Lettuce entertain you: Bethan Laura Wood creates installation for Tory Burch

Nothing quite says 'party' like a canapé and a beautifully set table; this much is true. Merging both worlds with aplomb are British designer Bethan Laura Wood and American fashion designer and philanthropist Tory Burch.
Marking her entrance into tableware, Tory Burch has collaborated with the legendary Palm Beach ceramicist Dodie Thayer to revive the lettuce-themed plates and accoutrements once loved by the likes of Jackie O and the Duchess of Windsor. To celebrate the launch of Lettuce Ware at Salone del Mobile, the lifestyle brand and Wallpaper* commissioned Bethan Laura Wood to create a unique installation.
Known for her rather unique approach and style, Bethan set about interpreting the brand's history and design - by way of retro party nibbles. The result? Instantly cheering, pastel-toned, giant canapé sculptures.
'I was inspired by party food from the 1960s and 1970s for these canapés. I wanted the colours and patterns to really compliment the design and history of the plates,' the artist told Wallpaper* at the via della Spiga store where the installation held court during Salone del Mobile.
Disks of fake meats and cheeses, jellies, hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, olives - and even a jumbo-sized shrimp - were all stacked on the iconic lettuce plates. A larger sculpture used the dishes as decorative garnish, too.
Each one of Bethan's sculptures was named after a TV chefs or a character from that period, 'so there's Delia, Margot and Barbara from The Good Life, Fanny Craddock and others,' explains the artist. 'I really wanted to design something that was joyful. Something for the "hostess with the most-est".'
Following their debut in Milan, the installation is due to tour around Tory Burch stores in London, Munich and New York.
'I was inspired by party food from the 1960s and 1970s for these canapés,' says Bethan, each of which takes its name from a TV chef or character from the era
Disks of fake meats and cheeses, jellies, hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, olives - and even a jumbo-sized shrimp - were all stacked on the iconic lettuce plates.
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
A Swedish scooter blends Teenage Engineering’s aesthetic with accessible electric mobility
The EPA1 Scooter is the first product from mobility start-up Vässla, an assured and flexible design shaped in conjunction with TE to assist everyday urban mobility
-
Discover Canadian modernist Daniel Evan White’s pitch-perfect homes
Canadian architect Daniel Evan White (1933-2012) had a gift for using the landscape to create extraordinary homes; revisit his story in an article from the Wallpaper* archives (first published in 2011)
-
The standout shows of Milan Fashion Week Men’s S/S 2026: Dolce & Gabbana to Paul Smith
Wallpaper* picks the very best of Milan Fashion Week Men’s S/S 2026, from a Dolce & Gabbana pyjama party to Paul Smith’s travel-inspired Milan debut
-
O Milano! Design's epic annual spectacle in photos
Call us biased, but we believe that Milan Design Week is, at this moment in time, the greatest show on earth
-
‘Romantic brutalism’ rethinks Polish craft
An exhibition in Warsaw gives local makers their due, looking inside the burgeoning world of Polish design
-
Eight designers to know from Rossana Orlandi Gallery’s Milan Design Week 2025 exhibition
Wallpaper’s highlights from the mega-exhibition at Rossana Orlandi Gallery include some of the most compelling names in design today
-
Bentley’s new home collections bring the ‘potency’ of its cars to Milan Design Week
New furniture, accessories and picnic pieces from Bentley Home take cues from the bold lines and smooth curves of Bentley Motors
-
StoneX partners with Wallpaper* for material alchemy at Milan Design Week and beyond
The natural stone purveyor teams up with Wallpaper* for a three-year partnership of material adventures, starting with an exhibition at Triennale di Milano
-
David Rockwell’s Milan Design Week presentation is a love letter to cork
Rockwell Group’s Casa Cork installation showcases this under-appreciated material, which is infinitely recyclable and sequesters carbon for decades
-
Emerging galleries to discover during Milan Design Week
Wallpaper’s Milan editor has the inside track on the younger design galleries coming to town
-
Buccellati brings the forest and Furry Animals to Milan Design Week
The jewellery and silverware maison falls back on tradition for its Milan showcase, presenting its now-emblematic collection of intricately crafted creatures