Alice Beckett Ceramics aims to put the fun in function by creating playful, handcrafted tableware that brings joy to everyday rituals. Handmade in London, each piece balances sculptural form with practicality, encouraging lasting connections between people and the objects they use.
Inspired by the belief that everyday objects should be both practical and playful, each piece balances sculptural form with thoughtful functionality. Handmade in London, the collection encourages lasting connections with the objects we use, celebrating emotional durability and a more considered approach to consumption through contemporary ceramic design.
What is your favourite aspect of running your own creative business?
I love every stage of the process, from sketching and prototyping to making the final piece by hand. The greatest satisfaction comes from seeing an object I’ve created become part of someone’s daily routine and knowing it will be used and enjoyed.
What challenges do you face working for yourself?
Finding enough time is my biggest challenge. Balancing a full-time career with growing my ceramics practice isn’t always easy, but I feel incredibly lucky to do both. Every hour spent in the studio reminds me why I continue making.
What does your typical day look like?
My day consists of my 9–5 job in product development, followed by evenings spent in my ceramic studio in West London. I break my weekly workload into smaller goals, so each evening might be spent designing, slip casting, glazing or finishing pieces—or, more often than not, a combination of them all!
Can you briefly describe your journey since leaving UAL and setting up your business?
After graduating, I was offered a three-month residency at Vista Alegre’s porcelain factory in Portugal, where I designed a ceramic centrepiece and gained first-hand experience of large-scale ceramic production.
Returning to London, I focused on developing my own practice through material exploration and glaze development in a shared studio in West London, leading to the collection stocked in not just a shop today. I now work full time in product development, continuing to grow that side of my creative practice alongside Alice Beckett Ceramics.
Which is your favourite product that you make?
My favourite has to be my ceramic donuts, which function as both egg cups and candle holders. Originally created by accident while experimenting with a new plaster mould-making technique, they went on to inspire my entire final degree collection. I love their tactile, glossy finish and hope they’re just as irresistible to everyone else as they are to me!
Where would you like to take your collection and design career?
I hope to continue growing Alice Beckett Ceramics while expanding my collection with new products and ideas. I’d love to see my work stocked in more design-led retailers and continue developing my career in product design, allowing both sides of my creative practice to inspire one another.
Do you have any advice you would like to offer students or recent graduates wanting to start their own business?
I haven’t been running my business for long, but the past year since graduating has taught me to say yes to opportunities, even if they feel outside your comfort zone. Some of the biggest steps in my journey have come from applying for things I wasn’t sure I’d get. You never know what doors an opportunity might open.
