Two new decorations that share a common style and subject, with the choice of two fruits rich in symbolic meaning and clear auspicious connotations: the fig (Ficus carica L., 1753) and the pomegranate (Punica granatum L., 1753). Subjects that have spanned human history, protagonists of myths and legends, but also, due to their properties, of religious worship and scientific studies.
Ficus and Melograno now propose a highly contemporary Pixel Art style, which re-invents the “classic” fruit decoration in a unique and original way. Pastel colours, chromatic variations that evoke details and nuances, come to life on the white surface of the plates, in a delicate contrast that will certainly not go unnoticed on the table.
Considered the fruit of abundance, the pomegranate (Melograno) has always been a symbol of fertility, fecundity and good luck. It is said to have been the goddess Aphrodite who planted the first one on the island of Cyprus and, everywhere in the Mediterranean, it has positively influenced beliefs and customs. In some parts of Greece, it is still customary to share a pomegranate at weddings and to give each other this fruit on New Year's Eve as a symbol of prosperity and good luck. Just as it is customary to plant a pomegranate tree in the garden where the newlyweds are to live, a wish for a lasting and peaceful marriage.
A perfect gift idea, full of meaning, also decidedly trendy as regards the colour.
The colour of the year 2023 is in fact Viva Magenta, “a crimson or carmine red that evokes an optimistic spirit and encourages technological and virtual experimentation”. A warm and courageous colour, which “wants to awaken the spirit of exploration in human beings”, whose tones take shape in this new decoration.
If indeed the pomegranate (and not the apple) could well be the fruit of life in the Garden of Eden – in Jewish culture it symbolises honesty and fairness – it was with a fig leaf that Adam and Eve covered themselves, once they had committed sin. Mentioned in the Bible as in the Odyssey, sacred to the Greeks and revered in ancient Rome (Romulus and Remus were believed to have saved themselves from the Tiber by running aground in the shade of a fig tree), the Tree of Paradise for Islam... even Buddha attained enlightenment in the shade of a fig tree! The Ficus has always been considered the tree of gods and heroes.
In Italian popular tradition, the fig tree was considered magical and its fruit a blessing, thanks also to its nutritional power, to be eaten fresh in summer and dried during the rest of the year. A fruit that, if eaten «benefits blood and thought», if given as a gift benefits «the word and friendship».
The very colour of the Ficus plates conveys serenity. Shades of turquoise and lavender blend with the green of the contours, creating a perfect match with the Memento Synth glasses. The nuance of the leaves is reminiscent of Very Peri, the trend colour of 2022 inspired by the concepts of courage and restart. A colour that represents the desire to dare, personal inventiveness, but also symbolises the fusion of real and digital life. The way the colour trends of the digital world manifest themselves in the physical world and vice versa. Exactly like these new Touch-MeL decors.
An icon on tables all over Europe and a benchmark on the melamine tableware market thanks to the high quality of its production and the constant search for textures and colours that anticipate trends, Touch-MeL continues its ideal journey through the world of tableware and decorations, proposing something completely new. A style which takes its cue from retro-futurism, a trend that appealed to those who grew up at the turn of the 80s and early 90s, but also to the younger generations.
Ficus and Melograno, the new Touch-MeL melamine collections, are composed of plates (dinner plate, soup plate and fruit plate), salad bowl, sushi/coffee tray, large oval tray and oval risotto bowl, all framed by an elegant and delicate grey “cloud dancer” border.
