A new universe of Christmas collections and table accessories debuts, as designer Alessandra Baldereschi transforms glass into miniature worlds of wonder for the Ichendorf Milano Christmas table.
To turn simple glassware into a transparent stage for poetry has long been the quiet art of Ichendorf Milano. For Christmas 2025, that stage is set by the visionary designer Alessandra Baldereschi, as the brand unveils five limited-edition collections. This launch represents the latest, most enchanting chapter in a long-standing dialogue between an artist dedicated to narrative and a brand devoted to material purity.
From the delicate garlands of Christmas Tales to the vibrant candy swirls of a colorful Schiaccianoci (The Nutcracker), and through the enchanted forests of Woodland Tales, these new series are the result of meticulous craftsmanship in hand-made, lamp-worked borosilicate glass. The festive ensemble is completed with a holiday reinterpretation of the beloved Tabby Cat and the quiet elegance of the Botanica collections. In this collaboration, Ichendorf Milano’s unwavering commitment to minimalist form creates the perfect, crystalline proscenium upon which Alessandra Baldereschi constructs entire narrative universes.
A Legacy of Lightness: The Ichendorf Trajectory
The story of Ichendorf begins not in the bustling design capital of Milan, but in the small German town of Quadrath-Ichendorf, near Cologne, in the early 20th century. In its nascent years, the company’s identity was shaped by the prevailing tastes of the era. Master-glaziers worked with silica-based compounds to create intricate objects adorned with the elaborate ornamentation that defined refined European households, showcasing a technical skill where the value of the object was intrinsically linked to its decorative complexity.
A seismic shift occurred in the 1950s, a moment of profound re-evaluation that would irrevocably alter the brand’s trajectory. In a bold move, Ichendorf’s leadership decided to favor clean shape and purity of material. Old forms and adornments were consciously abolished in an endless search for a new, more democratic aesthetic. The brand turned away from the exclusive language of ornamentation and embraced the universal principles of modernism: simplicity, accessibility, and an honest expression of the material itself.
This new design ethos found its ultimate home in 1990, when the Ichendorf style center was established in Milan, the global epicenter of design innovation. The relocation was more than a geographical move; it was a strategic immersion into a culture of artistic collaboration and forward-thinking design. Here, the company’s German heritage of meticulous craftsmanship fused with a distinctly Italian creative sensibility, creating a hub where artists and designers could engage directly with the very essence of the material.
It is precisely this philosophy that makes the collaboration with a narrative-driven designer like Alessandra Baldereschi so potent. Ichendorf provides the pure, unobtrusive frame, and within that space, Baldereschi’s magic is allowed to unfold, protected and amplified by the very simplicity that surrounds it.
The Poetics of Glass: Alessandra Baldereschi’s Vision
Understanding the soul of the Christmas collections means understanding the artistic vision of Alessandra Baldereschi. A Milan-based designer and a graduate of the prestigious Domus Academy, her approach is deeply informed by her earlier artistic training, leading her to conceptualize projects primarily as “image”. Her objects are not just functional solutions but visual compositions, each telling a story.
Her creative wellspring is a rich amalgam of nature, fables, and memory. Her work showcases a fresh new narrative talent fuelled by naturalistic references. This inspiration manifests in pieces that are whimsical yet sophisticated, transforming everyday items into characters within a larger tale.
Baldereschi’s signature style is a “hybridization of plain and fancy“. Her talent lies in her ability to imbue functional pieces with a poetic feel through the strategic use of “minimal shapes and accents“. The iconic Animal Farm tumblers are the quintessential example of this philosophy in action: a clean, perfectly proportioned glass cylinder that holds a meticulously crafted glass animal at its base—a squirrel, a hedgehog, a turtle.
Baldereschi approaches her collections with the mind of a scenographer, designing distinct elements that can be assembled to “form a scene”. This insight is critical. Her Christmas table accessories are not static products; they are components of an interactive narrative, a toolkit for personal expression that invites one to become a co-creator of their own holiday landscape.
A Festive Micro-Cosmos: The Christmas 2025 Collections
The five Christmas 2025 collections arrive as a unified ensemble, each representing a different facet of a singular, enchanting vision for the holiday season. Every piece is a testament to the brand’s commitment to artisanal quality, meticulously handcrafted and lamp-worked from resilient borosilicate glass. Together, they form a cohesive micro-cosmos where festive tradition meets contemporary design, inviting the creation of a personal narrative landscape for the Christmas table.
The table below provides a structured overview of the five distinct yet interconnected worlds that comprise this universe of Christmas decorations.
Christmas Tales: Icons Reimagined in Glass
The Christmas Tales collection delves into the most traditional holiday themes, yet Baldereschi skillfully avoids cliché by infusing each object with a sense of dynamic life. A tumbler features a “jumping Santa,” an hourglass contains a snowman, and an elf waves from within a mug. This approach transforms familiar icons into miniature sculptures of joy, turning each piece into a frozen moment of festive action. A teapot with Santa Claus nestled inside becomes more than a vessel; it is a narrative object that elevates the Christmas table setting with every pour.
Schiaccianoci: A Crystalline Ballet for the Table
With Schiaccianoci (The Nutcracker), Baldereschi undertakes the ambitious task of translating the ephemeral art of ballet into the permanent form of glass. The collection skillfully blurs the line between fairytale and form, capturing the elegance and whimsy of the classic winter ballet. Delicate ballerinas and stoic toy soldiers come to life in transparent glass, their forms evoking a sense of weightless movement. The clarity of the glass mirrors the ethereal magic of a stage performance, making each sip feel like a toast to the enchantment of the season.
Woodland Tales: Suspended Fables and Forest Magic
The Woodland Tales collection, where the world-building strategy is most evident, has long been a cornerstone of the Baldereschi-Ichendorf collaboration—an invitation into an enchanted forest. The Christmas edition expands the beloved universe by adding a seasonal layer, creating what feels like a “snow-covered imagination”. A lonely fawn is now joined by holly branches, a tealight holder becomes a “wish tree,” and glass ornaments capture new characters like beavers and brown bears. They are not just Christmas decorations, but new chapters in a familiar story.
The Alchemy of Borosilicate
The magical fusion of whimsical artistry and everyday practicality that defines these Christmas collections is made possible by the material itself.
Borosilicate glass is prized for its superior clarity and brilliance, allowing the intricate internal sculptures to be viewed without distortion. More importantly, it has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, meaning it can withstand rapid temperature changes without cracking—allowing a delicate-looking teapot to be filled with boiling water without risk.
Despite its light weight, the material is also surprisingly durable, making it suitable for daily use and even dishwasher safe. It is paired with the art of lamp-working: a handmade process where an artisan uses a high-temperature torch to meticulously shape and fuse rods of solid glass, a technique that allows for the creation of the complex, three-dimensional figures that are the heart and soul of Baldereschi’s designs.
The Ritual of Joy
The Christmas 2025 collections from Ichendorf Milano and Alessandra Baldereschi are a harmonious synthesis of vision, heritage, and material innovation. They are active participants in the life of a home, designed to elevate daily routines into meaningful ceremonies. They invite to slow down, to savour the ceremony of pouring, serving, and sharing. A simple morning coffee becomes a moment with a forest creature; a festive toast is raised with a glass that holds the spirit of a ballet.
In the intricate, crystalline world that has been so carefully constructed, every object is a fragment of a story, a prompt for conversation, and a small, beautiful instrument for transforming the mundane into the magical. They remind us that good design is not only about aesthetics or function, but also about joy.