MARY KATRANTZOU X VILLEROY & BOCH

Mary Katrantzou and Villeroy & Boch join forces in a vibrant and timeless tile collection entitled VICTORIAN.
Inspired by the geometry of victorian tiles and the distinct nature of our archival designs, our most recent foray into interior design is bringing the natural world into our living environment.

"As an image led brand, using our prints and transferring them across different disciplines is a challenge that I’m always drawn to. It was a privilege working on ceramics with Villeroy & Boch and an exciting process to imagine and create spaces that people will live in daily. Being part of someone's home creates a feeling of permanence that’s very different to the very nature of fashion. The contrasting nature of both disciplines was what we found the most exciting in the conception of the collaboration.” - Mary Katrantzou

“Victorian tiles have stood the test of time and have proved to be as fashionable today as when they first came into style in the 19th century. After visiting the Villeroy & Boch headquarters I was fascinated by the incredible mosaics that were part of their archival historic designs and had elements that referenced Victorian designs. We decided to bring them back into this collection as a nod to their own heritage and a way to create an interplay between our respective archival designs.
Alongside our interest in Victorian tiles, we wanted to revisit one of the recurring themes in my work, the Art of collecting. Butterflies played a key part in my 10-year anniversary collection in 2018, which was all about the art of collecting. In that context, Butterflies reflect the process of accumulation, a treasury of treasures. The very notion of collecting can become an art in its own right and for this collection, I wanted to transform tiles into a collectible piece of art.
Another recurring theme to my work since Spring/Summer 2013 and a signature print for us is postage stamps. In a world where stamps are becoming obsolete, I appreciate them even more as tokens of the past and relics of a different era. Postage stamps create a window into different cultures and different places and for me they exude this allure of faraway lands and they really make you think about their symbolism.” - Mary Katrantzou

VICTORIAN features eight different decor sets with stylised borders and edges to complete the offering. Four different types of butterflies on either white or black background have been created using a combination of digital print and traditional screen-printing, with a light visual 3D effect used to provide a handcrafted appearance to each tile. Seen either straight-on or at a 45° angle, each butterfly tile is enhanced with either gold, black or perforated borders. Continuing the theme of white, black and gold, authentic marble-effect tiles are offered in two different finishes - high gloss for walls and polished surface for floors. They are joined by concentric designs alongside modern graphic interpretations of victorian tiles.