Samuel Chan: Design Purity and Craft Principles

London-based award-winning product and furniture designer Samuel Chan is celebrating 20 years of establishing his London studio-showroom, Channels, by launching a publication that explores his creative and entrepreneurial endeavors.

Front cover of book Samuel Chan: Design Purity and Craft Principles, authored by Charlotte and Peter Fiell, and published by Laurence King. For details on purchasing the book, click here.

Samuel Chan with one of his new ‘Mr Knock’ Bookcase I showcased at designjunction2016 as part of London Design Festival, 22-25 September.
Photo © Lucia Carpio. 

The new book tells the story of Samuel Chan’s creative and entrepreneurial endeavours, exploring his singular approach to design and manufacture, from first discovering his love of woodwork as a
schoolboy new to England, to opening Channels with a studio-showroom in 1995, and going on to be awarded 12 Design Guild Marks over the course of his career so far.

To read in full, click HERE.

Angular crystal stones and tribal colours form Swarovski's new jewellery inspiration for Autumn/Winter 2017/18

The new season hones in on the crucial human-identity-defining activities of eating, working and travelling, under the influential notion of sustainability and ethical behaviours, with tribal patterns and colours to project the new inspirations for jewellery, according to Austria's leading crystal authority, Swarovski.

Richly fanciful textiles playing up theatrical and spectral decorations as
seen at Premiere Vision Paris fair in September 2016.
To read Swarovski's trend analysis, click HERE. 

Judging from designer collections recently seen on European catwalks, and at major international trade fairs, bold decorative elements and opulent surface treatments bordering on excess are the way forward in a world dominated by technology.

Crystal jewellery with edgy gender-neutral designs forge one of the key trend influences from Swarovski.
New for Autumn-Winter 17-18 include BeCharmed Beads and angular crystals, Dark Rainbow effects, amd metal tones.

For Autumn/Winter 2017/18, the overall title is "The Nature of Us".

Click HERE to read in full.

All photos © Lucia Carpio.

designjunction2016 celebrates record visitor numbers and great success in its new King’s Cross home

The move of the London design show Design Junction to a new home at the King's Cross development had proved to be a great success, as organisers reported a record-breaking attendance to its 2016 edition (22 - 25 September), which attracted 27,000 visitors, including architects, designers and consumers from the UK and overseas.

As part of this year’s London Design Festival, the show took over key locations in its new King’s Cross home – from Granary Square and The Canopy, to The Crossing, The Gallery (Stable Street) and Lewis Cubitt Square.  designjunction2016 was most attended by UK visitors (74%), while 26% of visitors were international, with visitors from 89 different countries.

Home to a stellar line-up of international furniture and lighting brands, Cubitt House boasted a spectacular super façade – the world’s largest GRID installation (W70m x H7m) – designed by London-based Satellite Architects, alongside Danish design curators, Icons of Denmark. Exhibiting brands included Design House Stockholm, Sony’s Life Space UX, Bethan Gray, Christopher Jenner, Charlene Mullen, Isokon Plus, Bolon, Deadgood, Very Good & Proper, Another Country, Channels, Northern Lighting, LSA International, VITA Copenhagen, Brokis, String, Haberdashery and Verena Hennig amongst others.

Deborah Spencer, managing director of designjunction said, “This year has been our most exciting and ambitious show to date with more than 200 brands represented across the show. King’s Cross is the perfect home, an area so connected with the design and architectural community – representing London’s industrial past and pioneering creative present. Moving designjunction2016 to King’s Cross has been an overwhelming success and we hope to have a footprint on this vibrant and exciting area for many years to come.”

Indeed the 67-acre King’s Cross site's a rich history and a unique appeal added to the vibrant atmosphere of the fair. This former industrial heartland is being transformed into one of the capital’s most exciting creative hub, with the redevelopment of the area creating 1,900 new homes, 20 new
streets, 10 new public parks and squares and 3 million square feet of commercial office
space as well as cultural attractions.  

In line with its leading theme #immersedindesign, designjunction2016 collaborated with the King’s Cross Development and Central Saint Martins, UAL, to deliver a four-day programme of design exhibitions, installations, retail experience, events and workshops.

To read in full, click HERE.

All photos © Lucia Carpio

Cloth House to open Warehouse Shop on 12th October

The Cloth House is opening its Warehouse Shop on 12th October at 130 Royal College Street, Camden, London NW1 0TAIt will be open Wednesday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00.
On sale will be a great selection of discontinued stock from previous collections as well as a few basic essentials.

Their regular stock of beautiful fabric, from hand-printed cotton to washed linen, workwear denim and vintage haberdashery, from technical fabrics to jersey and wool continue to be available at their Soho store.  

New film YARN to have special Knit-along screenings from 7th October

With UK Wool Week due to start on 10th October, the new release of the film YARN in UK cinemas from 7 October is timely.  It poses the question whether yarn is an art or a craft, and challenges one’s perception of both.

I was informed that the theatrical documentary film YARN introduces the unique stories of characters from four different countries who use yarn in very different ways, redefining the tradition of knit and crochet, bringing yarn out of the house and into the world.

But when I saw the film, I not only found it inspirational but also eye-opening.  Its poetetic approach - and thanks to narration by Barbara Kingsolver - took me on a journey to view yarn as an evolving art material, used in creative non-conventional ways that can help convey a message, stimulate an interaction or even activate one's search for the meaning of life.  Indeed as one of the artists proposes, when we stop wanting and thriving, we stop living, as "to strive is the very meaning of life."

Artistically alluring, the film does not pretend to be philosophical.  With the use of animation and simple graphics, it brings out the child in each of us, still interested in the curiosity in the art of discovering.

Directed by Una Lorenzen (Iceland) and Co-Directed and Produced by Heather Millard (UK) and Thordur Jonsson (Iceland), YARN will be screened in UK cinemas from 7th October, and will also be hosting very special Knit-Along screenings to embrace the spirit of the film. 

YARN follows four artists from different countries who in their own ways to bring life to a simple piece of yarn.  The characters are not just skilful with their craft, but are conceptual artists, treating yarn not only as a tactile tool but as means to convey their thoughts.  They all work with their hands and their artwork is in one way or another interacting with the environment; as part of architecture, the streets, nature and people.  With artistic expression as their common thread, the wool graffiti artists, circus performers, and structural designers create "visually-striking works to make a stance while building modern art's hottest trends."

Polish crochet artist Olek

Produced by Compass Films with 2M Film Studio, YARN has won the Audience Award at the Nordisk Panorama Film Festival 2016.  Officially selected for SXSW and Goteborg Film Festival 2016, YARN has been met in the US and Canada with critical acclaim, with the New York Times referring to it as: “You have almost certainly never seen a better documentary on yarn than ‘YARN’… thread and string should be jealous” and The Hollywood Reporter calling it “A fanciful art doc for the craft-y among us.” Additionally, YARN was also premiered in Canada at the Vancouver International Film Festival on 2nd October.

Some key events are organized for charity such as Brighton Komedia Picturehouse which is in support of Emmaus – a local homeless charity in Brighton and co-hosted by YAK a local yarn store, allowing ticket holders to join in on the knitting action for a good cause.
Additional Knit-Along screenings include:
Southampton Picturehouse – Harbor Lights
Dundee Contemporary Arts
Picture house National Media Museum
Errol Flynn Filmhouse
Courtyard Hereford
City Screen York
Greenwich Picturehouse 

In addition, a special premiere screening of the film will take place at Hackney’s Picturehouse on the 9th October for the Keep Hackney Warm Project – a charity for the homeless of Hackney.  Not only will all ticket holders be granted access to the Knit-Along screening featuring a special introduction by US based craft designer Vickie Howell and a Pomcast Q&A, they will also be given access to the after party which includes a complimentary drink on entrance and a DJ as ticket holders network with fellow crafters. For information on Tickets, click HERE.

Artist Tinna from Iceland.

Co-Director and Producer Heather Millard said: “We are thrilled to release YARN in over 40 cinemas across the UK just ahead of Wool Week.  We began production for YARN back in 2013 and since then we’ve filmed across 11 different countries (including the UK), worked with a crew from the UK, Iceland, Canada, Poland and Sweden and are now in the midst of our US theatrical release with further releases planned for Sweden, Canada, Australia, Greenland, Slovakia, Netherlands and Greece.”

For more information on YARN, to watch a trailer and to find out where it’s showing in cinemas please click HERE.

PREMIÈRE VISION PARIS - Valuable meeting place for the global fashion industry

Première Vision Paris announced that its September 2016 edition 

welcomed a total of 56,475 trade visitors with 1,898 companies exhibiting to the fair that took place September 13 - 15 2016 at Parc des Expositions, north Paris in Villepinte.

(September 2016) There are discussions often among members of the fashion and textiles industry on whether trade fairs are still relevant in today's ever challenging global economic environment.

Yet it is through strategic trade fairs that the industry leaders, influencers, movers and shakers can meet and exchange ideas, and such 'meeting of minds' would be instrumental in helping members of the industry to cope and tackle the challenges that they face in their everyday business life.

Thus it is very encouraging that international trade fairs events continue to draw great numbers as it is crucial for great minds to meet and get a first-hand feel of the state of the affairs, and give support and contribution to each other's business.

Première Vision Paris Organisers were pleased with the continued success of the event, saying the overall visitor figures remained unrivalled in the sector, thus confirming the dominant influence and leadership of the unique PV brand among the global players of professional fashion-industry events.

The released figures represented an improvement over the February 2016 edition, with growth in both attendance (+ 2.7%) and the number of exhibitors (+ 10%).  Some 73% of the trade visitors came from 126 countries outside France.

While compared with the September 2015 edition, the September event this year showed a slight decline in exhibitors' number (- 1.3%) and in attendance (- 8.8%), the positioning of PV Paris is still solid, taking into account the political tension and security concerns impacted on the French, and with the challenge of weaker market growth in emerging markets such as China and also in Russia and Brazil, and a downturn in global textile-clothing and leather consumption (- 0.3% in 2015).

Première Vision Paris prides itself on its ability to bring together the full diversity of the fashion industry, from decision makers to creatives, journalists, buyers and suppliers, independent designers, small fashion houses to international groups and retailers, chain stores and luxury houses, medium to high-end fashion and accessory brands.

The next Premiere Vision Paris which will again held over three days, will take place  from 7th February to the 9th February 2017 in Paris, France. This event will showcase Sprijng/Summer 2018 collections from Fabrics to Yarns, Accessories, Leather, Textile Designs and Finished Garments.

Click HERE to read in full.
Photos: © Lucia Carpio 2016 for My Fashion Connect Global

Dive into POINT BLANK's SS17 collection inspired by Hockney's Bigger Splash

Models wandering aimlessly, casually having a cocktail from a trolley may not immediately transport the audience to California, albeit inspiration for the latest Dive-In collection by London brand Point Blank was from the 1967 David Hockney painting - The Bigger Splash (currently owned by Tate Britain), according to the design duo behind the brand - Yanyu Chung and Adrienne Lau.

But with provocative music by Thomas Grandjean, the presentation did provide a dreamy atmosphere for the Dive-In collection of colour-blocked poolside retro style, featuring sporty separates, tropical foil prints along with neon signs with the word Paradise sprayed across bright tops.

Lace inserts, glittering sequins and asymmetric swimsuits with cut-outs completed the range.

Held at the Freemasons Hall as part of Fashion Scout's offering during London Fashion Week, the 14-minute show recurred continuously for an audience that could wander in and out during a two hour period allocated to the brand.  The show may leave you feeling a bit intoxicated.

Watch the show on their website.  Click here.

All photos here: © Lucia Carpio 2016 for My Fashion Connect Global