Marlo Thomas has hosted many parties throughout her 83 years — so designing a collection of pieces for entertaining came naturally for her.
The actress and activist — who came on the scene as the star of That Girl in the '60s and has since been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work with children's cancer foundation St. Jude's — was asked to create a line of tabletop items by the President and CEO of Williams-Sonoma, Laura Alber, after she attended a party at Thomas's house.
"I was fortunate to attend a fundraising event at Marlo's home, where I was able to witness first-hand her ability to make elegant entertaining feel effortless," Alber said in a press release, adding, "I knew that our customers would benefit from her expertise."
And with that, the Marlo Thomas Collection, available now exclusively at Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn, was born.
The new line is comprised of 11 items, including plate and napkin sets, serving bowls and trays, wine and champagne chillers, dip trays and a cheese board that will make any charcuterie-lover swoon. Prices range from $19.95 to $169.95.
Everything was inspired by the actress's travels across the world. For example, the appetizer plates and cocktail napkins decorated with intricate, blue-and-white patterns are similar to some Thomas found at a porcelain market in Kyoto, Japan.
The wine chiller, which is wrapped in solid oak and finished with silver-plated handles, mimics a wooden wine bucket she bought at the famous Portobello Road market in London back in the day. (This is one of her favorite pieces in the collection, she notes, because she loves how it can double as a vase for flowers!)
"To see my very favorite pieces brought to life is a dream come true," Thomas said of the collection. "I can't wait to see how customers use these versatile, classic items in their homes, and I hope they have as much joy sharing them with their friends as I have with mine."
In addition to her acting chops, Thomas is also an author. In May 2020, she released a book called What Makes a Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated Couples Share with Us the Secrets to a Happy Life — a project which she worked on with her husband of more than 40 years, talk show Phil Donahue.
The couple first met in 1977 when Thomas was a guest on Donahue's talk show, and they later described the meeting as "love at first sight." When they wed in 1980, it was the first marriage for Thomas, then 40, who became a stepmother to Donahue's five children from his first marriage.
The pair currently live together on NYC's Upper East Side.
The Marlo Thomas Collection is available now exclusively at Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn.
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