Reviving Lost Trades: Vitreous Enamel in Contemporary Australian Design

In this Fellowship report, Jordan Fleming explores how vitreous enamel, a durable glass-like coating with a long history in industrial manufacturing and decorative arts, can be reintroduced into contemporary Australian design. As part of her George Alexander Foundation Fellowship, Jordan travelled through France, Belgium and Italy in March and April 2026, visiting factories, workshops, studios and museum collections to investigate the material’s technical possibilities and the practices sustaining its use internationally. Drawing on conversations with specialist manufacturers and artisans, historical research and practical experimentation, she examined how industrial production can be combined with more expressive, hand-applied techniques to create new opportunities for furniture, lighting and object design. The report identifies the decline of specialist knowledge, limited educational pathways and the gap between industrial and artisanal production as key challenges for the Australian industry. Through ongoing collaboration with local manufacturers and design institutions, Jordan highlights practical opportunities to preserve existing expertise, support knowledge transfer and establish vitreous enamel as a viable and distinctive material within contemporary Australian design.