Johnny Coca, Creative Director of Mulberry, makes his selection of highlights from the London Craft Week 2018 Programme.  See his entire list of unmissable LCW events.

Mulberry: Celebrating a Passion for Making 

“Visit our New Bond Street on Friday and Saturday to meet one of craftsmen and discover our limited-edition Amberley Hobo bag, created in celebration of craft”.

Innovation Through Tradition at the Michael Hoppen Gallery 

“This series of installations brings two subjects that have now inspired me for years into one space and line of thought. I am intrigued by how punk and craft can intersect, which is why I won’t be missing this show by Le Kilt and NORN.”

The Flipside at Selfridges 

“The concept of what luxury could look like in 100 years completely draws me in. Not to mention the performances by Benoit Swan Pouffer’s dance company and the opportunity to discover the sensory experiments of  Mr Lyan – all in this beautifully-conceived industrial space.”

Leather – Then and Now at the Leathersellers’ Hall 

“Every day in my job I am reminded how remarkable leather is; ‘Then and Now’ celebrates this, bringing unique and historical leather art pieces from the National Leather Collection in Northampton to the capital – something which Londoners, like myself, would never normally have the opportunity to see.”

The beauty of craft is that it spans multiple disciplines. 

Feature by Anya at Zetteler

Scottish designer Samantha McCoach founded fashion brand Le Kilt in 2014 with the vision to modernise her family’s traditional kilt-making heritage. Samatha’s grandmother has been a traditional kilt maker for 40 years and throughout her teenage years, Samantha would often sit and watch her grandmother perfect her craft.

Le Kilt strives to modernise traditional kilt-making processes yet craftsmanship remains central to its practice. “Our dedication to craft is a very purposeful attempt at helping people understand the work and time that goes into making clothing,” says Samantha.

For London Craft Week 2018, the brand is joining forces with experimental design consultancy NORN to host an exhibition exploring the re-appropriation of traditional materials through craftsmanship. A selection of ephemera that informs the luxury brand has been hand-picked for inclusion in the exhibition and will be displayed alongside items that illustrate both modern and traditional craft techniques.

Ahead of London Craft Week in May, Zetteler caught up with Samantha to find out more about Le Kilt and the importance of craftsmanship in fashion.

You founded Le Kilt with the vision of modernising traditional kilt-making. Why did it need modernising? 

We believe it is really important to safeguard the future of our shared heritage. These traditional crafts often have their foundation in local communities therefore by championing these unique skills we are also supporting individuals from a grassroots level.

How are you modernising kilt-making?

We want to take all the traditional aspects of kilt-making and incorporate it into a modern woman’s wardrobe. Le Kilt’s collection extends beyond kilts to include knitwear, denim, accessories and footwear. By considering its place amongst these other garments, we feel it firmly establishes the kilt as a key essential. Who we work with is also an important part of our brand story – we like to think of it as our ‘Family Tree”. By using the brand as a platform to educate people about our manufacturers and suppliers, we are spreading awareness to a modern audience.

Kiltmaking is part of your family heritage. Can you tell us a little about your family’s history as traditional kilt makers and why it was important that you continue furthering this heritage?

My grandmother was a kilt-maker in Scotland for over 40 years. She moved over from Italy in her late teens and got a job working for John Morrison, a well-known kilt company on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. The very first Le Kilt was made from a piece of Black Watch tartan found in a drawer, which was gifted to her by her former boss 30 years prior.

As a fashion brand, why is it important to be involved in the craft industry? Do you see Le Kilt as a fusion of craft and fashion?

We think it is important to draw parallels between craft and fashion to remind people of its importance, particularly in the age of fast fashion. As a small brand, we find it impossible to compete with the high street, and our dedication to craft is a very purposeful attempt at helping people understand the work and time that goes into making clothing.

Your London Craft Week event explores the reappropriation of traditional materials through craftsmanship. Can you tell me about this need for material innovation and re-appropriating in the current fashion landscape? 

By using traditional materials and techniques in an innovative way, it gives garments a degree of value and also builds a personal connection with the wearer. This is something that is often lost when consumers think of clothing as disposable.

Tell us about the collaboration with NORN, why are you a good match? 

We worked with NORN on the development of our International Woolmark Prize collection. We think that their approach to weaving, a traditional practice, using unconventional materials and techniques is something truly innovative and exciting. We shared very similar values and wanted to further explore new ways of working together.

The event also explores punk subculture. To what extent is tartan’s identity still intertwined with punk subculture?

Tartan will always be synonymous with punk. The punk movement itself was about subverting tradition as a statement. We always incorporate an element of this into our garments. For example, for AW18 we have been unravelling classic tartans and weaving the yarns into patches in our own nod to punk.

For more information, or to read the full press release see here.

Vanessa Swann, CEO Cockpit Arts selects

“One of the benefits of London Craft Week is getting to know who is who and who is doing what, especially within the independent and contemporary craft field.  The many independent craftspeople, patrons and advocates of British craft, and the support organisations are part of a growing network that you can be part of  and in your own way help stimulate the UK craft economy, socially culturally and economically.”

Balance: An Exhibition by Sebastian Cox in Collaboration with Bamford

Bamford and Sebastian Cox present light, perfectly balanced pieces of suspended sculpture, handcrafted from English wood and spilling over with native flowers and leaves. These pieces capture the essence of biophilic design and create a sense of well-being and calm.

Johnson Tiles and The British Ceramics Biennial present (UN)WOVEN by Tana West

The British Ceramics Biennial and sponsor Johnson Tiles present (UN)WOVEN, an exploratory and material-specific presentation of 2017 AWARD-winning artist Tana West at Material Lab. They also announce new developments and opportunities for the BCB’s headline exhibition AWARD.

Leather – Then and Now at the Leathersellers’ Hall

Bill Amberg Studio curates an exhibition of fine leatherwork at the Leathersellers’ Hall. This exhibition pairs unique and historically important pieces from the National Leather Collection with their contemporary equivalents, reflecting on the enduring qualities and appeal of this remarkable material.

Weaving Masterclass and Talk with Dovecot Tapestry Studio at Clothworkers’ Hall

Dovecot’s weavers discuss Chris Ofili’s The Caged Bird’s Song, the tapestry commissioned by The Clothworkers’ Company. Hear how they translated Ofili’s watercolour into woven wool in a lunchtime talk or attend a masterclass and try weaving on a sample loom.

Making It! QEST and the HCA at the Worshipful Company of Carpenters

Craftspeople from QEST and the Heritage Crafts Association demonstrate an array of skills, with opportunities for visitors to join in. Furniture maker and designer John Makepeace OBE also gives a talk on how he made the Master’s Chair for the Worshipful Company of Carpenters, followed by a champagne reception.

London Craft Week is looking for new recruits to join the team from Wed 9 to Sun 13 May 2018.

Launched in 2015 London Craft Week aims to showcase creativity and craftsmanship across Art, Fashion, and Design, celebrating the unsung heroes both established and emerging from each.

Since our inception, the week has doubled in size. This year there will be over 200 events, covering 50+ craft disciplines from musical instrument making to tapestry weaving and spectacle making. Check out the full list of events at lcw-xk7yr.projectbeta.co.uk/programme.

Every year volunteers play a big part in creating a very special atmosphere at London Craft Week by helping visitors to get the most out of the week. By joining the LCW team as a volunteer, you help us by being the onsite presences at each event, dealing with visitor queries, occasionally assisting with any event logistics such as ticketing/guest list, and supporting the individual event runners by being the direct contact to liaise with where any LCW team support is needed.

We will make every effort to ensure you gain valuable experience in working behind the scenes at a not-for-profit events organisation while having lots of fun!

You will be required to attend a half-day training session on Thursday, April 19th between 13:30 and 15:30. This training session will serve as an introduction to LCW and will cover the different aspects of the volunteer role.

We would ideally like someone to commit to volunteering for the whole period of the 9-13th May, however, we are open to working with your schedule and the hours that are possible for you.

We reimburse reasonable travel expenses and lunch against receipts – refreshments will be available at the office additionally.

If you are interested in learning more about the not-for-profit world of art festivals, and/or are interested the craft sector, please send your CV and a brief covering letter to Saskia@londoncraftweek.com.

Our Media Partner, Wallpaper* Magazine, have selected their top events for London Craft Week 2017. See their selection below…

This holiday weekend, we are offering all London Craft Week readers the chance to receive 15% off selected events taking place during London Craft Week 3-7 May 2017. Choose any of the events from the selection below which includes a range of workshops, demonstrations, talks and exhibitions and enter this code when ordering your tickets* in Eventbrite:

LCW15

Happy Easter from the London Craft Week Team.

Monogram a Handkerchief or Cufflinks
How to Sleep: Making Savoir Beds at The Savoy Hotel & Afternoon tea 
London School of Dry Stone Walling Workshop at Southwark Cathedral
Gin at Sipsmith
Martin Smith Open Studio with Alison Britton
De Vroomen at Goldsmiths’ Hall
Porcelain with Meissen and Cameo Glass with Jonathan Harris at Asprey
Daphne Krinos at Studio Fusion with Brian Kennedy
A Space for Making with DSDHA and Alex Monroe 
Tim Gosling at The Rug Company
Gareth Neal at the Carpenters Hall: The Commission
Making & Design: Lee Broom and Rosa Bertoli, Design Editor of Wallpaper* magazine 
Making & Interiors: Harriet Anstruther, Ab Rogers and Natalie Melton Co-Founder of The New Craftsmen
British Museum Korean Ceramics: Behind the Scenes with Curator, Eleanor Soo-ah Hyun
Princess Yachts: Crafted in Plymouth
Making Costumes for Television with Ray Holman at Angels
Us At Work
Retrouvius Architectural Salvage and Reclamation
Gilding at Ochre
Marquetry at Linley
Making the Shard with Renzo Piano Building Workshops
Bruichladdich Whisky Tasting Workshop
Michael Ruh: How to Commission Glassware and Lighting
Mount Gay Rum Tasting Workshop
Handling the V&A Ceramic Collection with Felicity Aylieff and Philip Wood
Cire Trudon: The making behind candles
Nest Design at Blacks Members Club
Letterpress Printmaking at New North Press
Bespoke Walls: How to commission a Wallpaper
On the Sofa with Jeremy Langmead: A Conversation with Insley & Nash, George Smith and The London EDITION
Matthew Raw at Ragged School Museum
Celebrating the Kiln: New Ashgate Gallery & Crafts Study Centre present Arjan van Dal
Game Making at ustwo games
Letter Cutting with The Lettering Arts Trust
Why Horsehair? at Flow Gallery
Design Museum: A Tour of the Permanent Collection
The Curious Rise of Dressed Down Fashion
Ridgeview at Flemings Hotel Mayfair

* Offer valid subject to availability. Offer ends at 12am on Tuesday 18th April.

 

“I am looking forward to welcoming guests into our Kensington showroom and presenting some of the talented craftsmen from our two factories in Somerset. We’ll be demonstrating how our iconic bags are made, and introducing brand new pieces from Autumn Winter ’17. This demonstration will also be taking place in our New Bond Street store from 3rd to 7th May.

See more of my top picks for London Craft Week below.”

Johnny Coca, Creative Director of Mulberry

The Passion of Making
3 – 6 May 10:00 – 19:00
7 May 12:00 – 18:00

Visit Mulberry’s New Bond Street flagship store and see craftsmen and craftswomen from the brand’s two factories in Somerset demonstrate the making of its iconic handbag styles. No booking necessary.

The Story of Hans J. Wegner and Carl Hansen & Son
3 – 5 May, 10:00 — 16:00

I’ve always had a passion for furniture design and try to collect unique pieces when I’m on my travels. I anticipate this to be an inspiring presentation for anyone interested in Danish design.

Making Pastry with Hotel Café Royal’s Executive Pastry Chef
4 May 11:00 — 12:00

I have many memories watching my mother cook in our kitchen in Seville – eating together was a huge part of our family life. Café Royal is one of my favourite places in London – I always enjoy their sweet treats! So an opportunity to make pastry in a beautiful location seems the perfect hands-on indulgence.

Grayson Perry and Frances Corner Discuss Workmanship at London College of Fashion

There is a true connection between fashion and art so this is a talk not to be missed – plus Grayson Perry is one of my favourite British artists, he always has brilliant insight into modern culture.

onefinestay gives you the opportunity to stay in one of London’s finest, private homes whilst discovering the delights of London Craft Week.

You’ll enjoy the comfort, character and space of a home, without compromising on the service; there’ll be a friendly face to meet you at the door, beds made with pristine sheets, the towels and toiletries taken care of to exacting standards, and an iPhone for local calls, data, and 24/7 guest services. There’ll even be some delicious welcome treats waiting for you upon arrival, just to help you feel at home.*

onefinestay are offering our visitors an exclusive 10% off stays throughout the event. Just quote ‘London Craft Week’ when you enquire here.

For more information, visit onefinestay.com.

*Minimum night stay of 3-4 nights

London Craft Week is looking for new recruits to join the team from Wed 3 to Sun 7 May 2017. Launched in 2015 we have grown in size and this year there will be over 230 events, covering 50+ craft disciplines from spectacle making to steam bending and spoon whittling. Have a look at our website to see our full programme: lcw-xk7yr.projectbeta.co.uk/programme

Every year volunteers play a big part in creating a very special atmosphere at London Craft Week through helping visitors to get the most out of the week. By joining the LCW team as a volunteer you can help us to celebrate creativity and craftsmanship across London.

We will make every effort to ensure you gain valuable experience of working behind the scenes in a not for profit events organisation, whilst of course having lots of fun!

You will be required to attend a half-day training session on Thursday April 20th between 13:30 and 16:30 and ideally own an iPad or have one you can borrow for the training session and week.

Please send your CV and a brief covering letter to nina@londoncraftweek.com