New Designers exhibition is the leading showcase of graduate design talent as they emerge from the UK’s design courses, presenting everything from architecture to animation, furniture to fashion, graphics to glass. Hosted under one roof at Islington’s Business Design Centre (BDC), visitors can access over 3,500 new talents across the two-part event.

NEW DESIGNERS 2010

PART 1: 1st-4th July 2010 >>> Textiles; Fashion & Accessories; contemporary Applied Arts; Ceramics & Glass; Jewellery & Precious Metalwork.

PART 2: 8th-11th July 2010 >>> Product Design; Furniture; Visual Communications (including Graphic Design & Illustration); Spatial Design.

BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE

52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH (08448 480 139)

Due to the sheer volume of work being exhibited, New Designers is split across two shows with each show focussing on the creative disciplines listed above.

2010 is a landmark for New Designers, which will have been running for 25 successful years. To mark this anniversary, ‘Where are you now’ celebrates the success of a number of New Designer’s alumni with work displayed (and for sale) near the upper café.

Alongside the graduates’ exhibits is a special showcase of design entrepreneurs entitled ‘One Year On.’ As the name suggests, it presents a selected showcase of designers whose work has matured and progressed in their first year in business. Thorsten van Elten curates the 40 contributors.

An extensive talks and seminars programme adds further interest with sessions offering advice for professional development and insights into some of the key issues of the day.

We will be selling copies of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE at New Designers Part Two.

Morphing basket weave, a self-contained laundry and an over-sized charm bracelet are just some of the works that have been selected for the third and final Jerwood Contemporary Makers at the Jerwood Space.

JERWOOD CONTEMPORARY MAKERS, 16th June-25th July 2010

JERWOOD SPACE

171 Union Street, London SE1 0LN (020 7654 0171)

This year’s exhibition will explore the notion of making from a variety of creative perspectives. Selectors Hans Stofer, Richard Slee and Freddie Robins – three of the most inventive names in the visual arts – have chosen 29 makers to take part, each of whom will exhibit one work and receive an equal share of a £30,000 prize fund.

Jerwood Contemporary Makers was launched by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation in 2008 as a three-year exhibition series supporting and showcasing emerging creative talent. Each year, a different panel of selectors has curated the exhibition, inviting a group of makers to respond to a different guiding concept.

The exhibition is designed by Michael Marriott.

The Crafts Council’s annual art fair for contemporary objects – COLLECT – is taking place at the Saatchi Gallery. Over 300 artists are exhibiting works with representative galleries from around the world.

COLLECT 2010, 14th-17th May 2010

SAATCHI GALLERY

Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road, London SW3 4SQ

COLLECT 2010 presents both established artists and new talent, covering all disciplines: ceramics, glass, jewellery, silver and fine metalwork, textiles, and wood and furniture.

Participating London galleries include Contemporary Applied Arts, Electrum Gallery, Adrian Sassoon, Cockpit Arts, and Flow.

Furthermore, Seven emerging artists have created an installation in the windows of six local retailers, each working with the retail brand in mind. Called COLLECT TRAIL, retailers include Designers Guild, Cath Kidston, David Mellor, Osborne & Little, and TASCHEN.

Also worth checking out is satellite show – The Great Glass Exhibition – at Thomas Goode & Co in Mayfair.

Images, from top: Ghost series by Gareth Neal (CAA); Maelstrom by Michael Eden (Adrian Sassoon); Kuu-5 by Niyoko Ikuta (Yufuku Gallery); Untitled by Gareth Neal (CAA).

This summer, Darkroom is going colourful with their latest in-store event, titled Into Africa. Kicking off in April, the showcase explores modernist interpretations of indigenous Africa textiles, jewellery and art.

INTO AFRICA, launches 22nd April 2010

DARKROOM

52 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3LL (020 7831 7244)

Darkroom owners Rhonda Drakeford and Lulu Roper-Calderbeck have handpicked a selection of designs and showpieces by various talented designers, which are displayed alongside pieces from Darkroom’s own collections.

Designs include a limited edition range of laptop and pouch bags by Harris Elliott, a range of hats made from vibrant Africa cotton by Noel Stewart, limited edition prints from David David’s archive of bold geometric patterns, jewellery pieces by Florian and Corrie Williamson, as well as a range of leather wallets in vibrant colours by menswear designer Kenneth MacKenzie of 6876.

Darkroom is also extending their self-designed ranges to include slouch bags, leather purses and sculptural cushions.

Darkroom is a directional new store now open on the characterful Lamb’s Conduit Street in Bloomsbury. The store comprises a curated mix of interior and fashion accessories alongside bi-monthly art and sculpture exhibitions.

DARKROOM

52 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3LL (020 7831 7244)

The store is a play on materials, scale, and form. Oversize plaited quilted scarves resemble eiderdowns whilst jewellery made from chunky rope evoke curtain tiebacks. Alongside this, leather accessories take strong influences from saddlery, and oversize trims such as heavy fringing and chains feature strongly.

The interior accessories explore the diverse materials, textures, and production techniques of clothing or jewellery. The boundaries between art and design are questioned by functional pieces that also hold sculptural qualities – a necklace may be worn traditionally or hung on the wall as an objet d’art.

As these images suggest, the store’s visual presentation comprises graphic forms, rich textures, and bold architectural concepts. Products are grouped to create tension and dialogue rather than by genre – a beautiful bag sits alongside a vase or lampshade that shares a similar aesthetic or material.

Darkroom has been set up by Rhonda Drakeford and Lulu Roper-Caldbeck, who come from graphic and fashion backgrounds respectively. 

Images courtesy of Darkroom.

EDITOR’S COMMENTS:

It’s fantastic that Lamb’s Conduit Street has a new independent retail offering to join the street’s other visionary outlets. The cosy location is quintessential ‘Old London’ and lends itself perfectly as a contrasting backdrop for the Darkroom concept.

It is that word – concept – that has been rather jarringly used to describe this store. The connotations are all wrong. In my experience, a ‘concept store’ is an unfortunate term inflicted upon retailers that are normally style over substance and don’t quite fit into a definable retail genre. Such outlets are all very well but can quite often be a mish-mash of expensive unrelated stuff trying ever-so-hard to be frightfully cool. Cynics would say, such places are the right way for dearest to wipe out daddy’s trust fund. 

With that said, I would like to rid Darkroom of such a title. This place has a clear point of view and a vision. It has been put together with hard graft, determination, and integrity by the owners. It is this sort of store that should be supported and that the LONDON DESIGN GUIDE chooses to champion. They put the interest back into shopping. 

At the opening, I came across an edited selection of well-sourced things that I would have bought (had it not been so busy!). There are products that appeal to varying demographics and that don’t break the bank. I shall certainly return to buy some. 

It’s December and the Christmas season is well and truly upon us. The annual dilemma as to what to buy our discerning friends and family is here, and to make life a bit easier, we have searched the stores featured in LONDON DESIGN GUIDE to bring our pick of the top 20 products from 20 great places.

Start as you mean to go on – kick off Christmas day with Champagne and sausages.

Above: Champagne Glasses by Ilse Crawford & Michael Anastassiades. £85 (sold in pairs) from Sigmar, Chelsea (page 19 in LONDON DESIGN GUIDE)

Of course, no day begins properly without a caffeine injection.

Above: Coffee & tea maker by Naoto Fukasawa. £149 from twentytwentyone, Islington (page 119 in LDG)

Right, breakfast over, its time to change out of your dressing gown and make an effort. Its Christmas day after all.

Above: Hinged Facet cufflinks in sterling silver by Hannah Martin. £335 from The Modern Gentry, Mayfair (until 5th December) or online from Hannah Martin London (page 84 in LDG)

And for you ladies, a beautiful ring should do the job.

Above: Grace Round silver ring with crystal by Jacqueline Rabun. £1500 from Jacqueline Rabun, Knightsbridge (page 15 in LDG)

Its not just how you look. What about how you smell?

Above: ‘Standard’ Comme des Garcons Artek perfume (100ml). £70 from Dover Street Market, Mayfair (page 54 in LDG)

Winter days can be rather gloomy so its important that you can see what you’re doing before plunging into that pile of pressies.

Above: Chimney Lights by Benjamin Hubert. £295 each from Viaduct, Clerkenwell (page 106 in LDG)

OK, if the kids don’t open some presents soon, they’re going to climb the walls. Perhaps that goes for the adults too? 

Above: Playshapes by millergoodman. £79 for a set of 74 wooden shapes from Aram, Covent Garden (page 76 in LDG)

Feeling peckish already? Time for a mid-morning snack served in style.

Above: hemDing platter by Andreas Fabian. £109 from Thorsten van Elten pop-up shop, Brompton (2-13 December) or online (page 72 in LDG)

Christmas is a time of celebration so do just that, and assemble and scatter illuminated balloons.

Above: Balloon Lamp by Kyouei. £25 from placesandspaces, Clapham (page 154 in LDG)

Argh, is that the time?! Must be time to start cooking the almighty roast…

Above: Red Wrist Watch by Uniform Wares. £85 from Uniform Wares online store (available from 4th December – its that new!)

OK, pots and pans to the ready…

Above: 20cm Casserole by Jasper Morrison. £38 from Jasper Morrison Shop, Shoreditch (page 131 in LDG). The other products in the image are also available from Jasper Morrison Shop.

So, who is going to set the table for lunch?

Above: Tonale tableware range by David Chipperfield. Prices from £13 from Alessi, Mayfair (page 52 of LDG)

After a long boozy lunch, it is time for a snooze on the sofa wrapped in warm blankets.

Above: Nos Da cushions, throws, and blankets. £60, £160, and £275 from SCP, Shoreditch and Notting Hill (pages 31 & 136 in LDG)

Wake up sleepy head!

Above: Braun Alarm Clock AB5 by Dietrich Lubs. £29.95 from Design Museum Shop, Bermondsey (page 150 in LDG). Be warned – these clocks are out of production and have been sourced from a savvy collector in Japan, so they are strictly limited!

If you’re not the snoozing type, have a read of your latest cultural tome.

Above: Anish Kapoor, published by Phaidon. £59.95 from Phaidon Store, Mayfair (from 6-7pm on 11th December, Anish Kapoor will be signing books in the store. To secure a place in the queue, pre-order your copy with a 20% discount)

Time for some Christmas cake already?

Above: Pedastal (grey) by Harri Koskinen for iittala. £329 (limited edition) from Skandium, Brompton and Marylebone (pages 20 & 42 in LDG)

Of course, you can’t have cake without a cup of tea, right?

Above: Adonde stoneware teapot. £79 from Mar Mar Co, Brick Lane (page 134 in LDG)

OK, revived, its time for some more presents. 

Above: Wallet by Porte Monnaie, made from paper-like flash-spun high density polyethylene. £69 from Darkroom, Lamb’s Conduit Street (new store opening 8th December)

Wow, a knockout sculptural centrepiece if ever I saw one.

Above: Yellow Loop by Merete Rasmussen. £780 from Contemporary Applied Arts, Fitzrovia (page 89 in LDG)

At the risk of being really boring, I’m off to bed…

Above: French tin candle box with drawer of refills. £19 from Few and Far, Brompton (page 14 in LDG)

So that’s the end of our pick of 20 great Christmas presents from 20 great places. Explore over 100 more fantastic design destinations that are featured in LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2010 – buy your copy for Christmas! Only £10 directly from this website.

We’ll leave you with a nerdy statistic: each year Britons spend on average £435 on Christmas presents, but now researchers have calculated £36 of that will not be appreciated. Last year, eBay saw two million unwanted Christmas gifts listed, but a huge number are discarded and end up in landfill. 

It is predicted that Londoners will be given £86 million of unwanted gifts this Christmas. Don’t be one of them. Buy well, buy quality… don’t buy crap.

Source: Western Union via Evening Standard

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Modern Gentry combines three of the most respected and sought after menswear brands in London: E. Tautz menswear, Hannah Martin jewellery, and Lodger bespoke footwear. For one week only, they are taking over Alma’s Grade 1 listed Albany townhouse in central Mayfair and offering up their wares to the capital’s finest gentry.

The Modern Gentry, open 30th November-5th December 2009

ALMA

8 Vigo Street, London W1S 3HJ (020 7439 0925)

By virtue of its location at the foot of London’s traditional bespoke tailoring street, Savile Row, the event eloquently references the past whilst fully embracing the looks and desires of today’s modern gentlemen.

The event’s centre piece as you enter is the Electric Angel light installation by Yorgo Lykouria, which was designed and built especially for the event. Circular layers of perspex are lined with LED lights to illuminate Hannah Martin’s jewellery that is suspended within the structure.

The event is open to the public and the perfect place to have a personal consultation from one of the three brand owners. And ladies, this is the place to sort out Christmas pressies for your demanding other half! Everything is for sale.

Photos courtesy of The Modern Gentry. Copyright: Mark Cocksedge

After many months of preparation, jewellery talent Jacqueline Rabun has unveiled her new website. Furthermore, in time for the gift giving season, she has launched three new collections inspired by structured and architectural shapes.

As well as being the online platform to view her work, there is also an integrated e-shop for those who can’t make it to one of her stockists or her stunning Knightsbridge showroom.

Jacqueline Rabun new collections: left – ‘Alphabet 0-9 ? & +’; top right – ‘Grace Round’; bottom right – ‘Grace Fluid’

If you haven’t already been, we recommend that you visit Rabun’s tranquil showroom. From 3rd-24th December 2009, it plays host to an exhibition of Modernist jewellery, both past and present, in collaboration with Grasilver.

We are proud to have collaborated with Rabun in her showroom, which was the perfect venue for the media and buyer launch of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE back in September.

Here is the review of the showroom from page 15 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE: