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Air Collection

Marc Newson

My crockery collection for Noritake is a project I am very proud of, and one I use every day both at home and in my studio. The collection is durable, elegant and most importantly, a pleasure to use. The simplicity of the forms belies the complex techniques involved in their production—a testament to Noritake’s manufacturing capabilities—including the narrowing top of the cups and mugs, and small foot ring on the base of the tableware to give the illusion that each piece floats above a surface.

Air Collection
in collaboration with Marc Newson
2011
Full product specifications on the catalogue ↗

The Air Collection was first conceived by Marc Newson for use in Qantas First Class and Business cabins, and for the Sydney and Melbourne First Class lounges. The white bone china dining collection, which features a sleek look and fluid design ethic, was released by Noritake into a purchasable collection in 2011, including coffee cups, plates, and a teapot. This sophisticated dining range features stunning contemporary design and brilliant functionality, and was later joined by a 16-piece cutlery set. The full collection embodies the distinctive retro-futuristic aesthetic of Marc Newson’s creative direction for Qantas.

To create the unique and complex shaping featured in the Air Collection, Noritake uses a method called ‘slip casting process’ which involves pouring of liquid clay material into a plaster mould, allowing the plaster to absorb the moisture, and the clay to harden on the inside wall of the mould. The remaining material is poured out and the cast piece is removed from the mould to dry. The production is then completed with firing and glazing processes.

Marc Newson

Marc Newson has been described as one of the most influential designers of his generation. He has worked across an extremely wide range of disciplines, and his clients include some of the best-known and most prestigious brands in the world spanning diverse sectors from furniture, luxury goods, and technology, to marine, automotive, and aviation design. He has fostered ongoing relationships with companies such as Louis Vuitton, Montblanc, Hermès, Nike, Dom Pérignon, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Ferrari. He also served as Creative Director of Qantas Airways (2005–2015) and Designer for Special Projects at Apple since his first involvement in the design of the ‘Apple Watch’. In 2019, Marc and Sir Jonathan Ive founded the creative collective LoveFrom.

Born in Sydney, Australia in 1963, Newson has lived and worked in Sydney, Tokyo, Paris, and presently resides in the UK where his company, Marc Newson Limited, has been based since 1997. Newson is the only industrial designer represented by Gagosian, and is also represented by Galerie kreo. Leading museums around the world have hosted solo retrospective exhibitions of his work. His designs can be found globally in the permanent collections of over 40 institutions. Newson has been included in TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.