He returns to the tables. Mismatched vintage pieces, classic cutlery sets, quirky tympani and napkin rings, mix and match with everyday dishes… Deciphers a trend that tells the story of the times.
It took dinner at Perchoir Ménilmontant in Paris, where chef Manon Fleury is part resident, and the reflection of a single spoon on an immaculate tablecloth to light things up. Silverware is making a comeback. One glance around the room and the foreboding deepens. Deviating from its original function, a huge silver cooler is used to represent the bread. The forks, which will be placed on the tables as the dishes progress, are lined up on trays near the bar in a graphic and hypnotic way. They are silver. You should ask the chef to confirm this intuition. Yes, he had chosen some speckled silverware to accompany his dishes. And this in the spirit of freedom, mixing stoneware, glasses, mugs, mismatched singles with small country bouquets…
The numbers are coming to confirm this renewed interest. According to the Ecostat study by Franceexplosion, published in May 2022, the production of silver and silver-plated metal tableware in France for the French market and for export increased by 19% in 2020-2021. Companies in the sector can rub hands.
In the video, our advice for a perfectly set table
Small dishes in big ones
This is the case of Degren, whose workshop, located in Normandy, must respond to the ever-increasing demand from both professionals and individuals. “Our silver plated cutlery sets are recognised,” enthuses Vire’s product marketing and innovation manager Olivier Perlot-Joncourt. Especially our models with quite classic lines like the Blois and Verlaine collections. Their styles have passed the test of time, they never go out of style.” If Olivier Perlot-Joncourt, like all experts in the field, notes that the recovery of silverware followed the restriction and the rediscovery of the pleasure of a beautiful table, he also notes that there was a tremor before the Covid-19 crisis. 19. “Franceexplosion research highlights that the market jumped 4% between 2019 and 2021, indicating that there was already momentum. At Degrain, we attribute this to the driving attitude of restaurateurs in France and abroad. In recent years, they have focused not only on the cuisine, but also on the experience, where the dishes and interior design become as important as what’s on the plate. As a result, their customers at home wanted to imitate them by placing small dishes inside large ones.
Antoine de Remur, Chairman of the Board of Management and CEO of Ercuis House, also sees a desire to better consume in the great return of silverware. “In these uncertain times, people are worried about their health, the environment. Nothing beats buying quality, timeless pieces to soothe yourself, she insists. They are more expensive, but well made, according to the rules of art, with beautiful materials. It reflects the work of goldsmith. We know that we will not replace it tomorrow, but keep it for a long time and pass it on. It’s an investment, a way to consume less but better. Hence the success of collections with traditional designs. However, this does not prevent us from continuing to create. We offer, for example, the Mirror range, customized knives with silver metal handles and copper, gold or black blades. We are very far from traditional codes there. A knife is no longer just a tool for eating, but an ornament. An opinion to be shared by Italian high jewelery house Buccellati, which has just released its first collection of silverware in addition to its precious bracelets, necklaces and rings.
Featured pieces
The huge success of The Mood by Christofle, an egg-shaped box containing silver-plated cutlery and now also chopsticks, a coffee or aperitif set, is proof that function and originality can transcend imitators. “Our classic services such as Marly or Malmaison remain essential, but the mood has made it easier to buy silverware; with it you don’t need to know the rules of the art of living, you didn’t just get a knife and fork. , another object placed in the center of the table that is displayed. Our silver trays, which can be personalized, are also very popular, which also proves the importance of the decorative dimension of silverware,” explains Christofle’s offer and product director Marie Baussier, whose order book has been full since spring. The same observation in Degrain, where Olivier Perlot-Joncourt argues for the importance of depth of range. “Very popular are pieces that add sophistication, such as trays, champagne buckets or even butter dishes with their silver metal bell. We are working on offering subjects related to the great moments of life. We have many new products for the end of the year and many projects for 2023. And soon we will be offering sterling silver pieces, as we believe tableware is ripe with customers who have a penchant for beautiful things and who want to perpetuate French know-how. “.
Everyday design
This craze goes hand in hand with new ways of using silverware. “Our customers no longer want a set of knives for special occasions. They want to use it every day and put their cutlery in the dishwasher, says Marie Baussier. People are no longer afraid of patina. During the Covid-19 crisis, when they rediscovered their forgotten housekeeper at the bottom of the closet, they realized that she had survived the years and that this patina suited her well. Hence the boom in vintage silverware. “Second hand is important in this field, adds Antoine de Remur. First, because the vintage is increasing, but also because of costs. A set of silver knives is thus five to six times cheaper in the auction room than new in the store. If there is a demand for a new one, this option is not insignificant. At the Selency online flea market, there are more and more vintage silver collections. “For a year and a half now, we’ve been seeing more merchants offer cutlery sets or lots of silverware,” comments Selency co-founder and CEO Charlotte Kade. Before, the proposal was mocking. I do not have an explanation for this phenomenon, which is also accompanied by an increase in prices. Sellers gradually realize that the silverware has been undervalued, and they adjust their labels. Don’t panic, there are still deals to be had.
Before silver metal forks and knives were liquidated at garage sales, piled up in boxes, here they are again in the spotlight today. Degren entrusts Monet with his mismatched pieces that can no longer be marketed. The brand customizing antiques hand punches them with little words or charming messages to give them a second life. At Christofle, we went further by creating a vintage service. “There were a lot of Christophle pieces on the second-hand market,” notes Caroline Radenack, heritage manager for the house founded in 1830. They were not always well marked. Therefore, we wanted to repair them, restore their shine without erasing all the signs of time, and at the same time record them in our history. Caroline Radenac researches each piece found, and this vintage “collection” is displayed in the preserved space of the boutique on rue Royale in Paris, pink, green and ultra-modern. There are unexpected objects like a sauce spoon.
“This offer is a way to attract another customer who doesn’t have the means or desire to have a full housekeeper and prefers a few amazing and wonderful pieces on the table. In any case, it was urgent to desecrate the use of silverware. We can see it because, reserving it for rare exceptional moments, we have forgotten it. The restored treasures of Christofl are also made into an original scenography in the window. No complete look on the tablecloth, but a chandelier and silver cutlery surrounding a mix of plates and glasses of different styles and styles. Joyful and inspiring mix and match. “Today, silverware sublimates stoneware and linen tablecloths. This marriage would not have been possible in XXe century! But nowadays we like to combine modernity and heritage,” enthuses Caroline Radenac.
The art of change
Blandine Franck, president of Franceexplosion’s French tableware development committee and director of international marketing for Dior Maison, loves setting the table above all else. But there is no question of complying with the rules of etiquette that he knows by heart. “I like to twist the great classics,” laughs he, who uses his silver fork every day. Thus, in the center of the table, her grandmother’s silver candelabra, covered with wax casts and dressed with ivy, becomes the star of the dinner. “As for my children’s timpani, they make perfect little vases and their christening fork is ideal for dessert. Finally, I fill the napkin rings with shells. they decorate the table very nicely.” Arabelle Reilly and Perry Cochin, founders of Waww La Table, an inspiration website and e-shop for tableware, share the same connection with silverware.
“What’s great about this moment is that you can proudly pull out the silverware you inherited from your grandmother. It tells the story of family and, mixed with more modern pieces, brings light and reflections. The real trend is to move it. In the past, the play had an assigned role, and it was sad. Now we’re having fun. For example, you can serve chocolate mousse in a large silver glass, or put ice cubes or even float flowers. Old ashtrays can be used as bread plates, or to offer small sweets at the end of a meal. The crumb spoons are beautiful and we love showing off the butter in them. It’s beautiful and very practical as guests can easily grab them by the handles.” The duo has no shortage of ideas for updating outdated silverware. And Arabel and Perry chant it. “You don’t have to polish the silverware. A pot of boiling water with baking soda and aluminum foil; we dip into it; you don’t even wipe it off and it regains its luster.” This is the argument that should convince all those who were still resisting to accept the silverware again.
degrenne.fr; ercuis.com; buccellati.com/en; christofle.com; selency.fr; dior.com; waww.fr:
Source: Le Figaro
