11 Product Highlights from Clerkenwell Design Week
Clerkenwell Design Week—which took place in one of London’s most vibrant districts—celebrated its 10th anniversary from May 21-23. The United Kingdom’s leading independent design festival showcased seven exhibitions in different venues, each with a specific focus: Design Fields for international contemporary design; Platform for emerging talent; Project for a selection of contract furniture and surface brands; British Collection for UK designers; Detail for fine craftsmanship; Elements for ironmongery, hardware, switch plates and architectural accessories; and Light for international lighting brands.
Over three days, professionals and visitors had the opportunity to discover pop-ups and installations, and to attend workshops and talks. Around 100 showrooms were involved in the 2019 edition, including Arper, Bert Frank, Deadgood, Hitch Mylius, Mapei, Piemme Ce, Sedus, and Workstories, among many others. Here are our top 11 products from the show.
1. Bristol Light by Deadgood Studio
To celebrate its 15th birthday, British design brand Deadgood presented an installation of the Bristol Light, which is designed in house. Available in cobalt blue or clear crystal, the modern pendant lamp is created with the traditional free-blown glassmaking technique.
Read more: The Best of Euroluce: 15 Innovative Lighting Products
2. Rails by Gwendoline Porte
Inspired by the form of railway tracks, the Rails collection comprises a series of playful and ergonomic limited-edition functional sculptures. “We spend a lot of time working, while wireless technology enables us to move around more freely,” says Gwendoline Porte. “I wanted to match that flexibility with a collection of timeless modules that suit the way we live and work now, whether in contemporary office spaces, hotel lobbies, or home living areas.”
3. Dawn to Dusk by Haberdashery
For the first time on display in the UK, the timeless Dawn to Dusk lamp by London-based design studio Haberdashery—which won the Best of the Best Red Dot Award 2019—is available as a side light and standing floor lamp. With its different colors (red, orange, peach, and white), it evokes the memory of sunrise and sunset. “We want to bring a smile to your face and warmth into your space,” says creative director and co-founder Ben Rigby.
4. S 533 F Chair by Besau Marguerre for Thonet
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus, Thonet presented two new versions of the S 533 F originally designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and reinterpreted by Hamburg-based design duo Besau Marguerre: one with a frame in pearl gloss chrome and anthracite leather and the other with a frame in champagne chrome and soft rose leather. “The intentional restraint in the use of materials, the elegance of the lines, and transparency in effect as the characteristics of the S 533 tempted us to pick up Mies van der Rohe’s motto ‘less is more’ and to establish a contrast between the objectivity and softness,” says Eva Marguerre.
5. Pastilles by Studiopepe for Tacchini
Designed by Studiopepe for Italian brand Tacchini, the Pastilles collection of small armchairs, ottomans, and coffee tables was presented in London for the first time at the 2019 edition of Clerkenwell Design Week. The soft shapes of these pieces bring back childhood memories, while providing a high level of comfort.
6. Sequel by Alusid for Parkside
Sustainable forms are at the heart of the new Parkside showroom in Clerkenwell, and the tile company launched Sequel by Alusid to continue this theme during the festival. The sustainable collection of bowls, vases, glasses, and plates features 98 percent recycled content, reflecting how to combine green materials and beautiful design.
7. The Crawford Collection by Stellar Works x Tom Fereday
For the first time in the UK, Asian design brand Stellar Works showcased the Crawford collection, shaped by Australian designer Tom Fereday. Natural materials and tactile finishes characterize the sofa, bed, dining chair and tables from this new range released in association with retailer Lane Crawford.
Watch now: Product Insight on Tom Fereday’s Crawford Collection for Stellar Works
8. TIRAR Collection
Created by interior designer Felice Carlino—founder of Sumu Design—TIRAR’s door pulls, cabinet pulls, lever handles and towel rails are made in Sydney, Australia, with three different timber species: Australian spotted gum, American white oak and American walnut. “Fingers are made up of three joints that wrap themselves around the grip,” says Carlino. “We crafted a taper and radius edges so that the door pull and level would sit within the grip of the hand, and be comfortable in both larger and more delicate hands.”
9. Rote by Bert Franck
With a new showroom opening this month in Clerkenwell, lighting manufacturer Bert Frank—founded in 2013 by designer Robbie Llewellyn and metalwork manufacturer Adam Yeats—presented the Rote collection at the design week. This piece, which features a satin brass ring and laser-cut diamond leaves, is available in four versions: pendant, wall sconce, table lamp, and chandelier.
10. VON Collection by ercol
Designed by Icelandic designer Hlynur V. Atlason (based in New York) for British furniture maker ercol, the VON collection of chairs, benches, and table units—inspired by the 427 Chair by Lucian Ercolani, which was originally launched in 1956—can be used in both domestic and commercial spaces. A new stool was presented at Clerkenwell Design Week.
11. Extinct Animals Wallcoverings by Moooi and Arte
This sophisticated collection is the result of a collaboration between Moooi and Arte. Wallcoverings options include colors, textures, and patterns inspired by the characteristics of extinct or rare animals such as Aristo Quagga, Armoured Boar, Bearded Leopard, Flying Coral Fish, Umbrella Squid, and a menagerie of other bygone species.
Read more: Highlights from WantedDesign Brooklyn
