The great and the good gathered at the V&A on October 30, to celebrate the work and centenary of visionary designer the late Susan Williams-Ellis, who founded Portmeirion in 1962.
Susan’s son and daughter-in-law, Robin and Sian Llywelyn, were among many other family members, friends, current designers and key Portmeirion employees, who heard the V&A’s director, Tristram Hunt – a former Labour MP who was the Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent for seven years – officially open Portmeirion: Pottery Trendsetter which will run until July 28, 2019.
“Portmeirion is a British success story,” highlighted Tristram. “It’s founder Susan Williams-Ellis, and subsequent groundbreaking designers, have set the trends in pottery for over six decades. Through their innovation and uncompromising standards in design, the company has flourished despite the economic downturn. In 2009, Portmeirion acquired the long established Spode and Royal Worcester businesses, and today, the combined Portmeirion Group exports to over 60 countries worldwide.”
Added Portmeirion Group’s chairman, Dick Steele: “Susan was the principal designer at Portmeirion for over 40 years, and she would often tell me ‘good design is good business’, and she was right. Her eclectic imagination, tireless experimentation and instinct for her market brought commercial success and inspired many imitators. This display marks the centenary of her birth.”
Portmeirion Group’s creative director Julian Teed, who worked alongside Susan for many years, emphasised that Susan would have been very proud to have a dedicated room showcasing her work at the V&A. “Having her designs on display for everyone to see is just incredible,” he commented. Susan was an exquisite artist and for her work to be marked in such a way is testament to the impact and contribution she made to British design style and the pottery industry as a whole. Over the years, pottery trends have changed and the display reflects how instrumental Susan was in ensuring Portmeirion was at the forefront of that change. She was a visionary and a woman ahead of her time. Most importantly, she knew what would sell.”
Taking centre stage at the exhibition is Susan’s iconic and still best-selling range, Botanic Garden. It was launched in 1972, with critics saying the botanical design was too different to be successful! Other of her groundbreaking designs on show include her renowned Totem and Magic City patterns, as well as Susan’s first ever creations – the luxurious Malachite and Moss Agate pattern.
In addition, the exhibition also demonstrates the company’s evolution from a small Welsh village gift shop to a globally recognised ceramics brand and worldwide exporter.
Top: Part of the Portmeirion: Pottery Trendsetter display at the V&A.
