Best of Britannia highlights wide range of British brands, including products for cycling enthusiasts

Best of Britannia organisers are celebrating the best of British brands and craftsmanship.  The event - which is currently held at the historic Farmiloe Building in Clerkenwell, London - is open to the public and lasts until 3rd October featuring a diverse range of British products made exclusively in the UK. 

Antony Wallis, Creator of Best of Britannia, comments: “It is a very exciting time to be a British designer and manufacturer - the London 2012 Olympics, the Golden Jubilee, and now with the arrival of Prince George, brand Britain is experiencing a major boom.”

With the launch of a new website to coincide with the exhibition, Antony has announced that the event will be expanded to Manchester as well next year.

Best of Britannia brings together a broad range of industries and sectors, including interiors, furniture, lighting, food, drink, clothing, jewellery, accessories, footwear, sports, outdoor recreation and automotives.   

While the iconic Mini is a classic representative of the British brand, cycling has in recent years become one of the nation's favourite sports and its growing popularity as a means of transport is highlighted by the fact that many of the exhibitors’ at Best of Britannia are featuring products related to the bicycle and quality-conscious cyclists.

The 150-year-old Brooks England for one, based in Smethwick, West Midlands, showcases a wide selection of cycling accessories, including leather saddles expertly crafted in their own factory using traditional machinery as well as stylish and functional bags for bicycles.

Carradice of Nelson based in Lancashire uses a selection of materials including waterproof cotton, duck fabric, thick leather and limited edition Harris Tweed for a wide range of bicycle bags, 

These Carradice bags feature cast metal fixings, military grade cotton webbing and leather binding. 

Chapman, a company founded as a manufacturer of fishing and shooting bags, has over the years become well-known for authentically British made shoulder bags, luggage and accessories. 

Based in Carlisle, Cumbria, Chapman's Troutbeck shown above is its original fishing bag which is now designed to carry a laptop as well as fish.  Note also the bright colours on offer in the new collection.

On display at Best of Britannia are the Moulton bicycles which are manufactured in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, and are recognised as superior to conventional cycles due to the combination of space-frame construction, innovative suspension and small wheels with improved handling, ride and performance.

Also on display are new design brand Cycloc - simple storage systems for hanging up bikes and keeping accessories neatly.

 

They look so effortless and at the same time elegant and space-saving.  All products are available on the Cycloc website.

Meanwhile Big Tomato Company features illustrations of bicycles, gears and saddles on their mugs and cutlery holders, all made at their factory in Stroke-on-Trent.

Asian and European leather goods brands won best awards at FASHION ACCESS September trade fair

Exhibitors at the FASHION ACCESS international trade fair have been recognised for their excellent product designs by winning four Best of APLF Awards (BOAA) at the FASHION ACCESS September 25-27 2014 trade fair.

The BOAA winners are:

Best Small Leathergoods - Saturday Morning and Night, Korea

The award was presented to Saturday Morning and Night for its new vision for small leathergoods, with its sleek lines, smart use of futuristic materials, and "the perfect combination of practicality and fancy", said the judges.

Best Men's Footwear - Deshi Shoes Company Limited, China

Deshi Shoes won the award for its line of men’s shoes that bore a interesting mix of classic, urban and sporty elements. Tasteful touches of colour, be it in the linings, laces or soles, give the collection its own image and personality.

Best Bags - Antony Group Srl, Italy

Antony Group was given the award for its python bags, under its Silvano Biagini brand, that presented a new view of luxury, mixing simple silhouettes with original components and artfully coloured skins. Judges said the line was both classic yet youthful with a fresh appeal.

Best Footwear Collection - Guangzhou City Quangsheng Shoes Company Limited, China

This award is for the company’s complete range of women’s shoes, offering sporty to sophisticated styles.  Judges found their vast collection has a modern feminine spirit, with clean lines, with striking accents and first-class materials.

According to UBM Asia's event director Perrine Ardouin, FASHION ACCESS is "a must-attend" international fashion fair for head-to-toe fashion, featuring high quality leather products such as bags, footwear, small leather goods, fashion accessories, travel wares and leather garments.  It is held twice a year and has been successfully run in Hong Kong for more than 30 years. 

The next FASHION ACCESS event will take place March 30th to April 1st at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.  

Neon luxury British trainer brand launches Kick Starter campaign; garnering support

New brand of luxury British trainer - Neon -  is now officially launched with a Kick Starter campaign.  The brand had a soft launch at the Scoop International fair in London in January this year, and now fashionistas and trend leaders can head to the on-line campaign (by clicking HERE) to pledge and reserve their own pair of NEONs before the trainers go on retail sale in October.   

A select number of NEONs, in all of the colours of the debut collection, are on offer, as well as the limited edition,  gold ‘Magic Dust’ NEONs (these will also be available on the website from launch but for a limited time only.)  Finally, the campaign will also incorporate the opportunity to order men’s NEONs in 3 key colours, again not something that will retail in October.

Neon caught my eye at Scoop because of its stylish design for a trainer, and also unique colour concept that the entire shoe, including the wedge, is a single block colour using sumptuous leathers throughout.  Very much on trend, its autumn/winter collection features a range of rich colours as well as metallic options.  You're spoiled for choice.

Stylish design aside, these luxury trainers are also manufactured here in the UK, each pair is made to order and the Kick Starter campaign is the first step to getting production  under way.  The Northampton-based, family-run factory that manufactures NEONs is one of the oldest shoe factories in the UK, dating back to 1908.  On the NEON website you can follow how trainers are produced by true artisans and are a tribute to quality UK manufacturing.

Head designer and managing director at NEON, Sarah-Jayne Newey, comments: “The time is almost here to launch the ‘Our Girl Rules The City’ debut collection to the public and we’re very excited.  We’ve had excellent feedback so far and we’re confident that our luxury, British, one-colour trainers will be a huge success across the board.
“We decided to start with a Kick Starter campaign as a way to get production going with one big push.  All of our trainers are made to order in our Northampton factory and it’s important for us to start production off with a big order and really get the factory going with NEON.  We’ve had fantastic support so far and the campaign is also another way for us to give back to our supporters.  The campaign will see our debut collection available at a lower than retail cost, as well as a limited edition  skin on offer and a limited edition menswear option.”  

The debut collection will launch on the NEON website  in mid-October.   

Master weaver demonstrates the making of Jan Kath's Erased Heritage Rug at Decorex

Jan Kath's Erased Heritage rug designs demonstrate a unique combination of classical Italian and traditional oriental ornamental rug features with distressed effects.  At first glance, one would think the rugs are ancient and have faded in parts.  In fact, the faded effect is its unique design feature that makes the rugs appear at once aged and yet contemporary.

By using the highest quality of materials, such as Tibetan Highland wool, fine Chinese silk, cashmere and nettle fibres, the rugs are hand-made by highly skilled weavers using a traditional high density hand-knotting technique - from 100 to 450 knots per square inch. No two rugs are the same.

On hand to meticulously demonstrate such technique is a seasoned master weaver from India at the Decorex show currently held at London's Syon Park until September 24.   He is making in front of your eyes Jan Kath's Erased Heritage Tabriz Canal Arial rug using the hand-knotted technique.

Jan Kath, along with Michaela Schleypen whose work is inspired by nature), are two world-renowned rug designers represented by FRONT London which has a 200 sq. metre showroom in Mayfair.

Photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Eley Kishimoto launches first wallpaper collection at Decorex, London

Most people associate the name Eley Kishimoto (founded by Mark Eley and Wakako Kishimoto in 1992) as a British fashion label that specialises in print.

Known internationally for their wide range of work - from fashion and interiors to architectural and design collaborations across different disciplines - the dynamic label has now launched its first hand-printed wallpaper collection, currently on show at the presitigious Decorex luxury interior trade fair (Sept. 21 - 24) at London's Syon Park.


It is a fantastical world of colour, pop, fun and exciting patterns. the new wallpaper collection (comprising 12 designs) builds on the success of the designers' previous offering of bespoke furniture, soft furnishings and homewares.

Their stand in Decorex is covered in the La La Lyon Col 35 design taken from a fabric they had used two years' ago for a fashion range.  This is a bold design representing a modern take on a traditional damask pattern.

The new collection - screen-prinrted in the designers' Brixton studio - is the latest incarnation of a continually evolving design aesthetic; re-working of seminal prints from the studio's archive that unifies existing designs with both garments and walls, resulting in a visceral exploration of surface decoration.  The collection also celebrates a desire to create exquisite, handcrafted artifacts in a world of fast, digital production.
The new wallpaper collection is available to buy online at Eley Kishimoto's website.  

Eley Kishimoto -  the "Patron Saints of Print" - have done it again.

Photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Japanese Water-Well Concept inspired towel brand's booth design at 100% Design show

Lucia Carpio, Content Editor of My Fashion Connect, trying out the traditional custom of washing hands
at an ancient shrine in Kyoto, Japan.

When visiting and worshiping at a shrine in Japan, it is traditional to wash one’s hands and mouth with water from a well on the premise to purify oneself.  I had this experience on a recent trip to Kyoto, the ancient capital of feudal Japan.

And it was at the 100% Design show at London's Earl's Court held a couple of days ago that I got to experience this traditional custom again.

Japanese towel company Imabari had created a serene exhibition space that engaged visitors in the unique hand-washing tradition.

The main concept of the booth was based on a “pile” of stacking wood frames that one often finds in a traditional Japanese building.  The wood frames in the Imabari's booth were stacked in such a way that the structure resembled the Japanese written character for a water-well.  

And built into these wood frames were unique watering “basins” for visitors to experience the Japanese traditional custom of washing hands.  Visitors then had the opportunity to dry out their hands using Imabari’s cotton towels, and experience first hand the towel’s water-absorbing quality and lush cotton texture.

The booth concept was created by the branding project's creative director Kashiwa Sato (responsible for the international branding of such names as Honda, Uniqlo and Seven Eleven Japan) in collaboration with architect Shigeru Kubota who designed the Imabari Towel shop in Tokyo, utilising Japanese architectural aesthetics.

On exhibit at the booth in 100% Design were different ranges of white towels woven in subtle designs.  According to a spokesman, Imabari’s minimalistic approach to producing these towels were based on the three elements of texture, materials and weaving.

Imabari Towels are often in white and never in strong colours and patterns so as not to distract the user from their high quality.  The Imabari towels have been produced since 1894 and is today run by the Shikoku Towel Industrial Association.  The region where the towels are produced situated in the Ehime prefecture on the island of Shikoku, is served by the subsoil water of Soja River which runs from the Takanawa Mountain Range with underground water coming from the sacred Mount Ishizuchi.  By using water of such fine quality, the fabrics produced are both delicate and soft to touch.  

This is the Imabari logo at left and the choice of colours have been chosen to represent Japanese aesthetics.   Red is associated with energy, passion, advancement, power, motion, impact and Japan.  Blue is the colour of safety, ease, trust, history, tradition, freshness and tranquility,  while White is the colour for pureness, cleanliness, innocence, healing, sincerity, softness, and affection.

No doubt  we would be seeing this logo again soon, as Imabari products are continuously promoted in the UK.  While this was Imabari’s third overseas exhibition (after Helsinki, Finland in 2009 and Milan, Italy from 2011-2013), the brand plans to participate in future exhibitions in the UK such as the Birmingham Spring Fair in February 2015, and to explore retail shops in London.

Photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Grand designs “clouded” over exhibition hubs – in an energised way - at 100% Design in London

A visit to the 100% Design exhibition at London’s Earls Court a couple of days ago provided not just design trend inspiration but also an intriguing experience.  I found this cloud-like structure that was hovering above the Kitchens & Bathrooms Hub at the 100% Design show in Earls Court, London. 

The Foam Dome was created on commission by vPPR Architects, according to show director William Knight.

The giodesic dome,  playful yet inspiring for the space below it, was covered in white mesh and would periodically emit foam from soap, water and air, to comprise a breathing membrane.  It was sponsored by Turkishceramics  thus it hovered over white ceramic products from the brand to reinforce the spa aesthetic.

According to Director of vPPR Architects, Jessica Reynolds, the Foam Dome was designed around the idea of cleanliness, referencing an indulgent, purifying spa experience. 

Also featured along the Turkishceramics white products were fluffy white cotton towels by Imabari Towel Japan to complement the spa experience.  Nearby the Imabori stand provided a unique Japanese experience.  

Elsewhere at this 20th anniversary 100% Design,  international architecture and design practice NBBJ showcased iAlter at the Workplace Hub, an outsized installation suspended from the ceiling that responds to the people walking under it.  

The structure was made up of hundreds of cardboard tubes, and the shape of this formation would change to different shapes.  While it hovered above like a cloud, it felt like the tubes were raining down as the shape changed into different formations.  As explained by the studio's principal David Lewis, this interactive installation was inspired by the simplicity of kinetic sculpture and the complexity of computer-generated design algorithms,  and it flexes in response to the flow of people and gently encourages serendipitous encounters, he said.

It would be interesting to see how many workplaces out there would afford this kind of height to provide stimulation to the work force.  But show director William Knight said design in the workspace is a key area that has seen a growing demand in recent years,  He offered that an office is no longer just a place where people work, it is also a hub where we exchange ideas and inspire each other.

NBBJ is currently designing innovative workspaces for clients that include Samsung, Amazon and Google.

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.