There was a different energy about this year’s London
Design Festival that spanned across all quarters of the capital. From the
large-scale public installation Endless Stair on the Southbank to the
celebrated talks and satellite fairs that were held in some of the city’s
landmark locations from East to West, the annual event had a presence like
never before, sharing the limelight with fashionistas during London Fashion
Week.
Last Wednesday I attended Heal’s equally fashionable party at its flagship
on Tottenham Court Road to officially celebrate the store’s redesign in the
company of both established and emerging designers that make up the new
direction for the brand’s Autumn collection. Having previewed the collection
last month (Heal’s Discovers, August 2013)
it was a pleasure to see the designers who had been selected for the Discovers
programme and competition again as well as meet with the international studios
who were involved with grand installations for the store’s dynamic
transformation.
Fold by Alexander Mueller
Congratulations to Alexander Mueller who won the Discovers Cass Furniture Competition with his limited edition coffee table in walnut, individually crafted by the designer. Fold will be available at Heal’s in the coming weeks and will no doubt be a hit with customers looking for contemporary elegance.
Heal’s Discovers is a brilliant platform for emerging
talent and Alexander with his fellow finalists - Mika Ogarca, Douglas Montgomery and Michael Randall - are
all future design stars to follow.
The remodelled Lighting Department on the ground
floor is a wonderfully curated space of design classics and new contemporary
interpretations. The Utrem Lux series by West London-based studio DeGrossDesign is one such innovator bridging the sustainable with sophisticated style
- it was a pleasure to catch up with Sabrina Gross and congratulate her on the
amount of press that the studio’s products have deservedly received since the
press preview in August.
DeGross Design & Innovation
The Heal’s experience at its flagship is that of focus and detail – the collections across all departments are finely curated to offer a host of national and international brands and manufacturers, affirming its status as a destination emporium in the heart of the capital. No more so is this celebrated than with a specially commissioned custom chandelier that cascades down the Cecil Brewer staircase located appropriately to the rear of the store in the Lighting Department.
Bocci
Designed by all in-house studio Bocci the commission is a triumph in organic aesthetics and innovative minimalism. The magnificent sixty-five arm chandelier originates from Vancouver and its elements in all their grandeur transfer effortlessly to the versatile collection that is available at Heal’s. Standard or bespoke lighting options are available and range from single glass pendants to larger compositions made to order in an endless array of hues and installation construction to taste. The same boundless and electric language of Bocci is reflected in what is a new chapter for the Heal’s brand – an energy that design enthusiasts will look forward in seasons to come.
Visit Heal's at:
196 Tottenham Court Road
London
W1T 7LQ
Images courtesy of Heal's
