18 Standout Design Moments From London Design Festival 2022

Barber Osgerby x Fredericia

Design duo Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby lent their industrial design savvy to Danish furniture brand Fredericia for the Plan collection, which includes minimalist and versatile chairs and tables that are considerate of the circular economy. The tables, for instance, are topped with Kvadrat’s Really Textile Tabletops, which upcycle textile waste, and are propped up on black-brushed steel bases that can be easily deconstructed.

Exhibitions

“First Impression”

Although the collectible design pieces that typically appear at Charles Burnand—like Linda Boronkay’s seductive silk-velvet and cast-bronze Veiled Chaise—were on display, the Fitzrovia gallery’s “First Impression” group show was ultimately a bold departure. Glass works were the star, such as the tonal stacked sculptures by Dawn Bendick, fantastical blown pieces from Fredrik Nielsen, and the willowy and underwater-like creations of Binghui Song, a recent Royal College of Art grad.

One Tree at SCP

Modern home furnishings brand SCP converted part of its Shoreditch showroom into an exhibition for One Tree, the sustainable effort sparked by SCP founder Sheridan Coakley’s discovery that one of the trees in his backyard was succumbing to ash dieback, a chronic fungal disease. Rather than felling the tree, he invited designers and artists to craft one-off objects from it, culminating in such organic marvels as Faye Toogood’s trunk-turned loveseat, a three-seat bench from Wilkinson & Rivera, and hard-carved side tables by Sarah Kay that illuminate rich grain variations.

On View at the Design Museum

Following this summer’s Tiffany exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, the Design Museum in Kensington is now delving into the collections of poetic jewels that have defined Van Cleef & Arpels since the maison’s inception in 1906. By way of Shenzhen, China, “The Art of Movement, Van Cleef & Arpels” (on view through October 20) captures the grace in pieces that draw from nature, dance, couture, and abstract movements. The uplifting vibe continues in “Yinka Ilori: Parables for Happiness” (through June 25), a snippet of the British Nigerian designer’s colorful universe shaped by his West African roots.