Meissen, the Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur is one of the most recognized brands in the world. And in times of digitalisation and changing consumer habits a brand with a heritage that stands for values, handcrafted and manufactured in Germany like Meissen needs to take sensible care to find its place between tradition and a new visual language.
Therefor the 300 years old German manufacture (established in 1710 by King Augustus II the Strong) commissioned Fashion Design Duo Otto Drögsler and Jörg Ehrlich aka ODEEH as new Creative Director for the house.
Last night Meissen opened its newly designed Signature store in Dresden at the historic Neumarkt across the famous Frauenkirche in Dresden.
This seems to be the perfect place as many tourists visit beautiful Dresden all year round. Isn’t it chic to bring a gift back home from a manufacture with such tradition, craftmanship and uniqueness?
But there are many other aspects the new creative duo has to deal with. How to create usable table wear which fits into everyday life and still speaks for itself. Besides the MEISSEN COUTURE line, coming close to a Fine Art and the custom-made commissions, for example the famous hunting motive table setting, special vases in their signature dragon design and figurines.
Otto Drögsler took that challenge and created hand painted black line faces on white plates and coffee mugs that make every table setting the talk of a dinner party. His new modern designs incorporate the forms, colours and ID of the brand.
For their first signature store in Dresden they commissioned duo Birgit Hölzer and Tobias Koolhaas from the architectural Studio Weiss- Heiten who work in various fields from visual communication to interior Design and architecture.
Especially notable has been the lay out of the shop and the way that the shop has no classical window vitrines instead the full glass front becomes the showcase of some translucent construction that makes it easy for the shop.
