with the restaurant Le Reflet, for a collection of "Extraordinaire" tableware created by employees of the restaurant who have Down's syndrome. More recently, after meeting Mary Castel, designer Pauline Androlus developed the "Tact" collection, for use by the visually impaired.

• Maison Matisse in the spirit of the painter

"My aim is to convey my emotion. This state of mind is created by the objects that surround me and that react to me", said Henri Matisse. Founder of Maison Matisse and great-grandson of the painter, Jean-Matthieu Matisse intends to perpetuate the artist's work, his optimistic universe and his inspirations, through a variety of creations: furniture, decoration, household linen and tableware. In this category, the company has commissioned Franco-Polish designer Marta Bakowski to create a collection of plates, bottles, jugs and dishes, entirely hand-painted and inspired by Matisse's painting La Musique (1939). A tribute in three dimensions...