LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2009

September is looming and the London Design Festival is a key international event for designers all over the world. I'm no exception showing in two location this year, if you can make it great!

I'm showing at 100% Futures stand H105 with in 100% Design you can register for a ticket if your trade or a public visitor via the 100% website: www.100percentdesign.co.uk/purewhyte.

The show is within Earls Court 2. My old friends at Designersblock will be in Earls Court 1, I'm looking forward to see what they've been up to.

Just in case you don't know how to get to Earls Court.

THE DOCK

I've also decided to get double exposure for the festival and am also showing within 'The Dock' an exhibition of creative talent curated by Tom Dixon and sponsored by Derwent London at Portobello Dock from the 21st to the 27th of September.

The site looks amazing and there are some really great brands and designers being represented there.

This is the site map there are three main locations, the Tom Dixon Office, 4 floors of the Canal building and the entire White building, where I'll be showing.

The Dock main gates.

This is the Tom Dixon office, where there will be work on the terrace and withing the Tom Dixon Show room. No ducks today!

Then over the bridge to the White building.

This is part of the white building, it's massive, I'm sooo excited about showing here. I won't be alone either I'm sharing a room with my friend Ana-Maria Stewart-Pasescu

we both met during interning at TD so this space should be fun!

This is our room on the Second floor, watch this space to see what it becomes!

Praise be to Jaysus!

In Jaysus we trust...

Rather than talking about what I've been up to, I'm taking the opportunity to blog a deserved other; my flat mate.

Living in a creative household s great, from product designers, sliding roof architects, product design & photography.

My flatmate Jay always has his camera at the ready, recording events like Secret Wars, nights out and the vibrant world on our doorstep, like Brick Lane.

His new venture is Jaysus Photography check out his blog and flickr.

I tagged one of his logo stickers at Magma a cool design & magazine shop.

..here ends todays lesson.

Southern Soul

Sunday June 4th

After spending a sunny Saturday indoors working Sunday was time to escape and discover what was going on as I crawled back from the gym! There was so much to catch my eye:

First crowds of cheering parents and passers by at The Scoop by the Lord Mayors office. A street dance competition, with various young groups strutting their stuff.
A dance troop called Venom, were a highlight, one team member must have been 7 ish and he was awesome; I'm sure he'll be on Britain's Got Talent in a few more years!

There is an initiative set up between the Design Museum and Wayne Hemingway from 'Red or Dead' fame, called kioskiosk. Which gives young London creatives the opportunity to sell their wares in a prime location for free.

It's currently located right next to The Scoop, it's small so keep your eyes open.

This Saturday it was creative charlie 's turn, where kids were getting creative with glue stick and feathers.

Tower Bridge open for a boat (nothing else to say about this just thought you might find it interesting).

This is the walk along Shad Thames to get to the design museum, still reminiscent from its Dock days, where Charles Dickens once placed Oliver Twist. Walking along I usually end up saying something along the lines of "..one day when I'm rich I'll live here...!"

The Design museum has two main shows on at the moment one called Super Contemporary; well worth a look.

In association with Beefeater Gin, the exhibition catalogues London design from 1960 to the present day.

Lots of interesting items including this interactive camera room called; Freedom TV by Neville Brody.

Spot the Purewhyte logo!

Listening Station by Barber Osgerby

The second exhibition is "Mariscal Drawing Life" - work by Javier Mariscal most famous for designing Cobi the official Olympic mascot of the 1992 Olympics.

A fun world to wander through.

Amazingly I managed to refrain from buying something from the Design Museum shop...all the more to spend on a Sunday Roast!

Cultural Eastenders

Everyone out in the summer sun on Sunday.

Concluding that it was far too glorious outside I left my desk to wander down Brick Lane.

A regular on Sundays is Lewis Floyd Henry myspace, he also has loads of videos on youtube, he's an awesome musician, always with a crowd of people, listening, photographing, videoing recording etc. So cool!

Then of to the annual ART CAR BOOT FAIR in the Truman brewery, it was a fascinating affordable art fair; i didn't know what was going on the whole time, but it was a visual feast all the same. The swing band was great too.

A patchwork donkey...

graffiti car...

a disco car...

I didn't buy anything, good job really as all my money had already been spent in the market by then.

Keeping Busy!

I've just started a 3 month internship at Tom Dixon's design studio, which is really exciting! I'm hoping to make contacts and see how this larger and high exposure design brand ticks.

The current office which is due to move soon.

... and of course, I'm still working on some projects for London design week in September; I've forgotten what weekends are!

I'VE WON AN AWARD AT PULSE!

Pulse Trade Show 31st May - 2nd June.

I got a really last minute opportunity to show at this years Pulse which is a trade event, for Home, gift, fashion and jewelery, and an area called Launchpad which is there area where individuals designers/makers show their work; this is the most exciting area :)

Boy am I glad I did!

setting up in my little 1m x 3m space.

What really made all the last minute running around and effort was winning the Best Newcomer at Launchpad 2009, as judged by Liberty. It was such a fantastic surprise and brilliant to get validation among my design piers. I'm hoping from this is will now have the opportunity to work with Liberty's for London Design week in September.

YAY!

Here is a list of the prize winners

My finished space; the original dining table top for Drew was a bit big for my space so had to borrow a glass top-I think I got away with it!

And then like that, with a few licks of white paint it was over. Thanks to my helpers David and Paul I couldn't have done it with out you.

I really hope getting the award is the platform to greater things...I'll keep you posted.

Valentinas Fundraiser

Prickly Pair Chairs

One of my friends that I met through showing in Milan is Valentina Glez. Wohlers ( you can read more about her chairs on the Core 77 website link).

She has been invited (as have I) to show at another international fair called Maison & Objet the is an awesome opportunity but it costs loads to show, so Valentina got a few of her buddies together for a fundraiser (great idea me thinks).

One of her chairs

Chairs at the event; which was at Lati Ri, in Shoreditch, it was a great little bar and i thought the chairs looked ace against the graffiti wall.

Guests enjoying beer and making balloon animals!

Valentina enjoying more than one complimentary tequila!

Everyone enjoying the music after the tequila!

Piers, Rory and Bud from Designersblock gave their support and cut some shapes on the dance floor.

Bud mashing it up on the desks.

Great fun idea; might have to have my own Purewhyte fundraiser soon!