Villeroy & Boch's 'La Boule': A Pop Art Icon of Picnic Design

Villeroy & Boch, founded in 1748 by François Boch and merged in 1836 with Villeroy, is a German industrial powerhouse known for its historic and creative pedigree. In the early 1970s, under the artistic direction of Helen von Boch (1938–2007), the company launched 'La Boule' ('Die Kugel'), a revolutionary stackable porcelain sphere comprising 19 pieces for four people. The design, a colorful and decorative ball when assembled, transformed the concept of tableware. Today, it is available in two sizes: a seven-piece dinner set for two (from €299) and a five-piece snacking set (from €139). Original color variants have become collectors' items, with reissues in black, white, and polychrome patterns like 'Miami', 'Kyoto', and 'Memphis'. Helen von Boch also collaborated with Italian designer Federico Fabbrini in 1968 on 'La Bomba', a steel picnic cutlery set, followed by a 41-piece melamine picnic set in 1972, both now held at MoMA as anti-Tupperware manifestos. Throughout the 20th century, Villeroy & Boch commissioned talents including Henry Van de Velde, Peter Behrens, Joseph Maria Olbrich, Luigi Colani, Paloma Picasso, Matteo Thun, Keith Haring, Terence Conran, Maggy Champsaur, Kenzo, Wolfgang Joop, and Roberto Capucci. The article appears in Beaux Arts Magazine n°503, May 2026.