continued. . . 

The savvy Jenks knew it was time for a change. The best way to bring her designs to a broader audience was to shut down production and center on licensing her art to the folks who could make and market it more competitively than she. “I had to completely change my focus,” Jenks confirms. “Manufacturing was changing, the world was changing, it was time for me to change too. I started my company one way and ended doing something completely different. It was time for stage two, to focus my energy on designing not producing.”

Two years ago Lisa Jenks Limited halted production and moved into licensing, partnering with QVC (jewelry), Homestead (linens), and Lifetime Brands (tableware). “Lisa has the unique ability to apply her iconic designs across multiple categories in a wide variety of materials,” says Alan Kanter, Lifetime Brands group president. “There’s a void in the market for texture and pattern done in a modern way, and we believe Lisa’s collections fill that void. Her contemporary looks feel warm and comfortable and her designs can stand alone or mix together.”

The change has rejuvenated Jenks. “Working with Lifetime has been amazing,” she enthuses. “This is such a comprehensive company. We’ve just begun to scratch the surface of types of products we can work on together.” And the give-and-take with Lifetime’s design department has replenished her creative juices. “I don’t design in a vacuum so it’s been great having a talented team to feed off,” Jenks continues. “This is a formidable company that can take my designs in a bigger direction. I’m getting the chance to do what I’ve always wanted to. It’s like I’ve died and gone to design heaven.” Jenks’ collections include flatware ($82.50 to $105, five pieces), dinnerware ($50 to $90), glass home décor ($60 to $75), stemware ($45, four pieces), and frames ($30 to $75). “The quality is amazing,” Jenks notes. “I didn’t have to compromise to bring my designs to a larger market.”

Lifetime product developer FLEECE HAS enjoyed working alongside Jenks. “With these new introductions, we bring vivid color and fantastic energy to our collections,” says Fleece. “Lisa’s dinnerware and glassware capture her spirit and work beautifully with her flatware, frames, and home décor. Everyone can enjoy a piece of Lisa’s wonderful imagination in their home. She brings a hip new beat to entertaining.”
The prolific Jenks has turned up the volume for a follow-up launch this spring, but it’s a mode with which she’s quite comfortable. “My design process is second nature,” Jenks explains. “I gather ideas and let them simmer. My process is automatic after all these years and that’s nice.” Inspiration continues to come in patterns she spies. “You’d be surprised,” she laughs. “There are patterns in everything. I can look at a building radiator and see the pattern. Train tracks, nature. There are always patterns. I use my cell phone a lot, taking pictures of what I see. I also keep big books on things that inspire me. And, of course, ancient cultures. It just depends on what catches my fancy on any particular day.”

Happily, the revamped business model affords Jenks the time to think about and work on design daily. “It’s a non-stop process really,” she says. That process extends to the home she makes with her photographer husband and two children. It was, in fact, her kids’ game of Sorry! which inspired a new Lifetime dinnerware design. “I was looking at the game pieces,” she begins, “which were very cool. I did a rough sketch which evolved into dinnerware. There’s no reason what I do can’t be fun.” No reason at all. It’s perhaps why Jenks is such a fan of her own work. “There are designs I haven’t seen in awhile and I fall in love all over again,” she regales. “They’re all my children and I love them all.”