London Design Festival presented more than half a million international exhibitors from around the world

A seminar on Finnish design characteristics focused

on sustainability, wellbeing and healthy living environment

at the 100% Design fair in Olympia, Kensington. 

It has been a very busy month for everyone working, involved or interested in creative works and design as between September 14 and 22, a number of international trade fairs and exhibitions, along with a full programme of product launches, design collaborations, seminars, presentations, installations and workshops turned London into one big design hub as the capital played host to the 2019 edition of London Design Festival.  

Cubitt House was dedicated to exhibiting cutting-edge design, iconic furniture and lighting brands 

as a major part of designjunction in Kings Cross Design District.

Installations at Cubitt Park featured Bim Buton's creations using enamel reused as outdoor seating in 

From Inside to Out, and

in the background BioKnit by Stephanie Chaltiel of MuDD Architects and Jane Scott showcasing new textile architecture techniques integrating colour, materials and form into a knitted Pavilion.

Designers and creatives from the UK and around the world. including newcomers, artists, craftsmen and artisans, new product developers, well-known brands and established names got together for the  Festival to give the capital a great buzz.

Samsung presented an exposition of Indiosincratico by Italian designer Martino Gamper in Samsung's

experience-led concept store in Coal Drop Yard, Kings Cross Design District.

Giant Anglepoise Lamps in The Light Tunnel in Kings Cross featured inspirational quotes 

to engage with visitors.

In total, 10 official Design Districts across the city were earmarked as special regions where concentrations of design activity and events took place.  All the Districts have their own personalities ad identities, many with partner events and special Routes for visitors.

Bill Amberg Print - a range of bull hides printed with graphics by some of the world's renowned creatives was essentially a collection of leather decoration employing specialist digital printing technology.  The hides have been developed for upholstery and interior architectural use.

SolidWool presented chairs made with not fibreglass but with WOOL, a great recycling process.  The Hembury Collection showcased at Design Junction are made in an old woollen mill in Buckfastleigh, a small market town once a thriving part of the woollen industry.  The seat is made from a composite materials made from coarse wool which is a by-product from hill-farmed, upland sheep farming.

Designs by Tom Dixon in Kings Cross Design District.

Each Design District was organised locally and independently.

New to join this year was the Kings Cross Design District which was the main venue for the ninth Design Junction trade fair.

British designer Tom Dixon's Coal Office headquarters and adjourning showrooms/shops/restaurant in Kings Cross were turned into special zones for visitors to experience various senses, under the banner Touchy Smelly Feely Noisy Tasty.  Tom Dixon was also named as London Design Medal Winner.

Bill Amberg also showcased his leather hides Print collection to demonstrate specialist digital printing technology on leather.

Also held during London Design Festival were 100% Design at Kensington Olympia, Focus/19 at Chelsea Harbour and London Design Fair at the Old Truman Brewery.

100% Design trade fair celebrated its 25th anniversary in the historical Olympia in Kensington.

A Sense of Finland in 100% Design was a specially built eco log house presenting Finnish furniture, products and lighting focused around sustainability, wellbeing and healthy living environments.

Other designated Design Districts included Bankside, Brompton, Clerkenwell, Marylebone, Mayfair, Pimlico, Shoreditch, Victoria and West Kensington.

Also at Kings Cross, 10 finalists of the Rado Star Prize winners were on display in The Light Tunnel, along with product installations by Haberdashery and Anglepoise.  The Rado Star Prize winner this year was Huw Evans for his Concertina furniture using English Ash and Cherry wood.

There were also two giant wooden block 'figures' named Talk to Me by Steuart Padwick installed in Kings Cross Design District for visitors to "React" to, a major theme in this years Design Junction show.  One of which is shown in a picture below.

An installation "Talk to Me" by Steuart Padwick

Rado Star Prize winner this year was Huw Evans
for his Consertina collection.

Designer and woven textile designer Pamela Print showcased her weaving technique during 100% Design along with 

her new collection of sustainable hand-woven designs for home furnishing including throws and cushions all in British wool (Merino lambswool).  Cushion backing is made with Harris Tweed and the filling is eco-friendly British fleece - Dorset Horn.  

This was the 17th annual festival which also marked 11 years collaborating with the Victoria and Albert Museum which was also the official Festival Hub for  a series of specially-commissioned project by international designers.

Welsh artist Thomas Perceval was on hand to discuss his unique artistic craft with visitors at 100% Design.
Based on the border of Mid Wales and Herefordshire, Thomas captures the beauty of trees - especially in the winter and early spring when absent of leaves, trees reveal the complexity of their intricate branches formed by nature.
He combines drawing techniques with laser burning technology to create amazing images of trees.  Each laser etched tree artwork meticulously takes a few months to create.

Original hand-woven upholstery fabric designs by Lydia Forman,

one of 30 designers selected by Barbara Chandler, design editor of Homes & Property at the London Evening Standard, to showcase their breakthrough design talent. 

on show at the Design Fresh area at 100% Design.

Creative China was one of the country pavilions at 100% Design.  
The China Pavilion promoted 22 companies that showcased creative design with traditional cultural elements.

All photos by Lucia Carpio.

Premiere Vision Paris welcomed 56,000 visitors in its September 2019 trade fair

Despite a challenging trading and economic climate, including concerns surrounding Brexit in the UK, a continued decline in fashion consumption globally, and a crowded European trade events calendar bracketing the show,  organisers at Premiere Vision Paris  can hold their heads high that their international trade fair attracted more than 56,000 professional visitors from around the world.

The September 2019 edition of Premiere Vision Paris, which took place between 17 and 19 September, maintains its much-valued position as a meeting place for all in textile and apparel industries in  search of market trends, inspiration and innovation that drive their professional life, including eco-responsible apparel, and the continuous strong ties between fashion and sport, while supporting innovation and creative talent.

There were 2,056 exhibitors, including 230 newcomers, presenting their latest on offer covering textiles, technical developments, smart products, leather, fabric designs, yarns, haberdashery and footwear accessories, knitwear and finished garments.

While the total visitor number has declined by 1.89% compared to the September 2018 show, 73% of the visitors came from European countries led by the French, followed by Italy and the UK, Spain, Germany and Belgium.

Elsewhere, the show saw a growing number of Asian visitors, now accounting nearly 12% of the attendance at this September edition, including those rom China, Japan and South Korea respectively.

North America also saw a significant increase accounting for more than 5% of visitors, while Turkey accounted 3% representing an increase as well.

All photos by Lucia Carpio.

MOOHONG SS 2020 collection interplays between femininity and masculinity.

The MOOHONG Spring/Summer 2020 collection by Seoul designer Moohong Kim shown this week in Paris shines a light on his knack for tailoring – classic menswear tailoring even, developing from a study in structural form versus deconstruction possibilities and explore a range of possibilities in asymmetrical cuts. 

Although the collection has been described as an “inter-subjective experiment to create an ideological project which incorporates fashion as a means of artistic and social expression”, it is a very wearable range inter-playing the contrast between femininity and masculinity.  

Using  multiple shapes, the collection is built on a layering and transformative format, which answers very well to today’s consumers’  affinity with personalisation and individualism. 

Moohong uses classic menswear fabrics such as wool for his oversized jackets and exaggerated pin-striped suits and tailored separates, along with cotton shirts and silks, accented with folds, drapery and asymmetry.

Vitelli SS 2020 kntwear collection in Milan: a nod to protecting the environment

A few days ago on September 20^th in Milan, within an immersive nightclub set up, the Italian brand Vitelli showcased their SS20 collection featuring an array of knitwear designs made exclusively from certified organic, recycled and reused yarns.  

Here is a selection of the designs captured by photographer by Reto Schmid.

Named “La Grande Evasione” the collection also included one-off sustainable by Heloise Bouteille and jewellery by Virginia Evangelista .  

The after-show was curated by Milan non-binary and “hyper-contemporary sound” night club Spiritual Sauna with two performances.  The Creative Direction was by Mauro Simionato.

 

Vitelli is a family brand specialised in knitwear and locally produced in Veneto, Italy. Their iconoclastic references are pervaded with Italian youth culture and notably the ‘Gioventù Cosmica’ (‘Cosmic Youth’) - first Italian clubbing scene inspired by neo-hippy movements that emerged in the 1980s.

Vitelli has had many collaborations from the very beginning, with both music and fashion labels - including Victor Barragán’s SS 20 knit pieces recently unveiled in New York.

Ditch the plastic bag, if you haven't already. Go for the Secret Shopping Bag instead.

These happy faces belong to sewers in India who are experiencing a unique opportunity not only to earn and income but also to develop their business skills producing foldable shopping bag, known as The Secret Shopping Bag.

Measuring 60cm x 40cm each, the bags are made from high quality kalamkari cotton fabric in over 30 unique designs, from block prints to a plain and patterned denim range and have proved popular not only internationally but also to the local Indian market.

Secret Pillow Projects are working with their Maker Groups to empower each member to drive their own sales, gain orders and even set up their own businesses through Secret Projects Sales Training Workshops. In supporting women in the Marker Groups, they provide training and empower them with skills to generate an income to support themselves and their families.  To order the Secret Shopping Bag and to find out more how to support Secret Projects, go to their website.

Eco-Smart Technology from ROICA on show at EUROBIKE, Germany, September 4 - 7

EUROBIKE, the world’s leading trade fair for the cycling industry, staged at Friedrichshafen, Germany from September 4 to 7, is highlighting smart innovations relevant to the sport.  Cycle retailers, brands and manufacturers will discover premium stretch ROICA™ that provides comfort and movement as it energizes.   ROICA partners who are exhibiting at the fair include Italian companies M.I.T.I. SpA, Piave Maitex, SITIP SpA, as well as from France, Payen – ESF and from Spain, Sportwear Argentona S.A. ROICA™ partners’ materials elevate new standards for high-tech performance that can enhance cycling products, showcasing a range of stretch essentials for cycling clothing and special gear.  Moreover, ROICA™ partners at EUROBIKE will show their ongoing commitment to responsible innovation and creativity manifested through their advanced responsible developments made with the ROICA Eco-SmartTM Family.

There are two responsibly-produced yarns that demonstrate premium stretch performances that give free rein to designers’ creativity while complying to the most cutting-edge sustainable standards. The ROICA™ EF– GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified - is made with 58% of pre-consumer recycled content. GRS guarantees its sustainable mission with a certification by the influential Textile Exchange*, one of the most known and recognized global players in the market. The ROICA™ V550  breaks down without releasing harmful substance under the testing environment according to Hohenstein Environmental Compatibility certification. Made and engineered by Asahi Kasei R&D team, and produced in the ROICA™ German plant only, the yarn offers additional and relevant circular economy advantages linked to material health as proved by a Gold Level Material Health Certificate by the Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute for a safe and biological end of life cycle.

Sustainability the focus of Smart Creations during Première Vision Paris trade fair September 17 - 19

At the upcoming edition of the Première Vision Paris trade fair for professionals in the textile and fibres industries, which is due to take place September 17-19 at Parc des Expositions in north Paris, sustainability, interweaving creativity with technology will be a major focus at the Smart Creation Area.

Clothing with "smart" qualities featured at  Première Vision Paris

February 2019 edition.

Photo by Lucia Carpio.

Among the exhibitors this September, premium stretch fibre company ROICA™, by leading material innovator Asahi Kasei of Japan, will be showcasing their ultimate hyper-performative yarns such as the certified ROICA Eco-Smart™ Family.


“The ROICA Eco-Smart™ Family is the result of the innovation process marrying the company’s  inquiring mind of innovativeness and sustainability with brands and designers’ growing demand for responsible materials.” Comments Shinichiro Haga, Senior Executive Manager - ROICA™ Division. 
“The new premium stretch is synonymous of transformation: from standard to speciality, from basic to special, from ordinary to clever and from standard to Smart.”

"Closed" jeans made with

Candiani ReLast

containing sustainable  Roica (TM)

Today ROICA™, and especially ROICA EcoSmart™, is the premium secret ingredient enhancing fashion-led collections, including the German denim brand Closed, founded in 1978, which is totally handmade in Italy.

Closed selected the new amazing Candiani ReLast line, the range of market fresh responsible denim products whose objective is to introduce a 100% transformed innovative solution. The partnership between ROICA™ and Candiani generated uses a very special ROICA™ yarn realized only for Candiani. A premium stretch yarn that is boasting a GRS (Global Recycled Standard) version 4 certification, thanks to its high percentage of recycled content and appropriated process of transformation.

Another brand using Roica's sustainable yarns is un-sanctioned™, an innovation-driven performance running apparel brand newly launched in September, 2019; founded on the belief that it’s time for running to give back to the environment all runners take so much joy from.  In partnership with Miti-Spa, un-sanctioned™ has developed and launched with two initial sustainable performance running fabrics called [ BottleKnit™ ] — a 100% recycled polyester made from plastic bottles. And [ WasteKnit™] — a 100% upcycled polyamide made from industrial waste blended with ROICA™ EF yarn for uncompromising smart stretch performance. 

The ROICA Eco-Smart™ family offers two responsibly-made yarns with outstanding stretch performances that give free rein to designers’ creativity and guarantees the highest quality while complying to the most-cutting edge sustainable standards: • Yarns that are ROICA™ EF– GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified - is made with 58% of pre-consumer recycled content.  GRS guarantees its sustainable mission with a certification by the influential Textile Exchange*, one of the most known and recognized global players in the market. 

• Meanwhile the ROICA™ V550   which breaks down without releasing harmful substance under the testing environment according to Hohenstein Environmental Compatibility certification. Made and engineered by Asahi Kasei R&D team, and produced in ROICA™'s German plant only, the yarn offers additional and relevant circular economy advantages linked to material health as proved by a Gold Level Material Health Certificate by the Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute for a safe and biological end of life cycle.