LONDON — Christopher Bailey’s vision for Burleigh, the historic British ceramics company known for its detailed, handmade designs, is taking shape with a new website that debuted on Tuesday.
The fully rebuilt site embraces Burleigh’s heritage, and also speaks to a new generation. Streamlined and chic, it resembles a high-end interiors magazine, and brings the brand’s design direction, photography and voice together for the first time.
There is new photography by Chris Rhodes and Edward Rollitt, while guest artists, designers, photographers, cooks and collectors have been invited to share their work, tables and objects that matter to them.
An image from the new Burleigh website.
The home of Elliott Smedley, a brand, creative and strategic adviser, is featured. There is also imagery of Middleport Pottery, where the Burleigh ceramics are made, and a spotlight on the makers. Customers can navigate the online shop by patterns, pieces, bestsellers and gifts.
Bailey said the aim was to create “a digital home that begins to express Burleigh more fully — its character, English roots and the extraordinary skill that goes into making each piece by hand at Middleport Pottery. We wanted the website to reflect that care and detail, alongside the place Burleigh has in people’s homes and lives. It is a first step toward giving the house a clearer voice, bringing the stories behind the pieces closer to the pleasure of choosing and using them.”
He said he tapped Project 3 as well as “friends and collaborators,” including photographers Rhodes and Rollitt.
As reported in June, Bailey joined a small group of investors to acquire Burleigh, the oldest, continuously working Victorian potter in England.
Based near Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, Burleigh is internationally recognized, with a particularly strong following in the U.K., Japan and the U.S. It has myriad partnerships with brands including Ralph Lauren, Soho House and Daylesford.
An image from the new Burleigh website.
Burleigh’s bestselling patterns include Asiatic Pheasants, Calico, Regal Peacock, Arden and Prunus. It remains the only pottery in the world that still uses “tissue transfer” printing, a technique that sees intricate pigmented patterns transferred onto raw clay. The method requires years of training, with every piece made in Stoke-on-Trent.
Bailey, who put a big focus on craft and heritage when he was chief creative officer of Burberry, said earlier this year that he’s always loved Burleigh. “This company has an extraordinary history, and what makes it so special today is the skill, care and creative spirit that continue to define the business. It is a privilege to become part of that story,” he said.
“I am deeply committed to protecting and showcasing the craftsmanship and character that make Burleigh unique, while helping to shape its future as a distinctive and meaningful British design and ceramics house,” Bailey added.
