It seems that with each successive year the Design Guild Mark goes from strength to strength, as last month we kicked off the first morning (21 May) of Clerkenwell Design Week 2019 with one of our best ceremonies to date.
Holders, judges, friends, family and colleagues filled Senator’s showroom on Fox and Knot Street as the temperature outside slowly rose.
The buzz of the showroom, with judges talking to this year’s winners, who in turn were networking with each other, sharing ideas and exchanging contact details, is something we never get tired of facilitating.
Jeremy Myerson, Furniture judge and Helen Hamlyn professor of design at the Royal College of Art, commenced proceedings with a short, insightful talk on the significance of the Bauhaus movement, which celebrates its centenary in 2019, before the big moment of presenting the awards.
Watch our short video from the presentation, highlighting this year’s winners.
Following the ceremony, we took to the streets of Clerkenwell to drink in the atmosphere of CDW 2019, as well as an Aperol or two, and see if we could spot current and previous holders among the brimming showrooms and pop-up exhibition space.
We didn’t have to venture too far to find the first one as the Oran sofa by Mark Gabbertas was centre stage at the Allermuir section of Senator’s showroom.
Hayche’s showroom on Great Sutton Street was the place to see the bright WW Armchair CS3 by Alejandro Villarreal. Meanwhile, Bob by Paul Kelley was looking funky in Bisley’s showroom on Dallington Street.
The British Collection, in the barrel roofed Crypt on Clerkenwell Green, presented a fantastic medley of designs from home grown talent. This was where we saw the classic S-Range Chair by John and Sylvia Reid for Nathan Furniture and a plethora of Design Guild Mark winners from yesteryear by Samuel Chan, including Mr Knock 1 and Motley Drums.
Rock by Yorgo Lykouria and Rainlight Studio for Allsteel was in – and can still be seen exclusively at – By Bailey London’s showroom, also on Clerkenwell Green.
Finally, Claire Kimble and Helen Lloyd’s carpet tile collection Artistic Liberties, awarded a Design Guild Mark in the 2D category, was on display at Milliken’s showroom,
We’re pretty sure we’ve missed some out, but do feel free to tag us in any posts on social media (@designguildmark) of Design Guild Mark winners.
We hope your Clerkenwell Design Week was as successful as ours!
