In January of 1936, at the Pottery and Glass show in Pittsburgh, a new line of dinnerware was introduced by the Homer Laughlin Company. Little did anyone know what success lay ahead for this dinnerware called "Fiesta."
The idea behind Fiesta was to offer a casual line of dinnerware. The shape was to be streamlined, which allowed it to be compatible with other styles of dinnerware already in use within the customer's home. Color was to be the predominant feature, and to avoid its appearing too severe, a band of rings was added near the edge of each piece.
The selection of colors and texture was a difficult process. The texture decided upon was a semi-reflecting surface comparable to the texture of a billiard ball. This allowed for the dinnerware to be pleasing to the touch, and yet did not produce disruptive reflections that would detract from the piece. Homer Laughlin decided to offer five colors within the Fiesta line. A preference for the brilliant orange-red had already been shown within the industry, therefore, the four remaining colors needed to reflect an appropriate contrast to the orange-red color. A natural contrast to red is blue, and after several color tests, a deep blue was chosen, along with a correct variation of the orange-red. Green was the next color chosen, and the shade decided upon had only a minimum of blue. Yellow was the fourth color, and needed to be exactly halfway between the red and the green. The last color took extra thought. Black was rejected as being too heavy, and Homer Laughlin decided that a subtle color was needed to quiet down the other four. Ivory became the fifth and final color.
The colors were a success. A survey completed in May of 1937 by Homer Laughlin noticed a less than 1 percent difference in sales between the first four colors. The popularity of mixing colors had begun. After Fiesta's introduction, many variations were introduced, such as Harlequin and Riviera. As preferences came and went, Fiesta had big makeovers in both the colors and serving pieces.
A big year for Homer Laughlin was in 1986, when Fiesta was reintroduced after a 13-year absence. The design and colors of the dinnerware had been adapted for contemporary tastes, but it still reflects the Art Deco beauty for which Fiesta is so well known.
The Homer Laughlin Company conducts tours of its Newell, West Virginia factory. Call (304) 387-1300 for more information. A great way to celebrate Fiesta's 60th anniversary!