Where do your ideas for design and form come from?
Vanessa: I always want to try making something that I intuitively feel is good out of glass. Whether it's a handbag, a fish, or a natural landscape. As for DEAN FLOWERS, the premise is to arrange flowers, so I try to focus on practicality and simplicity. In my pursuit of simplicity, I sometimes find inspiration in ancient pottery or vases from the 1950s.
We also place importance on whether "simplicity" and "color" go together. That's why DEAN FLOWERS flower vases are simple, but you can tell they're DEAN FLOWERS at a glance. DEAN FLOWERS flower vases are made simply, taking into consideration how easy it is to arrange flowers, but when they reach the customer, the same product can look classic or modern. I think that's what makes them so interesting, precisely because they're "simple."
Jim: "People all over the world use Henry Dean flower vases in their own unique style, and beautiful flowers are arranged in them. It makes me happy and proud to see such scenes. Murano glass, made on Murano, a small island off Venice in Northern Italy, is a brand shaped by its high transparency and vivid colors. Similarly, with Henry Dean, we always want to create products that have the energetic colors and strength to perfectly match the recycled glass we use as a raw material."
A culture of craftsmanship connected by a love for glass
How do you carry on founder Henry Dean's passion for creativity and glass?
Jim: It's been 30 years since I took over this job, and 20 years since Vanessa took on the creative responsibilities for the brand. While we've naturally inherited Henry Dean's creative philosophy, I feel like Vanessa's own style has been taking hold in recent years. As for our passion for glass, I believe our mission is to revive glass factories that are struggling financially and lacking the means to survive, using Henry Dean's knowledge, technology, and experience. I first became fascinated with the world of glass during my student days, working at a glass factory in Seville that produced Henry Dean vases. I'd arrive at the factory at 5 a.m., learn how to make glass from the artisans, and then have tea with them at the café across the street during my break. We spent a lot of time together, and I fell in love with their passion for glass and their way of life. That love continues to this day.
Many craftsmen are reluctant to take on new challenges, but we visit factories frequently, share our know-how, and work together to create a product. Initially, there were only about eight factories, but now there are as many as 18 factories supporting Henry Dean's manufacturing. The more production sites there are, the more problems arise and the more consultations we get, so I don't have time to sleep, though (laughs).
TISTOU has been selling Henry Dean in Japan for 25 years. What are your impressions of TISTOU's creative approach to conveying the appeal of Henry Dean to the Japanese market in a unique way?
Jim: "Fantastic! TISTOU puts a lot of energy into Henry Dean and expresses it in their own unique way. I feel that TISTOU understands the intentions behind our continuing Henry Dean. I'm always moved by how their thoughts are conveyed so clearly, even though they come from a country with a different history and culture and their way of expression is completely different to ours. You can also feel their respect for Henry Dean's craftsmanship."
Vanessa: "I'm proud that TISTOU is introducing Henry Dean to Japan. I'm really pleased that they are working so thoughtfully, carefully, and with such dedication. For us, it's not just the products that are important, but the people behind and around them that are the most important thing. I'm always grateful to the staff and craftsmen at Henry Dean, import agents such as TISTOU, retailers all over Japan, and all the customers who use Henry Dean."
