Success story and starting again
Back to the roots and coming full circle. It all began with a milk glass that was designed 25 years ago – only this time around, the design classic is given a contemporary twist. In 1992, Ritzenhoff paired up with sieger design to create a series of versatile glass objects. The collection was designed to carry the signature of not only one, but many renowned creatives from around the world. Michael Sieger himself paved the way with his black and white cowhide pattern design, before others such as Alessandro Mendini or James Rizzi followed suit with their own designs. These unique works of art kick-started the idea of everyday object design, which for the first time, made designer pieces accessible to the greater public. More than five million milk glasses have been sold to this day making them a beloved collector’s item.
This year, the Ritzenhoff brand, once again, and along with sieger design and many other well-known creatives around the world, is set to re-launch, rethinking both its conceptual and aesthetic work.
 
The 2017 collection
Back to the future – the milk glass is back after 25 years and ready to kick off the Ritzenhoff re-launch. Beer, gin and champus glasses nicely round off the new, high-quality collection, setting the scene for the drinks we so love right now. The four puristic, archetypically designed glasses gave the many collaborating creatives a perfect blank canvas.
The different designs – some funny, some ironic or with aesthetic or graphic design decors – characterise the 29 artists and creatives from eleven different countries. For example, product designer Naoto Fukasawa (Japan), architect Patricia Urquiola (Spain), interior designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance (France), illustration and graphic studio Pentagram (Germany) and artist Arik Levy (Israel). sieger design has also designed minimalistic, high-quality packaging for each of
the four glass series.
 
The new Ritzenhoff milk glass design is like the drink itself: archaic. The tapered shape and flatter form differentiate it from its predecessor, making it a contemporary yet classic piece. The charming, playful, sensual and sometimes ironic decors are kept in black to preserve the iconic, aesthetic appeal of the glass.
The white of the milk, once poured into the glass, offsets the 12 different designs wonderfully.
GLASSES AND GLASS DESIGNERS
MILK GLASSES
Designers (listed alphabetically)
TINA BERNING
PIERRE CHARPIN
SAIMAN CHOW
NAOTO FUKASAWA
FUKSAS
HUGO GUINNESS
ARIK LEVY
JUSTUS OEHLER/PENTAGRAM
PETER PICHLER
SIEGER DESIGN
STUDIO JOB
MARK ANDREW WEBBER
 
BEER GLASSES
The Ritzenhoff beer glass is everything you’d expect: the perfect size, unpretentious and authentic. “It is what it is,” says designer Michael Sieger about the glass design. The beer glass is an archetypal drinking vessel that’s easy to handle and made for pure beer enjoyment! The typographic and illustrative decors, with up to three colours and gold accents, will grab your attention and put a smile on your face.
Designers (listed alphabetically)
FUKSAS
PIERO LISSONI
JUSTUS OEHLER/PENTAGRAM
SONIA PEDRAZZINI
PETER PICHLER
JOAN TARRAGÓ
STUDIO BESAU-MARGUERRE
STUDIO JOB
 
GIN GLASSES
Gin is in and found in any good bar these days. The new Ritzenhoff glass, with reflecting chrome accents and graphic or playful decors for a fresh look, is the ideal, elegant drinking glass for classic long drinks or trending cocktails. The glass design in yellow and black is reminiscent of the classic tonic water used in many well-loved drinks, while the simple conical glass shape ensures the glass stands well.
Designers (listed alphabetically)
PAULINE DELTOUR
CLAUS DORSCH
MONICA FÖRSTER
DAVID CECIL HOLMES
PIERO LISSONI
GISBERT PÖPPLER
STUDIO JOB
STUDIOPEPE
 
CHAMPUS GLASSES
The new champus glass certainly supersedes its 90s predecessor in both shape and form, and through its redefined style and elegance. The perfectly designed hexagonal stem echoes the classic sentiments of crystal glassware while the first eight decors in jet black with gold and platinum accents mirror the exclusivity of the drink within. This glass is characteristic of pure, elegant, high-class Ritzenhoff design –and nothing less.
Designers (listed alphabetically)
CARLO DAL BIANCO
NOÉ DUCHAUFOUR-LAWRANCE
PETER HORRIDGE
NERI & HU
NERODISEPPIA
MARLIES PLANK
SIEGER DESIGN
PATRICIA URQUIOLA
 
It is the success story of a lifetime that began with a new Ritzenhoff marketing strategy in the 90s
predestined to redefine the industry. Glass pieces designed by a selection of renowned designers from around the world piqued the curiosity of both consumers and designers to such an extent, that for the latter, the design process itself became a competitive undertaking.
The milk glass marked the true breakthrough and today, the milk glass is a timeless design piece that is testament to the product’s success over the past twenty-five years. In 1992, fifteen samples went on show after which the collection was officially launched. By December of the same year, 70,000 pieces had been sold. Ritzenhoff worked with sieger design for thirteen years until 2005 to continually develop and grow the brand. In doing so, it was important to stay true to the founding principle of taking a predefined object such as a vase, silk scarf or even teddy bear and applying different decors to the object’s surfaces. It was a model that was transferable to multiple production lines and which has seen the company become a leader in the drinking glasses segment. To date more that 400 creatives have collaborated on projects, creating 4,400 design items that have been shipped to over 80 countries. This also includes the five million milk glasses sold to date.
 
Manufacturer
Ritzenhoff AG
Sametwiesen 2
34431 Marsberg
Germany
+49/2992/981-0
rc@ritzenhoff.de
www.ritzenhoff.de