DESIGN LONDON returns to the Salone del Mobile in Milan 2005
Hidden Art in association with Creative London presents Design London, a showcase of exciting new and established London-based designer-makers at the world famous Milan Furniture Fair in April 2005.
In 2005, Design London will build on its successful debut at Milan’s 2004 Salone del Mobile, providing a consistent international platform for London’s designer-maker community. The stand will occupy about 700 sqm in Superstudio 13 in the popular Zona Tortona area, long established as a focal point of the Milan fair.
Design London 2005 will bring together designers, distributors and furniture manufacturers in a step towards creating a regional pavilion in Milan and will provide a taster of the London Design Festival in September.
The Design London stand will consist of five areas: the Curated zone, the Designers/distributors zone, the Isos Collection, the Design UK collection, and Transport for London’s All Zones Project.
1.The Curated zone
This area will contain a selection of new designs and prototypes of furniture, lighting and interior products from a group of 17 London-based designer-makers. They exemplify London’s reputation for innovative style and design and include Gala Wright and Julian Mayor, and relative newcomers Susana Shaw and Magnus Long. The pieces were chosen by an industry panel comprising of Tomoko Azumi, Sheridan Coakley (SCP), David Dewing (Geffrye Museum), Max Fraser (Design UK), and Lynda Relph-Knight (Editor, Design Week).
Tomoko Azumi said of Susana Shaw’s Hover-Fork and Hover-Spoon: “It is great to see new cutlery and Shaw brings a good debate to tableware.”
Sheridan Coakley said Magnus Long’s standing hanger had the hallmarks of a design classic. “It is very clever, very suitable, and is a great British design.”
Julian Mayor will be exhibiting his Dynamic Chair, following the success of his Contour Chair at Design London 2004.
2. Designers/distributors zone
This area features five London-based designer/manufacturers that have built up their own product ranges of furniture, lighting and giftware, and will have a more commercial feel as they seek international distribution through retailers. The pieces were chosen as for the Curated zone. Anti-Quaint and Black+Blum will be exhibiting at Design London for the second time.
Anti-Quaint returns this April to build on the success of the Sling Seat, which received a huge level of interest at its debut at Design London 2004. “Milan allowed us to test market the direction for our products, to establish an appropriate retail price and market and give us the green light to manufacture them in quantity,” said Anti-Quaint’s Alec Birkbeck. They made contact with manufacturing contacts in Italy, Brazil, Turkey and Japan, and found new customers in Europe and the USA.
3. Isos Collection
The Isos Collection is the latest project from London’s Furniture Works and Furniture Link and involves taking the best of UK design and manufacture to the heart of the British furniture retail trade. It showcases work of fourteen furniture designers and six manufacturers in an exhibition designed by Shin and Tomoko Azumi. The furniture is designed by London-based designers including names such as Simon Pengelly, Rock Galpin and Martin Grierson alongside some of the stars of the future such as Rose Cobb, Tom Price and Max Lamb.
London manufacturers showing include Hitch Mylius, I-Glass and Farrugia.
4. Transport for London – All Zones Project
London’s Transport Museum will show a collection inspired by London Transport’s rich design heritage, displayed inside the iconic Routemaster double decker bus. The bus debuted at 100% Design last September. Each product is from one of six zones, Interchange, which will feature the London Underground map’s imagery; Kitchen, Bathroom, Home, Fashion and Furniture/lighting. Exhibitors include W2, Damdesign, Frank, Thought-tank.
5. Design UK
The London-based organisation Design UK will also present an additional collection of furniture and products from designers based elsewhere in the UK. In addition to Design London, other London based design companies exhibiting in Milan include SCP and Designersblock.
Design London Partners
In addition to Hidden Art and Creative London (London Development Agency), Design London includes the following organizations: Design-Nation, Design UK, Furniture Link, Furniture Works (London Metropolitan University), London Design Festival and Transport for London All Zones Project.
See the attachments below for the full press release and thumbnails of a selection of exhibits.
