Richard Ginori, a long-established Italian pottery brand with approximately 280 years of history, unveiled a new tableware collection, "SPERANZA," designed by Akira Minagawa, at the 2017 Milan Salone. Following several collaborations, this collection was born from the fusion of the two companies' passion for craftsmanship. Let's take a closer look at the passion and appeal of "Speranza" as told by Minagawa.

Named "SPERANZA" (hope) in Italian, this collection features three motifs: "SPERANZA," depicting two doves pecking at olives as if connecting them; "GERMOGRIO," depicting tiny budding shoots; and "OLIVA," featuring olive leaves, whose floral meanings are wisdom and peace. "I chose this motif because I wanted to create a design that would bring hope, harmony, and peace to the dining table. While design is about the quality of its graphics, it's also about whether it can brighten society and inspire a sense of happiness. I created these pieces with the hope of expressing these ideas and making the dining table a more peaceful place of communication," said Minagawa. Minagawa visited the Ginori workshop in Florence, Italy, several times to access the company's extensive design archives and work closely with local staff to create the collection. "Because harmony with ingredients and cuisine is important for tableware, I paid particular attention to the delicate lines and colors, and wanted to create pieces that fully utilize Ginori's traditions, the experience, and technical skills of our artisans. The shading of the pink dove on the Speranza, the spacing of the fine dots on the Germorio, and the subtle color of the sprouts were all adjusted repeatedly," said Minagawa. For Chard Ginori, the collaboration with Minagawa has also given them the opportunity to rethink the concept of "tableware," which becomes even more beautiful when food is placed on it. Speranza will be on sale at major department stores nationwide from August 23rd, Germorio from September 13th, and Oliva from October 11th.