A day out in our glassworks
We celebrated the launch of the Neotenic collection with a behind-the-scenes lunch in our home.
To mark the launch of the Neotenic Collection, our new collaboration with Buchanan Studio, we welcomed a small group of friends of the brand to our Oxfordshire site for an intimate day behind the scenes. It was a chance to share not just a new collection, but the atmosphere and craft that shape our work, in the place where the lights come to life.
Guests included interior designers, press and industry voices, alongside members of the Original BTC team and close collaborators. The mix brought together different disciplines and perspectives, united by a shared interest in materiality, making and design.
Making Glass
The visit centred on our glassworks, one of the few remaining in the UK where glass is still mouth blown by hand. Here, the shades for the Neotenic Collection are formed, each one shaped individually from molten glass. Our glassmakers talked guests through the process, demonstrating how heat, timing and subtle movements come together to create the softly marbled forms of the collection.
Under careful guidance, guests were then invited to take part themselves, stepping up to the blowpipe and shaping hot glass into a mould. It was a rare opportunity to experience the skill and concentration involved, and a moment that brought the physicality of the craft into sharp focus.
From Furnace to Fire
Afterwards, attention turned from the furnace to the fire. Lunch was prepared by The Bushcamp team, cooked over an open grill and served in our glass cold works space, which had been transformed into an intimate dining setting. The food was seasonal and hearty, perfectly suited to the time of year, and offered a relaxed moment to gather, reflect and share the experience.
Staying true to the Made in England theme, wine and fizz were poured from Sandridge Barton in Devon, alongside crisp cider from Showerings in Somerset and non-alcoholic spritzes from Botivo. Dessert followed in the form of meringue with ice cream, echoing the Neotenic palette — Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla — and providing a sweet close to the afternoon.
