A: Is for the artistry of LLadro

My mom was always a fan of Lladro so I always knew of its existence. The romantic figurines adorn the shelves peering down like a presence from another time. The artistry in which his delicate creatures were made always fascinated me. Their works are elegant and expressive and seem to exude life and have. Juan, José and Vicente Lladró are the heirs to the ancient tradition of porcelain. In 1953, they quit their jobs working at a local tile factory and built a Moorish kiln in the courtyard of the family home in the city of Valencia. Today over two thousand people work there, and their creations are exported all around the world. Lladró’s creations reflect the circle of life that sustains us and brings forth our highest emotions; they reveal a world of sentiments and experiences that distinguish what it means to be human.


I was invited to an event at Henri Bendel and was transported by the chandler that greeted me. Hundreds of glistening fairies in a alabaster white floated in a circular spiral. There was an eroticness to them as they drew you in. I came to find out this was the Lladro from my youth who together with designer Bodo Sperlein, created a collection of recycled objects from well known Lladró figurines. Inspired in a magical dream world, where nature and animals are the main characters. The concept was to use no colour elements except for a slight touch of green, representing a place where magical things happen: the forest.


This light of freeze Frame Birds is a hand-blown ceiling pendant with porcelain birds all a flutter. It takes a industrial style light fixture and adds a soft feminine touch. The magic of nature (wings, insects, birds, flowers)is the focus. The luminescence of this piece adds to its charm.



Tom adores wine, it is his passion. These bottle toppers are the perfect gift for him. Can't you see the horse on bottles of whiskey lining the shelves during the Kentucky Derby.


It is wonderful to see such an establish brand move with the times, and enlist the talent of a young designer to help them re-brand. Sperlein's ceramics are the antithesis of the sentimental Lladro style. They are first and foremost functional. The result is simply whimsical. The bowls in the shape of radiating angels' wings are functional as well as beautiful. More importantly Lladro has expanded to include the male population. There is a dark side to this work if you really look at it but maybe its because the Spanish have a very dark side to them. You can catch this new work at Bendel's or at the following websites: www.lladro.com/
www.bodosperlein.com If you are in need of exquisite art and are on 5th ave explore
the fantasy of LLardo and see if that's a F.A.C.T.