Jonathan Anderson and Wedgwood join forces to release Lucie Rie designs

Wedgwood and JW Anderson present an exclusive collection of designs by British studio potter Lucie Rie, dating back to a 1964 collaboration with the fine china brand, but never put into production.

Lucie Rie's pottery work

Born in Austria, Rie fled Nazi Austria in 1938 and established herself in London. Alongside her creative work, she was making ceramic objects, including buttons and jewellery for fashion houses, an experience that later informed her precise colourwork. She was also known for her ‘sgraffito’ technique, consisting of carefully scratching the surface of the material to reveal a different shade underneath. So many decades on, her work is defined by a language that still feels modern. ‘Lucie Rie is one of the greatest potters of the 20th century,’ says Jonathan Anderson, who for many years now has been a collector of her work.

‘Rie worked with incredible restraint and clarity, something that feels transcendent,’ says Emma Glynn, Wedgwood’s creative director. ‘Her refined silhouettes, experimental glazes, and graphic use of line challenged traditional notions of ceramics and paved the way for contemporary makers to explore this medium for both artistic and functional expression.’

Wedgwood and JW Anderson release Lucie Rie designs

Working closely with the Estate of Lucie Rie, Glynn and Anderson developed Rie’s original Wedgwood commission for the first time. Defined by Jasper blue surfaces with white graphic inlays, the collection includes two sets – a teacup and saucer, and a coffee cup and saucer – developed with a technique that makes them faithful to Rie’s designs.

‘The line is unmistakably Lucie Rie, and that’s what I love about these designs,’ continues Glynn. ‘It’s both decorative and structural, creating movement without ever overwhelming the form. It’s a quiet confidence that truly captures her signature style. Bringing that together with our iconic Jasper material, this becomes a remarkable meeting of minds – Wedgwood and Lucie Rie, two visionary forces in a collaboration that truly transcends time.’

The objects are made with a combination of machine and handwork. Once moulded, the pieces are fitted to the turning machine, where an artisan shapes them and ribs them by hand – a process similar to Rie’s own studio work.

‘[We used a] technique called “slip trailing inlay”, and to my knowledge, this is the only time we've used it,’ says Glynn. ‘It's an extremely difficult method – perhaps one of the reasons the design didn’t move forward initially. That said, it's a truly beautiful technique, and one I hope we continue to incorporate into our design language.’

The proceeds from the collaboration will support the newly formed Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation, working to grant the long-term accessibility, digitisation and preservation of archival material. As part of the initiative, a grant scheme will be established to promote academic and creative scholarships.

‘It’s a chance to honour a collaboration she always hoped would happen,’ says Anderson. ‘What’s truly remarkable is that Wedgwood has now realised these designs in the way Rie envisioned them. I think she would be thrilled to see these pieces finally brought to life, especially in this charitable context.’

The collaboration will be available from selected stores in China, Japan and the US, Harrods and Selfridges in the UK, wedgwood.com, JW Anderson Soho in London, JW Anderson Milan, JW Anderson Shibuya Parco Tokyo, and at jwanderson.com from 19 September 2025