Vitra showroom window resplendent with event branding
Clerkenwell is the creative hub of London’s designer furniture sector and was the location for a three day Design festival running from the 25th to the 27th May.
Inspired by a desire to celebrate the creative richness of the industry, Design Week was embraced by many of the leading furniture brands including Haworth, Vitra, Fritz Hansen, Knoll and Moroso among many others.
A series of seminars, workshops and product launches characterised the event which highlighted the fast-moving nature of the sector. The 3Sphere team attended the event and took the opportunity to meet industry contacts and many of their furniture partners. Haworth hosted a series of presentations within their showroom which was transformed into something best described as a ‘village high street’ complete with sweetshop, bank and pub.
To much fanfare, Republic of Fritz Hansen unveiled the NAP™ chair designed by Kasper Salto complete with a ‘grooved’ shell to stimulate airflow when sitting down. I was particularly delighted to meet Kasper in person and have a brief chat about the design process and inspiration for NAP.
3Sphere Designers Dave Kelsall & Leanne Rimmer try the Vitra 'Chairless'.
Vitra also trumpeted a new ‘chair’ but perhaps not in the form that one might expect! ‘Chairless’ is effectively a large rubber band that acts as a support for the body when sitting on the floor designed by Alejandro Aravena and inspired by a picture of a Ayoreo Indian using a strap to support himself. The image of 3Sphere designers’ Dave Kelsall and Leanne Rimmer speaks volumes.
More conventionally, Vitra screened a series of films by Charles & Ray Eames which serve not only as a design blueprint for their work, but also as a fascinating backdrop to the cultural times in which they were working. One was struck by the fact that even though times have changed alarmingly, time-honoured style and design principles remain largely the same.
Moroso share their two-tiered showroom with Flos and the combination of vibrant lighting and fabrics ablaze with colour creates a vibrant, almost phantasmagorical atmosphere which reminded me of Vivienne Westwood; ok, a different industry and perhaps even a different era, but the originality of both brand’s are equally challenging and forward thinking.
Quite apart from the sleek showrooms of the big players, there were numerous items of interest at the open exhibition housed within the Farmiloe Building on St. John Street. From the upholstered bright colours of Hitch Mylius and the Lammhults sofa in classic Paul Smith stripes, to the futuristic flexible love chair or the solid contemporary James Burleigh tables, the exhibition showcased a variety of stimulating products which highlighted the sheer variety of the industry.
The Expo. in the Farmiloe Building captured the essence of the event.
Recently used as a shoot on Guy Richie’s version of Sherlock Holmes, the location was perfect for such an event; set within spaces and floors created by seemingly derelict buildings, one could see the girders and brickwork of buildings from a previous age, from a different London when the city was untouched by the onslaught of modernity and architectural sophistication; the juxtaposition was most appropriate.
Despite feeling that I only just scratched the surface of the event, Clerkenwell Design Week provided many highlights and stimulations. Our fascination for all things ‘new’ shone through and the ever more adventurous imaginations of designers continues to amaze. Both the brand leaders and the independents jostled for the attentions of an audience clearly intrigued by the breadth of both product and talent on view.
The presence of writers from Wallpaper is perhaps an indicator of the events cache and posts from the expo. was added to the magazine’s iphone app within hours.
You see, design never ends and Clerkenwell Design Week provided a snapshot of where the industry is today; by next year, it will have moved on again as our appetite for cool environments, stylish furniture and authentic design grows ever more intense.
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Danish designer Verner Panton originally designed the chair so that it can be manufactured from one piece of moulded plastic and it has subsequently become a ‘design classic’ since entering production in 1967.
