Casa Juan and Rajo Laurel once again bring something new to the table with a limited edition tea set.

Images provided by Before Deadlines
September 21, 2023

Living spaces and entertaining sensibilities are extensions of personal style. They are best expressed when welcoming guests into one’s home for a lovingly prepared meal–or even, afternoon tea. The kind of food, beverage selection, how they are laid out, dining decor, and the smallest details that go into tablescaping speak volumes about the host. This is precisely why homeware and entertaining always intersects with the realm of design.

It was in 2020 when fine Filipino homewear label, CASA JUAN collaborated with one of the country's top fashion designers, Rajo Laurel. Founder Michelle Asensce Fontelera begins, “Our first collaboration happened during the pandemic. The whole country was in lockdown, and I was scrolling through Instagram. It was there that Rajo’s sketches caught my eye.” This sparked the idea to create a collection of plates that would showcase a Filipino design and creativity.

Rajo Laurel was quick to embrace the prospect of seeing his designs on fine bone China. “Michelle and I both love to entertain. We both love to have friends over and make them feel special,” he says. “Part of this is preparing beautiful tablescapes. So it was natural that we created pieces that enhance the entertaining experience.” Rajo and Michelle agreed to call this concept, “tableWEAR.”The first collection immediately sold out online. It was immediately regarded by discerning hosts as an entertaining collectible. A second edition of plates, featuring other iconic sketches by Rajo, was launched in 2022. Collectors of the fine China were quick to pick up, building on their CASA JUAN by Rajo Laurel dinnerWEAR.

Three years and two successful collaborations later, Casa Juan and Rajo Laurel once again bring something new to the table with a limited edition tea set. “A lot of our clients who purchased the plates were looking for cups and saucers to go with their Casa Juan X Rajo tableWEAR. This new collection allows them to enjoy a complete line of dinnerware pieces,” explains Michelle. Rajo emphasizes that the joys of having coffee or tea with loved ones will never go out of style. He adds, “This for me is a way to connect, to bond, to keep in touch. To feel real and be fully present.” Only 700 tea sets from Casa Juan by Rajo Laurel will be released, which make them even more special and rare.

Like the plate collection, the tea sets will feature Rajo’s sketches. The renowned fashion designer details, “I practically sketch everyday. The difficult part was choosing which sketch to immortalize. I wanted each collection to be like a collectible. In a similar way to building a wardrobe, each collection is a special moment captured forever. I started with my iconic pieces and worked my way from there.” The tea sets feature Rajo’s sketches of the national dress, honing in on the terno as a central theme. “It’s about national pride. Each sketch is the beginning of an idea like a seed. Having these ideas on fine bone China is really precious as it moves towards another aspect of creativity and design.”

Throughout the entire design ideation phase, Michelle gave Rajo carte blanche. She shares, “I am very fortunate to be working with a creative genius like Rajo. He has an eye for beauty and design. He was the one who conceptualized the black and white design of his iconic fashion sketches and creations. He even coined the terms ‘fashion on your table’ and ‘dinnerWEAR.’”

CASA JUAN’s desire to bring a piece of Philippine creativity and culture into every home comes to life through its newest collaboration with Rajo Laurel. Michelle intimates, “Through pieces like our limited edition tea sets designed by Rajo, we want to celebrate Philippine design, artistry, and style. Our hope is that everytime these tea sets are brought out to host an afternoon of coffee and tea, hosts and their guests can revel in the creative genius of our Filipino designers.”

Rajo concludes, “With these tea sets, I would like to advocate that we must enjoy the special moments we have with each other. Establish connections by carving time out for each other by sharing a meal, or in this case, coffee or tea. We hope to enhance these experiences by creating pieces that are not only beautiful but meaningful as well.”

The CASA JUAN X RAJO LAUREL Limited Edition Tea Sets are available at www.casajuan.ph or through Instagram @casajuanmnl.