ONE OF the most esteemed names in British ceramics, Wedgwood, has partnered with fashion brand Charles Jeffrey Loverboy to launch their collaborative festive Paint Splash Baubles.
Charles Jeffrey, who is known for his gender inclusivity and rebellious and culturally diverse creative language, was briefed to reinterpret Wedgewood’s longstanding design codes, which the designer did by implementing his striking, passionate and assertive creative handwriting to the collaboration and campaign.
The fashion label’s audience consists of socially aware individuals who value sustainability, a concept which the designer encourages all his collaborators to consider, such as reworking upcycling and repurposing second-hand pieces. With the thought of his fearless creative-thinking followers in mind, Jeffrey has established his exclusive collection of Christmas baubles.
Charles Jeffrey Loverboy x Wedgwood
The collection uses upcycled supplies from previous projects, with only 493 baubles made. Each bauble displays decorative calligraphy with attributes commemorating the festive period, such as the prompts, Noel, Joy, Love and Peace.
To recontextualise Wedgwood’s classic jasperware-inspired ornaments, Jeffrey glazed each ball, portraying his unique and distinguished graphic style. The blue and white baubles are artfully splashed in brilliant colours, which resonate with the colour palette inherent to Loverboy and bring an essence of rebelliousness to the traditional refined designs of Wedgwood.
The Christmas collaboration unveils a campaign portraying Jeffrey participating in a performance art piece at the Wedgwood factory. The space is covered in the distinguishable Loverboy red and portrays 493 baubles hanging from extended metal poles.
The short film is directed by Robert Fox and portrays Wedgwood’s acceptance of progressive change by capturing Jeffrey splattering paint over the one-of-a-kind baubles, bringing together notions of tradition and modernity. The visual narrative embraces both the legacy of the ceramicist while also encouraging expression and creative freedom.
Charles Jeffrey Loverboy x Wedgwood
This collaboration showcases Charles Jeffrey’s boundless capabilities and demonstrates Wedgwood’s interest in building a creative space for artists to express themselves openly.
The Paint Splash Baubles depict Wedgwood’s value of art and creativity and symbolise the encouragement of creative expression, experimentation and innovation through collaboration while simultaneously embracing their long-established history.
by Nicole Pereira