Meet The Maker: Laetitia Rouget
And dive into her exclusive collaboration with SOFRA
If you’re anything like me and find yourself falling into deep tableware rabbit holes on Instagram and never skip the homeware section at Selfridges or Harrods; you’ve probably come across Laetitia Rouget’s unmistakable plates. In just a few years, she’s created a wildly distinctive style that instantly sets her work apart. I first discovered her designs through a print I loved at The Conran Shop, which she created with Pangea, the design studio she co-founded with Colombine Jubert. Fast forward a few years, and it genuinely fills me with joy to now have her pieces on SOFRA.
Her plates are fun and the sayings she chooses are bound to put a smile on your face. Some of our best-sellers feature her signature phrases like “naughty boy” and “dirty dancing,” little bursts of personality that have become part of her charm. Earlier this year, I reached out to Laetitia with an idea for two plates inspired by flavours at the heart of Middle Eastern tables, ones I love and knew would resonate deeply with our community: olive oil and za’atar. Simple, essential, and never missing from the table, they’re more than ingredients; they’re an instant shorthand for home. I’m thrilled to share that these plates are now live on our website.
Ahead of the launch, I sat down with Laetitia whose playful, colourful world has now found its place on the SOFRA table through this collaboration to talk about all things food, hosting, and of course, ceramics.
Spending time with our artisans, whether in their studios or squeezed around their kitchen tables, has quietly become my favourite part of SOFRA. You start talking about ceramics and end up talking about childhood meals, family rituals, and the little details that make a table feel like it belongs to someone. That’s really how the Meet the Maker series came to life: as a way of honouring those moments and the people behind them.
Before we launched this collaboration, I had one of those conversations with Laetitia. Here’s a little of what we talked about.
Your work has a sense of joy and theatre to it, as if your table is your canvas. Could you walk us through how you like to set your table when you’re at home? What matters to you most when it comes to table setting?
For me, setting the table is like staging a small play. I love to play with colour, form, and a touch of the unexpected. I don’t follow strict rules; I mix shapes, textures, and whatever props I find around me, whether from nature or my studio. I like the table to feel alive, slightly imperfect, as if everything has its own little story. What matters most to me is the atmosphere, that sense of generosity and play, rather than precision.
What does hosting mean to you personally?
Hosting is a gesture of love. It’s about creating a moment where people feel relaxed and connected. It doesn’t matter if the food is simple or the plates don’t match, it’s about warmth and energy with people you love.
Is there someone who has inspired or influenced how you host?
At home, food and tableware have always been serious business. My grandparents and parents worked in the porcelain industry, so I basically grew up flipping plates to check the name underneath and noticing every tiny detail. Our tables were always beautiful, but maybe a little too proper for my taste.
I moved to London and discovered the British way of hosting: slightly chaotic, full of charm, and completely unafraid of colour and happy mismatches. Now, my table is a joyful mix of all those worlds, with a good dose of Portuguese sunshine and spontaneity on top.
The SOFRA table often brings together people from different places and cultures. You’ve lived between France, the UK, and Portugal - how has that multicultural journey shaped the way you gather people?
It’s made me love contrasts: a bit of French sensibility, British humour, and Portuguese warmth. I like when a table feels like a collage of cultures, languages, and tastes in the food but as well the people I gather together. That mix makes everything richer, more interesting and more human.
What’s your idea of the perfect “night in”? Are you the kind to cook, curate, or simply pour a drink and let things unfold?
A bit of all three! I’ll set a playful table, light some candles, open a good bottle, and then let the evening find its own rhythm. I love when things unfold naturally, when people start telling stories and no one checks the time.
My favourite part of dinner is always dessert, partly because I love a good cake (of course!), but also because it means we’re getting closer to dancing time. The best nights always end with music and a little bit of chaos on the kitchen dance floor!
If you could invite three guests (past or present) to your dream dinner, who would they be, what would be on the table and what would you make?
I’d invite Dali, Rosalia, and Matisse. We’d eat something simple but delicious. Maybe a Portuguese roast fish with lots of herbs and lemon, a gratin dauphinois, a colourful salad, and a slightly wonky cake I’ve made myself. And of course, a big jug of wine. The conversation would be art, love, and laughter !
What’s your favourite detail to add to a table - something that always makes it feel you?
Handmade touches: a ceramic flower, a candle holder that smiles, or a plate that’s a little irregular. Something that feels personal and slightly humorous.
I love every kind of table, from the simplest to the most cinematic! My favourites are the ones that are always a little lived-in: a few crumbs, some wine stains, lots of laughter. That’s when it feels real. And of course, the most important thing on any table is always your guests!
Who, to you, is the ultimate host, someone who makes people feel at ease?
Someone who doesn’t try too hard. The kind of person who pours you a drink before you’ve even asked and laughs with you about nothing. Hosting should feel effortless and human.
What’s the best hosting advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?
A friend once told me, “People remember how you made them feel, not what you served.” It’s so true and quite reassuring, because I’m definitely not always the best cook! That part can stress me out a bit, but in the end, what matters most is the atmosphere and the laughter around the table. A bad cooking skill can be the start of a good laugh too !
The spirit of sharing, whether food, ideas, or laughter, runs through everything you do. What’s one object in your home that embodies that spirit?
Probably the first vase I made in London and used all the time to decorate my home and dinner table. It’s not perfect, but it’s travelled with me between countries and has held so many meals, stories, and moments.
What’s your favorite gift to bring a host?
A small ceramic piece I’ve made. Something playful, like a candle holder or a plate with a message. Or if I’m short on time, a really good bottle of wine!
Collaboration seems to be at the heart of your creative world. What makes a collaboration truly work for you?
I love collaborations. They’re such a beautiful way to connect with people and imagine something new together! Every project teaches me something different: sometimes a new skill, sometimes a new way of seeing things. I find it exciting when two worlds meet and create something unexpected, where each keeps its personality but also grows from the exchange.
The SOFRA collaboration reimagines tableware as art, both collectible and functional. How do you want people to feel when they use these pieces?
I want them to feel joy, like they’re part of a little story. To use something beautiful but not take it too seriously. Art can live on the table, not just on the wall.
Do you have a favourite tableware artist or maker whose work you return to? Someone who inspires you creatively?
I often find inspiration in anonymous handmade pieces from flea markets. They usually have more soul than anything perfectly polished! But many artists inspire me too, like Samantha Kerdine and Sophie Lou Jacobsen, and of course the iconic worlds of Hermès and Matisse. Their shapes, colours, and sense of imagination always spark something in me.
Thank you, Laetitia, for sharing your world with us. Your approach to hosting and living feels so aligned with what we try to celebrate at SOFRA and I’m excited to share with the world the pieces we’ve created together.
Discover the Laetitia x SOFRA collaboration online.
Until next time Sahtein, and thank you for pulling up a chair,
Dana x
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