The Heal’s Christmas Market has arrived at our flagship store on Tottenham Court Road, featuring a whole host of gifts, decorations and lights to get you in the festive spirit. As you walk through the doors, you will be greeted by a modern take on the traditional Christmas tree – made from Tom Raffield’s Quill pendants, the lights beautifully hang at different heights echoing the tree’s recognisable shape.
We’ve teamed up with The Original Winter’s Tale to offer Heal’s customers an exclusive selection of beautiful glass baubles for your Christmas tree. Their designs range from traditional styles to more contemporary shapes, and come in a selection of timeless colours that all sit easily together. Don’t miss our bauble chandelier that hangs proudly above our Christmas table. The Heal’s Christmas Market also features a selection of lights by Sirius, who are known for their cutting-edge designs for home decoration. Their selection of Christmas lights ranges from string lights for Christmas trees to illuminated baubles and decorations.
Now in its third year, our Christmas Market has become known as the ultimate destination to find gifts for even the most particular of people. We’ve created an edit of beautiful items from artisanal brands, small businesses and leading craftspeople to help you find the perfect gift. From striking home gifts to beautiful designer presents, visitors can explore a range of gift ideas for everyone on your Christmas list.
Also not to be missed are our bespoke gifts - Mia Sarosi and Bislia Noha are offering a choice of their handcrafted ceramics to be personalised to your exact specification. From the finish of the design to personalised messaging, these are the perfect option for someone special. For Mia Sarosi pieces, order before 18th November and collect between 18th and 24th December. For Bislia Nohia, order on the 22nd or 24th November for collection between 16th-24th December.
Personalised gifts by Mia Sarosi available at our Tottenham Court Road store
If you can’t make it to London, your local store will have a beautiful edit of gifts as will our online store, heals.com.
[ INSPIRATION ]
At Heal's
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.
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.
With the opening on a new exhibition of Enid Marx’s work at the House of Illustration, the most comprehensive retrospective of her work mounted in the last 40 years, we’re celebrating the renowned artist who had a close connection with Heal’s.
Enid Marx has become synonymous with mid-century graphic art and textile design. Best known for her iconic London underground fabrics, she also designed textiles for the wartime Utility Furniture Scheme and was the first ever female engraver to be awarded the title of Royal Designer for Industry.
Her career spanned seven decades in which she produced extraordinarily varied work, encompassing patterned paper for Curwen Press, book covers for King Penguin and the stamps for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
Enid Marx's cover for a Book of Modern Verse Having shown a passion and talent for art from an early age, she went on to study at the Royal College of Art during the interwar years, alongside Ravilious and Bawden under Paul Nash, who championed her work. While still at college in 1925 she was commissioned to create patterned papers for Curwen Press, block-printed using wood engravings.
Marx subsequently applied this technique to fabric to create her most celebrated textile designs, fusing a modern aesthetic with traditional methods inspired by her collection of Popular Art. In 1929, she had her own exhibition with the Mansard Gallery at Heal’s and subsequently also displayed her wood-block printing in 1930.
Enid Marx's Feline Phantasy Linocut In 1937 she was commissioned to create the seating moquette for London Transport’s bus and tube train seats. This marked a pivotal progression into industrial design, and her economical yet colourful geometric weaves remain in production today. It led to her appointment to the Utility Furniture Scheme in 1944, for which she created 30 upholstery and curtain fabric designs using limited wartime supplies of yarn.
Luckily for graphic design enthusiasts, a retrospective exhibition of her work has opened at the House of Illustration in King’s Cross. Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of her death, it will be the most comprehensive retrospective of her work mounted in the last 40 years, bringing together over 150 pieces from private and public collections. Many of these are being displayed for the first time.
The exhibition at the House of Illustration The exhibition is open until 23rd September 2018. Find out more on the House of Illustration website.
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.
Whilst Heal’s has a long history of famous connections – including the Bloomsbury Group as well as Modigliani – there’s one celebrated name that actually spent time at Heal’s as an employee.
Dodie Smith, author of the classic I Capture the Castle and The Hundred and One Dalmatians, spent nearly 10 years working at our flagship store. Read on for the surprising story of Dodie's time at Heal's…
Dodie Smith and Heal’s
Dodie Smith (1896-1990), acclaimed playwright and author, gas captured the imagination of millions with her compelling storytelling. But before she found fame as a writer, Dodie was a struggling actress in London who eventually gave up her acting pursuits and found a job at Heal’s as a shop assistant. Having joined the business in 1923, she went on to run the toy department among other responsibilities.
She quickly made her mark and was renowned among Heal’s staff for her sharp tongue and quick wit. Undeterred by the formidable presence of Ambrose Heal’s long-term mistress Prudence Maufe, she embarked on an affair with Heal which she delighted in keeping secret from other staff. In Valerie Grove’s book ‘Dear Dodie’, she’s described as “not temperamentally suited to the shop girl’s humdrum life of clocking in from nine to six.”
She was a fiery character that was prone to tardiness and temper tantrums (she once “flung one of the assistants, a heavy girl, across the china department”) but since she was having an affair with the owner of the store, she knew she was unlikely to be sacked. When Dodie began to find success as a playwright towards the end of her time at Heal's, she moved into a new home in Dorset Square. Ambrose Heal offered to provide all the furniture at cost price but Dodie had something very particular in mind for her bedroom.
Having a dislike for conventional wardrobes and chests-of-drawers she suggested purchasing the furniture for that room at Italia House instead. However, Sir Ambrose was horrified at this idea which would have meant buying reproduction furniture, and so he offered to design a suite exactly to her liking. The result was the Dodie wardbrobe which featured inlaid gold art-deco lines.
The Dodie Wardrobe designed by Ambrose Heal (1932)
Dodie and the Heal's Cat
During her time at Heal’s, Dodie became fond of the Heal’s cat which remains on our Cecil Brewer staircase to this day.
She wrote in her autobiography Look Back with Astonishment, “On the sill of a window that lit it was a very tall bronze cat, (really a serval) which I came to think of as presiding deity of Heal’s. I later let it be known that it would grant wishes and I was to see various members of the staff reaching up, rather furtively, to touch its paws. And when I eventually sold the cat, which was priced at £40, Mr Heal wrote firmly to the customer – who must have been startled – cancelling the sale, and had a card lettered saying ‘Heal’s Mascot. Not for Sale’.”
The beloved Heal's Cat
After several years working at Heal’s and having grown tired of competing for Ambrose’s affection, Dodie married a former co-worker, Alec Beesley in 1939. By this stage she was making a name for herself as a playwright and, following rapturous reception of her sixth, Dead Octopus, Dodie and her new husband moved the United States. She continued to receive regular letters from Ambrose Heal.
While homesick in the US she wrote her first novel, I Capture the Castle, which was - and still is - very well received. The opening line “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink….” is among one of the most quoted first lines in British fiction and captures Dodie’s strong personality and style of writing. Ambrose himself is even quoted as saying “what a marvellously Dodie-esque opening!”
Dodie and the Dalmatians
Inspired by her own love of animals, especially Dalmatians, she later tried her hand at children’s fiction. The Hundred and One Dalmatians became her most famous publication, largely in thanks to Walt Disney’s film adaption of the story.
Dodie had had a number of Dalmatians as pets over the years and after her husband’s sudden death in 1987, her last Dalmatian, Charley, became her constant companion. She even set aside a sum of money in her will for his care in the event of her death. When Dodie did pass away in 1990, Charley followed just three weeks later.
Dodie Smith and Charley Come visit the Heal’s Cat and explore the place Dodie spent many of her formative years at our Tottenham Court Road store.
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