Although often referred to as Fiesta Ware or Fiestaware, the name of this popular dinnerware is simply, Fiesta.
Manufactured by the Homer Laughlin China Company of West Virginia, Fiesta was not the first solid color dinnerware produced but it was the first mass-promoted and marketed solid color dinnerware in the United States. It’s mix-and-match open-stock concept was a radical departure from the matched dinnerware sets inspired by the Victorian era that were popular at the time of its introduction. With Fiesta, tableware could be purchased individually based on need and personal preference. By it’s second year in production over a million pieces had already been produced and sold.
Fiesta was the creation of Frederick Hurten Rhead, Laughlin’s design director at the time. It was first introduced to the public at the Pittsburge China and Glass Show in 1936.
Originally there were only five colors, Red, Yellow, Cobalt Blue, Green and Ivory, with a sixth color, Turquoise, added the following year. In the early 1950’s the palette was replaced by pastels which were more in keeping with design of the times. In the early 1960’s there was a return to brighter colors. In 1972 Fiesta dinnerware had lost its popularity and production was halted in response to declining sales.
It was not until Bloomingdales’ approached Homer Laughlin in 1986 with a desire to bring back a dinnerware line from the past that production of Fiesta started up again.
This new version of Fiesta was once again an instant success.
Fiesta has been produced in over 38 colors, with a new color offered each year. According to its manufacturer, the Fiesta line remains the leading dinnerware brand in casual tabletop, and is the most collected dinnerware in the history of the tabletop industry.