Eye on Design

Name: Do
minique Ta
ge
Job: Creat
ive directo
r and foun
Dominiqu
der of
e Tage Des
ign
Website:
www.
dominiqu
etagedesig
n.com
Email: do
minique.ta
ge@
worldonlin
e.fr
About: Aft
er her deg
ree,
Dominiqu
e specialis
ed in text
design at
ile
Esmod Fa
shion Sch
in Paris bef
ool
ore workin
g as a
textile des
ign
began in 19 er. Her freelance des
ign career
84, first in
th
tableware
industry, h e textile industry, th
an
en from 19
designs. Sh
d-drawing
90 in the
e then set
and hand
up her ow
-p
Tage Desig
n design co ainting unique
n and she
mpany Do
continues
company
m
to be crea
today. Do
tive directo inique
minique st
porcelain
arted out
r of the
manufact
d
es
u
re
ig
Noblat, Gu
rs, such as
n
yD
Bernardau ing for French
d,
for internat egrenne and faien
ceries de G Medard de
ional bran
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ds too. Sh
everyone
e has since n before designing
from Viller
created d
oy &
Noritake an
esigns for
d in a num Boch and Porcel to
W
ber of vary
and glass
to melam
ing mediu edgwood and
in
ms, from ce
e and even
cover a nu
ramic
mb
paper. Her
hand-draw
more form er of styles includin
n
al styles an
g floral, et
hnic, geom designs
d across th
dessert pla
et
e co-ordin
tes, cups an
ated servic ric and
tabletop fa
d
e – plates,
irs to show saucers. Dominiqu
e
her portfo
travels to
Clients: B
most of th
lio and sh
ern
e works to
e
faienceries ardaud, Medard de
order.
Noblat, Gu
de Gien, P
y Degrenn
hilippe Des
Clement,
e,
Arc
houlieres,
Lu
Ritzenhoff International, Viller
oy and Bo neville-Saint
, Porcel, R
oyal Staffo
ch, Hutsch
Mikasa, Pi
rd,Wedgw
enreuther
ckar
,
ood, Leno
Tabletop U d China, Fitz and Fl
x, PTS, On
oyd, Norita
nlimited, Z
eida,
ke, World
ak.
Kitchen,
Last Word
EYE ON DESIGN
Dominique Tage
Each issue we cast a spotlight on a designer in tableware. This time
we chat with French artist Dominique Tage who hand-draws and
hand-paints designs for tableware
What exactly do you do? I
create and design – using various
mediums and by hand – rich and
sophisticated patterns. I use my
experience, my French heritage
and culture and my sense of
colour to serve the tableware
industry, creating mix and match
collections, telling stories and
delivering emotional dinnerware
patterns. I draw my inspiration
from various elements from my
travels like landscape, nature,
culture and food, from where I live
in Paris and from shops, exhibitions
and museums, interpreting such
inspirations through my personality
and sensibility. It is my job as a
designer to educate the consumer,
to develop their taste, to make the
moment of sharing an exceptional
one. I propose some 200 new
designs each year.
What are the main
elements of good design?
First and foremost, good design
should be made with passion,
something that offers emotional
value that can be transmitted to the
consumer. It should also be timeless,
refined and should give meaning
to objects.
Also, I have been licensed by
Hutschenreuther in the past and
also by Ritzenhoff. I am always
really happy when I go to a shop or
restaurant and discover a decor
that I have created.
Describe a typical day in
your design life.
From a creative
perspective, what are
your views on the
tableware industry?
I start by answering emails from my
clients. Then I will begin the search
for new ideas or elaborate on ideas,
– drawing and colouring. It is a real
pleasure to do it by hand using a
brush and different mediums like
watercolours or ink or gouache. I
believe that hand-drawn technique
delivers soul.
What have been the
highlights of your career?
The fact that some of my edited
creations have been bestsellers,
such as the Cherish pattern for
Corelle, which is the Number Oneselling pattern in the department
store channel in North America.
Calling all designers – would you like to be featured in a future
‘Eye on Design’? If so, email our Editor, kate@lempublishing.co.uk
70 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL
Even if we may think that
everything has already been
created or designed, there are
always new ideas and areas.
We must draw inspiration from
our cultures and past eras and
re-interpret and update such
ideas. And while the acquisition
of a complete dinner service may
no longer be a priority for young
couples today, designers must
inspire consumers with product and
designs whereby they can express
their own sensibility and tastes
through interesting decorative
objects. The tableware industry is in
constant evolution, developing with
e-commerce, TV cooking shows and
new materials and that's why it’s so
exciting to be in the industry today.
Which designs or
collections are particular
favourites?
I love all Rosenthal collections –
including Versace for its rich and
sophisticated design. I also love
Wedgwood for its refined porcelain,
Missoni and Desigual for their
colour universes. My favourite age
for decoration is the Art Nouveau
period and Renaissance ornaments.
TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 79