Pattern Profile: English Morn, Pacifica, Pastel Bouquet,
Shadow Iris, Veranda (1986)

Over a 12 month period in the mid-1980s, Corning sought to revitalize Corelle's overall brand image with new product lines, new shapes and dozens of new patterns.  These were segmented into a three-tiered pricing strategy of Good, Better, Best.  The re-staging was complete mid-1986 with the launch of the upmarket Occasions line, which was sold at the highest price point.  These five patterns would appear on the standard rimmed plate shape with a white background. 

English Morn and Pastel Bouquet featured multi-coloured designs in the centre of the plate with coloured bands on the rim and edge.  Pacifica, Shadow Iris and Veranda were the first to employ a brand new decorating technology able to place a contiguous design across the entire surface of the plate.  The ability to run a coloured band around the very edge was also an innovation, and this method seems to have improved over time.  The coloured bands on newer pieces are right on the edge, while bands on older pieces are a bit further in, leaving a white margin. 

Veranda, Pacifica, Pastel Bouquet, English Morn, Shadow Iris.  Image from 1986 catalogue.
  
Bowls and saucers were decorated only with matching coloured bands.  With this product line a new rimmed shape for the soup/cereal bowl was introduced.  It is one inch wider than the coupe bowl style, but with the same capacity.  Dessert bowls and serving bowls remained in the usual coupe shape. 

(Photo: English Morn close-up.)

Initially the sets included porcelain cups in the new 'Occasions' style: tall, narrow and elegantly tapered.  This cup style would evolve to Suprema, Corning Ware and then stoneware, so for the longest-lived patterns, cups of differing materials exist.  

Cream & sugar sets for the Occasions line were also a distinctive new shape and made of porcelain.  Many came with a 'Made in Japan' label, like the original cups did.  Once this tapered style was discontinued, the newer rounded stoneware type from the Corelle Coordinates line would be employed for Shadow Iris.

(Photo: Veranda sugar bowl and creamer in the tapered Occasions style, made of porcelain.)

Pastel Bouquet was established as a Corning Ware pattern six months prior to the Corelle version's launch, and it replaced Wildflower as one of the three basic cookware patterns, alongside Blue Cornflower and Spice O' Life.  A wide selection of matching Corning Ware was available in Pastel Bouquet as well as Shadow Iris.  Classic Corning Ware shapes were made in sizes ranging from 2¾ cup Petite Pans to 5 Qt casseroles.  Other pieces include teapots and roasters.  For Shadow Iris, Menu-ette sets and larger long-handled saucepans also exist.

Shadow Iris 2¾ cup Petite Pan and Pastel Bouquet 6 cup Teapot.

Of these initial Occasions patterns, Shadow Iris is by far the most popular, and is still in production now.  Veranda was last available in 1992.  English Morn was dropped quickly in late 1986 or early 1987.  The only definite knowledge about the remaining two is that they disappeared between 1987 and 1992, although it does seem that Pacifica was available longer than Pastel Bouquet.

A different selection of Shadow Iris is decorated overseas for other markets and it is possible to find many non-standard pieces with the full decoration, but no coloured band at all.  These include: divided plates, 28/12/6 oz deep bowls, rimmed 4 oz bowl, shallow 6¾" bowl, flat-rim soup plate; there may be more.  On the domestic market, this pattern became available in the square Corelle style in 2009. 

Pastel Bouquet is also a current pattern overseas and these pieces are decorated quite differently than the original version.  The plates are a coupe style and the pattern circles the rim, leaving the centre bare, with no coloured band on the edge.  It is also made in the square style for that market.

Corning Ware A-10.  Some Pastel Bouquet pieces feature a wrap-around decoration.

Corelle Dinnerware:

Rimmed Plates:
Dinner Plate (10¼")
Luncheon Plate (9")
Bread & Butter Plate (7¼")
Pie Plate, Multi-Dish (10¼”) - Shadow Iris

Saucer (6¼") ‡

Porcelain Occasions Cup (8 oz)
Suprema Occasions Cup  (8 oz) - Shadow Iris, Veranda
Corning Ware Occasions Cup (8 oz) - Shadow Iris
Stoneware Occasions Cup (8 oz) - Shadow Iris

Occasions Cream & Sugar (tapered, porcelain)
Coordinates Cream & Sugar (rounded, stoneware) - Shadow Iris

Dessert Bowl (10 oz 5 3/8”) ‡
Rimmed Soup/Cereal Bowl (18 oz 7¼") ‡
Soup Bowl (8½”, coupe, shallow) ‡ - Shadow Iris
28 oz Deep Bowl (6¼”) ‡ - Shadow Iris
1 Qt Serving Bowl (8½") ‡
Oval Platter (12½")

‡ - coloured bands:
English Morn = 2 grey bands;  Pacifica = taupe;  Pastel Bouquet = light green & light blue;  Shadow Iris = light green;  Veranda = light grey-blue. 

 
Related Articles:
Plate Styles: Standard Rimmed
Corning Ware Teapots
Corning Ware Petite Pans
Pattern List: Occasions Cups

NEXT Occasions Profile.