The moment Wendy Long (@applebytesblog on Instagram), waltzes into her dining room, it’s obvious she’s the consummate hostess. Even though we’re here for a photo shoot rather than lunch, she’s already popped the Ruinart.
Her 16-seat marble table is adorned with green foliage arranged in tall glass vases. From a white Astier de Vilatte collection to a colourful Ginori 1735 Oriente Italiano range and a Gucci Herbarium set, some of her favourite tableware is also on display by theme.
The stylish socialite became fascinated with tableware in 2013, when she discovered the Hermès Mosaique au 24 platinum dinnerware. Her desire to add more pieces to complement her dream tablescapes intensified as she entertained more often.
What is your most prized tableware collection?
That would be my Astier de Vilatte dishes; each type has a different name. When I started collecting Astier, it was nearly impossible to find anything online; you had to visit the boutique in Paris.
In those days, there was only one flagship on Rue Saint-Honoré, and it wasn’t easy to find enough pieces of the same style to fill my table. I gradually collected them, mixing and matching over time. That process makes them precious.
A New York Times article once described Astier de Vilatte’s allure as a secret handshake. If you see one of these white sets in someone’s home, you can tell immediately that you both have similar tastes. Like a crisp white shirt anchors a wardrobe, every collection needs a white set as its foundation.
Surely there must be more?
I have a soft spot for Brunello Cucinelli sets since they’re no longer made the way they used to be. I discovered them on Matches Fashion’s now-defunct website, where the dinner plates, side plates, and bowls were sold in sets of two.
In the course of expanding the collection later, I found that the current versions were different from the ones I bought earlier. Originally, the pieces had a subtle grainy surface; now they are smooth porcelain. The tactile difference is what matters to me.
Where do you find your unique pieces?
I buy them when I’m travelling. For instance, I bought brass napkin rings and wine glass charms from a small shop in Chianti, Italy. Only 10 pieces of each were available, so I bought them all. It was summer at the time and the artist was on holiday. “He’s not making any now.” [Laughs]
Have you ever commissioned a piece?
I ordered monogrammed charger plates from Carron, which was founded by a family member of an Astier de Villante founder.
Can you share any advice with those looking to start a collection?
Collect strategically. Your dining table collection should be built according to its seating capacity, so take your time selecting a style. An eight-seater table, for example, requires at least 10 dinner plates of the same design. Mixing and matching is fine (which you should do), but uniformity is always a good idea.
Photography Yvonne Isabelle Ling
Art direction Ed Harland & Annalisa Espino Lim
Makeup Keith Bryant Lee, using Chanel Beauty
Hair Sarah Tan, using Kerasilk
