We do hope you enjoyed London Craft Week 2016 and we are pleased to announce that London Craft Week 2017 will run from Wednesday 3 to Sunday 7 May 2017. We look forward to developing the programme to include even more international content, independent makers and artists, galleries and studios, luxury and fashion, with makers the heroes and their processes and skills on show.
Did you attend an event for London Craft Week 2016? Then we need your feedback to help develop London Craft Week 2017. Simply fill in the online survey here and you will be entered into a prize draw to win two bottles of Ridgeview Sparkling wine.
Many thanks and goodluck
It was hard enough to do my LCW Highlights last year with 70 events, so seriously tough this time round with twice as many (even relying on my trusty Condor to get me round as speedily as possible). But also how to select from so many super-talented makers doing remarkable things in special places? But choose I must, so here goes…
Opening the unassuming door of Carl Hansen’s high-ceilinged Clerkenwell space was a great start to my LCW. Not only was I able to meet the remarkable Karen and Mario of Mourne Textiles but got to see Karen weaving on one of their 100 year-old looms making a fabric originally designed for Robin Day’s Gatwick chairs. What was also so special was to see how their collaboration with Carl Hansen has resulted in a stunning recreation of a Wegner chair upholstered with their new Donegal fabric.
Julian Stair’s History of the 20th Century Pot was an intellectual, aesthetic and emotional tour-de-force made all the more special by being able to handle his very personal selection from the V&A ceramics collection. I think its fair to say those of us lucky enough to have been included in this intimate session felt enormously privileged and moved. I certainly will never look at a Ming or Song Dynasty jar in quite the same way again – to say nothing of a Bernard Leach..
Being hosted by Tim Gosling in his eighteenth century Clapham home, which has gone full circle from gentlemen’s country villa back to much cherished and restored residence of the ultimate gentleman-designer, via a spell as a Victorian laundry (albeit one that kept Queen Victoria’s bloomers pristine), is a rare treat. Made all the more so during the event he gave for a lucky few LCW fans by the presence of Gavin Rookledge, whose ability to create magic with vellum reminded us of why for thousands of years it has been so treasured.
I’m lucky enough to have been invited to Sarah Griffin’s home a few times now. But seeing her collection up close remains very special indeed. Made all the more so during LCW by her invitation to a selection of the most talented RCA students to show their work. I’m afraid I couldn’t resist buying a couple of pieces. I strongly urge you all to attend the Ceramics & Glass graduation show in June.
Flow Gallery is a gem. And Akiko Hirai’s work inspirational. I made the fatal mistake of falling in love with one of her pots but not buying it straight away – less than 24 hours later and it had been snapped up.
Wang Dongling is not only a great artist he is a gentlemen in the true sense of the word. Its been a huge honour to have him over from China for LCW this year and seeing him create one of his masterpieces live in the Great Court of the British Museum is something I will never forget.
I thought I knew a reasonable amount about the process of commissioning a bespoke tie, hat, suit and pair of shoes but Simon Crompton’s tour of Drakes, Locks, Lobbs & Rubinacci was a revelation. Not just to see and meet the modest but amazingly skilled makers who work away behind the scenes but learn the intricacies and subtleties of different processes and materials. Simon is literally a walking encyclopedia – and, needless to say, a very well turned-out one.
Juliet: I started my day at Garrard’s Mayfair flagship store where we viewed their stunning jewellery and tiaras. Upstairs was their workshop where Jessica discussed the different techniques involved whilst we watched makers at work creating tiny, intricate springs for a pair of cufflinks. I found the employment of both modern and traditional methods very interesting; the use of 3D computer aided designs versus the array of manual tools. I wish I could have then stayed longer to try on the tiaras and headdresses but unfortunately could not! Next I went to Soho House and met the makers whose work has been filmed for the series Handmade for BBC Four. It was interesting to hear their opinions about the role of their crafts in today’s world and in the future. The theatre room downstairs was the perfect venue to watch the detailed processes in their work. In the evening I went to Central St Martin’s in Granary Square to hear Ramon Puig Cuyas talk about his jewellery making and the influences behind his beautiful brooches.
London Craft Week, the ‘beyond luxury’ showcase, celebrated the opening of its second edition on Wednesday 4 May at the V&A with many guests from the creative and luxury industries.
Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of LOEWE, awarded Alison Britton OBE RA the first London Craft Week Medal for exceptional craftsmanship & creativity. This medal will be awarded once a year to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to craft and to the arts. Little Halstock created a beautiful Sycamore and book matched burr walnut box which was awarded to Alison Britton last night, Vacheron Constantin will be designing the medal.
Everyone enjoyed an exclusive performance by renowned Chinese big brush calligrapher Professor Wang Dongling as well as viewing work created especially for London Craft Week by Karen Bit Vejle. Professor Wang Dongling’s work was gratefully accepted into the V&A’s Chinese collections by Bill Sherman, the V&A’s Director of Research and Collections.
Guests in attendance at the reception included; Jonathan Anderson (Creative Director LOEWE), Ozwoeld Boating OBE, (fashion designer), David Linley (founder, Linley); Alison Britton (ceramicist), Kate Malone (BBC’s The Great Pottery Throw Down), Junko Mori (artist), alongside representatives from founding partners Vacheron Constantin and sponsors Grosvenor and Mulberry as well as programme partners including museums and galleries, studios and workshops.
Handmade for BBC4
This series needs extending and should in my mind become a channel in its own right. I am going to find out how more of this remarkable tv can get made.
Social Fabric at William Morris
William Morris’ mantra is as appropriate today as always. An opportunity to get up close with the actual blocks used to print his iconic textiles is not to be missed.
At Home Carl Hansen & Son and Mourne Textiles
The Danish refinement in upholstery is something I want to learn more about and Mourne Textiles make fabric that feels like it has come straight from the land where it is made.
Second Floor Studio & Arts’ Furniture Makers
Craftsmen are my celebrity and visiting artists in their studios is pure magic to me. I find it really inspiring to see where creatives work. My studio says a lot about me and the way that I design – I always refuse to ‘tidy’ it for photo shoots as I think seeing all the leathers, fabrics, mood boards and mad things I’ve collected is exciting.
How to Buy: The Bespoke Suit of Savile Row
It’s safe to say I’m a little obsessed with craftsmanship, in particular with Bespoke, to the extent we have a world devoted to it, complete with onsite craftsman in workshops within our flagships. It’s our way of reconnecting the customer with how things are made. What could be better than visiting tailors in their storied environments, understanding the practices and traditions that have made this wonderful street the byword for unequalled quality, globally.
LCW: Hi Mark, your support means a lot to London Craft Week, what encouraged you to take part?”
Mark: “Craft is really the basis of all industry – no matter how technical it has become at some point it started in craft, and that is certainly true for paper. It is about creating beautiful products of the highest quality.
LCW: In today’s digital world there’s always a distraction. As journalist India Knight recently said, “digital is killing creativity.” What are you thoughts on that?
Mark: “I really agree with that, I think without a pencil and paper nothing would happen – when you pick them up there’s no distraction, you can sketch and experiment, and really create.
At a Condé Nast Luxury event in Florence last year (April 2015) Albert Elbas of Lanvin spoke about how he had asked around his friends, among whom are many designers and artists, and found there was a general consensus that all creativity begins with a pencil and paper.”
LCW: “It certainly is the great equaliser – anyone can create a drawing or design. The idea that so many of the wonderful pieces of craft work that will be on show during London Craft Week started off as sketches on paper is rather wonderful. How else does paper play a role in the world of Craft?”
Mark: “Good paper is the secret of luxury, of packaging, wrapping, and even the label. It’s about how it feels, the way something is finished. It’s honest!”
LCW: “So paper is not just the beginning, but also the end. It’s strange to think that what the many works of art, the jewels, and all kinds of other craft works rely on for beautiful presentation is paper. It’s not just the end product though, don’t you also pay huge attention to how the paper is produced?”
Mark: “If you are sustainable in an environmental sense, you are sustainable in a business sense. Our fibres are all sourced from sustainable forests or recycling. The latter is growing all the time, not least since we developed the world’s first plant to recycle paper coffee cups. Contrary to some expectations, our recycled products are of the very highest quality.”
