Launching today on DM/BX is The Feast, an exclusive, limited edition dinner party collection curated by New York interior designer Kristen McGinnis. Driven by her flawless taste, expert knowledge of 20th and 21st-century collecting culture, and heightened sensitivity to color and texture, McGinnis commissioned five outstanding creatives to contribute works that as an ensemble offer everything you need to host an unforgettable meal—just add menu, music, and guests.

When we invited McGinnis to create a tabletop collection for us, we knew she’d do something great. But The Feast is a collection-worthy, exquisitely crafted, romance-filled work of functional art beyond our expectations, featuring luxuriously sensual objects produced by singular artist-designers Jeremy Anderson, Yolande Milan Batteau, Farrell Hundley, Michiko Sakano, and Hiroko Takeda.

To commemorate the occasion, we asked McGinnis to share the story behind The Feast. Scroll on to read her response.

Last year, as we were spending time at home, cooking, by necessity, became a central theme. While the world was bleak, it gave me something to look forward to each day. Sharing photos of my many meals and processes on Instagram became a way to stay in touch with friends. Not only did cooking become my creative outlet, I found the alchemy of the plating and food photography key to my creative process.

At the same time, clients of mine realized that they were cherishing time with their families over the many meals they created together. The art of the table was an important backbone to these moments, so they asked me to help them extend their tableware collections.

As someone who has collected tableware since my early twenties, getting this kind of request from a client is a joy; the search is second nature. However, as the marketplace in New York has evolved, I have found sourcing to be increasingly difficult. When I was approached by DM/BX to do a project—and with only a handful of interesting resources left in the city—developing a tableware collection was a no-brainer.

The collection needed to be incredibly personal but at the same time offer wide appeal. The concept of co-creating a collection with artists had to be well thought out, as each person would bring their own ideas and visions to the table (pun intended).

I never expected to be so inspired by the process of collaborating with everyone. Jeremy Anderson’s color-blocked plates helped to inform the painterly table cloth from Yolande Milan Batteau; while the golden brush strokes of Hiroko Takeda’s napkins brought delicacy to the texture of Michiko Sakano’s glassware.

Each piece of The Feast has integrity on its own; yet they all harmonize so well together. If someone buys the whole collection or simply a bowl or set of silverware, I hope that these objects inspire them to spend special time with their families and loved ones over a great meal together. ◆