Mary Katrantzou designs ceramic tiles for Villeroy & Boch

Fashion designer Mary Katrantzou is launching a vibrant and colourful tile collection with international ceramics specialist Villeroy & Boch.

The collaboration marks Villeroy & Boch’s first designer collaboration in more than 20 years and takes inspiration from recurring themes in Katrantzou’s eponymous fashion label, including butterflies as seen in her 10th-anniversary collection in 2019 and the postage stamp from her spring/summer 2013 collection.

Entitled ‘Victorian by Mary Katrantzou,’ the ceramic tile collection is described as an interplay between both respective archival designs, inspired by the art of lepidopterists and the geometry of Victorian tiles, as well as the 19th-century tiles seen on the floor at Villeroy & Boch’s headquarters in Merzig, Germany.

There are eight different décor sets (20cm x 20cm) with borders and edges to complete the offering, with butterflies at the heart of the collection, with four vibrant and beautifully coloured butterflies printed on either white or black backgrounds, with either gold, black or perforated borders, reminiscent of a postal stamp.

The butterfly tiles have been designed to be used independently or in combination together, as well as with the marble-effect tiles that continue the theme of white, black and gold, which are available in two different finishes – high gloss for walls and polished surface for floors.

Commenting on the project, Mary Katrantzou said in a statement: “It’s been a privilege working on ceramics with Villeroy & Boch tiles – an exciting process to imagine and create spaces that people will live in daily.

“These designs form part of an individual’s home, where they surround themselves with things they love, creating a feeling of permanence that’s very different to the very nature of fashion. This collaboration allowed me to look at patterns outside the female figure and be guided instead by the power of interiors to create an extension of one's aesthetic.”

Dr Jörg Schwall, managing director of Villeroy & Boch tiles, added, “As one of the most style-defining companies, Villeroy & Boch is characterised by its love of design excellence. Collaborating with Mary Katrantzou is a natural evolution in taking the brand in a new direction, and offering design aficionados the opportunity to create their own aesthetic using tiles from this inspirational collection.”

The Victorian by Mary Katrantzou tiles are available to order exclusively via Villeroy & Boch. Prices start from 21 pounds / 16 euros (excluding VAT).