Why Kate Spade, Donna Karan and Aerin Lauder like this plate
MANILA, Philippines - How would you like to find a monarch butterfly on your dinner plate?
Not alive, but lifelike, painted in the exquisite way one can expect only from Lenox. With its elegant garden motif of springtime flowers and tiger swallowtails, orange sulfur, monarchs and dragonflies.
Butterfly Meadow is the most popular dinnerware pattern in the US. It’s an old pattern, about 15 years old, yet its delicate design and subtle details continue to captivate a discerning market. “There are 24 different colors on this pattern alone,” says Lenox CEO Peter Cameron.
Lenox, the only major manufacturer of the finest bone china in the US, is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. What better time could there be for it to enter the Philippine market with Rustan’s, the country’s premier luxury shopping destination for over 50 years, as its local partner? It recently opened the Lenox Boutique, a shop-in-shop, on the home floor of Rustan’s Makati. The launch showcased American Heritage honoring Filipino bridal traditions, with beautifully styled vignettes that correspond to four occasions: the proposal, the pamamanhikan, the despedida de soltera, and finally, the wedding.
Lenox is a popular item in US bridal registries, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it becomes a popular wedding gift item here, too. Filipinos are known to have a history of supporting American brands, says Jayson Score, Lenox EVP for strategic business development and supply chain. Who wouldn’t want to own the same brand of finely crafted dinnerware found in grand homes, embassies, governor’s mansions, the US vice president’s official residence, and even the White House?
Lenox was the first American china to be used in the presidential residence. It has produced state series for the Roosevelt, Truman, Reagan, Clinton and Bush administrations. Lenox has also been commissioned to design the inaugural gift of the American people to the incoming president for the past 20 years.
“Lenox products are designed to last,” Cameron says. They are durable. Strict attention to detail and a high level of cleanliness in the manufacturing process guarantees no imperfections, no dirt or bubbles trapped in the finished product. Every piece possesses the luster and translucency of the finest bone china. The Lenox state-of-the-art facility is located in North Carolina. “While we have a substantial gift assortment, which is the core of the Lenox business,” Cameron says, “we also have a seasonal assortment.”
Lenox is design-driven, he continues. “It is critical that we stay relevant and are able to keep up with the times.” They have a core group of in-house designers who produce about 10 to 14 patterns two times a year. They also get fresh ideas from young apprentices and students from design schools. Lenox has also fostered partnerships with influential tastemakers such as Kate Spade, Donna Karan, Marchesa, Scalamandre and Aerin Lauder. While the designers may have different aesthetics, the constant among all Lenox designs is that “they should always be compatible with their intended use,” Cameron says.
Besides the Lenox bestsellers — Butterfly Meadow and Garden Grove — two other designs, developed in collaboration with Marchesa, will be available at Rustan’s: French Lace and Sapphire Plume.
How about a Kate Spade-inspired pattern? We understand it’s already in the pipeline. The good news is we might even find it on the shelves by Christmastime, says Peter Greeley, Lenox international sales and marketing manager in Asia Pacific. Greeley, who is married to a Filipina, says it’s only natural that Lenox should finally come to the country.
It was simply a matter of finding the right partner, which they did in Rustan’s.
Now, there’s even talk about a future collaboration with local designers. It’s an exciting possibility. They have huge expectations. Cameron says, “The Philippines is a vibrant market.”
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Lenox is exclusively available at Rustan’s Makati and Rustan’s Tower, Shangri-La Plaza.
