Legacy: The Revival of Lucie Rie's Art

After more than six decades of silence, the designs of ceramic arts legend Lucie Rie are awakening. A historic collaborative project with the luxury china brand Wedgwood, which was never produced in its time, is finally seeing the light of day thanks to an innovative partnership between Wedgwood and the pioneering fashion label JW Anderson. This exclusive collection is not merely a reproduction of history; it is a revival of an artistic legacy and a complex craft achievement, embodying an exceptional meeting between the genius of the past and the spirit of the present.

Biography of a Pioneering Artist: Lucie Rie’s Journey from Vienna to London

Lucie Rie was born in Vienna in 1902 and fled to London in 1938 to escape the Nazi regime. There, she slowly and patiently established herself as one of the greatest potters of the 20th century. Alongside her refined artistic works, Rie immersed herself in making ceramic buttons and jewelry for prestigious fashion houses, an experience that honed her talent for precise color work and laid the foundation for her unique aesthetic vision. Rie became particularly famous for mastering the “sgraffito” technique, a meticulous process involving carefully scratching the clay surface to reveal the contrasting color of the clay beneath, creating a rich graphic effect. To this day, her works carry a pure, balanced visual language that appears strikingly modern and defies the whims of fashion.

Blue cups with white horizontal lines, resting on blue plates with white lines around the border

A Meeting of Masterminds: Reviving a Long-Awaited Historic Collaboration

Designer Jonathan Anderson, founder of the JW Anderson label, and Emma Glynn, Creative Director of Wedgwood, are working closely with the Lucie Rie Estate to develop her original designs for the very first time in history. The resulting collection features deep blue surfaces made from Wedgwood’s famous Jasper material, inlaid with clean, clear white graphic patterns. The collection includes two main pieces: a teacup with its luxurious saucer and a coffee cup with its matching saucer.

Technique: Craftsmanship that Defies the Difficulties of Time

To ensure complete fidelity to Lucie Rie’s original vision, the designers relied on an extremely complex craft technique called “slip trailing inlay.” The manufacturing process combines mechanical precision with the sensitive touch of the craftsman’s hand. After the molds are cast, the pieces are fixed on a special turning machine, where a skilled artisan shapes and smooths them by hand using special tools, a process that closely mimics the work Rie herself did in her own studio. Glynn indicates that the difficulty and intricacy of this technique were likely the main reasons Wedgwood could not produce the designs in the 1960s, a technical challenge finally overcome after more than sixty years.

Blue cup with white horizontal lines, resting on round plate with a white line around its edge

A Charitable Legacy: Supporting the Future of Art and Craftsmanship

This project goes beyond merely bringing together two historic brands; it transforms into a platform for high-end philanthropic giving. All financial proceeds from the sale of this collection will be directed to the newly established Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation. This foundation will work to ensure the long-term digital and physical preservation of the artists’ valuable archival material, making it accessible to researchers and the public. A broad scholarship program will also be established to promote academic and creative projects in the field of ceramic art, ensuring the continuation and development of this precious craft legacy for future generations.

Conclusion: A Meeting that Transcends Time, Between Past and Future

This artistic collection is more than just luxurious tableware; it is a piece of living art history, a tangible testament to the vision of an artist who knew no creative bounds, and a craft masterpiece that defies the constraints of time. It is an exceptional meeting between Lucie Rie’s timeless elegance and JW Anderson’s contemporary spirit, writing together a new and exciting chapter in the global design register, proving that true beauty is timeless.

Availability:
The collection will be available at selected stores in China, Japan, and the United States, in Harrods and Selfridges stores within the United Kingdom, on Wedgwood’s official website, in addition to JW Anderson stores in London, Milan, and Tokyo, and via the brand’s website, starting September 19, 2025.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

This article discusses the revival of a 1964 ceramic collection designed by Lucie Rie for Wedgwood that was never produced, through a modern collaboration. From a design perspective, the project raises a question about the merit of reviving historical designs to the exact letter using complex techniques, as insistence on absolute craft accuracy may limit potential for contemporary development and adaptation to modern production and usage requirements, confining its value to the realm of replication rather than new creative interpretation. However, the project’s core positive aspect lies in its transformation into a platform supporting artistic sustainability, by dedicating its proceeds to fund the preservation of artistic archives and provide grants for students, thereby ensuring the continuation and evolution of the craft and knowledge legacy for future generations.