Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Haviland

Stunning in both–design and execution

By Hend Seif El Din

With its accurate crafting and high level of prestige, Haviland has redefined the way in which fine tableware is conceived. This esteemed brand favors creativity and hand-crafting in order to produce exclusive pieces, combining the refinement of porcelain with the finesse of decoration. Its charm and esteem reaffirm its highly covetable status, and the brand’s pieces can be found in the residences of heads of state and royal households all over the world. Since its creation, Haviland has modernized to include silverware, crystal and giftware within its repertoire, in addition to beautiful porcelain.

Maryn Lawrence Bullard is a multi-award-winning Los Angeles based interior designer, renowned for his broad rage of styles and eclectic–yet sophisticated–and inviting interiors. His extraordinary attention to detail and commitment to quality won him international acclaim. Lawrence Bullard has been an avid collector of fine porcelain for many years and always harbored a desire to design a collection of his own.

For this particular collaboration, the designer wanted to create dinnerware that was contemporary, as well as a reflection, of his greatest design influences. “I wanted to incorporate the geometric shapes of the 1960s and 70s, as well as the tribal patterns of African and Samoan tribes more often seen as tattoos today. Then I thought of the classic repetition of pattern made popular by Sir John Soane in the early 19th century and the glamorous interiors of Hollywood’s elite from the 1940s.”

It was the amalgamation of these strong influences that resulted in the creation of his inaugural collection for Haviland–the ‘Hollywood’ collection. Classically timeless white porcelain backgrounds have been colored with a delicate shade of pale grey to create the seamless blend of geometric and tribal patterns. Those shapes in turn have been framed with a rich graphite outline, all of which becomes the framework for the hand-applied matte and polished platinum. The dinner service at once becomes modern in these tones and is equally suitable for both–every day and special occasions.

“And,” the designer ads, “as I believe everyday of our lives should be a special occasion, I intend to use my service every day and designed this collection with precisely that in mind.”