Inspiring hand-woven contemporary textiles enrich modern lives.

Thanks to modern technology, our daily life has become more efficient, and thus we should be left with more time to slow down and admire crafts that are lovingly made by hand.  As we wake up to the global crisis of throw-away plastics, hand-crafted home furnishing textiles remind us the joy of appreciating things that take time to make and indeed can last a long time.

At 100% Design trade fair in London, held in September at Olympia in Kensington, I met woven textile designer Pamela Print who had her weaving loom set up in her stand so she could demonstrate her craft.  She is the genius behind her wonderful hand-woven furnishing textile collection that included wall hangings, throws and cushions that she produces for her own brand.  

As a designer and weaver who is passionate about sustainability, Pamela Print is keen to demonstrate her eco credentials, as all her products are totally sustainable as her products are all in 100% wool.  

For example, the cushions front is made in merino lambswool and the back fabric  is in Harris Tweed while for the filling she uses eco-friendly British fleece (Dorset Horn.)

Pamela graduated from Central Saint Martins in London with a BA in Textile Design, and is an alumni of TexSelect (a London-based charity that nurtured and promoted UK textile graduates for some 50 years) through her career was launched 14 years ago after particpating at Premiere Vision trade fair in Paris.

Pamela worked for many years in textile and garment supply companies like Dewhirst and for top brands and retailers including Topshop and Marks & Spencer - before relocating to Brussels for seven years.  Recently she and family decided to move back to the UK.  

But Pamela has brought Brussels back with her through her geometric patterns that were inspired by architecture in Brussels with art deco influences.  But while on the loom, ideas are developed, she said.

With a studio set up outside London in the historical village of Writtle where her designs are developed and sampled, she has also got an agreement with Bristol Weaving Mill where small batches can be produced to order.

Also exhibiting at 100% Design was Lydia Forman, whose hand-woven upholstery fabric designs won her a place in the Design Fresh area of the trade fair held in September at Kensington Olympia in London.  

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

Lydia brings a vibrant modern aesthetic to complex traditional weaving skills, creating cushions, upholstery fabrics, hangings, and flatweave rugs in yarns that include cotton, silk and Lurex.   

She juxtaposes geometric structures with bright floral colours. Weights and textures are explored using different yarns and weaving techniques.

Inspiration ranges from the colours of Kew Gardens to the rigid repeating facades of contemporary architecture.  To showcase some of her colourful textile products was a vintage Ercol sofa and chair  at 100% Design which were covered in her fabrics.        

A graduate of Loughborough University this year with a BA degree in Textiles: Innovation and Design, specialising in Woven Textiles, Lydia Forman was also awarded First Prize in the 2019 Loughborough University Enterprise Award.

All photos by Lucia Carpio.

Artworks reflecting two British artists' love for trees and wood

Two British artists of different genres feature wood and trees in their own signature ways to demonstrate their love for this most tactile and amazing product of nature with stunning results. 

Both have long association with Wales, either being born there or having lived there for many years.

One is David Nash, who's having a major exhibition of his giant sculpture and prints at the Towner  Art Gallery in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

And the other is Thomas Perceval, whose "tree portraits" attracted many admirers at the recently concluded 100% Design fair in Kensington Olympia, London.

To read about both designers' work, click HERE.

Photos by Lucia Carpio.

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.

Interior designer launches cushion collections under FifteenFifeen label.

Natalia Petrov, Director/Designer of FifteenFifteen, has launched her first ever cushion collections in luxury fabrics of velvet and a variety of silk, including Habutai and Indian Dupion.

All manufactured in the East End of London, the cushions feature  digitally-printed designs in Worcestershire and have coordinating fabrics and colours  on both sides so one can reverse the design from season to season.

As a finishing touch of luxe, the cushions are featured with gold plated zips and each is supplied with a 85% feather/15% down inserts.

All are delivered in the brand's own bespoke reusable box perfect for storage.

FifteenFifteen will be showing at 100% DESIGN 19 - 22 September 2018 at London Olympia.

Natalia’s work includes painting, fabric and interior design.  Always has a keen interest in Abstract Art and interior design, citing Mark Rothko as her major influence, Natalia participated in a group art exhibition at Brick Lane gallery in 2010 and has since then sold her art internationally.  Having turned her passion to interiors, Natalia graduated with Merit from KLC School of Design in 2014 and went on to work for major interior design studios where she contributed to design and development of hotels, restaurants and residential properties. She also holds a BA in French Studies obtained at Queen Mary, University of London, a Private Client Advice & Management Diploma accredited by CISI and is fluent in Russian and French.

Fresh talent alongside global brands on show at 100% Design in London

The unique quality of the 100% Design show, which returns during London Design Festival for its 23rd edition at Kensington Olympia, 20-23 September, lies in  its cross-sector appeal to design professionals, with five distinct sections: Interiors, Workplace, Kitchens & Bathrooms, Design & Build and Emerging Brands.

The show is instrumental in fostering relationships between some of the world’s biggest architects, designers, specifiers, retailers and developers.

Italian lighting company Studio Italia Design will launch three new collections at this year's 100% Desing show - Sugegasa, Nautilus and Random which features an unconventional design of modular, melted-blown pendants that mimic the shape and form of soap bubbles.   Information and photo from 100% Design.

With over 600 exhibitors launching hundreds of new products, last year’s event was attended by more than 27,000 visitors with delegate spending power unmatched in the UK, reaching a combined £3.9 billion.

Interiors is the longest running section at 100% Design, presenting prestigious international brands with products ranging from furniture and lighting to fabrics and accessories.

Mid-century and art deco-inspired designs are prominent in this section this year, with brands such as Mambo Unlimited, Due and Mullan Lighting, who will launch a new range of lights for hotels at the show.

Upholstery, furniture and lighting brand Bow and Arrow will launch Olinda, a new collection of armchairs, sofas and furniture. Contract furniture supplier Andy Thornton Ltd will launch new workstations, hospitality furniture and decorative lighting, while there are new furniture and lighting products from UK studio Woodlikes.

A dedicated platform for the freshest new ideas, Emerging Brands reflects 100% Design’s original ethos of launching new talent, having been the launchpad for stalwarts such as Ella Doran, Tom Dixon and Barber Osgerby.

One of the emerging brands to show at 100% Design is Edinburgh-based designer Mairi Helena who specialises in high-end luxury home accessories for interiors and fashion whose novel designs are created using influences from her photographic portfolio of Scotland.   Photo and information from 100% Design

Joining the section this year is Odddot, who will launch new furniture and lighting products at 100% Design. They are joined by London florist and plant shop Grace & Thorn Ltd who also feature for the first time.

TMI Laura Itkonen will launch several new wall art products, while British lifestyle brand Elizabeth James returns to launch new coasters and placemats to mark the company’s second appearance at 100% Design.

Other exhibitors in Emerging Brands include mirror manufacturer Alguacil & Perkoff Ltd, furniture designers Thirty Line Design, lighting company Mash.T Design Studio, upholstery brand Citradi and interior print designer Mairi Helena.

100% Design’s Workplace section is the only one of its kind in the UK, according to organisers. With a marketplace growing globally, the section spotlights the innovative work being done by companies around the world to improve both productivity and the experience of the workplace itself. The range of commercial design on show includes desking, seating, electronic innovations, acoustic panels, storage systems, lighting and flooring.

Office furniture is responding to demands of more sociable and collaborative work environments, evident in the showcases of British brand Protocol and French furniture company Alki. The introduction of soft shapes and vibrant colours reflects the increasingly acknowledged link between comfort and productivity.

Also furniture giant Kinnarps will be on trend and will launch three new chairs by their brands Materia, Skandiform and NC. All of them are designed by Karim Rashid and new to the UK.

100% Design reports Great Success!

The latest edition of the 100% Design trade fair for interior design and lifestyle products held at Earls Court in London attracted more than 28,000 visitors this September, according to new owners Media Ten, which acquired the show in 2011 and has since increased the total footfall of the fair by 36%. 

Entrance to 100% Design, based on the kaleidoscope design theme.

The 20^th edition of 100% Design was held over four days (17-20 September 2014), showcasing a wide range of design products and global design brands from 450 exhibitors.

A specially commissioned glass chandelier, Ice, made by leading designer and manufacturer of bespoke light fittings Lasvit in conjunction with architect Daniel Libeskind.

Overall, while the 2014 show was attended by over 19,000 architects and interior designers, representing 70% of the total number of visitors, it was a show not to be missed by all involved with designs, be it product, space, display, stage, merchandising or fashion.  The show was most attended by UK visitors (81%), followed by those from Europe (13%) and the rest of the world (6%).  Furthermore, only 9,000 visitors attended other design events during this year’s London Design Festival.

The show organisers are now looking ahead to moving the event to the new venue Olympia London in 2015.  Set within the iconic Grand Hall at Olympia, the UK's largest design exhibition will have a brand new layout, providing a unique launch platform for over 2,000 products. The new destination in West London is within a stone’s throw of the newly located Design Museum from 2016.

Foam Dome

Seminar area marked by
giant inflated and rotating sculptures.

A post-show survey (1,600 samples), conducted by 100% Design, also highlighted the following key findings:

88% agreed that attending 100% Design is important to their businesses;

60% organised business meetings at the show;

48% attended the show for the first time;

76% said the show was good to excellent;

77% said they would return again in 2015.

Show Director William Knight comments, “100% Design 2014 was a great success for us; overall, we have received an overwhelming number of positive responses from visitors, exhibitors and collaborators. I believe the 20th edition truly demonstrated our commitment to design and innovation, and that we have produced a top quality show where visitors could find new ideas and innovative products, but also connect with others and engage with our features, which strongly supported our 2014 show theme.”

International country pavilions

International designer Philippe Starck - who opened 100% Design this year – commented, “there were no features at the first event many years ago, but now it looks amazing and full of sparkle.”

100% Design welcomed visitors to its 20th edition this year with a specially commissioned glass chandelier, Ice, made by leading designer and manufacturer of bespoke light fittings Lasvit in conjunction with architect Daniel Libeskind.

Area for emerging designers and brands

Alongside Emerging Brands and International Pavilions, four industry hubs showcased Interiors, Kitchens and Bathrooms, Workhouse and Eco, Design and Build, each with an engaging and interactive feature at its heart; from Foam Dome by vPPR architects – a geodesic dome pavilion made from bubble foam, to iAlter by NBBJ architects, a kinetic sculpture that flexed in response to visitors flowing through it.

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

3D printed jewellery and decorative homewares from In-Spaces

IN-SPACES is a new London design studio and retailer that features an experimental concept, blending the inspiration of nature with modern technology for its unique collection of homewares, gift accessories and jewellery collection.

As spotted at recent London 100% Design and Top Drawer trade fairs, the British brand’s new jewellery collection caught my attention because the range was created with cutting-edge 3D printing and experimental techniques.  

Taking inspiration from architecture and nature, the Jeneaulle Black Collection is made in black nylon with a matte finish.  While the design boosts contemporary lines with a free-flowing spirit, the pieces are flattering yet incredibly lightweight. 

Using the same technique there are also intricately 3D printed photo frames featuring fluorescent ornaments in the shape of flowers and other structures such as butterflies and hummingbirds that can be removed and perched on the frame wherever we like.

The complex process involves the development of algorithms that enable the transfer of the magnolia tree to be printed, creating a textured aesthetic.

The two photos immediately above and the one below are by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect, taken at the 100% Design trade show at London's Earl's Court.

The decorative elements can even come in gold finishes.  In-Spaces can alter and customise the designs to suit individual taste. 

 Also featured at 100% Design was a mirror design with similar 3D design elements as the picture frames.  The mirror sample on show features a lit-up back light, demonstrating the many possibilities of the design concept.

All products are sold on the In Spaces website, as well as in their new London showroom at 3 Tottenham Street, Fitzoria, London, W1T 2AF.