Claudia Schiffer Tells AD About Her New Butterfly-Inspired Homewares

In her 16th-century Tudor-style home in England, legendary supermodel Claudia Schiffer is surrounded by beautiful things. She and her husband, film producer Matthew Vaughn, have an art collection that includes works by Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, David Hockney, and even an Ed Ruscha painting that says “marry me,” which Vaughn commissioned as his proposal to Schiffer. (They later commissioned a companion painting that reads “yes.”)

Along with the couple’s photographs of their three children, the Ruscha paintings are likely some of the most sentimental items in the dwelling. But recently the former face of Guess Jeans added some brand-new, highly personal decor items to the space: ceramics and glassware she designed herself, in collaboration with two brands. Both Portuguese, one is the glass and ceramics purveyor Vista Alegre, and the other is Bordallo Pinheiro, the porcelain manufacturer known for producing items in interesting shapes such as vegetables and animals. The two collections include three glass vases and five butterfly-themed tableware pieces and were first revealed during the Maison et Objet design trade fair in Paris in January. Below, Schiffer tells AD about the inspiration behind the pieces.

Architectural Digest: How did this partnership come about?

Claudia Schiffer: I was given my first Bordallo Pinheiro piece years ago by my Portuguese friends Carlos and Filipa, who for my birthday gifted me the cheese platter with gray mice sitting on it. I’ve since collected nearly everything Bordallo has made, and I decided to confess my love and ask them to bring my ideas to life. The collaboration with Vista Alegre then followed on naturally from this.

AD: What were some of your biggest sources of inspiration for the collections?

CS: Growing up near the Rhine in Germany, surrounded by countryside, I often drew inspiration from nature, like butterflies. With this in mind, when I developed the vases, I chose naturalistic colors that really explored that sense of bringing nature into the home.

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AD: Will you be using the pieces in your own home? Do they match your current decor?

CS: I’m so pleased with this collection and hope I haven’t driven Bordallo Pinheiro and Vista Alegre too crazy! I am already showcasing all the pieces in my homes and London office.

AD: Do you have any favorite Bordallo Pinheiro pieces in your home—aside from the new collection?

CS: I have so many favorites, but I particularly like the naturalistic shapes of the leaves, mushrooms, peppers, and aubergine pot, which I use for things like garlic and fresh herbs. The watermelon bowls I use for fruit. They are beautifully detailed with smoothly painted skins on the outside and vibrant red with textured black seeds on the inside. I have recently added the new nut shapes to my collections as well. When I’m serving fish, out come the fish. And for Christmas, I use the red Christmas designs.

AD: Both Vista Alegre and Bordallo Pinheiro are Portuguese brands. Did that inspire the collection at all?

CS: Yes, their heritage is very inspiring. This year Vista Alegre celebrated its 195th-year anniversary and Bordallo Pinheiro its 135th. I know how difficult it is to make great ceramics and glassware; it’s a fine art that takes years to perfect. Both Vista Alegre and Bordallo Pinheiro have it down perfectly and also adjust to our aesthetic sense of today.

AD: Do you find interior design to be at all similar to fashion?

CS: It’s the same process. It only works if you love it.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest