The colors and the fire

For the Cartier Azabudai Hills boutique in Tokyo, designer Laura Gonzalez has created a ceramic wall decoration that is glazed using a unique technique

Laura Gonzalez

Founded in France in 1798 (just one year before the Revolution), Manufacture des Emaux de Longwy revives the tradition of decorative enamel “frescoes”. For the Cartier Azabudai Hills boutique in Tokyo, the house collaborated with designer Laura Gonzalez to create an eye-catching mural.

Gonzalez stylized a wisteria in full bloom and transformed it into an exuberant, almost abstract decoration. The design was made into five panels that were later mounted on the wall.

This is not the first time that the Manufacture des Emaux de Longwy has collaborated with contemporary designers – India Mahdavi, José Levy and Pierre Gonalons are just some of the talents that have been called upon to make creative contributions. The latest creation for Cartier sets a new standard for the size of decorative panels crafted using this technique. It is also a fascinating encounter between contemporary taste and manufacturing tradition.