When Queen Elizabeth II visited Slovenia in 2008, she was given a very special porcelain tea set. The cups, pots, and dishes all contained graphical elements of a traditional Slovenian flower – the carnation --, combined with the very British motif of London’s Big Ben.

The gift was a product of Catbriyur, a Slovenian company that has in recent years acquired an international reputation for unique porcelain items. Catbriyur was the brainchild of Katja Bricman and her husband Jure Bricman. (The name derives from their last names and both of their first names.)

The Bricmans founded the company after several years of working as art teachers. They had several ideas for their new company, but none of them turned out to be successful. That changed when Katja Bricman attended a seminar on the manufacture of ceramics. She was excited by the sheer potential of clay, and the Bricmans decided to bring their unique design ideas to life using porcelain. Lacking any knowledge of the material, they spent months in their workshop trying out various techniques. Just as Jure Bricman was about to give up, they discovered a new, technologically advanced method of making and shaping fine porcelain.

However, what really set Catbriyur apart were their unique designs. The plates, trays, cups, and jewelry from their workshop all feature a recognizable style, with organic, florally inspired shapes accented with touches of gold and blue paint. All of the products are hand-made, and each whimsical design is one-of-a-kind.

Despite minimal advertising, Catbriyur soon became a sough-after brand, and Bricmans were recognized as two of Slovenia’s most successful entrepreneurs.

Recommended by guidebooks, their store in Ljubljana quickly became a “must-visit” spot for many tourists. But the Bricmans set their sights even higher: They opened a gallery in Paris, where Catbriyur products became popular even among the often difficult-to-please Parisians.
Their products have also become a common diplomatic gift of the Slovenian government. In addition the British Queen, Vladmir Putin and the King of Norway now also own porcelain sets from Catbriyur.

But despite increasing demand, Katja and Jure Bricman still produce their unique porcelain creations in their own workshop – never in a factory. They realize that it was their commitment to quality over quantity that made Catbriyur an internationally famous Slovenian brand in the first place.