Sunday, 25 December 2011
A very Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year!
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Kirsty whyte Designs Launched on Nspired
Friday, 11 November 2011
Busibuddies Podcast interview
Friday, 30 September 2011
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Limpet Hooks now available at MADE.COM
The original Limpet design launched in 2009, were manufactured from timer off-cuts by a UK timber manufacturer. They were retailed in the Kirsty Whyte website for £12.99 each.
After being submitted by Kirsty to the VOTE section of the MADE.COM website and receiving one of the most number of customer votes.
The Limpet Hooks have now been launched by Made.com due to popular demand.
They come in a multi-coloured plastic set of 6 at only £29. Kirsty Whyte has creatively combined a contemporary design with a classic satin finish. These timely, organic, mollusc shaped hooks are a striking addition to any room.
The hooks are warm, tactile and practical; the vibrant red and blue colours combined with the muted grey and eye-catching design make interesting wall art.
Saturday, 13 August 2011
Shanghai Bound!
Thursday, 21 July 2011
NEW DESIGNERS 2011 WEEKS 1&2
Every year a new crop of aspiring graduate designers make their way to the Business Design Centre in Angel, for New Designers.
Competing individually and across university’s, to catch the eye of a retailer or journalist.
I was lucky enough to visit both weeks 1 and 2 this year, so have included allot of 2d print and illustration for a change to my usual product heavy blog!
Below are a few peoples work that caught my eye as ‘ones to watch’.
Tanya Ventress’ work had a great sense of fun, with traditional subjects printed in a contemporary way.
Rachel West’s illustrations had a vintage feel, and I really loved her quality of line and use of a selective colour pallet. Below are one of her scarves.
Lucy Porter’s surface pattern was really interesting as her base material was wood rather than fabric. The mix of pattern and animal silhouettes stood out among the surrounding work.
I’m really keen on this whole range created by Scott Coleman, each poster depicts a significant historical event on a particular year. The Channel Tunnel was 1990. The simple graphic style suits the poster format perfectly.
It was the naive quality of line that caught my eye with Rhi Pardoe’s illustration. I like how you can see where the pen has been; it’s not over polished and honest.
Simon Cooks work was my favourite from all of New Designers. Simon uses origami paper, collage and then digitally manipulates the image to create his work. He has already been commissioned for professional work (including Design week) and also has more commercial pattern based work.
Sofi Fleming had a Good use of material, and construction of image pattern and colour.
Lucinda Ireland, has already been snapped up to do work professionally, and I’m sure her commercial style will be seen allot in the future. I like the simplicity and feminine style of the text.
Imogen Heath’s pattern has a simple vintage style with a modern look. Her work is really well executed and t should already be retailed.
Now for something 3D! I would buy one of Elin Green’s vessels straight away! One of the few people with innovative accessories, good use of material and colour.
This storage by Shu Aoki, was genius, such a simple block construction idea, but adding the modular stacking element gives it an edge.
I’ve seen James Melia’s work before and both his deck and desk lamp were really strong resolved designs. With all elements carefully considered and finished, right down to the subtle dip in the desk surface for coins, paper clips etc.
Suet Yi was part of the Decorative Arts stand (my old degree course) the small ‘bird’ vignette’s were enchanting. I don’t usually like things that don’t ‘do’ something, but these really caught my eye.
The Tune-tune musical stool by Jo-yun Wang , combined kinetic fun with simple lines.
Ornella Stocco’s designs (recently featured on Dezeen) use materials where you wouldn’t usually expect them.
Other visuals feasts for visitors were stands by Tigerprint and Absolute. The Tigerprint ‘Gifted’ competition is still open to submissions until July 30th. Designers (who graduated in 2010 and 2011) have been invited to design a card, a cracker and a decoration. These querky gift bags were kindly demonstrated by two members of the Tigerprint team!
That’s it for another year, lets see if any of my predictions are correct in the future!
Thursday, 16 June 2011
Launchpad at Pulse 2011
Just a super quick review from Pulse London, featuring the Launchpad area.
Pulse ran from Sunday 5th to Tuesday the 7th of June this year, and took up it’s usual residency at Earls Court, London.
Below are some quick snaps of what caught my eye, apologies for the image quality, I only had my phone!
In the Entrance were a selection of Pulse highlighted products. I loved the buttons!
As you will have seen in my previous post, Design Exchange magazine and my self joined forces for their stand, featuring the Hound Occasional Tables; a modular design with a tessellating shape, so the user can change the configuration to suit their needs, or just stack them away after use.
DeMagazine, were offering half price subscriptions £10 for 5 editions; a bargain. To see the most recent online e-edition or to subscribe, visit the DEMagazine website.
My favourite products in all of Launchpad were on the Fun Makes Good stand.
With a refreshingly simple stand layout, letting the products do the talking.
The designs are by Elenor Young, who I met back in 2009 at 100% design. The use of shape, colour, print and textiles really appeal to me.
With small affordable gift ideas.
And also high end, hand made Origami inspired, cotton and leather patchwork pouffes. I would like one!
Peter Ibruegger, has expanded on his The Moustache Mug range, adding a bowler hat sugar bowl. So no mug ever need to be under dressed again! It think these two look like the Thompson twins from TinTin.
Some new cute additions to Shan Annabelle Valla’s ceramic animal range. In front you can see the porcelain bunny range, with gold lustre decoration Available as a pair for £50.
Over to We Love Kaoru next, with her new range inspired by the Rorschach Test. What can you see?..Butterfly, horses, fox and rabbits? Well depending on what Kaoru saw, the subtly overlaid images of the animal within the ink blots. Below; horses, how clever is that!
I wasn’t bribed to say that with her sweets either.
Designedmade exhibited their Molecular range. The pattern, which represents the combination of iron and carbon atoms that make up the material itself.
Onto some 2D designs, here is a card by Lesser Spotted, which brought a smile to my face. All cards used are photos of real locations, with no Photoshopping. On the reverse of the card is a map of the UK and where the place is located. I feel sorry for the people that live in Nobby!
On a more naughty note where cards and products by Polite.They are most recognised for their ranges by David Shrigley, above is a limited edition from a card set.
One of their new products is the Venice box set by Peter Blake.
The Box contains 20 Postcards, Lithographically printed in Britain, and is presented in a hand finished box, designed by Blake and made in Stockport.
Tamsin Howells has been busy with some new ranges. I really love the brooches using vintage clothes patterns.
There were textiles and knitwear by Hilary Grant, these knitted cushions were great, the layering effect was a great idea. This is one way I’d always keep my cushions tidy!
Then Finally this brightly coloured stand, created quite a stir, most of the day surrounded by keen buyers. The Animal mugs, bowls and hooks by Yas-Ming Ceramics. you can catch them again soon at New Designers, as part of ‘One Year On’.
I hope to see them and lots of budding new designers work there myself.