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London Design Festival 2019 welcomes newest district: Chelsea Design District

Chelsea will be participating for the first time in this year’s London Design Festival 2019, with the creation of the Chelsea Design District.

A neighbourhood with an extraordinary design heritage, renowned for its creatives throughout the centuries, Chelsea will be participating for the first time in this year’s London Design Festival 2019, with the creation of the Chelsea Design District.

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From architecture to interiors, fashion and jewellery to fitness and food, Chelsea flourishes today as a neighbourhood rich in artistry and artisan making. To celebrate this, the Chelsea Design District will see a series of events, experiences and talks from Saturday 14th –Sunday 22nd September.

Chelsea Design District

For those looking to marvel at exhibition spaces, key highlights include Duke of York Square’s Saatchi Gallery which will be hosting the inaugural I-MADE, London’s first exhibition solely dedicated to Italian design and manufacture, along with talks and workshops that capture the country’s passion, innovation and craftsmanship.

At the nearby National Army Museum, guests can experience ‘The Art of Persuasion’ exploring the life and legacy of iconic designer Abram Games. The exhibition will examine his time as ‘Official War Poster Artist’ during the Second World War and the legacy that continues to influence the art of persuasion employed by visual designers today.

Chelsea Design District

Visitors to the Chelsea Design District can also experience a series of talks at various locations, including a presentation by Chelsea resident Peter Jones on the fascinating story of their Grade II listed building, with a pop-up exhibition exploring how the bricks and mortar shop has changed from 1877 to present day, ahead of the store’s renovation of its iconic façade.

Other highlights include Anthropologie, which will be showcasing ‘The World of Kaffe Fasset’, known for his colourful designs in the decorative arts, while The Rug Company will be celebrating their collaboration with Winch Design by exhibiting a new collection of hand-knitted rugs inspired by the textures of the natural world; sand underfoot, clear blue of tropical seas, bursts of sunlight and rolling clouds after rainfall.

Chelsea Design District

Socially conscious fashion brand Eileen Fisher will be hosting a talk on their innovative ‘Waste no more’ movement, a zero waste initiative that brings together creativity and innovation, and visitors to jewellery designer Annoushka Ducas MBE will be taken on a journey into her multi-sensory world and the abundant textures and colours that inspired her new ‘Hidden Reef’ collection.

The full programme of events across the Chelsea Design District at London Design Festival 2019 includes:

–Collaboration with Caroline Issa, Monica Vinader – a series of events across London Design Festival to celebrate the collaboration, colour and distinctive design.

Chelsea Design District

– Timothy Oulton Flagship Store Launch at Bluebird – the daring furniture and interiors brand is launching its new worldwide flagship gallery at Bluebird, featuring its most iconic designs alongside rare vintage collectibles and one-offs including a custom-designed spaceship.

– I-Made at Saatchi – Saatchi hosts the inaugural I-MADE, London’s first exhibition solely dedicated to Italian design and manufacture along with talks and workshops that capture the country’s passion, innovation and craftmanship. 19-22 September

– The Art of Persuasion, The National Army Museum – major exhibition exploring the life and legacy of the iconic designer Abram Games, focusing on his time as ‘Official War Poster Artist' during the Second World War.

Chelsea Design District

– Peter Jones & Partners presents the story of their building – Chelsea stalwart Peter Jones presents the fascinating story of its Grade II listed building, with a pop-up exhibition exploring how the shop has changed from 1877 to today, as the store prepares to renovate its iconic facade.

– ‘The World of Kaffe Fasset’, Anthropologie – an exhibition to include new and exclusive pieces as well as treasures from the past.

– Collaboration with Winch Design, The Rug Company – A unique exhibition celebrating the collaboration between The Rug Company and Winch Design.

Chelsea Design District

– Waste No More, Eileen Fisher – zero-waste initiative brings together creativity & innovation. Learn about how Eileen Fisher is changing the way clothes are made from sustainable sourcing to her innovative take-back initiative.

– Hidden Reef collection launch, Annoushka – Discover the new Hidden Reef collection, inspired by the abundant textures and colours of the organic life found below the sea, and learn more about the craftsmanship behind Annoushka's designs.

– Series of ‘how to’ masterclasses, Little Greene – To celebrate the introduction of three new finishes for September, they will be hosting a series of ‘how to’ masterclasses at their Chelsea Showroom.

Chelsea Design District

– Drawing attention: The Digital Culture of Contemporary Architectural Drawings, Roca London– An exhibition curated by professors at Rhode Island School of Design, Harvard and Carnegie Mellon Universities which reveals the promise and the speculative future of drawing: its capacity to structure, imagine, realise, speculate, transform, politicise and activate the design imagination.

– ARTEFACT FOOTWEAR PATTERNS FUTURES, London College of Fashion– Challenging the notion of how products change and influence the world we live in, ARTEFACT FOOTWEAR PATTERNS FUTURES exhibits selected work from London College of Fashion, UAL’s MA Artefact, Footwear, Pattern and Garment Technology and Fashion Futures graduates.

Private View:Thursday 19th - 6pm-8.30pmFriday 20th - 11am-6pmSaturday 21st - 11am-6pm

– Exclusive new Barneby Gates tile collection, Parkside – Parkside has announced its collaboration with Barneby Gates. Drop by their Chelsea Design Studio to be one of the first to see the new collection.Open Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm and Saturday 10am-4pm

– Peloton – chance to experience Peloton, book an appointment at the King’s Road showroom, to try the Bike, get a personalised tutorial and learn about their digital offering

– Farrow & Ball– hands-on creative demonstrations and imaginative installations, and get bespoke advice from colour experts.

– Lema– Presenting the highly customisable LT40 modular storage system by David Lopez Quincoces, resulting from a long conceptual study and an attentive industrial development. Visit Lema's King's Road Flagship Store to discover this and other new, iconic designs.Lema x LDF Cocktail Reception: Thursday 19 September – 6:30pm to 8:30pm

– The Ilse Crawford pop-up, George Smith– A pop-up exhibition space showcasing new pieces from Ilse Crawford's collaboration with George Smith and other brands

London Design Festival is taking place from Saturday 14th-Sunday 22nd September 2019 at various locations across London.

Chelsea Design District events, londondesignfestival.com.

Jennifer Ebert
Deputy Editor (Digital)

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.