Off the table
JULISKA’S CAPUCINE GOODING SHIFTS FROM DINNERWARE TO DESIGNING MORE PERSONAL, WEARABLE PIECES
Capucine De Wulf Gooding loves to set a pretty table whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner. “I’m a maximalist,” she says with a laugh. “I care about the way things look.”
The co-founder of Juliska, purveyors of high-end tableware, says her three daughters, ages 11, 14 and 16, start their day at the family table set with placemats, napkins, napkin rings, spoons, knives and forks, because you never know which utensils you’ll need.
Born in Paris to a French father and a mother from Texas, Gooding was raised in the States, but says has a European sensibility.
French was her first language. She and her husband, David Gooding, started Juliska in 2001 after attending a trade show in Paris and falling in love with mouth-blown Bohemian glassware from the Czech Republic. Eighteen years later the couple and their business, which includes not only the Bohemian glasses, but dinnerware, commer
cial and home lighting and table linens, are still going strong.
“We’re joined at the hip,” Gooding says of her husband and business partner. “He’s the CEO and I’m the chief creative officer. It’s a tangled ball of love and adventure.”
We asked Capucine Gooding, 44, about her business, her unique line of jewelry that celebrates women of all ages and how she entertains at her New Canaan home. Q: What particularly drew you to the classic Bohemian glassware you saw in 2000?
A: I’d never seen anything like it. It was beautiful, but imperfect. I was totally fascinated by how timeless it was, yet (the technique) dates back to the 14th century. We were newlyweds. David had an import business and was looking for new products. I made special occasion gowns in New York City and thought I’d be the next Carolina Herrera. My love then was fashion. We went to see the glassblowers in the Czech Republic and started with drinking glasses melding different techniques from Bohemia. (I thought) it was similar to Italian Murano glass, but a little more rock ’n roll. We began using authentic motifs and creating new motifs.
Q: Juliska offers 22 dinnerware patterns, with the Berry & Thread design as the company’s bestseller. All the ceramic stoneware patterns are designed to complement each other. What do you think people are looking for in tableware and how do you prepare your table at home?
A: People are trying to do mix and match and are spending more time on tabletop. It’s more fun now. I like to call it “thoughtful entertaining.” I spend more time on the table than on the food. I scavenge around the house for unpredictable objects (to use). I love flowers, dozens of candles, fun napkin rings. I have 17 years of (Juliska) napkin rings, from bestsellers to flops. I always do place cards in my “faux-ligraphy.” I haven’t taken a calligraphy class yet. I put a question on the back of the cards in case of a lull (in conversation). Q: When setting the table, what are some trends you’re seeing?
A: Tiny, like using little ramekins with orchids in them. Using bowls is big. We find that people are reaching for a generously sized bowl rather than a dinner plate for elegant, everyday living. That is, of course, coupled with food trends — grain bowls, salads and so on. These are foods that naturally lend themselves better to bowls rather than plates. It also functions much differently than a dinner plate and allows you to eat somewhere other than the table with ease. It’s a little more family friendly and easy to carry. Q: What inspired you to start a jewelry line last year?
A: I always loved jewelry. My mother and grandmother always wore jewelry. If I had one wish it would be that every woman in this world would feel loved. Women celebrate self-love by adorning themselves. We wear jewelry that means something to us. Q: How do you design each piece? A: The way I think of design is European with an American sensibility. European is collected, layered, understated and old. American is bright, new, flashy and more temporal. I think of every stage of a woman (from) maiden to mademoiselle to madam to matriarch. I think of a characteristic, like kindness or love, and how to embody that. When I think of my daughter Lily and how kind she is (I wanted) to celebrate that kindness. (The design) became the Lily Dewdrop necklace. I made it proportional to the person, like a tiny dewdrop for a child, then scale it up or down depending on the age. The (jewelry) collections, like the Mothers and Daughters, can be mixed or matched so you can have the generations reflect the qualities. Q: Where do you find inspiration for your creative energy?
A: I find inspiration everywhere. We have a wonderful team at Juliska, because it takes a village. I oversee everything and work with a very passionate team. The most important job I do is being a mother. I hope, looking back 10 years from now, my children will say, “My mom was amazing.”