In 1960, Ms. Susan Williams-Ellis, a legend in the world of porcelain design, and her husband Euan Cooper-Willis established Portmeirion Potteries by integrating two previously purchased porcelain companies and factories.
Susan was originally asked by her father to design porcelain gifts for the small town Portmeirion Village where they lived. As the gifts became more and more popular, she bought the porcelain company and factory; Susan was able to design the shape and pattern of the porcelain by herself. In the 1970s, Susan's most classic and popular series, the Botanic Garden series, was born. Inspired by the unexpected discovery of ancient botanical texts, Botanic Garden's unique and exquisite pattern design shows a home casual style that is different from the dinner tableware of the time. It received warm welcome from all over the world as soon as it was launched, and has become a classic in British design. It is still recognized today as one of the most popular tableware designs.
Although her career has been so successful, Susan has not changed. She aims to design beautiful, practical and affordable tableware. She personally pays attention to the manufacturing process of her works, maintains the high quality of Portmeirion, and continues to launch one series after another that is loved by everyone. Although Ms. Susan passed away in 2007, her lifelong design philosophy: not only beautiful but also functional and affordable, will continue to move forward with Portmeirion.