Award-winning British designer Matthew Williamson has tapped into his, well, Britishness by working with London-born company Newby Teas on a new collection.
When it comes to quintessentially British, there are often two things that spring to mind; afternoon teas served with scones and cucumber sandwiches, and a sophisticated sense of dress that is often personified by the likes of Kate Middleton.
Well, these equally regal British ideals have come together as designer Matthew Williamson – one of the Duchess of Cambridge’s go-to designers who is known for his use of kaleidoscopic colour, intricate patterns and designs inspired by nature and travel – has teamed up with Newby Teas to create his own collection.
Matthew Williamson has teamed up with Newby Teas on a first-of-its-kind project
His partnership with the luxury teahouse that was born in London in 2001 is the first of its kind and sees Williamson design a limited edition collection of tea caddies – a small container within which fine teas are to be stored, of course.
Three bespoke tea leaf blends will be for sale in the range of eye-catching packaging that will no-doubt become a permanent feature of anybody’s tea collection. The blends include Maharaja’s Breakfast, Exotic Earl Grey and Jasmine Rose Garden.
Majestic tigers and lush jungle greenery adorns the searing citrus-hued caddy for the Exotic Earl Grey blend
The first is a blend of rich-flavoured, golden-tipped Assam black tea balanced with a taste of malt and subtle sweet notes, the second is a black tea blend with subtle bergamot oil and spicy safflower top notes and the last a green tea blend that boasts a honeyed aroma with floral notes of jasmine and rose.
But while tea drinking might often be associated with the British, Williamson took to the roots of where these unique leaves are grown and blends created when getting to work.
Matthew’s caddy design for the Jasmine Rose blend depicts these flowers in full bloom with butterflies in flight against a mesmerising turquoise sky
When creating the collection, Williamson – who has been a must-know name in the industry for his clothing and interior designs since his debut at London Fashion Week in 1997 – took his inspiration from the Rajasthan region of India. Prints were based on original watercolours chosen because of their reflection of the heritage surrounding a key element of each blend.
On the project, Williamson said: “India is my all-time favourite destination. I’ve been over 40 times; I took my first trip when I was 18 and fell in love straight away. It’s long provided endless inspiration for my work and I’m forever fascinated by the colours, its vibrancy, diversity and craftsmanship.
“I couldn’t have done this collection without paying homage to one of the birthplaces of tea and my forever home-from-home.”
The Rajasthan iconography including elaborately decorated elephants incorporated in the caddy design recalls the palatial grandeur of the Maharaja
While Aneta Aslakhanova – Global Marketing Director of Newby Teas – added: “We are very proud of this collaboration. As a luxury tea brand, we are always looking to create products that are exceptional in terms of quality but also aesthetically attractive.
“Matthew Williamson was the designer of choice for this collaboration, the ‘alchemist’ of colour and nature, his designs inspire people all over the world. The result of this collaboration is, in our view, a stunning collection which evokes all senses. Together with Matthew, we have created bespoke blends, the classic trio of all-time favourites with a Matthew Williamson twist.”
Find out more at newbyteas.ae.
