LONDON DESIGN WEEK 2021
The design community came back together for a show of strength and positivity for London Design Week 2021 – the capital’s first physical design show of the year and proof of the Design Centre’s status as a global hub of creativity. Amid a buoyant mood, trade visitors reconnected with the showrooms and people they had sorely missed during lockdown: serendipitous meetings and chance encounters could happen again. Many were seeing the new season’s collections for the first time and were eager to see colour, pattern and craftsmanship up close, making sourcing a pleasure. Several showrooms hosted their own inspiring events and, in the Design Avenue, House Guests such as Sterling Studios and Haberdashery offered even more to see. The always-buzzing FT How to Spend It Restaurant completed the perfect design day out.
CATCH UP ONLINE
Complementing the physical show, a virtual programme of more than 70 events rolled out across London Design Week 2021 – and it’s all available to watch again. See stellar names such as Diane von Furstenberg, Robert Stilin and Beata Heuman beaming in from around the globe, or go behind the scenes with the ‘Spotlight’ series, where showrooms brought the backstory of their latest collections to life. There are Grow Your Business discussions to boost professional development, and Creative Collaborations talks that show how creativity flourishes when great minds come together.
DESIGNER LOVES
Head to the Design Avenue to see vignettes from the spring/summer 21 collections, chosen by designers including Carden Cunietti, Sophie Elborne and Alidad. They have curated a dream wish-list for the new season that includes Collier Webb’s glowing alabaster ‘Cep’ light and Dedar’s ‘Lontano Lontano’ fabric, inspired by a traditional Japanese obi belt.
