Event: London Festival of Architecture 2026: “Belonging”

In June 2026, the London Festival of Architecture 2026 will return with the theme “Belonging”, inviting Londoners, designers, communities and organisations to reflect on how cities can become more inclusive, connected and caring places. Through exhibitions, discussions, installations and community-led projects, the festival aims to explore how architecture and the built environment can help create a stronger sense of shared ownership, participation and hope across the city.

From the Thames to Eternity - an Installation of new inclusive seating made of reused granite stones outside St Paul's Cathedral.
Photo from London Festival of Architecture 2026 website.

The theme of "Belonging" responds to a world increasingly shaped by division, inequality and uncertainty. Rather than accepting pessimism or disengagement, LFA2026 positions itself as a platform for optimism and collective action — encouraging people to reimagine how cities can foster connection, safety and opportunity for everyone.

London is presented as a city constantly shaped by migration, collaboration and reinvention. Across its neighbourhoods, community spaces, grassroots initiatives and mutual aid networks demonstrate that belonging is not simply about being present in a place, but about actively creating relationships of solidarity, care and inclusion, even in difficult social and economic conditions.

The organisers explain that belonging goes beyond physical access to streets, parks and buildings. It also means feeling welcomed, represented and empowered within those spaces — able to move freely, participate confidently and access the resources needed to thrive. 

The festival also highlights the growing pressures facing communities worldwide, including rising living costs, climate change and political restrictions on civic participation.  LFA2026 asks how cities can protect and reinvent spaces that nurture collective identity and participation.

Central to this conversation is the role of the built environment industry. Decisions about what is built, preserved or demolished directly influence who feels included in the city. The festival draws attention to the disproportionate impact these decisions often have on young people, disabled people and communities from global majority backgrounds, raising important questions about representation, access and power in urban development.

The curators add that belonging cannot be imposed from above. Instead, it requires collaboration with communities, the removal of barriers and the creation of opportunities for people to shape their own environments. The festival promotes a vision of belonging that is open, shared and inclusive of difference, while recognising joy, creativity and care as powerful forms of resilience and resistance.

Ultimately, LFA2026 hopes to leave a lasting legacy beyond the month of June. By bringing together lived experience and professional expertise, the festival aims to inspire long-term change — from reclaiming neglected spaces and strengthening neighbourhood connections to encouraging collective responsibility for creating cities where everyone can feel they belong.

To learn more about the full LFA programme, click HERE.

Premier Interiors Fair: WOW!house 2026 to Transform Design Centre in London's Chelsea Harbour into Immersive Interior Design Showcase

Homeowners and design enthusiasts often find it difficult to fully visualise interior concepts through mood boards or digital renderings alone. While such tools can provide inspiration, they rarely replicate the experience of walking through a completed space.

That challenge is at the heart of WOW!house 2026, a month-long exhibition set to run from 2 June to 2 July 2026 at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. The annual event will feature 22 full-scale rooms and outdoor installations created by internationally renowned interior designers in collaboration with leading design brands and suppliers.

Fettle Design’s Garden Terrace for Perennials and Sutherland
A romantic Italian terrace filled with the joyful spirit of relaxed Mediterranean living, inspired by Perennials’ La Dolce Vita collection and incorporating Sutherland’s beautifully crafted performance furniture.

Widely regarded as one of the most influential destinations in the luxury interiors sector, the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour will once again host the immersive showhouse within its Design Avenue, offering visitors the opportunity to experience highly detailed interiors as they would appear in a real home.

Among the highlights is the Entrance Garden by landscape designers Hay Hwang and Simon Kitchin of The Gardenists. Inspired by the façade’s arched colonnades, the garden incorporates columnar evergreens, clipped bay laurel trees and white digitalis blooms arranged around English limestone and hand-crafted stone detailing supplied by Artorius Faber. A lead lion-mask fountain by Garden Art Plus provides a classical focal point to the space.

Artorius Faber Entrance Garden by The Gardenists

Another debut installation comes from Studio Enass, whose Garden Folly Room draws on designer Enass Mahmoud’s North African and Arab heritage. Conceived as a secluded island retreat, the room combines gemstone hues, layered textures and ornate decorative details including bronze mirrored ceilings, patterned textiles and handcrafted lighting.

Phillip Jeffries Morning Room by Sara Cosgrove

A recurring theme throughout WOW!house 2026 is the idea of slowing down and creating spaces of retreat from modern life.  In the Morning Room sponsored by Phillip Jeffries, interior designer Sara Cosgrove has created what she describes as “a quiet, uplifting analogue sanctuary”. ‘Aura’ mural with softly glazed surfaces designed to capture and reflect light.

Shepel' Library by Róisín Lafferty

Similarly, the Shepel’ Library by Dublin-based designer Róisín Lafferty embraces art deco influences through the use of burl timber, parchment and ebony finishes. The room has been designed as a contemplative environment where “the tempo softens” and discovery takes precedence over distraction.

Misia for Casamance Group Bedroom Suite by Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay

Art deco references continue in the Bedroom Suite by Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay, created in partnership with Misia, part of the Casamance Group. Jazz Age-inspired fabrics, period furniture and hand-carved detailing combine to evoke the glamour of 1930s interiors.

Primary Bathroom by Rigby & Rigby 

In contrast, the Primary Bathroom by Rigby & Rigby adopts a minimalist Japandi aesthetic, blending Scandinavian simplicity with Japanese-inspired wellness traditions. A circular wooden ofuro bath forms the centrepiece, while integrated technology is used to create a calming sensory experience.

Elsewhere, De Rosee Sa’s Ca’ Pietra Bathroom transports visitors to a Mediterranean hotel of the 1970s, while Samantha Bartlett’s Martin Moore Kitchen celebrates tactile natural materials including fumed oak, bronze and Verde Natura quartzite.

Lalique Home Bar by Elicyon

In the Martin Moore Kitchen interior designer Samantha Bartlett has created a place that can elevate everyday rituals, from slow contemplative mornings to evening gatherings. 

Martin Moore Kitchen by Samantha Bartlett 

“This is a room rooted in the poetry of nature,” says Bartlett. Martin Moore’s Legacy kitchen is the key focus, in a quietly glamorous combination of grained fumed oak teamed with bronze handles paired with Verde Natura quartzite.

Luxury craftsmanship also takes centre stage in the Lalique Home Bar by Elicyon, where designer Charu Gandhi has incorporated crystal panels inspired by René Lalique’s celebrated 1928 designs for the Orient Express.

International influences continue in the Benjamin Moore Minhwa Salon by New York-based designer Young Huh, who references Korean folk art alongside the opulent miniature paintings of Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace.

Technology-driven design features prominently in the Nucleus Immersive Room by Russell Sage Studio. Equipped with a HYRISS immersive sound system by L-Acoustics, Sony display technology and integrated Crestron controls, the installation combines light, sound, scent and texture to create what designer Russell Sage calls “The Momentarium” — an environment intended to redefine shared sensory experiences.

Traditional craftsmanship is also celebrated throughout the exhibition. Max Rollitt’s Schumacher Dining Room juxtaposes 18th-century-inspired architecture with contemporary interpretations of dining culture, while Tiffany Duggan’s Speakeasy Salon combines theatrical interiors with multifunctional living.

Richard Miers’ Courtyard for Munder Skiles 

Outdoor living spaces form another key component of the showhouse. Richard Miers’ Courtyard for Munder Skiles recreates a timeless stone courtyard shaded by London plane trees, while Fettle Design’s Garden Terrace for Perennials and Sutherland evokes the atmosphere of a relaxed Italian holiday setting with Mediterranean-inspired materials, furnishings and textiles.

To explore all the Rooms before your visit, click HERE.

In addition to the showhouse itself, more than 130 showrooms across the Design Centre will open to ticketed visitors during the event, showcasing luxury interiors, furnishings and design innovation from across the industry.

A series of more than 20 talks will take place across the month, curated to inspire and inform. For more information and tickets, click HERE.  There are also special guided tours throughout the month where visitors can gain extra insights into the creativity behind the WOW!rooms. 

Now in its fifth year, WOW!house has established itself as one of the UK’s leading cultural and design events, offering visitors immersive interiors intended to inspire, entertain and redefine how design is experienced.    

All images from WOW!house 2026 / Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour in London

Retail Event: The best of African fashion is set to return to Paris on 17 June, as CANEX x TRANOÏ presents four emerging designers at the iconic Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann

In recent years, African fashion has evolved from a niche regional industry into a globally recognised creative force, gaining increasing visibility on international runways, in luxury retail spaces and across mainstream popular culture.

Following the success of last year’s AFRICA NOW pop-up at Galeries Lafayette in Paris — which drew praise from both customers and the fashion media — the celebrated department store at 40 Boulevard  Haussmann will once again spotlight fashion talent from across the African continent. 

Running from 17 June to 8 July 2026, the initiative reinforces the iconic Paris-based store’s longstanding cultural ties with Africa and its commitment to championing creativity, innovation and artistic exchange.

For this year’s edition, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is partnering once again with CANEX x TRANOÏ, Adama Paris, and Studio Ka x Africa Fashion Up to curate a selection of designers whose work reflects the diversity and richness of contemporary African fashion. The pop-up aims to highlight how African cultural and artistic heritage continues to shape the global fashion industry and wider society.  

With its spectacular Art Nouveau glass cupola, luxury designer boutiques and expansive rooftop terrace offering panoramic views across Paris, Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann provides a fitting and prestigious setting for this celebration of contemporary African fashion.

Launched by African Export-Import Bank in partnership with TRANOÏ, “CANEX Presents Africa” forms part of the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, which supports the development of Africa’s creative and cultural industries.

Over the past eight seasons, CANEX has maintained a dedicated presence within TRANOÏ (a leading Paris-based fashion trade show and business platform) during Paris Fashion Week®, giving African designers a high-profile platform to present their collections on the international stage. The initiative is designed to expand global visibility for African brands while also improving access to financing, production, distribution and investment opportunities.

Visitors to the AFRICA NOW pop-up will have the opportunity to discover and purchase pieces from the designers’ Spring/Summer 2026 collections — many of which are unavailable elsewhere in Paris.

Among the featured labels is Late For Work, winner of the 2025 Fashion Trust Arabia Grand Prize. The Moroccan brand is recognised for reinterpreting women’s professional tailoring through structured silhouettes that balance discipline with freedom.

Also taking part is Judy Sanderson, whose collections draw on African, European and Asian influences to create refined and feminine silhouettes.

Kenyan jewellery label We Are NBO will present handcrafted pieces made from recycled materials, combining sustainability with contemporary design.

Completing the line-up is Vanhu Vamwe, which merges Zimbabwean and Ecuadorian cultural influences through ethically crafted luxury bags while supporting the economic empowerment of women in vulnerable communities.

The AFRICA NOW pop-up will run from 17 June to 8 July 2026 at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann in Paris.

Exhibition: A Century of Style: Queen Elizabeth II’s Exhibition in Buckingham Palace Extended by Six Months

A landmark exhibition celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s enduring influence on British fashion, that opened at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace in London in April 2026, will now be extended till 18 April 2027, due to popular demand.

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style has been presented as the most extensive display of the late monarch’s wardrobe ever staged, featuring around 200 items—half of them making their public debut. Tickets are on sale via the Royal Collection Trust website.  Due to ongoing high demand, visitors are encouraged to book tickets well in advance as no tickets are held back for on the day walk-ups.

Queen Elizabeth II on Princess Margaret’s Wedding Day, Cecil Beaton, 1960.
© Cecil Beaton / Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Hat worn for the wedding of Princess Margaret, Claude St Cyr, 1960.© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Photographer: Paul Bulley

Three leading British designers—Erdem Moralioglu, Richard Quinn and Christopher Kane are featured, each contributing a piece inspired by the late Queen’s distinctive style. Their works, drawn from previous collections, are shown alongside related garments from the Queen’s archive. All three designers also provide reflections for the exhibition’s official publication, Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion and Style, which includes a tribute by Dame Anna Wintour and an essay by Professor Amy de la Haye of the London College of Fashion.

Exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said the retrospective demonstrates the “symbolism, tailoring and British craftsmanship” that defined the Queen’s wardrobe. 

The exhibition charts Queen Elizabeth II’s attire across all ten decades of her life, from couture evening gowns to the tailored countrywear that became synonymous with her off-duty style. Many of the garments—now part of the Royal Collection—are accompanied by original sketches, fabric samples and annotated design drawings, some bearing notes penned by the late Queen herself.

Ensemble worn for the wedding of Princess Margaret, Norman Hartnell, 1960

Highlights include an apple-green Norman Hartnell gown worn at a 1957 state banquet for US President Eisenhower, and the blue crinoline-skirted gown and bolero chosen for Princess Margaret’s wedding in 1960.  Items from her private wardrobe are also featured, such as a 1950s Harris tweed jacket and Balmoral tartan skirt, as well as the green coat designed by Angela Kelly and worn in her later years.

Transparent rain coat, worn over a patterned silk day dress and coat, both by Hardy Amies, 1970s.© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Photographer: Jon Stokes

One of the more unexpected pieces on display is a clear plastic raincoat created by Hardy Amies in the 1960s, considered a precursor to the Queen’s later transparent umbrellas edged in colour to match her outfits. Amies would go on to produce futuristic designs for Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Evening gown by Norman Hartnell, 1957. Worn for a state banquet given for President Eisenhower at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. Here displayed in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle. Credit: © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Photographer: Paul Bulley

A previously unseen Hartnell sketch for a silver lamé dress designed for a 1972 State Visit to France is also shown, bearing the Queen’s handwritten note indicating that it was later re-worn for the opening of parliament in Canberra—evidence of her long-standing practice of repeating outfits.

The silver lamé beaded shift dress is shown in photo below.

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace,  extended until 18 April 2027.

Royal Collection Trust will offer £1 tickets to visitors receiving Universal Credit and other named benefits, alongside concessions for young people aged 18 to 24, as part of its commitment to widening access to the Collection.

London Event: RHS Chelsea Flower Show collection from Sophie Allport; A ban on garden gnomes at the Chelsea Flower Show is temporarily lifted

Widely regarded as the world’s most prestigious flower and garden show, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show returns to London from 19–23 May, marking the beginning of the UK’s summer social season. Organised annually by the Royal Horticultural Society, the event takes place in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London and continues to attract global attention for its celebration of horticulture, garden design and British creativity.

Sophis Allport's RHS Chelsea Flower Show Mug
made from fine bone china.
Hand-decorated and finished in the UK.

Among the brands embracing the spirit of this year’s show is Sophie Allport, the British lifestyle and homewares company founded by illustrator Sophie Allport, who runs the family business alongside her brother, Jem. Known for creating timeless collections inspired by nature and the countryside, the brand has unveiled its Signature Edit from the official 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show collection.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show Edit – Classic
From Sophie Allport

The collection features a range of homeware and accessory pieces, including the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Mug, Tea Towel, Tote Bag and Serving Tray. They showcase Sophie Allport’s hand-painted garden illustration, inspired by the tranquillity and creativity of a summer’s day.

A Limited edition RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 print  (Print size 12" x 16") is shown below.

The design depicts a serene pond with frogs beside a flourishing greenhouse, surrounded by hollyhocks, lupins and colourful cottage garden flowers. Bees and butterflies move among the blooms, while hares, hedgehogs and parakeets emerge from woodland greenery. With the Great Pavilion in the background, the design aims to capture the atmosphere and charm of the Chelsea Flower Show.

Over the decades the RHS Chelsea Flower Show became the premier showcase for new garden design, rare plants, and horticultural trends. The modern era of Chelsea increasingly emphasises environmental themes, biodiversity, sustainability, and accessible gardening. Many show gardens are now relocated after the event for community or charitable use.

The 2026 edition continues those trends, with gardens focused on wellbeing, sustainability, British-grown plants, and ecological design. It has also attracted attention for temporarily lifting the show’s long-standing ban on garden gnomes — a rule dating back to 1927.

A poster print of playful garden gnomes by Hanna Melin at Wallsauce.com.
Made in the UK, this print is available in a range of sizes and wooden frames. 

So for the second time in the history of the world’s most famous gardening event, the gnome ban at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is being lifted to raise funds for the RHS’ work with schools.  

Chelsea Gnomes 2026 online auction from May 15th - 24th
Photo from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show website.

 Celebrities including Sir Brian May, Dame Mary Berry and Cate Blanchett have decorated gnomes which will be on display at the 2026 Show and available to bid on, in an online auction that will run from Friday 15th to Sunday 24th May.

The funds raised will go towards the RHS Campaign for School Gardening, to help inspire the next generation of gardeners.  The RHS’ work with schools enables pupils to learn through gardening as well as boost their wellbeing, skills and environmental awareness.   

The initiative will be highlighted in The RHS and The King's Foundation Curious Garden, which aims to encourage visitors to embrace curiosity and enjoy gardening in a fun and accessible way. The inclusion of garden gnomes within the Curious Garden, as well as elsewhere across the showground, also pays tribute to a long-standing tradition at Highgrove Gardens, the private residence of King Charles III in Gloucestershire, where a gnome is frequently spotted among the features of the Stumpery.

To bid on the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Gnomes, click HERE. 

Exhibition: The Monkey Puzzle Tree Unveils Innovative Full-Colour Cork Wallpaper at Clerkenwell Design Week in London

British design house The Monkey Puzzle Tree is set to unveil a new full-colour cork wallpaper design, Up Hill Down Dale, at Clerkenwell Design Week (May 19 - 21, 2026) in London.

The new wallcovering marks a significant technical development for the Leeds-based company, which is traditionally known for embracing heritage craftsmanship and artisanal production methods. The design has been created using an innovative digital printing process capable of printing white and full colour directly onto real cork wallpaper

'Up Hill Down Dale' is the result of a collaboration between The Monkey Puzzel and Yorkshire artist Olivia Beau
who uses acrylic paints and found items such as old maps to depict
the beauty of the Yorkshire countryside where she grew up.

Created in collaboration with Yorkshire painter and multimedia artist Olivia Beau, the panoramic design celebrates the changing beauty of the English countryside throughout the seasons. The artwork depicts sheep sheltering on the moors as spring blossom gives way to snow, while the vivid greens of summer transition into autumnal tones beneath circling red kites. Graphic contour lines inspired by vintage maps add a bold visual layer to the large-scale composition.

According to the company, the design was created entirely without the use of artificial intelligence and instead relied on traditional artistic techniques combined with extensive experimentation and sampling.

The wallpaper is produced in England using a highly specialised printing technique on natural cork, with production limited to just three metres per hour. The wallcovering measures 130cm (51 inches) wide and is sold by the metre, with installation carried out using a paste-the-wall application method and standard pre-mixed wallpaper paste.

Company founder Charlotte Raffo said the printing process requires patience due to the delicate nature of the machinery involved.

“‘Walter’ the printer is a little temperamental and doesn’t like to be rushed, and it takes an hour to print just 3m of this wallpaper, but we think it’s worth the wait,” she said.

Raffo added that development of the design began more than a year ago, starting with hand-drawn concepts before inviting Beau to help realise the final artwork.

“Olivia uses acrylic paints and found pieces such as vintage maps in her work. I particularly love the graphic elements created by the map contours,” Raffo said. “With a natural background like real cork, it’s quite challenging to make the colours complement and stand out, so there have been weeks of behind-the-scenes work and sampling to get the design just right.”

The Monkey Puzzle Tree has previously received widespread recognition for its cork wallpaper collections, including the award-winning Hit The North, created in collaboration with graphic artist Drew Millward, known for his psychedelic poster artwork for bands including Foo Fighters and Arctic Monkeys. The design seen above, inspired by Northern industry and creativity, received the prestigious Design Guild Mark Award in 2021 for excellence and innovation in British design.

The company has also won accolades including Best in British Product Design at the Brit List Awards and several subsequent Design Guild Marks. Its cork wallpapers gained further national attention following appearances on the BBC Two interior design programme Your Home Made Perfect.

Based in Leeds, The Monkey Puzzle Tree is an independent British design studio known for its artist-led fabrics and wallpapers.

Images from The Monkey Puzzle Tree.

Congratulations: South Korean Artist Jongjin Park Wins 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize

South Korean artist Jongjin Park has won the 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, with the announcement made on 12 May at National Gallery Singapore*.

Awarded annually by the Loewe Foundation, the prize recognises artists whose work demonstrates exceptional technical skill and creative vision, while shaping the contemporary craft landscape internationally.

Park’s latest body of work is currently on display during London Craft Week as part of Origin of Materials, an exhibition presented by Soluna Fine Craft for the International Pavilion of South Korea. The exhibition runs from 11 to 17 May at St George Street Gallery in Mayfair.

Click HERE for more details on Park's winning entry and the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize.

Alongside this year’s winner, Origin of Materials brings together four alumni of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in a curated presentation of collectible Korean craft. Among them is Dahye Jeong, whose practice centres on horsehair inspired by Korea’s historic millinery traditions for men. Using traditional Korean weaving techniques, Jeong transforms the material into intricate three-dimensional works.

The exhibition also features 2023 finalists Choi Keeryong, Kyouhong Lee and Woosun Cheon. Choi works with glass using inlaid colouring methods influenced by the Korean sanggam technique traditionally associated with celadon ceramics. Lee explores the physical limits of glassmaking through works informed by traditional Korean domestic objects, while Cheon creates vessel-like forms from metal wire, drawing inspiration from Korean ceramic jars.

The 2026 prize also highlights the continuing influence of London-linked artists within contemporary craft. This year’s finalists include Xanthe Somers and Jobe Burns, both of whom reflect different approaches emerging from UK-based practices.

Somers uses ceramics to investigate the emotional and political dimensions of domestic labour, incorporating postcolonial narratives and references to weaving and cloth-making traditions. Burns, meanwhile, works with industrial materials and production methods to examine the legacy of labour in the West Midlands, combining artisanal techniques with industrial processes.

Together, the finalists and exhibitors reflect the increasingly international outlook of contemporary craft, where traditional materials and methods continue to be reinterpreted through new ideas, technologies and cultural contexts.

*Singapore exhibition

The winning piece and works by all 30 finalists of the 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize are now on view at the National Gallery Singapore until June 14.  Address:  1 St Andrew’s Road, Singapore 178957