These are a few of European royalty’s favorite things
MANILA, Philippines - The Prussian King, Frederick the Great, is said to have been so enamored by the opulent design of the lidded vase so that he made an order for no fewer than six pieces from the Meissen manufactory in Germany back in 1760. The fine porcelain vase was “smothered” with “a mass of delicate snowball blossoms” so intricately and finely hand-crafted, they seem to have attracted the lifelike songbirds perched on them. It also came to be called “Royal Blossom,” says Meissen Asia Pacific director Ingo Bade. The queen is supposed to have gifted the king of Saxony with a teapot with a similar design, Bade relates.
Meissen, a town in the state of Saxony in eastern Germany, is the home of Meissen porcelain, the first hard-paste porcelain produced in Europe and outside the Orient. Before then, Europe’s wealthy aristocrats and ruling elite imported coveted fine porcelain pieces from China and Japan. In 1710, the Royal Porcelain Factory was established by King Augustus the Strong. Considered to be a major German cultural asset, it is owned by the State of Saxony (since 1918) and has since evolved into a global luxury and lifestyle brand, present in over 30 countries worldwide, and recognized not only for its fine art porcelain but also its skillfully hand-painted, “hand-woven silks, specialty tanned leather and pristine metallurgy.”
The Meissen Couture Luxury Group include Manufaktur Meissen Saxony, headquartered close to Dresden in Germany, where its elegant home décor and art collection are produced; and Meissen Italia in the fashion capital Milan, where its couture and accessories, jewelry and home collection are developed. It is closely associated with luxury distributors and retailers such as Harrods in London, Tamer Freres in the Middle East, Opulent in Taiwan, and Rustan’s in the Philippines.
At the Meissen luxury boutique in Rustan’s Makati, you can find the fine porcelain vase bearing the legendary Royal Blossom design, with its overlay of countless, delicately handcrafted three- dimensional porcelain snowball blossoms. The snowball blossom is a recurring design as it is found on other items, such as a stunning choker in white gold set with 2,933 brilliant diamonds encrusted on the snowball blossoms. The Blossom Boule pendant necklace is another exquisite piece of jewelry featuring the snowball blossoms, in rose gold set with white diamonds.
These are not just fashion jewelry but haute couture that combines porcelain and gold resulting in high-quality pieces that are meant to last. The Montgolfiere necklace features an artfully hand-painted porcelain pendant encased in rose gold set with white diamonds. Other signature items Meissen is known for are the elegant timepieces with bespoke hand-painted porcelain face, as well as fountain pens with fine porcelain body and gold nib. The silk scarfs and cravats also form part of the high-end collection. “This is Meissen’s 360 degrees of royal luxury,” says Bade. Home décor and accent pieces, fine porcelain vases and figurines, tableware such as porcelain plates and saucers with white gold trim and gold-fired porcelain espresso and cappuccino cups.
“Everything is handcrafted, including the molds. We work with 700,000 molds, 60,000 designs, 10,000 different colors,” Bade says. “The manufactory in Meissen account for one-third of the whole town. With all the different buildings, you can get lost inside.”
Meissen employs 650 dedicated workers. The craftsmen go to school for four years, then three years of apprenticeship and training on the job, Bade shares. They create pieces based on original designs from their four centuries old corporate archives, working with the original drawings, “because a photocopy will not be able to capture the minutest details,” Bade says. The early designs have strong Chinese influence, linking them back to their origins. The classic designs can also have contemporary interpretations with the treatment and play of colors and finish.
Steeped in its rich history and tradition of excellent craftsmanship and manufacturing quality, Meissen is recognized as one of the top 10 German luxury brands. Original pieces that used to be found in royal households are now exhibited in art museums and fetch top prices in major auctions. They are prized antiques, heirlooms and collectibles. Authentic pieces bear the two blue crossed swords logo, which is one of the oldest trademarks in the world.
Bade believes that Meissen luxury items have a strong appeal among Filpinos who have a natural appreciation for fine craftsmanship and love for colors and details. Rustan’s was their “one and only choice” as their exclusive strategic partner, Bade says, “because we share the same values.” He has only good words for Rustan’s president Nedy Tantoco, whom he describes as a “warm-hearted person.” He says, “She has her heart in the business. She is in every detail. She has the pulse of the market.”
“Meissen survived four centuries, 11 wars, and seven political systems,” Bade remarks. “Everything we do now is with focus for the next 300 years.”
* * *
Meissen is available at Rustan’s Makati.
