Design Week Yesterday

So it being The London Design Festival and all, yesterday, I decided that it was imperative to escape the studio/office/house to see what is happening in the real world. Soooo out of the loop that I went for showSTUDIO's 'Fashion Revolution' at Somerset House thinking it would be a bit quieter than the V&A considering it was Fashion Week etc. Low and Behold the trendy pvc jegging clad crew were swarming the place. Oh right, London Fashion Week moved to Somerset house and it appears I was the last to realise. So after tripping over glittery loafers galore I made it in alive. A few of the best: HUGE, towering statues of Naomi Campbell that you could decorate via an interactive stylus type thingy, a BRILLIANT video piece by Gareth Pugh, a lovely collaboration between Nick Knight and Jane How called 'Sweet' with a twinkly soundtrack by Kieran Hebden (aka Fourtet). My favourite though was a video called 'Vox Humana (Part of Future Tense 2008) by Rodarte:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6vXbFNWJt0

Pop-up shops have been popping up all over London for Design/Fashion Week. I opted for a trip East to the Dr. Martens Shop in Spitalfields Market rather than the Emporio Armani Caffè (bit more fashion week location warning and I might have thought otherwise). The interior of the DMs pop-up shop was based on a shoe shop stockroom and had a nice feel, if a little similar to the late Footpatrol (R.I.P) store on St Anne's Court in Soho. I can see why people are going a bit barmy for those super shiny, candy coloured boots... Although they'll most probably be highly un-trendy again before I decide to don a pair.





I then wandered up to Redchurch Street to check out Caravan's miniature wallpaper window display by Deborah Bowness but hadn't read the smallprint. So it starts tomorrow (or today by the time this blog is finished... Thursday 24th) I shall return. On the way home I chanced upon another Pop-Up Shop with Eclectcollect at Studio1.1 (57a Redchurch Street, London E2 7JD) and bought the first book I have bought in ages, 'Society' by Bridget Smith:




I also acquired Corrine Day's 'Diary' via a package in the post from my flatmate's Dad the other day which was a lovely surprise. Two Books in one week... Wow.

The evening was filled by a visit to the launch party of new conceptual workspace and network, THECUBE on Commercial Street. We are working on an exciting new promotional project for them which will launch later this year. We also bumped into Iain Whiteley from the Guardian and finally got to meet his partner in crime Anna Tozer. LOVE their work.