Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn moreShe's finally making a profit with both her fashion and beauty brands after a rocky road to success, and now Victoria Beckham has ventured into homeware design.But will her tableware collection with German home and living giant Westwing prove as fruitful? For interior designer Jordana Ashkenazi, the former Spice Girl-turned fashionista's range lacks a 'wow-factor'.Olivia Boardman, from My Bespoke Room, agreed, declaring Victoria's latest venture as not 'particularly groundbreaking'.She suggested the products - which include a £119 shell-shaped butter dish and knife set and linen napkins for £54.99 - are similar to cheaper items already available on the High Street, from the likes of Zara and H&M.Victoria's range, only available on Westwing, a European e-commerce brand founded by Delia Lachance, an editor for Elle Germany magazine, in 2011 before launching in the UK earlier this year, also includes a set of four coupes for £94 and a £74.99 serving platter.'It's simple, stylish, elegant, timeless and understated, which perfectly reflects Victoria's aesthetic as a whole,' said Jordana, founder and design director of Element One House. 'What I particularly like is that nothing is shouty or over the top. 'It’s very much like her fashion. Beautiful, sophisticated and understated, but not necessarily something that makes you stop in your tracks and say wow. And that’s absolutely fine. Not everything in interiors needs to make a statement.'But is it groundbreaking? No. Is it particularly innovative or something we haven’t seen before? Not really. Could you walk into the affordable high-street homeware stores and find very similar designs at a fraction of the price? Absolutely yes.'That said, we’re talking about Victoria Beckham, and there is undoubtedly an appeal to owning something with her designer name attached. It’s a beautifully coordinated collection, and I do think there are some standout pieces worth looking at.' She's finally making a profit with both her fashion and beauty brands after a rocky road to success, and now Victoria Beckham has ventured into homeware design (pictured)THE PORCELAIN DINNERWAREJordana said: 'I think the Dover porcelain collection is beautiful. The off-white magnesium porcelain and subtle embossed chain detailing are elegant, classic and incredibly versatile. 'I particularly like that the chain motif has been carried through from Victoria’s fashion collections, with its inspiration coming from a vintage watch strap. It’s a lovely way of connecting her fashion background with interiors.'The range includes a 12-piece dinnerware set for £239, four dinner plates for £119, pasta plates for £109, breakfast plates for £94 and dessert plates for £64.99. There are also serving platters starting at £57.99, a set of two for £119 and individual charger plates at £64.99.'The porcelain is dishwasher and microwave safe, which is always important from a practical perspective.'Would someone walk into your home, see these plates and say, wow, what incredible dinnerware? Probably not. But would they look lovely on almost any dining table? Absolutely.'They’re simple, elegant, timeless and inoffensive, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. They’ll go with everything and won’t easily date.'However, nearly £30 for a dinner plate or £65 for a single charger is expensive, particularly when you could find a very similar aesthetic on the high street for considerably less.' Victoria pictured with Westwing founder Delia Lachance (pictured left), an editor for Elle Germany magazine, in London to celebrate the launch of her collectionSTAINLESS STEEL BUTTER DISHES AND ACCESSORIESThe butter dish set, including two dishes and two knives, is £119, while an individual butter dish is £57.99. There are also four butter knives for £57.99 and salt and pepper shells with spoons for £84. Jordana said: 'These are probably some of the more interesting designs in the collection. My only reservation is the material. 'I’m personally not a huge fan of stainless steel serving accessories, particularly butter dishes. There’s something about the metallic clinking sound of a knife hitting stainless steel that I find quite unappealing at a dinner table.'It’s a small detail, but when you’re entertaining, those little sensory elements do matter. Personally, I would prefer porcelain or something a little softer for serving butter.'However, for Olivia 'the shell-shaped butter dish is probably my favourite piece in the collection'. She explained: 'It has a beautiful sculptural quality, and I love the idea of turning something as ordinary as a butter dish into a statement accessory. 'The silver finish gives it a vintage, almost jewellery-like feel, which is very on-brand for Victoria. At £119, it's undeniably expensive for something so practical, but it could look equally lovely on a dressing table holding jewellery.'CUTLERY, NAPKIN RINGS AND LINEN NAPKINS The collection also includes a £129 16-piece cutlery set, pictured The butter dish set, including two dishes and two knives, is £119, while an individual butter dish is £57.99The collection also includes a £129 16-piece cutlery set, napkin rings (£54.99 for four) and linen tablecloths starting at £97, placemats at £64.99 for two, dinner napkins at £59.99 for four and cocktail napkins at £54.99 for four.'I really like the hammered stainless steel cutlery. The textured finish gives otherwise traditional shapes a lovely contemporary edge while retaining that slightly vintage feel,' said Jordana.'I think this is one of the more successful designs in the collection. Stainless steel makes perfect sense for cutlery because it’s durable, practical and easy to maintain.'But when it came to the tablecloths and napkins, Olivia said: 'I love the idea of elevating the smaller details when entertaining, and beautifully made napkins can make a table feel much more considered. 'That said, with prices starting at £54.99, you're certainly paying a premium for the designer name. Personally, I'd invest in quality linen that can be used time and time again.'However, the interior designer praised Victoria's napkin rings, saying: 'These are a lovely nod to her fashion background, with the jewellery-inspired detailing adding a little glamour to the table. 'I particularly like accessories that can transform a simple table setting without needing to replace all your dinnerware. They're decorative rather than essential, but that's often what makes entertaining feel special.'GLASSWAREThe range features an array of glassware, including four coupes for £94, wine glasses, £84 for four and tumblers (priced at £64.99 for four). 'This is probably one of my favourite parts of the collection,' said Jordana. 'The mouth-blown glass, delicate stems and subtle detailing are beautiful. The shapes feel sophisticated and timeless, with just enough texture to make them interesting.'She said the Champagne coupes are 'fairly reasonably priced for mouth-blown glassware, and they’re the sort of glasses you could keep for years.'Olivia added: 'Champagne coupes always make a table feel a little more celebratory, and these would work just as well displayed on open shelving or a drinks trolley. 'These are probably one of my favourite pieces overall. They’re glamorous without being flashy, beautifully proportioned and have a lovely vintage feel,' explained the expert.However, the tumblers weren't as impressive, with Jordana claiming: 'At just over £16 each, you could certainly find something similar elsewhere for less. But they’re versatile, elegant and would work with almost any table setting.'GLASS VASES AND TEA LIGHT HOLDERS Victoria's collection includes glass tea light holders, £54.99 for two, and glass vases, £97 for threeVictoria's collection includes glass tea light holders, £54.99 for two, and glass vases, £97 for three. Both of which impressed Jordana. 'I really like these items, particularly the beautiful deep green glass. It’s lovely to see a little colour introduced into an otherwise very neutral range, and I think these are some of the more interesting decorative pieces.''For me, the vases and tealight holders are some of the more appealing purchases in the collection, both aesthetically and as gift ideas. They’re pretty, versatile and have that extra little designer element, which I can see people enjoying.'She added: 'At £97 for three vases, I actually think these are quite a nice purchase. They can be grouped together or displayed separately around the house, and would work beautifully with natural stone, timber and neutral interiors.'They would also make a beautiful gift. £97 might sound like a lot for three little vases, but when you’re buying someone a gift, there’s something rather lovely about being able to say they’re Victoria Beckham.'You’re getting three decorative pieces with a designer name attached, which makes them feel a little more special.'Olivia added of the candle holders: 'They have a simple, understated elegance and would look particularly beautiful grouped together on a dining table or mantelpiece.'At £54.99 for a set, they're still a luxury purchase, but perhaps one of the more accessible ways to bring a little Victoria Beckham style into your home.'THE GLASS PLATESThe collection includes glass plates at £57.99 for two, breakfast plates at £64.99 for four and dinner plates at £74.99 for four. 'I really like the vintage-inspired glass plates,' insisted Jordana. 'The swirling shapes and scalloped edges have a lovely decorative quality, and you can definitely see the antique influence here.'They’re made from soda-lime glass, which is practical and dishwasher safe, and the transparent design means they could be layered with almost any existing dinnerware.'I think they’re particularly lovely for entertaining. There’s something quite nostalgic about this style of glassware, and I like the way it introduces texture without adding too much colour. They’re pretty, versatile and have a slightly more decorative feel than the porcelain range.'OVERALL VERDICT Jordana said: 'If budget isn’t an issue and you absolutely love Victoria Beckham, then why not go the whole hog and have Vicky B everywhere?' Pictured, Victoria's tableware collectionOlivia, one of My Bespoke Room’s professional interior designers, who help transform homes from £195 per room, said: 'Victoria has created a collection that feels very true to her personal style: sophisticated, understated and with just enough glamour to make it interesting.'From a design perspective, the range is undeniably elegant. The sculptural shell shapes and vintage-inspired silver finishes create a sophisticated, timeless look with a touch of old-school glamour. 'However, while the designs are lovely, the prices are certainly high, and there are plenty more affordable alternatives that achieve a very similar look. This is definitely a collection for those with cash to splash rather than anyone looking for value for money.'I don't think there's anything particularly groundbreaking here. Shell motifs, vintage-inspired silverware and coloured glass have been popular in interiors for some time, and similar styles can certainly be found at more affordable prices.'Ultimately, you're paying for the design, the branding and the overall aesthetic as much as the products themselves. Would I spend £119 on butter dishes? Probably not! But would I happily style it on a beautifully dressed dining table? Absolutely.'My advice would be to choose one or two standout pieces and mix them with more affordable tableware. That's often how you create the most interesting interiors - and you certainly don't need a Beckham-sized budget to achieve the look.'Jordana, meanwhile, said: 'If budget isn’t an issue and you absolutely love Victoria Beckham, then why not go the whole hog and have Vicky B everywhere?'The collection works beautifully together, so you could create a very stylish, coordinated dining experience. Otherwise, I’d recommend picking and choosing a few favourite pieces rather than investing in the entire range. 'My favourite pieces are definitely the champagne coupes, the sculptural glass vases and the tealight holders, which I think would make particularly lovely gifts. I also really like the hammered cutlery and the classic porcelain dinnerware.'Do you need to spend this much to achieve the same look? Absolutely not. It’s undeniably Posh, but not every piece justifies a posh price tag. But if you love Victoria Beckham and want a little piece of her design aesthetic in your home, I can certainly see the appeal.'
'It's undeniably Posh... but the hefty price tags aren't justified': Victoria Beckham's tableware range is labelled 'hardly groundbreaking' with no 'wow-factor' by interior designers
Full Article
Original Source
Read the full article at Dailymail →KhanList aggregates and links to publicly available news content. We do not host full articles from third-party sources. Always verify important information with original sources.