Since the early 19th century, presidents and first ladies have purchased or commissioned exquisite china services for official use. The Reagans went with a scarlet red that added a striking splash of color to the cream-paneled State Dining Room. Laura and George W. Bush selected a pale-green trellis pattern to complement the White House floral arrangements. And back in the 1870s, First Lady Lucy Hayes collaborated with artist Theodore R. Davis on a spectacular service that showcased American flora and fauna à la table.
So when Architectural Digest was invited to the White House for the unveiling of the Obama State China Service on Thursday, we knew it would be yet another extraordinary moment in the evolution of official American taste.
First Lady Michelle Obama created the new tableware, which was funded by the White House Historical Association, in collaboration with White House curator William Allman and AD100 designer Michael S. Smith, who decorated the Oval Office and the family’s private quarters, and in consultation with the White House chefs.
“The First Lady has often said that she views her family as caretakers of the White House,” Smith said, “and one of the most important ideas behind the creation of this china was that it must be useful not just for the Obama family but for all future presidents and their families. We wanted it to be modern, so it’s not a matching set, but there is a continuity and theme that joins the pieces. It’s a fresh approach, and one that respects and honors the remarkable beauty and history of the entire White House china collection.”
The new 11-piece place settings (320 were made) are at once lively, practical, and resonant with meaning for the Obama family. The order was placed with Pickard China of Antioch, Illinois—the First Lady’s home state—which has produced tableware for previous administrations. While the distinctive ocean hue that appears on several of the pieces was named Kailua blue for the waters of the President’s native Hawaii, the gilt-edged white dinner plate is a nod to the history of the White House, as Smith and Mrs. Obama used a relief of pinwheels and leaf fronds inspired by Dolly and James Madison’s French Empire porcelain, which was purchased in 1806 when he was the secretary of state. And, in a forward-looking move, the service introduces the individual tureen, a piece never before included in presidential tableware. This versatile piece—which can be used for soups, small entrées, and desserts—will feel right at home on the contemporary table.
As Mrs. Obama said at the presentation, “If you've seen our state dinners, we really do a lot of mixing and matching—sometimes because we really do not have enough, sometimes because we’re trying to create a new modern, different, edgy kind of look. This Kailua blue is one of those colors that will complement some of the other pieces already in the collection in a way that's elegant, and I think it will be timeless. This really came out well. Nice job, everyone involved!"
