As the festive season peaks, the spotlight turns to the art of entertaining – the ideal moment to showcase your flair for crafting the ultimate holiday tablescape. This winter, Bongenie Grieder’s “An Enchanted Christmas” collection, envisioned by French designer Caroline de Benoist, presents the epitome of tableware decorations, offering a range of ceramics, textiles, and accessories, that reimagine traditional Swiss symbolsAs the festive season peaks, the spotlight turns to the art of entertaining – the ideal moment to showcase your flair for crafting the ultimate holiday tablescape. This winter, Bongenie Grieder’s ‘An Enchanted Christmas’ collection, envisioned by French designer Caroline de Benoist, presents the epitome of tableware decorations, with unique designs that reimagine traditional Swiss symbols with the vibrant richness of Indian culture.
A playful ode to Switzerland by Caroline de Benoist
The holiday capsule collection comes to life through the creative brilliance of Caroline de Benoist’s imagination, featuring original visuals conceived in collaboration with a skilled artisan-drawer from her workshop in Jaipur. The showstopping designs extend to a range of co-branded products, including Mizensir candles, decorated Victorinox Swiss knives and fun Bazartherapy holiday poppers, as well as the meticulously curated windows of Bongenie Grieder stores, each bringing to life the extraordinary festive narrative. But the true magic lies within the tableware and interior decorations, with everything one could hope for: floral plates, vases, candleholders, and decorated tablecloths with eye-catching designs that offer a playful ode to Switzerland with exotic and fantastical accents.
“Nature is deeply important to me and present in everything that I do. It also takes center stage in this project, along with motives important to the Swiss community—think whimsical alpine icons merged with exotic flowers and animals, in bold colors that represent the vibrant Indian aesthetic” Caroline shares. The fusion of Swiss motifs with Indian iconography is a match made in heaven, and upon closer reflection, you’ll find intriguing similarities between traditional Swiss chalet paintings and Indian art itself. The collection’s allure stems from its authenticity and the versatility of items that transcend the holiday table, becoming timeless treasures suitable for any season.
A platform for Jaipur’s talented artisans
At the heart of the collection, Indian craftsmanship takes center stage. Caroline met with skilled artisans in Jaipur, experts in the art of “blue pottery”—a traditional and deeply cherished craft in Indian culture—with the quest of replicating the impression of a block print stamp, normally used to mark fabrics, onto ceramics such as plates, cups, and bowls. Beyond mere decorative pieces, the pottery creations transcend into captivating works of art, radiating charm through intricately hand-painted designs featuring floral patterns, birds, and geometric motifs. “For each design, a tool had to be carefully sculpted to imprint a specific pattern on each item, resulting in eye-catching, surprise outlines that we could never have imagined” explains Caroline. Since each piece in the collection is entirely handmade, no two designs are the same, rendering each creation a unique work of art.
Beyond aesthetics, the collaborative range serves as a platform providing exposure to the talented local artisans in Jaipur. It’s an initiative that empowers the community, fostering the continuation of their craft, and sharing their art with the world. Whether you’re creating a classical holiday haven, an all-red oasis, or an eclectic wonderland, ‘An Enchanted Christmas’ range offers exquisite statement pieces that captivate the eye and spark meaningful conversations for good.
The ‘An Enchanted Christmas’ collection can be found online and at Bongenie Grieder stores in Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, and Zurich.
