Memorabalia from The Shining on show at Stanley Kubrick, The Exhibition at the Design Museum

Apollo 11 jumper - the original worn by Danny Lloyd who played Danny Torrance, the young boy in The Shining, the thriller  directed by Stanley Kubrick.  Descriptions at the Design Museum exhibition credited the sweater to American director Lee Unkrich, who lives in Kentfield, California.

Photo by Lucia Carpio.

CafePress has 2019 adult versions in sweatshirts and Tees, named after Danny, currently available on Amazon. 

As we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Man landing on the Moon, it was wonderful to see this hand-knitted sweater - featuring an Apollo 11 rocket - worn by young Danny Lloyd who played Danny Torrance (son of Jack Nicholson's character) in the Stanley Kubrick 1980 thriller The Shining.  It is one of the many exhibits on show at the Design Museum in London, in the magnificent Stanley Kubrick, The Exhibition currently running until 15 September.  The memorable scenes in The Shining feature 5-year-old Danny in the Apollo jumper riding his tricycle in the haunting corridors of the Overlook Hotel when suddenly he encounters the ghosts of twin girls who had been murdered in the hotel. 

Dresses and shoes worn by Lisa and Louise Burns as Grady's daughters, from the Stanley Kubrick Archive, University of the Arts London.
Picture taken at an exhibition at the Design Museum, featuring original costumes used in
Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, and all of the great director's great movies.

Photo by Lucia Carpio.

Further research revealed that according to British actor Leon Vitali, who was personal assistant of Mr Kubrick at that time, Danny's sweater was knitted by a friend of award-wining costume designer Milena Canonero, who had worked with Kubrick on a number of movies including The Shining.  Vitali said in a 2017 interview in The Guardian that  Canonero thought the jumper was "just the sort of thing that a kid that age would have liked."

The Design Museum Market from 1-3 December.

Design Junction and the Design Museum of London are partnering to offer the Design Museum Market from 1-3 December.

If like me you have been inundated with emails and Emessages on huge discounts on offer coming so-called Black Friday, forget about them if you want to pick up something unique for yourself or loved ones this Christmas.

Statement scarfs from Pipet Design  will be found at the Design Museum Market.

Instead head over to the Design Museum Market 1-3 December if you are in London as this is where you will find a good selection of jewellery, ceramics, glassware, textiles, homewares, graphic design, digital and children’s products - everything from original stocking-fillers to stand-out gifts, just in time for the coming festive season.

Returning for the second year, there will be a range of new brands to discover and shop from alongside designjunction exhibitors including luxury statement scarfs from Pipet Design, home furniture from Studio Perki, stationery and homeware from Laura Knight Studio, and various original gifts from Lollipop Designs, Linescapes and Alice Bosc.

Located in the Huth Gallery on 2nd floor of the museum, visitors will also have access to Design Maker User, the Design Museum’s permanent collection.

 To see more of what's in store click here.

LEADING CULTURE DESTINATIONS AWARDS: WINNERS 2017 ANNOUNCED

London's Design Museum has been named as the overall winner in The Leading Culture Destination Awards 2017 at a ceremony held at the new Trafalgar St. James Hotel in Central London on September 29th.

The scheme, now in its fourth year, celebrates museums and cities for their dedication to cultural vitality with winners were judged on the quality and reach of their contributions to the international cultural sphere.

Cultural destinations today are not only for art experiences and education; they have become social hubs for visitors to spend time, dine, shop, work and even sleep. LCD Awards shines light on culture as an integral part of our lifestyle. 

The awards recognise institutions, organisations, and cities in Europe, North America, Latin America/the Middle East/Africa and the Asia/Pacific region. But it also pointed towards the rising cultural trend in the global periphery such as Mexico and Thailand while traditional artistic hubs such as Paris and New York may no longer have the same draw for artists; the award winners however demonstrate that western countries have maintained their edge, and continue to work towards maintaining a wealth of cultural activity.

London's Design Museum was also named Europe's Best New Museum of the Year Award (opened in the last 15 months), while two other UK museums also won top prizes in their respective categories:- the British Museum in London was named the Digital Museum Experience of the Year: and Climate Control at Manchester Museum won the Climate Smart Award, in partnership with SUNx

The winners were chosen by a jury of nine established cultural gurus from around the world who reviewed everything from audacious programming and management structures, to cross-sector collaborations and Michelin-starred restaurants, late night openings and music performances, with an overarching focus on a visionary approach to these cultural initiatives.

Founder of the Leading Culture Destinations Awards, Florian Wupperfeld, also announced the exciting news that he will be launching the Leading Cultural Destination Academy, a new knowledge sharing and networking initiative. A place where tourism and hospitality executives can meet cultural destination leaders, create new opportunities and reach the next generation of cultural travelers. 

Here are the Leading Culture Destination of the Year Award winners:

·       Exhibition of the Year: Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors at Hirshhorn Museum (Washington DC, USA)
·       Museum Architecture of the Year: Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology (Lisbon, Portugal)
·       Museum Shop of the Year: Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, USA)
·       Restaurant of the Year: Fotografiska (Stockholm, Sweden)
·       Digital Museum Experience of the Year: British Museum (London, UK) 

Best New Museum of the Year Award winners: (opened in the last 15 months):
·       Europe: Design Museum (London, UK)
·       North America: Tippet Rise Art Center (Fishtail, USA)
·       Latin America: Casa Wabi (Puerto Escondido, Mexico)
·       Middle East / UAE / Africa: Etihad Museum (Dubai, UAE)
·       Asia / Pacific: MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum (Chiang Mai, Thailand)

The Traveller’s Award winners, presented by Avis:
·       Emerging Cultural City of the Year: Athens, Greece
·       Art Hotel of the Year: The Walled Off Hotel (Bethlehem)

Soft Power Destination of the Year Award winners, presented by Valletta 2018:
·       Best Soft Power Cultural Activation Award: Davis Museum at Wellesley College, Art Less: The Davis without Immigrants (Wellesley, USA)
·       Best Soft Power Cultural Organisation Award: Toronto International Film Festival (Toronto, Canada)
·       Best Soft Power Cultural District Award: Watts Tower Arts Center (Los Angeles, USA) 

Climate Smart Award, in partnership with SUNx:
·       Climate Control at Manchester Museum (Manchester, UK)
Best Museum Late Night Experience, in partnership with Sipsmith:
·       Rubin Museum of Art (New York, USA) 

The Leading Culture Destination 2017 overall winner:
·       Design Museum (London, UK)

London's Design Museum re-opens November 24.

London's much loved  Design Museum will re-open November 24 at its new location in upmarket Kensington, in the former Commonwealth Institute building - after 27 years in a former warehouse in Shad Thames across the river.

With the promise of three times more space than its previous venue, the Design Museum's new home is billed to have a superslick interior, designed by John Pawson, and houses three exhibition spaces, a library and archive, a restaurant and café, learning spaces and a designers-in-residence studio.   Plus an impressive "hyperbolic paraboloid" roof.

No doubt it will prove to be London's newest swanky destination - not just for our cultural enrichment, but for shopping as well with two shops filled with trendy lifestyle products.

Of course the Design Museum no longer has the view of the historic Tower Bridge.  But the new location is a stone's throw from trendy Holland Park and close to the heart of Kensington’s cultural zone that includes the Victoria & Albert Museum and Science Museum.

The permanent collection in the Design Museum is free but periodical exhibitions cost £14.
There is a public programme of talks and classes monthly and design workshops to nurture young talents.  Can't wait to get involved.

Design Museum reopens Thursday November 24 at 224-238 Kensington High Street, London. 

Photos - Design Museum's own.