And the Nominees Are...

At this Summer's New Designers event we came across a great range of talent, and ear-marked a few designers to get in touch with. One of which, some of you may remember that caught our eye was Clea Jentsch from Kingston University, with her simple, clean lines and pastel shades of her Desk Tidy series.

We just had to sign her up for our online shop, and a month or so later, after catching up with Clea in Shoreditch, we launched her limited edition collection.

Sitting pride of place on our home page, the pieces showcase the simplicity and creativity of working with honest materials and we are pleased to be representing Clea and her collection as she forges her path as a new designer.

Last week we heard from Clea to let us know that she has been shortlisted for the New Design Britain Awards which run in conjunction with INTERIORS UK.

The judges revealed which entrants have made it through to the final, and will be displaying their designs at the UK's definitive trade interiors event where the winners will be announced.

Now in its 10th year, the New Design Britain awards celebrate young design talent, uniquely giving them a platform to industry, like no other trade show. The awards are judged according to four categories: Furniture, Furnishing Accessories, Fabrics and Surfaces. Shortlisted from 150 entries, a list of all the finalists including Clea can be found here.

On the INTERIORS UK facebook page you can vote by liking your favourite designer. You can vote for any of the nominees but of course we would love your support for Clea! Vote here.

And not to give a sales pitch, you can find Clea's shortlisted collection online to buy now, a design classic in the making, we think so!

It started with...

Nine months ago in our daily search for new and interesting design talent, we came across furniture designer and up-cycler Yinka Ilori. His approach to recycled design was something a bit different, and not your average shabby chic styling.

As a relatively new designer, (he graduated in 2008) he has been slowly building a following and portfolio of work. His strong design ethos of incorporating story-telling or Nigerian parables from his childhood gave a fresh perspective on furniture design, and the use of unloved pieces as a starting point added that extra depth to each piece.

We met Yinka in the depths of Winter with the intention of presenting his work through our on-line shop, when he pitched the idea of wanting to have his first solo show, and would we be interested in helping him achieve his goal...

Fast-forward to the evening of Thursday 12th September, and The Old Shoreditch Station on Kingsland Road in London is bustling with friends, family and press to celebrate the launch of 'It Started With A Parable' Yinka Ilori's first solo show, and a chance to celebrate our collaboration, and more importantly to showcase Yinka's unique furniture designs.

Set against the back-drop of the ultimate recycled building, The Old Shoreditch Station was brought back to life by its owners JaguarShoes Collective using a mish-mash of re-used furniture and fittings, and is now a thriving bar, cafe and shop in the heart of East London. 

Yinka's pieces now adorn the windows, ceilings and walls in an explosion of colour and sculptural shapes.

Staying true to our company ethos of supporting, promoting and nurturing new designers, we feel we have achieved our goal, and in his speech on Thursday evening, Yinka feels he has achieved his too, our job here is done!

'It Started With A Parable' runs from 12th September to 24th November 
at The Old Shoreditch Station, 1 Kingsland Rd  London, E2 8AA

See the full photo album via our Facebook Page

All pieces are available to buy from 

The Old Shoreditch Station now

and via Look Like Love in the next few weeks...

Look Like Love collaborates with designer Yinka Ilori...

'It Started With A Parable' A solo installation 

at The Old Shoreditch Station

12th September to 24th November 2013

During the 6-week exhibition, coinciding with London Design Festival and in his first presentation of new work since Milan Design Week, Yinka Ilori adds pieces to his collection by using a combination of vintage modernist furniture and traditional stories from his childhood, creating one-off pieces inspired by traditional Nigerian parables and story-telling, creating meaningful yet humorous furniture designs.

Yinka will be at The Old Shoreditch Station for live up-cycling sessions, using pieces donated by Jaguar Shoes and vintage modernist furniture from across East London, working in all three spaces, the building itself having been renovated and up-cycled by its owners JaguarShoes Collective.

“This is a pivotal moment for Yinka who is stepping out of the guise of graduate designer to become an emerging talent. He has already showcased his work at the ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) in New York, and was selected to exhibit at Talents at Ambiente in Frankfurt, so the opportunity to feature alongside some of the world’s finest designers as part of London Design Festival adds to the excitement, and we are honoured to be collaborating with him on his first solo outing.” - Look Like Love

'It Started With A Parable' runs from 12th September to 24th November at Old Shoreditch Station, 1 Kingsland Rd  London, E2 8AA

Look Like Love - Set up by Kate Brewer and Eden Asfaha in 2011 to support, promote and showcase new designers, Look Like Love have extended their reach beyond their blog and on-line shop, to work with designers on an individual basis to co-curate, in Ilori’s case, his first solo exhibition.

Yinka Ilori - Product & furniture designer with the future in mind, Yinka Ilori up-cycles and re-works old, unloved furniture to produce brand new interpretations. Yinka Ilori aims to challenge perceptions of waste through the regeneration and revitalisation of every-day furniture, where every piece deserves the chance to be loved again. Yinka Ilori has benefited hugely from the Prince’s Trust who supported him when he graduated, and without their assistance, he would not be the successful designer he is today.

JAGUARSHOES COLLECTIVE - constitutes a group of creatively motivated businesses and individuals working in art, film, fashion, music, publishing and design. We provide many platforms for creative talent; from exhibitions and events, to collaborative products and retail opportunities. We believe in, and aim to motivate positive change through creative output.

yinkailori.com

looklikelove.co.uk

jaguarshoes.com

Our launch will take place on Thursday 12th September from 7pm and we'd love to see you there...

New Designers, Then & Now...

We wanted to do a double introduction to two new designers, one we met last year, and the other just a few weeks ago, who will soon both be featuring in our shop...

Last year was a busy year for us, and New Designers 2012 brought us our second year of amazingly talented graduates. One in particular that caught our eye was Mairi Burrow.

Mairi's stunning jewellery was one of the highlights as part of the Duncan of Jordanstone stand with her fragile interpretations of Alzheimer's through her work. Poignant and refreshing that such a condition could be the inspiration for her graduate collection.

Having the chance to meet her in person at the time, and arrange to stay in touch, her busy Summer of moving and getting married took precedence. A month into 2013, we met again, and Mairi has been working continuously on a new collection and commissions at her new home in London.

Her new work, which we received a few weeks ago, continues to feature the same intricacy and fragility that we loved last year, and are pleased to be showcasing her work over the coming weeks.

In stark contrast, as New Designers 2013 drew to a close last month, we sent out our emails to a few of our favourites, one being product designer Clea Jentsch.

Although a fresh face to the industry, Clea has already forged links with some of UK's most prominent design stores with her simple yet useful approach to product design. And as a graduate from Kingston, will also be featuring her work during London Design Festival in the Kingston showcase exhibition, Nous.

So of course we are excited to be able to launch her graduate collection of stationary and desk tidying paraphernalia in a limited, hand-made run so soon. The simple, folded steel pieces, powdered-coated in striking minty green will organise the most messy with its minimal lines and playful individuality.

For us, working with new designers whether a few weeks, or a year after making that discovery doesn't hinder the excitement or stunt our enthusiasm, these things can take time, but the time is always right, whenever, wherever it may happen...

Mairi and Clea's work will be available to buy via Look Like Love very soon...

Walk Out On The Beach With Me...

Last weekend we took a trip down to Brighton, the sun was shining, it was jacket-free weather with the seafront bustling with people, local and from further a field soaking up the sea air, and to-date a rare glimpse of Summer.

A great weekend on its own, but we were there to support some close friends who were raising money for their beautiful daughter Rosa who was born with Cerebral Palsy just over two years ago.
The aim was to be able to take her to the private clinic in London, The Bobath Centre. The centre specialises in working with children with various degrees of the illness and works with one-on-one therapy focusing on mobility and speech.

We were honoured to be be part of their fundraiser entitled 'Walk out on the beach with me', and with the generosity of our designers, CM Carter, Jessie G, Roisin Connolly and Natalie Hough, we had some amazing donations too.

The evening was a combination of a silent auction, live auction and raffle, with some incredible pieces on offer from artists including Tom Hammick and Dom McGill, as well as local contributions from Karen Potter and Ta King.

And what a response, from the top floor of The Mesmerist Bar in the heart of Brighton, the crowd did not disappoint with bids coming thick and fast for all the pieces on offer. The buzz from the auction certainly didn't stop there with the silent auction equally as competitive. Bids and counter-bids were placed up until the last minute, with eager bidders lingering around the works they really wanted, to stop anyone from putting in a cheeky offer in the final seconds!

Any disappointment was short-lived as the raffle had plenty of amazing pieces up for grabs, from the classic bottle of champagne and spa treatments to autographed cards from One Direction!

The final figure raised on the night is still being totalled up, but early predictions show they have doubled the original figure they were hoping for.

It was an emotional and overwhelming evening for Rosa's parents Alice and Will, and a fantastic show of kindness and generosity from friends and family who came from near and far to show their love and support for their little girl...

Designed for Living...

Vibrancy comes in many forms; personality, style, creative expression, the list goes on, but this was the one word that came to mind when we were introduced to the House of Arike.

Creative Director Arike was born in Nigeria and raised in London, so the fusion of both African and Western cultures was something that came naturally. Combined with a love for interior design, it wasn't long before the House of Arike was founded, specialising in creating avant-garde, luxury, African print home accessories.

We have always loved the incredible colours and patterns created in African fabrics, so taking these cultural representations, and being able to see them in a domestic setting is very exciting.

We now have the pleasure of working with House of Arike on bringing you their first collection, and as their mission statement so concisely sums up, '...Inspired by Africa, Designed for Living...'

Click here to see the full collection...

Off Life...

Creativity comes in many forms, last week we were at the Vogue Festival, negotiating our way through bloggers, photographers and passionate followers, (and leaders), showcasing their creativity through fashion. This week, we step off the commercially fuelled treadmill and turn our attention to what was at one time a childhood favourite, the comic book.

No longer a medium that simply interests children or sci-fi enthusiasts, the Beano annual collector that has nostalgia oozing from its chronologically ordered hardbacks, or a weekly pilgrimage to Forbidden Planet, the humble comic has in some ways grown up with its readers.

The popularity of graphic novels has had some part to play, but today, comics themselves have a dedicated and sophisticated audience, and an appreciation for this expressive story-telling is evident in the pick-up publication OFF LIFE.

The beauty in what OFF LIFE brings to modern-day comics is the collaborative approach it has. The idea of bringing together new, emerging and exciting storytellers and illustrators, with well-known comic artists is an exciting mix, and none more so than the new talent that gets chosen. The opportunity to sit alongside their own idols is an appeal that adds an interesting mix of styles and collected contributions.

Like us, they are equally passionate about supporting and promoting emerging talent,

"...we hope that OFF LIFE will be a stepping stone to all works of genius that exist out there in four colour print because bold voices in every art form deserves a place to shine. Yes, even comic slingers..."

Originally brought to our attention by one of our designers, CM Carter, (who features in Issue 4), we had to go and find ourselves a copy. The lovely thing about this is it's available in a variety of different places, from the grungy pubs of East London to The Old Vic in Bristol, opening up its reach to a whole new audience of appreciators...We'll certainly be swapping the fashion mags for a different take on escapism for a while...

Company Car by CM Carter

Click here to find out where you can pick up OFF LIFE Issue #4