JW Anderson and Wedgwood Bring Lucie Rie Designs to Life

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Ceramic is a timeless medium appreciated for its utility and beauty, seen throughout history as ancient vessels for holding grains, trinket trays for collecting keepsakes, and objects giving shape to water – a fixture within tea and coffee culture too. Wedgwood has been creating heirloom quality pieces from this storied material since 1759, leveraging centuries of wisdom, expertise, and new technologies. Now, in collaboration with JW Anderson, the brand brings celebrated ceramicist Lucie Rie’s designs to life in the recently launched Wedgwood x JW Anderson Collection, shedding light on multiple vertices of uniquely British design. This limited-edition run features pieces previously unreleased from the Lucie Rie archive, as well as mugs selected from JW Anderson founder Jonathan Anderson’s personal collection, inspired by 5th century Greek pottery.

Celebrating the sensibilities of the humble vessel, the Wedgwood x JW Anderson mug sets feature marvelously ribbed matte bodies that give way to expansive glossy insides, offering a contrast in tone and finish. The rounded handle sits high on the form in both an ergonomic and stylistic choice. Each mug is a testament to the craftsmanship of ancient artisans, realized through Wedgwood’s time-honored process.

Five ribbed ceramic mugs in brown, black, blue, yellow, and light yellow are arranged in a line on a dark textured surface, with soft lighting from the right.

Six colors grace the JW Anderson mugs – each as part of a pair, more sisters than twins. Yellows, browns, and blues form a balanced palette, made especially fun when swapping out mates. Canary/Mimosa, Saxon/Wedgwood Blue, and Black/Chocolate all find their rightful place within the scheme.

Six ribbed ceramic mugs in yellow, blue, brown, and black are arranged on a dark textured surface, viewed from above.

Two yellow ceramic mugs with ribbed exteriors are placed on a dark, textured surface.

Two ribbed ceramic mugs, one light blue and one dark blue, are placed on a dark textured surface.

Two ribbed ceramic mugs, one black and one brown, are placed on a dark textured surface.

Two blue ceramic mugs with ribbed texture and handles, placed on a plain white surface.

Two yellow ceramic mugs with horizontal ridges and handles are placed on a plain, light background.

Two ribbed ceramic mugs, one black and one brown, placed side by side on a plain white background.

A light blue Wedgwood box with two stacked cups partially visible inside; the box lid displays "WEDGWOOD EST. IN ENGLAND 1759" in black text.

Two blue ceramic cups with matching saucers, each featuring horizontal white stripes, are placed side by side on a neutral surface, evoking the modern elegance of JW Anderson Wedgwood collaborations.

Wedgwood and JW Anderson worked with the estate of Lucie Rie, renowned for her use of sgraffito and celebrating imperfection, to bring to life two previously unreleased designs. The Tea Cup & Saucer in Light Blue are graced by four concentric white rings, two on the saucer and two on the cup itself. Expertly spaced and sized, the body of the cup is an elegant vessel to house these stripes, rendered in a lovely robin’s egg blue.

A light blue cup and saucer set is placed on a carved, dark wooden block atop a brown wooden surface, against a plain white background.

Tea Cup & Saucer in Light Blue

A light blue ceramic cup with white stripes sits on a matching saucer against a plain white background.

Tea Cup & Saucer in Light Blue

A light blue ceramic cup with white stripes sits on a matching saucer against a plain white background.

Coffee Mug & Saucer in Light Blue

The Coffee Mug & Saucer in Light Blue features six stripes, with a taller body to distribute heat more effectively. Expert proportion from the body to the handle is reminiscent of Rie’s signature style, an expert of teaching generations of potters as well as creating them herself. Her modernist legacy continues to be felt throughout ceramic and design circles alike, continuing to bring a strong graphic sensibility and bold colors to collections globally.

Two light blue ceramic teacups on matching saucers with white circular lines, reminiscent of JW Anderson Wedgwood designs, placed on a dark, textured surface.

“It’s a chance to honor a collaboration she always hoped would happen. What’s truly remarkable is that Wedgwood has now realized these designs in the way she envisioned them,” says Jonathan Anderson. “Lucie Rie is one of the greatest potters of the 20th Century. I’ve been collecting her work for many years, and I think she would be thrilled to see these pieces finally brought to life, especially in this charitable context.” The proceeds from this collaboration will support the new Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation, which aims for long-term accessibility, digitization, and preservation of archival material. Grants will be established in order to promote academic and creative scholarships, fostering a new generation of design excellence.

Two blue ceramic cup and saucer sets with white stripes are placed side by side on a plain white surface and background.

To learn more about the Wedgwood x JW Anderson collaboration, visit wedgwood.com and jwanderson.com.

Photography courtesy of Wedgwood.

Growing up in NYC has given Aria a unique perspective into art + design, constantly striving for new projects to get immersed in. An avid baker, crocheter, and pasta maker, handwork and personal touch is central to what she loves about the built environment. Outside of the city, she enjoys hiking, biking, and learning about space.



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