Royal Copenhagen, GamFratesi honor natural world with new collection

August 20, 2021

The Royal Creatures collection features the meticulous designs of design duo GamFratesi. Image credit: Royal Copenhagen

Danish porcelain maker Royal Copenhagen has tapped renowned Danish-Italian design duo GamFratesi to offer new perspectives for its new collection.

The Royal Creatures collection features the meticulous designs of GamFratesi through the lens of Royal Copenhagen, highlighting aquatic life. The Danish porcelain maker has released a short film sharing an intimate glimpse into the designers’ approach to the collection, which will be available Sept. 1.

“The Royal Copenhagen video acknowledges the historical DNA of the brand while successfully bringing it forward to better serve today’s customer that may not wish to purchase the more traditional patterns for which they are known,” Rebecca Miller, founder/CEO of ARTful Communication, New York.

“The tone of the video provides a new lens to explore and experience the brand,” she said. “It is as if you are eavesdropping on the designers as they work and shot in a soft, non-invasive manner that says join us as we design our new, delightful creations.”

Royal Creatures
GamFratesi and Royal Copenhagen have translated the historic roles of animals and the natural world into a new collection that adds a simplistic and sophisticated spin to all of creation.

From the beginning of the vignette, GamFratesi — the design duo comprised of Danish architect Stine Gam and Italian architect Enrico Fratesi — appears hard at work in crafting collection designs. The pair began working together in 2006.

The video begins with a voiceover from Mr. Fratesi explaining the sophisticated key elements of Royal Copenhagen products, as images of plates from the new collection permeate. A soothing soundtrack plays as the duo experiments with designs and blue paint.

GamFratesi discusses how they channel the sophisticated style of Royal Copenhagen

The video follows as the designers’ process, including drawing, painting, cutting pieces, researching and more.

Their collection centers animals, insects and aquatic life. The porcelain plates feature a white background, with intricately illustrated creatures in contrasting cobalt blue, including swans, fish, dragonflies and more.

With the creatures depicted being the central point of the collection, Mr. Fratesi contemplates the overall role of animals.

“I think there is something really interesting in the way human beings have appreciating animals in general,” he says.

As the collection reflects, animals have always been a key player in the center of the world. They have also always held a place in the world of décor.

“You can see from the stone age, they were drawing animals on the walls just to bring this natural aspect into the home,” he says.

The new film offers an intimate glimpse into the designers’ approach. Image credit: Royal Copenhagen

The design duo then explains that they have researched the scientific makeup of animals and combined that with the simplicity of Royal Copenhagen’s style in the Royal Creatures collection using lines, flowers and other elements.

“All of these together made a completely new language and direction, connected with nature but in a new way,” Mr. Fratesi says.

Art behind the brand
Luxury brands often highlight their offerings through artistic and behind-the-scenes efforts.

In 2018, Royal Copenhagen tapped creatives to tell their own tales of honoring the history and bringing the past into the present, communicating the message that "our stories live through what we pass on (see story).

Last month, French beauty label Guerlain shared the thought and care that goes into crafting its renowned products in a new behind-the-scenes series.

“Soul of Craft” stars some of the employees who thoughtfully and passionately help construct Guerlain fragrances and cosmetics. The series showcases the team’s skills and expertise, illustrating on Guerlain’s constant strive for excellence (see story).

Hearing from creators and those behind the brand who thoughtfully work on products continues to resonate with consumers.

“Hearing the design duo speak in an unscripted manner of their inspiration is a wonderful way to tell the story about the science and art that has gone into their latest patterns,” Ms. Miller said. “It is a wonderful collaboration that speaks to the relationship between nature and man as exhibited through a practical everyday item.”

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