LDG editor Max Fraser has a real issue with bad service, so much so that he felt compelled to write about it in LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2012-2013 edition. Read about his ‘Just Say Hello’ campaign below and contribute your thoughts via Twitter, using the hashtag #JustSayHello.

LONDON DESIGN GUIDE extract: Just Say Hello campaign by Max Fraser, page 10

“At the tender age of 17 I worked in the designer menswear departments at Harrods every Saturday. On training day we watched the induction video featuring owner Mohamed Al Fayed, who announced something that has always stuck with me: “You are the ambassadors to my business.”

That remark has repeatedly echoed in my mind while putting together this publication. I’ve been subjected to various degrees of unacceptable service – even at the city’s most influential boutiques. After I started noticing it, I was amazed how many places failed at the basic courtesies. Surely good service is one of the crucial components of successful retail. Incensed, I’d often return to the office and recount my stories, exclaiming: ‘How difficult is it to JUST SAY HELLO?!’ And so this public plea to join my Just Say Hello campaign was born.

It’s pretty straightforward: all I’m looking for when I enter a retail establishment is a handful of basics: a hello, eye contact and, ideally, a smile. Yes, it’s as simple as that. It’s probably going too far to ask me how I am. Yes, I know you’ll be there if I need your help. And, no, I don’t want to be referred to as your ‘mate’.

You’d be amazed at how many assistants I found affixed to their computer screens, too engrossed to look up. Others chatted amongst themselves, oblivious to the fact that they were recounting their weekend escapades to the entire store. A classic is for staff to look you up and down and make an immediate judgment. Big mistake. At Harrods I learned quickly that the people you wouldn’t expect to spend often spend the most.

Retailers must wake up to their lacklustre staff and realise it’s not enough to carry a product that sells; you need to keep customers coming back. So many places seem to sell the same stuff anyway that great service is likely to be the deal-breaker. And if shoppers feel they’ve been treated better than they expected, there’s a higher chance they’ll return.

This is particularly crucial today as the retail environment struggles under a weak economy and competition becomes ever more rife. The ingredients that make up customer loyalty are fickle and transferable; they need to be nurtured and massaged wherever possible. In fact, succeeding at customer service takes more than simply saying, ‘Hello.’ But that’s certainly a good start.”

Join our campaign to stamp out bad and encourage good service. Whichever you encounter, share it on Twitter using the hashtag #JustSayHello

You can follow LONDON DESIGN GUIDE on Twitter: @L_D_G

To purchase a copy of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2012-2013 edition, click here.

Well known Danish furniture brand, Fritz Hansen has teamed up with leading retailer of Scandinavian design, Skandium to open a new design store in London’s Fitzrovia. Read our review of the store.

REPUBLIC OF FRITZ HANSEN

13 Margaret Street, London W1W 8RN (0844 800 8934)

Extract from page 83 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2012-2013 edition:

“When it comes to the world’s leading furniture brands, Danish manufacturer Fritz Hansen would have to be near the top of the list. Established in 1872 in Copenhagen by its namesake, a cabinetmaker, the business quickly won favour within the country’s prestigious interiors industry. In the 1930s, the company invested its knowhow in steam-bending beech, which soon became their speciality and gave rise to the Ant chair in 1934, followed in 1958 by the instant classic Series 7 chair, both by Arne Jacobsen. The business has enjoyed considerable growth since the midcentury, and continues to produce many of the 20th century’s most iconic furniture designs.

Surprisingly, Fritz Hansen has never had a dedicated London retail space. In September 2011, however, the brand joined forces with their strongest champion, the retailer Skandium, to open a store that…”

To read the rest of this review (and 137 other reviews of design destinations in London), purchase LONDON DESIGN GUIDE printed edition here.

Images by Sanna Fisher-Payne / BDP

Following on from the success of his discreet shop in Shoreditch, top designer Jasper Morrison has launched his shop concept online and made his no-nonsense selection of well-designed everyday items available to all.

Morrison is famed for his simple, confident and timeless furniture and product designs. A couple of years ago, he converted part of his London studio into a shop space, selling a mix of his own designs as well as anonymous items that he’s discovered on his travels. A stunning endeavour in itself, now he has made these items available to purchase online.

The website design is clean, clear and calm – in many respects very similar to the shop and to Morrison himself!

The physical shop space in Shoreditch is reviewed on page 131 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE. We can thoroughly recommend a visit.

Writer and brand consultant Duncan Riches takes us on his personal walking tour of Shoreditch and Brick Lane, as featured in LONDON DESIGN GUIDE (the book). Starting off at Old Street and winding through the area’s streets to Aldgate East, a miscellaneous array of shops, sights and eateries await you.

“Alight at the spaghetti junction-inspired Old Stret tube via EXIT 3 and head to No.28 Cowper Street, where you’ll find Undercurrents, a treasure of a shop that sells second-hand 20th-century European design. It’s bursting at the seams with furniture, accessories, lighting and vintage oddities. (Please note: opening hours are incredibly varied. Check before you make a special trip there)

Cut back on to Rivington Street and visit Franco’s Cafe – great value, serving the finest in ciabattas, focaccias and freshly made pastas; the jovial staff are ruthlessly efficient and put on something of a performance too.

Franco’s Cafe, 67 Rivington Street

The health-conscious should hop across Shoreditch High Street onto Calvert Avenue, where Lennies Larder offers big salads and big smiles.

Lennies Larder, 16 Calvert Avenue

Calvert Avenue ends at Arnold Circus, with the Boundary Estate bandstand at its centre. The estate is noteworthy, being the world’s first council-housing project, built by London City Council in 1900 to replace the Friars Mount slum. You can take a moment to reflect here while sitting on a Michael Marriott-designed bench next to the bandstand. In truth, the place is somewhat dog-eared and improvements are scheduled for 2010 – though some graffiti on the notice asks: ‘What’s to improve?’

Boundary Estate Bandstand

Another architectural gem is just south on Chance Street. Dirty House (2002) is one of David Adjaye’s early architectural projects. The former timber factory is now a live/work space for artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster. It’s a strange, inaccessible slab of a building covered in black anti-graffiti paint with blacked-out windows. The beautiful whitewashed cantilevered roof is actually best viewed from the rarefied air of Shoreditch House, but the building is impressive enough from street level in a showy, you’re-not-coming-in kind of way.

Dirty house, Chance Street

Walk south from here on to the ever-evolving Brick Lane. My choice would be to visit Ambala foods for the perfect Asian snack, then head down Fournier Street to the Hawksmoor-designed Christ Church Spitalfields for a piece of local architectural history.

Ambala Foods, 55 Brick Lane

Christ Church Spitalfields, Commercial Street

From here, a wander south on Commercial Street takes you to Whitechapel Gallery, still the best art gallery in the East End.

Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street

Alternatively, walk north up Commercial Street and cut across to Bishopsgate via Folgate Street. Then get a well-deserved pint at The Water Poet, a cracking pub on the fringe of the city.”

The Water Poet, 9-11 Folgate Street

This extract was taken from page 127 of London Design Guide. To enjoy similar tours of other areas in London complete with maps, why not order a copy of the guide?

Product and furniture designer Thorsten van Elten shows us around the historicaly bohemian areas of Fitzrovia & Bloomsbury, as found in the LONDON DESIGN GUIDE (the book) walking tour. Once renowned for its famous writer inhabitants, the area is now home to a variety of quirky shops, pubs and hidden cobbled streets – all of which are dominated by the looming BT Tower.

Fitzrovia & Bloomsbury: Take a Walk with Thorsten van Elten

“Walk down Warren Street and turn left into Fitzroy Square, the heart of Fitzrovia and London’s only square designed by Neoclassical architect Robert Adam with fantastic views of the BT Tower through the trees.

Fitzroy Square

BT Tower, 60 Cleveland Mews

Turn right and take Conway Street back onto Warren Street. There is a beautiful, old blue-tiled dairy on the corner, which is now an Italian café.

Italian Cafe, 35 Conway Street

Keep walking until the end and turn left into Cleveland Street, then right into Carburton Street, which will take you into Great Portland Street. Turn left, and at No.109 is one of my all-time favourite shops in London: the Aquatic Design Centre, where they have amazing tanks of fish and very knowledgeable (although sometimes a bit grumpy) staff.

Aquatic Design Centre, 107-109 Great Portland Street

Bear left into Langham Street, which turns into Foley Street. On the corner with Cleveland Street is the King & Queen Pub, which has an open fire in the winter and is one of the nicest pubs in the area.

The King & Queen Pub, 1 Foley Street

Keep walking and turn right into Howland Street, then take the second right into Whitfield Street and the cute Pollock’s Toy Museum and toys shop.

Pollock’s Toy Museum, 25 Scala Street

Keep walking, crossing Goodge Street, until you see Colville Place on your right, a little stone-flagged pedestrian street with lovely 18th-century houses.

Colville Place

This will lead you to the restaurants and galleries of Charlotte Street. Turn left. If it’s a nice day, have a pint outside the Fitzroy Tavern. It’s perfect for outdoor drinking, not so great inside.

Fitzroy Tavern, 16A Charlotte Street

Always worth checking out is the Contemporary Applied Arts gallery and shop in Percy Street.

Contemporary Applied Arts, 2 Percy Street

Then walk down to the end of Rathbone Place and turn left into Oxford Street and again into Hanway Street, an old lane cutting behind the major crossroads of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street. Once you get used to the smell, you’ll find it’s home to some cool second-hand record shops, flamenco bars and the fantastic Bradley’s Spanish Bar, which is charmingly shabby and devoid of pretension.”

Bradley’s Spanish Bar, 42-44 Hanway Street

This extract was taken from page 87 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE. To enjoy similar tours of other areas in London, complete with maps, why not order a copy of the guide?

Michelle Alger, the Buying Manager for Home and Gift at Liberty walks us on a loop through Soho. Shops, cafes, bars, parks, and even a hairdressers are featured to guide you on a tour which captures the essence of the ever evolving leisure district.

SOHO: Take a Walk with Michelle Alger

“After arriving at Oxford Circus tube, take the exit leading onto Argyll Street and you’ll be facing the large Tudor-style building that is the iconic Liberty. Biased, I know, but in my opinion it is the most interesting store in the area, filled with delights ranging from high fashion through to luxury furniture.

Liberty, Great Marlborough Street.

Walking along Great Marlborough Street you’ll pass the dress-fabric district. Be sure to check out the famous Cloth House stores on Berwick Street, with their lush fabrics and trims.

Cloth House, 98 Berwick Street.

Continue along Noel Street to Hollen Street and the imposing Henry Heath Hat Factory – another fragment of the old artisan Soho.

Henry Heath Hat Factory Building, 98 Berwick Street.

Snake through to Soho Square, with its mock-Tudor gatehouse and welcome green space in the heart of the metropolis.

Soho Square.

On the corner of Old Compton Street and Greek Street, visit Café Boheme and enjoy an afternoon Kir Royale and an atmosphere of Paris circa 1920.

Cafe Boheme, 13-17 Old Compton Street.

Next door is Soho House, where you can enjoy a terrific rooftop terrace if you know a friend with membership. Continue down Old Compton Street past Patisserie Valerie, a must-visit for cakes and coffee.

Patisserie Valerie, 44 Old Compton Street.

On Brewer Street, check out Madame Jojo’s for burlesque dancing and kitsch cabaret and, a few doors further down, Soho’s Original Bookshop, with its edgy collection of fashion and art titles (and a sneaky hidden sex shop downstairs).

Madame Jojo’s, 8-10 Brewer Street.

Soho Original Bookshop, 23-25 Leather Lane.

Carry on along Brewer Street to the Vintage Magazine Shop – great for silver-screen and comic-book fans.

Vintage Magazine Shop, 39-43 Brewer Street.

Continue in the same direction to Tommy Guns for a quick ‘too cool for school’ trim.

Tommy Guns, 52 Brewer Street.

Then do some celeb-spotting at Whole Foods.

Whole Foods, 69-75 Brewer Street.

Take a right into Lower James Street and catch a glimpse of the beautiful arches of lower Regent Street behind you. In Golden Square, stop by Nordic Bakery for coffee and Scandinavian treats before reaching Play Lounge for vinyl collectors on Beak Street.

Nordic Bakery, 14 Golden Square.

Play Lounge, 19 Beak Street.

Cut through Kingly Court – a medley of vintage clothing, homewares and beauty boutiques – and re-emerge on Carnaby Street. Head left to howies, my favourite store on the street, selling unisex ethical clothing.

Howies, 42 Carnaby Street.

Finally, on the corner of Ganton Street and Kingly Street, enjoy a glass of Manzanilla and tapas at Dehesa.”

Dehesa, 25 Ganton Street.

This extract was taken from page 65 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE. To enjoy similar tours of other areas in London complete with maps, why not order a copy of the guide?

Kati Price, the Marketing and Content Manager at Design Council reveals a glimpse of what Covent Garden has to offer with her personal walking tour which she wrote for LONDON DESIGN GUIDE (the book). Follow her route and you may find some hidden gems within and away from the main bustle of the Covent Garden Piazza.

COVENT GARDEN: Take a Walk with Kati Price

“Start off at Tottenham Court Road, where you can’t miss Centrepoint, one of London’s first skyscrapers, which has a fascinating and controversial history.

Centrepoint, 20-21 St. Giles High Street

Wander down St Giles High Street, cross over into Monmouth Street and pop into Miss Lala’s Boudoir for luxury lingerie, then into Orla Kiely for some of her trademark patterned bags and accessories.

Miss Lala’s Boudoir, 18 Monmouth Street

Orla Kiely, 31 Monmouth Street

Keep an eye out for a passageway that leads you into the hippie oasis of Neal’s Yard and emerge onto Short’s Gardens, where you can sample some 200 cheeses at the world-famous Neal’s Yard Dairy.

Neal’s Yard Diary, 17 Shorts Gardens

After exploring Neal Street, bear left onto Long Acre and walk over to Great Queen Street for some robust British fare, taking in the Art Deco Freemason’s Hall opposite – it serves as the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England.

Freemason’s Hall, 60 Great Queen Street

Head back down Long Acre and bear left into Bow Street which is dominated by the impressive façade of the Royal Opera House.

Royal Opera House, Bow Street

As you turn into Floral Street, look up and you’ll spot the twisting glass Bridge of Aspirations, designed by architects Wilkinson Eyre, which connects the Royal Ballet School with the Opera House.

Bridge of Aspirations

Pick up some treats at Kastner & Ovens as you stroll down Floral Street en route to the Paul Smith store.

Kastner & Ovens, 52 Floral Street

Paul Smith, 40-44 Floral Street

As Floral Street ends you’ll find Covent Garden’s oldest pub, the Lamb & Flag.

Lamb & Flag, 33 Rose Street

After a quick pint, head down James Street into the Piazza, the heart of Covent Garden, designed by Inigo Jones in the 17th century. Formerly a vegetable market, the space now hosts lots of craft and food stalls, boutiques and street entertainers.

Covent Garden Market

After a refreshing frozen yoghurt at Yu-foria, visit the London Transport Museum or head down Russell Street to Drury Lane and Aram, which, in the 60s, first brought furniture by the likes of Marcel Breuer and Le Corbusier to the uk.

Yu-foria, 19 The Market

London Transport Museum, 39 Wellington Street

Aram, 110 Drury Lane

If you’re feeling thirsty, grab a seat at the brilliant Lobby Bar at One Aldwych or head underground to CellarDoor, where you’ll discover drag queens and cabaret crooners in this former Gents toilet.

One Aldwych, 1 Aldwych

Cellar Door, Zero Aldwych

Cross over the Strand and finish your tour at Somerset House – a spectacular spot for ice skating in winter or al fresco drinks and music on the River Terrace in summer.”

Somerset House, Strand

This extract was taken from page 75 of London Design Guide. To enjoy similar tours of other areas in London complete with maps, why not order a copy of the guide?

When we created LONDON DESIGN GUIDE (the book), we took the decision to break this vast city into manageable areas. To accompany each area, we asked a local to write a personal tour of their favourite places. Here is shoe designer Tracey Neuls‘ tour of Marylebone, home to her inimitable shoe store.

MARYLEBONE: Take a Walk with Tracey Neuls

“Homogenisation of our cities is sadly becoming more and more unavoidable. Marylebone Village, on the other hand, is unmistakably British and goes even one step further – it is honestly local. The atmosphere as you walk from Oxford Street to Marylebone Lane quickly changes from department stores to shops like Biggles Gourmet Sausages, where you can buy handmade links by the dozen or in a bun to take away.

Biggles Gourmet Sausages, 66 Marylebone Lane

Neighbours include David Penton & Son, an old world DIY shop where, more times than not, they will have what you need.

David Penton & Son, 64 Marylebone Lane

And The Button Queen, which supplies buttons from the 1800s.

The Button Queen, 76 Marylebone Lane

Across the road you have Paul Rothe & Son, a family-run café where the decor has been loved yet untouched since it opened over 100 years ago.

Paul Rothe & Son, 35 Marylebone Lane

And this is the best bit about Marylebone: popping up among the original shops are strong contenders for future classics. The side streets are always worth exploring for just that. For example, on Bulstrode Street you will find Content, which sells creams and perfumes served by the passionate owner herself, who knows her products inside and out.

Content, 14 Bulstrode Street

Remembering less is more, don’t miss the Monocle magazine shop – quite possibly the smallest shop in London yet jam packed with goodies.

Monocle, 2A George Street

Keep walking and you can choose between butterflies and cheese. Worth a look is Damien Hirst’s boutique Other Criteria, where art multiples can be bought at a hint of the price of the original.

Other Criteria, 14 Hinde Street

Nearer the top of Marylebone High Street, The Fromagerie beckons. This cheese specialist and grocer supports local producers, and has a few secret tables in the back where they prepare and serve up a delicious daily menu.

The Fromagerie, 4 Moxon Street

Pass through the tranquil innercity Paddington Street Gardens before arriving closer to the heart of residential Marylebone.

Paddington Street Gardens

A rather eccentric character called Felix sets up a rogue stall every morning selling flowers in front of Hardy’s restaurant. His unique selections of cut flowers are reflective of his own individual personality.

Hardy’s, 53-55 Dorset Street

And while you are there treating your senses, have a peep across the street at St Andrews Mansion Courtyard for some rare, well- preserved London architecture.”

St. Andrews Mansion Courtyard

This extract was taken from page 39 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE. To enjoy similar tours of other areas in London complete with maps, why not order a copy of the guide?

All photographs taken by Claire Rooney.

Its January 2010 and the start of a new decade. It seems only right that at this milestone, we all consider what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong. In this LDG extract, editor Max Fraser confronts our insatiable appetite to consume and calls for change.

THE STATE OF STUFF

In today’s materialist culture we have become addicted to the constant allure of the ‘new.’ Max Fraser argues that now is the time to change our game.

Over the past decade or so we have lived well beyond our means, propped up by easy access to credit and an attitude that we can have what we want, when we want it. Today we wallow in a culture of uncontested consumerism. As Richard Girling wrote in his book Greed: ‘We acquire, accumulate, and consume so far in excess of “need” that the word itself has fudged its meaning.’*

Girling has a point. We belong to a generation that has never had to go without, and along the way we have created an invisible monster  that feeds off our over-indulgence and wastefulness. It looms on the horizon of Western consciousness, yet we live with the belief that we are somehow immune to the problems it conceals.

The current recession has brought some designers to the consensus that now is the time to address our culture of aimless consumption in the hope of restoring a marketplace with a healthier and more sustainable outlook than before.

As it stands the design industry seems to blindly produce more ‘stuff’, clambering at every opportunity to capture our attention amid a sea of homogeneous and derivative products. It is by no means the only industry that simultaneously creates desire and fuels disposability; in general, the vast majority of ‘stuff’ is only adequately designed and manufactured and capitalises on its own planned obsolescence. We recognise this – the burden on the planet is discussed endlessly – yet until it smacks us in the face, calls for change are likely to go unheard. In the main, we are hypocrites; we know we need to reduce but we feel doubtful that as individuals we can make any difference.

Could we ever move away from consumption altogether? I hear you ask: Why would he, the editor and publisher of an annual guide that ultimately encourages consumption, suggest such a thing?

True, this thinking is naive and short sighted. Trade is engrained in our culture. Our finely tuned production cycle should be credited for providing us with an ever-important source of income – which, in turn, helps keep society’s wheels in motion. Production should not be considered a 21st-century scourge; innovation and technology offer infinite possibilities to a forward-thinking society.

It is also important to recognise that human nature is at its finest when creating. It gives us a sense of purpose. Throughout history our country has spawned pioneers we can thank for everything we value as great. These innovators deserve kudos, not the imitators who follow in their wake. However, as Richard Girling rightfully warns: ‘We salute excellence, but excellence is seldom born of modesty, and still less of moderation.’**

More than ever before, society needs to embrace moderation and readdress the reality of our ‘needs’. But only when we seriously question why we have mountains of stuff cluttering our shelves (as well as our minds and, ultimately, the rubbish tips) will we be able to start changing our consumption patterns. It is time to move away from the concept of disposability and promote quality and longevity, repair and reuse. Consumption is fine, as long as we buy better quality products less often and place value on emotional resonance. The future should be seen as rich with opportunity, but conditional on a move away from today’s self-destructive trajectory. Along the way we need to excite and empower one another and sidestep those who hesitate.

As things stand today, I get the feeling we are just treading water, waiting for others to make the first move. An army of creative entrepreneurs is eager to advance, but seems held back by risk-averse corporations and government. As our history tells it, however, it is during the hard times that human beings have best responded to new challenges. There is every reason why now is the time for change.

* Richard Girling, Greed. Why We Can’t Help Ourselves (2009), p.64

** Richard Girling, Greed. Why We Can’t Help Ourselves (2009), p.83

This extract was taken from pages 158+159 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2010.

Leading design store, twentytwentyone, has just undergone extension work to their original Upper Street shop in Islington – just in time for Christmas. Here are some pictures we took within hours of completion!

The new space spans the basement areas of their existing property and that of their neighbour, providing a further 100 square metres of display for their confident product pickings.

The new interior has been created by award-winning architects DRDH. The outcome is a simple and refined setting.

Illuminating the stairwell leading to the basement is a striking cluster of Torch Lights (designed by Sylvain Willenz for Established & Sons) – apparently the only one of its kind in the UK.

If you are unfamiliar with the shop already, here is the twentytwentyone shop review extracted from page 119 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE and written prior to any knowledge of the new extension.