MANIFATTURA RICHARD GINORI, 1735

Last spring I went to Florence on a holiday after a business trip to London and Milan. My good friend in London had recommended I check out Manifattura Richard Ginori, a heritage Italian line of porcelain tableware that was founded in 1735. After seeing their collections on Instagram, I knew I had to make a visit to their shop a top priority. The flagship, located in Florence, did not disappoint. It was a heavenly experience, with the most beautifully romantic hand-painted china I had ever seen. I wanted every single piece, and debated for an hour on a pink and blue chinoiserie apothecary jar and a red and robin’s egg blue tea set. I went with the apothecary jar, which sits on top of my china cabinet, and of course I now want the matching set of china. Also on my list are the Gìo Ponti designed hands and cachepot vase. The Richard Ginori brand has started to gain a new cult following and has been showing up in design magazines, but nothing compares to the experience of being in the store and seeing how the collections are merchandised in all of their glorious color ways.