Events

What To See At LDF 2019

The most anticipated citywide celebration of design is back for its seventeenth year. Kicking off on the 14th September, London Design Festival celebrates the best art and design our capital has to offer. A highlight of the design lovers’ calendar, LDF 2019 was as exciting as ever. To ensure you did’t miss out, we handpicked some of the most exciting events, installations and exhibitions to see during London Design Festival. Beazley Designs of the Year at London Design Museum West Kensington Design District Every year, London Design Museum plays host to the Beazley Designs of the Year competition. Selecting the world’s most innovative designs from the past year, the exhibition features graphics, fashion, digital, architecture, product and transport. Running from 11th September 2019 until 9th February 2020, this exhibition is a must-see during LDF 2019. Discover more about the exhibition here. ‘A Second Life’ by sketch and Matter of Stuff Mayfair Design District In 2019, everyone’s favourite Mayfair restaurant, sketch, was transformed by design and manufacturing consultant, Matter of Stuff. Running throughout LDF and until November, the exhibition, entitled ‘A Second Life’, showcased designs made using salvaged wooden dowels. As part of the exhibition, the restaurant’s entrance featured an installation by RIBA award-winning architects PiM.Studio. Find out more about the installation and sketch’s accompanying cocktail list here. Heal's x Slade at the Mansard Gallery Tottenham Court Road To celebrate LDF 2019, Heal’s collaborated with Slade School of Fine Art to showcase artwork by its recent graduates. The carefully curated exhibition was set in the former location of the Mansard Gallery on Tottenham Court Road. Paintings, sculptures and textile designs by up-and-coming designers were available to view throughout the week. Head over to the Blog to discover more about the artists featured in the installation. ‘Please Be Seated’ by Paul Cocksedge Shoreditch Design Triangle In honour of LDF 2019, Finsbury Avenue Square was transformed by British designer Paul Cocksedge. The large-scale installation, entitled ‘Please Be Seated’, was crafted using disused scaffolding planks. Created to enhance the pedestrianized neighbourhood, its curved design provided seating, shelter and shade. See the installation and find out more about the inspiration behind it here. 'Disco Carbonara' at Coal Drops Yard King's Cross Design District For LDF 2019, King’s Cross’ renewed neighbourhood, Coal Drop’s Yard, became home to an epic installation by Martino Gamper. Specifically designed to adorn the building’s façade, the design offered a fresh take on traditional cladding. Gamper’s design was inspired by Potemkin villages from the 1700s, which consisted of ‘fake buildings’ built to feign a prosperous Russian empire. Celebratory drinks were held at Samsung KX on Wednesday 18th September. Unfortunately LDF is now over until next year. Sign up to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out on upcoming events, competitions and exclusive launches again.

Events

Heal’s X Slade: Meet The Artists

For LDF19, Heal’s collaborated with Slade School of Fine Art to create a curated exhibition in its Mansard Gallery. The exhibition showcased a selection of work by some of Slade’s recent graduates. Based in the Tottenham Court Road gallery, it featured painting, sculpture as well as textile designs. We dug deep to find out a little more about the innovative artists and designers behind the exhibition. CASSANDRE GREENBERG A writer as well as an artist, Cassandre Greenberg combines both mediums in her work. By fusing literature, crafting methods and technology, Greenberg’s work has earned its place in exhibitions across the United Kingdom. Her work has been featured in the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the IMT Gallery, SPACE Studios and Auto Italia South East. FEIYI WEN This accomplished artist boasts a multifaceted approach to design, working with photographs, moving image, sound and installation. With a focus on Eastern Asian aesthetics, her photography recently won her the LensCulture Black and White award. With a master’s in Fine Art Photography from the RCA, Wen is currently completing her PhD at the Slade. JOHNNY IZATT-LOWRY Living and working in London, Johnny Izatt-Lowry graduated from the Slade in 2019. His portfolio of distinctive drawings and paintings expresses his fascination with everyday objects. SARAH TEW Sarah Tew’s unique approach to art explores the physical interaction between different materials. Her portfolio includes reinventing urban spaces and a visual exploration into landscape painting. Her art has been exhibited across London and in her native Cumbria. JOHANNA BADOU With a degree in Fine Art from Central St. Martins and a master's from Slade, Johanna Badou was a natural choice for the LDF installation. Her art questions the world around her and focuses on topics such as her relationship to time and space. She has worked, lived and exhibited in the cities of São Paulo, Marseille, London, Madrid, Munich and Beijing. HARRIET TAYLOR A recent graduate of the Slade, British artist Harriet Taylor now lives and works in London. The innovative artist uses colour and a subjective gaze to create the illusion of a parallel reality. Primarily working with oil paint on canvas, Taylor’s work evokes an emotional response. ARTHUR POUJOIS-CHRETIEN Now living and working in Paris, Slade graduate Arthur Poujois-Chretien also studied at the New York Studio School and the Sorbonne. The multifaceted sculptor, painter and writer is fascinated by the complexity of the self and the imaginary. He seeks to expose the viewer to linked memories and feelings through his artwork. “My work is an ongoing process, which begins from writing, drawing, collecting images and photographing” Arthur Poujois-Chretien. JAVIER MONDRAGON SANCHEZ Mexico-born artist Javier Mondragon Sanchez has perfected his art by studying at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions. Having graduated from Slade this year, he is continuing his studies at The Courtauld Institute. Mondragon Sanchez 's work on display reflects his multi-disciplinary approach to art. GAL SCHINDLER Born in Tel Aviv but living and working in London, Gal Schindler graduated from the Slade School of Fine Art with a first-class degree in 2019. The skilled painter works primarily with oil on canvas and was the recipient of the Henry Tonks Prize in 2017. Above all, this prestigious award recognises Schindler’s excellence and achievement in drawing. JIONE CHOI South Korean artist Jione Choi is inspired by the human relationships she encountered in her youth. Through her art, Choi cleverly examines the complexity of emotions and their interaction with others. Living far away from her family, her art also focuses on concepts such as physical and psychological distance between people. “I create art about human relationships, memory and emotions. The human mind is like a mixture of various emotions, and we can absorb all of them.” Jione Choi. PAMELA BARTLETT Since graduating with a degree in Fine Art from Slade, Bartlett has gone on to study for an MA at the RCA. Her work on display at the Mansard Gallery demonstrates perfectly her skillful way of working with oil paints. The Heal’s LDF installation is just one of the exhibitions Bartlett’s work has been featured in across the globe. Her paintings have been displayed in Helsinki, Amsterdam and Moscow, as well as London. BOON & BAUM Joe Boon and Anna Baumgart form collaborative duo Boon & Baum. They draw upon their shared experience in fashion design to explore society and identity. Despite using fashion design as their main medium, the duo also works with performance, video and sculptural interventions. Unfortunately LDF is now over until next year. Sign up to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out on upcoming events, competitions and exclusive launches again.

Events

The Crown Costume Exhibition At Heal's

For the first time in the UK, costumes from the second season of the acclaimed series, The Crown, will be on display exclusively at Heal's Tottenham Court Road. Featuring five different designs from Season 2, visitors will be able to take a closer look at the pieces worn by Claire Foy, Vanessa Kirby, Lia Williams, Jodi Balfour and Alex Jennings in some of their most memorable scenes. Join us on the evening of Thursday 13th December for an exclusive discussion between The Crown Season 2's Costume Designer, Jane Petrie, and The Telegraph's Claire Cohen. Tickets are £5 and include a glass of prosecco on arrival at our Tottenham Court Road store. Book here > Ever since The Crown first hit television screens back in 2016, audiences around the world have been hooked to the royal drama with ever-increasing enthusiasm. Season 2 delivered a masterpiece in historical storytelling, blending the private and public events of the Royals through its dramatic instalments. Beginning with soldiers in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces fighting an illegal war in Egypt and ending with the downfall of her third Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, after a devastating scandal, the second season bears witness to the end of the age of deference, and ushers in the revolutionary era of the 1960s. Costume design played a vital part in the storytelling of Season 2 and it gave Emmy® award-winning Costume Designer, Jane Petrie, the opportunity to explore and reflect a transitional time in Queen Elizabeth’s life and marriage. The series plays out throughout the early 60s, a time when fashion and social attitudes were widely changing and the ‘out-of-touch’ monarchy had to adapt. Jane was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to talk to us about her experience of working on The Crown. Having worked on a number of feature films (The Constant Gardner, Suffragette) and TV series (Black Mirror, Top Boy), she joined The Crown for its second season. Five of Season 2's costumes are on display at our Tottenham Court Road store Research was key to her preparation for tackling Season 2, not just in terms of the royals but also the social backdrop of the time. “I had about 20 weeks of preparation before filming started to study the script and get prepared. I didn’t start by researching the Royal Family but instead read as much as I could about the state of the nation to get an idea of what was happening in the country at the time... Andrew Marr’s ‘The Making of Modern Britain’ was particularly useful. Once I had a good grounding I moved on to the characters and the storyline. I considered the characters within the script, worked on the tone and colours with the directors and worked out what was needed for each episode.” Season 2 brings some iconic fashion moments into focus with some of the era’s most stylish women taking centre stage - Wallis Simpson (Lia Williams) makes a return, and we get the first visit from Jacqueline Kennedy (Jodi Balfour) as well as inside look into Princess Margaret’s (Vanessa Kirby) royal wedding. Jane and her team managed to seamlessly weave costume design into the narrative by using both historically accurate representations of the clothing as well as their own interpretations. “The Crown is unique because the original outfits are so famous. You wouldn’t even entertain the idea of changing some of them – for example, Princess Margaret’s Butterfly dress or her wedding dress. With others, you can take creative liberties and instead channel the essence of the character. We wanted to use black in a few of Princess Margaret’s clothes, for example, which they wouldn’t really have done at the time as it’s not a traditional colour. But we trusted our instincts and believed it reflected her personality and desire to break out and explore the jazz clubs of Soho.” Similarly, Jackie Kennedy’s yellow and black evening gown, currently on display at Heal’s, is very similar to the one she wore at a 1961 White House state dinner. In reality, she wore white gloves, but Jane decided to give her black ones as it added more drama and looked better for the story they were trying to tell. Costumes worn by Claire Foy, Vannesa Kirby, Alex Jennings, Jodi Balfour and Lia Williams are all on display A key element of Season 2 is the difficult relationship between Elizabeth and Margaret. Jane was able to reinforce this storyline throughout her costumes. When asked about Queen Elizabeth’s aesthetic, Jane recalls, “She seemed to really find her style around this. We didn’t have to do much within the costume design to highlight the differences between her and Margaret. Elizabeth was pregnant at the time, very conservative and focused on her family. She was dressing for a very different stage of her life compared to Margaret.” With such a big cast and an ever-changing script, there are many challenges to be faced on a set like The Crown. “Life on the set is so fast and so busy. My team and I came out feeling that if we could do that we could do anything. It was absolutely thrilling as we had to respond to changes in the script every day and much of our work was in flux. But I loved having the opportunity to improve and change things, and it’s so satisfying to see the finished designs on screen.”

Events

Heal's Spaces: Marina Diamandis On Her Creative Process

Since hitting the music scene in 2010, Marina Diamandis of Marina and the Diamonds has established herself as a truly unique artist. We've teamed up with Marina as part of our Heal's SPACES campaign, a celebration of the creative spaces that inspire some of London's most pioneering women. Marina has recreated her dressing room giving viewers an exclusive look at a space often unseen by the public. She has furnished the space with our exceptionally comfortable velvet Eton sofa which she decorated with pops of bold colour as well as designs from our Brunel range. Hanging on the clothes rail are items she has worn on her tours and music videos - her peach playsuit from her Primadonna video, catsuits from FROOT, and her pink glitter boots that she once broke her ankle in. Her dressing table features original makeup from Froot, prized letters from fans are scatter throughout, and the walls are decorated with some of her favourite artwork. If you look closely you may even spot new lyrics from upcoming music. We sat down the Marina to found out why her creative space is so important in the writing process. What do you need around you when you create? Just my iPhone to record melodies and write lyrics. Though there’s something about writing in a notepad that’s better. I usually jot the initial idea down in my phone then expand on it in paper. Do you have a creative process you typically go through when you're working on something new? Every song I’ve ever written has had a different process! It’s never the same so it’s really hard to answer this question. But I would say there are a few constants - I tend to think of a chorus lyric or a title first. I note it down and it may be weeks or months until I come back to it. When I’m writing with others the process is different to when I write alone. Co-writing gives me a more universal/ objective view of the subject matter - I think about what I want to say more logically. The result is the song’s message is clearer, more distilled, which I really like, as it’s difficult for me to do this on my own. When I write alone, the subject matter is communicated in a less universal way, involving a lot of personal details and is perhaps more unorthodox, structurally and thematically because I have no one else by my side to reign me in. Both ways of writing are valuable. Do you have a particular time that you like to create? Afternoon to evening. I’m not an up-all-hours kind of artist. Have you perfected your creative space, or do you add to it/ change it? Definitely. I’m about to move to a much bigger place so I think this will change my creative space considerably. My partner is a writer and musician so we have been semi-sharing our spaces for a while. We’re both looking forward to having our own writing rooms! What is your favourite creative space to be in that isn't yours? One of my producer friends, Jason Evigan has a lovely set up. Every guest is supplied with fresh socks and slippers when they enter - a nice touch! He also has crazy custom lighting everywhere. Where is your favourite place to create inside your home? Usually the living room - that’s always where the piano or keyboard is. I do have a writing room but I connected it more with doing laptop work so I don’t write the actual songs there that much at the moment - just record them after they’re written. Where is your favourite place to think and create outside of your home? I love walking in Hampstead Heath. A lot of lyrics have come to me whilst strolling there on my own. When you’re doing something meditative like walking, or getting from A to B on the tube, flying somewhere, you subconsciously remove any pressure from your brain and creative ideas seem to bloom easily. Explore Marina's dressing room, and the spaces of our other four collaborators, at our Tottenham Court Road store until 23rd September 2018.

Events

Heal's Spaces: Jessie Burton On Her New Book, The Restless Girls

Jessie Burton, best-selling author of The Miniaturist and The Muse will be recreating her creative writing space in the window of Heal’s Tottenham Court Road store for their SPACES campaign during London Design Festival. Her new book, The Restless Girls, is a dazzling, feminist work of short fiction, reinterpreting a classic fairytale, beautifully illustrated by Angela Barrett. The Restless Girls is the book that every little girl and boy needs to read, a story of family, sisterhood, imagination and bravery. Jessie will be signing copies of her book on Saturday 15th September between 2pm and 3pm. Stop by to chat to Jessie and explore her recreated writing shed. Find out more here. For her twelve daughters, Queen Laurelia's death in a motor car accident is a disaster beyond losing a mother. Their father, King Alberto, cannot bear the idea of the princesses ever being in danger and decides his daughters must be kept safe at all costs. Those costs include their lessons, their possessions and, most importantly, their freedom. But the eldest, Princess Frida, will not bend to his will without a fight and she still has one possession her father can't take: the power of her imagination. And so, with little but wits and ingenuity to rely on, Frida and her sisters begin their fight to be allowed to live. Tell us about your inspiration for the book When I was a little girl, my favourite fairytale was The Twelve Dancing Princesses by the Brothers Grimm. My reasons were several: they were sisters and I was an only child, they had fantastic outfits and shoes, and they flouted the rules by descending every night to a glittering, underground world where they danced till dawn. So far, so good. But revisiting this tale as an adult I realised the sinister undertones to this story that I’d either glossed over or been blithely unaware of. I knew this was the story I wanted to revisit, opening its windows, finding fresh air. I wanted to keep the glamour, the fun and the joy that I was drawn to as a young girl, and to find true value in that – but I also sought to swivel the perspective, so we saw the world through the girls’ eyes, not those of the dogmatic king and the sneaking soldier. On revisiting this story as an adult, what was it about it that bothered you? In the original story, none of these 12 girls had names or independent attributes. Their father sought to curtail their one outlet of fun by offering any one of them up for marriage to the man who could solve the riddle of their worn-out shoes. It didn’t matter which one – princesses were all the same. A soldier stalked them with the help of an invisibility cloak, found their secret and exposed it publicly – and his prize was a princess, handed over with the kingdom. Grimms’ version implied this was a triumphant end, but the coup de grace was nothing short of a deal done between men, a forced marriage for one of the girls to a creepy stalker and a cessation of freedom for the 11 others. Their lives were over. And did that make you question the story? Yes! It made me want to see things from the girls’ perspective. What did they make of this? What were their names? Why were they dancing in the underground world in the first place? What did you consider to be key to retelling the story? In my opinion, the dancing in the underground tree palace is the key to this story, as it was in the original – the power and freedom it gives them, a sense of owning their own bodies, their own space – of being able, finally, to express themselves without the observation or criticism of anyone. The holes in the girls’ shoes are symbols of their rebellion and bravery. The Restless Girls is about having fun, enjoying the good things in life and keeping a sisterhood alive, but it’s also about observing and criticising the status quo. Did you find it an easy book to write? It has been a joy, from beginning to end. I loved it. It was a breeze in the sense that I moved fast on its currents. I tapped into my younger self, that epicurean, guiltless, free spirit who did what she pleased because she hadn’t yet learnt society’s rules for her. I wanted to resurrect that girl, to divest her power into 12 young women. My princesses are given names and attributes. They’re good at lots of things, and sometimes they get blue and scared. I consider whether it’s really that wonderful living in a palace, after all. They have to overcome obstacles, showing their mettle in order to get to a secret world full of golden foxes and toucan waiters. The king’s behaviour is scrutinised by his advisers, and he comes up short. Crucially, I wanted agency to be in the hands of the girls – no one can “save” them in the end; they have to do that for themselves. That’s a great message for our younger generation Absolutely! If I can make a difference to how girls (and boys) see themselves in the world with this book then I’ll be happy. I hope readers enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it for the 21st century. This book is very timely after the #metoo campaign. How do you feel about being seen as a spokesperson within this movement? I really wanted to tackle the challenge of reconfiguring a fairytale in a post #metoo world. This is the perfect time to re-examine what being a princess, a girl, a woman, actually means in the 21st century. We can all contribute in different ways to making a fairer, happier society, and writing this book was my chance as a creative woman to redefine notions of female power and influence, what we want and what we won’t abide. You can explore Jessie Burton's recreated writing shed, as well as our other collaborators' workspaces, at our Tottenham Court Road store from the 11th September to 23rd September as part of Heal's Spaces.

Events

Clerkenwell Design Week 2018: What Not To Miss

Clerkenwell is home to more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else on the planet. It is, therefore, no surprise that it is also home to one of the UK’s leading independent design festivals. Now in its ninth year, Clerkenwell Design Week has firmly established itself an event not to be missed by the design community. Last year over 34,000 people flocked to the trendy streets of EC1 to explore a series of showroom events, exhibitions and special installations. This year promises to be just as successful. The event kicks off on 22nd May and lasts for three days - with so much to see and not much time to see it we asked a few members of the team to put together a list of the talks, exhibitions and installations that are not to be missed. - Design Crimes and Icons, Wednesday 23rd May First on the list is Design Crimes and Icons led by Icon deputy editor, Priya Khanchandani. Priya will be joined by an expert panel including Max Fraser to celebrate the very best of design and crucify the very worst. “The subject of this talk really interests me. We’re always talking about iconic, innovative design but what happens when it goes wrong and what makes it memorable?” – Daniel Boden-Wilson, PR Manager Taking place in a dedicated space at Design Fields, this talk is set to address the question of what is good design and why is it important. Find out more here. Takumi Woodwork With Japanese inspired design becoming increasingly popular around the world, we recommend going to visit Takumi Woodwork who create exquisite handmade Japanese inspired furniture and everyday items from all types of beautiful hardwoods. “Takumi is the Japanese for ‘artisan’ and ‘craft’ and given the increasing interest in Japanese inspired design and craft, I look forward to seeing the space of lifelong friends Louis Higgins and Ed Wilson, who make Japanese inspired designs in their Lancashire workshop.” – Sabina Miller, Head of Buying You can take a closer look at Takumi Woodwork’s at Platform, a show that recognises some of the world’s most exciting up-and-coming design talent. The show will be taking place at the House of Detention on Sans Walk, a 19th-century underground prison that will act as a striking and atmospheric backdrop. Behind Closed Doors by Hakwood Located at the entrance to Spa Fields, you’ll find a 3.2-metre high installation designed by Shape London, named ‘Behind Closed Doors.’ The structure will feature a street scene of tall decorative townhouses clad in Hakwood Wall Tiles. Each house will have its own unique pattern sharing the same colour palette. “I like how this installation celebrates diversity in design. Its aim is to highlight that any interior is an open door for creative inspiration.” Nadeige Pyndiah Each house includes a small door revealing a series of miniature interiors designed by various architects from Shape’s Dragon Fly Place Collective. The hidden rooms will be placed at various heights to invite visitors to interact with the installation and ‘discover’ all the rooms. Designing for the Future, Wednesday 23rd May Another talk not to be missed is “Designing For the Future”, a panel discussion led by Charles Leon, President of the BIID. The panel will be discussing how innovation and cultural change shape contemporary design, focussing on future trends, technological innovation within design and the diversification of brands. “This is a really unique opportunity to hear the opinions of experts about the future of design within a social and technological context. Not only will it be interesting to hear about future trends, but also why we will be seeing them.” – Kate MacNay, Content Coordinator Charles Leon will be joined by interior designers Nicola Harding, founder of Harding and Read, Lewis Taylor, design director of David Collins Studio, and Forster Inc’s owner Rachel Forster. Find out more here. Ercol's new Von Collection Ercol emerged in the post-war era with a passion for creating furniture that was both well-designed and well-made. Nearly 70 years on the brand’s design icons are still as stylish today as they were in the 1950s and its long-lasting reputation for creating pieces that stand the test of time is what sets it apart from other modern-day furniture makers. “Ercol will be showcasing their new 2018 Von Collection Designed by Hlynur V. Atlason. Based on a chair from Ercol’s archives, the new collection has a wooden frame with tapered legs and upholstered seat and reclining back.” – Rachel Tinkler, Assistant Furniture Buyer Set to be another future classic, take a first look at the brand new chair at the Albion, a small collection of food and drink destinations, specialising in unfussy and informal all-day dining. To explore the full programme and register for entry, visit the official Clerkenwell Design Week website.