As London trade show 100% Design approaches, Katie Treggiden talks to the trend forecaster behind this year's ‘colour’ theme and shares her pick of the EC1 exhibitors
The UK’s largest design trade event, 100% Design, will be celebrating its 21st edition in its new location, the Grand and West Halls of Olympia London, on 23 to 26 September. “We're set for the most visually dramatic edition yet,” says show director William Knight, referring to the Colour in Design theme, focused around 12 key colours identified by trend-forecasting and branding agency WGSN.
Creative director Lisa White was part of the team that selected the dozen colours from those identified as globally important for 2016. “There were over 100 colours in our global palettes that we had to boil down to 12, which was no easy task,” she tells The Post.
White says that trend forecasting is half based on quantifiable data and half on gut instinct. “It is most often our intuition that first identifies a design trend,” she explains. “I knew we’d reached the right colours when I could see that they worked as a palette, but also knew each one was also important from an individual standpoint. For example, Dove Grey is getting big at a mainstream level, but it still looks innovative as a cool, sophisticated tone, as [product and interiors designer] Lee Broom demonstrated in his show in Milan last April.”
The 12 colours will be brought to life through specially commissioned editorial features,seminars and live content, as well as by the 400 exhibitors – all organised by colour on the 100% Design website. Talks with 100% Design includes designer and creative director Ilse Crawford, Morag Myerscough (who incorporates graphic design into architecture) and consultant and interior designer Naomi Cleaver. Mark Dytham, of Tokyo-based Klein Dytham architecture (KDa), hosts a ‘Pecha Kucha’ - the presentation format comprising 20 slides shown for 20 seconds each.
Other highlights of 100% Design are the Half-Three Café by Fabrica’s Daniel Rous, featuring an installation of hand-blown glass vessels containing different shades of tea, and the auditorium designed by textile artist Anne Kyyrö Quinn, incorporating her signature bold colours, rich textures and wool felt motifs.
Image: Andy Thornton's green glass pendant light
Image: Thomas Montgomery's Chip stool
Image: Baskets from Almirasadar Home Collection at the Slovenian Pavilion
Image: DUISTT's Lune A Stool
Image: App One design (marble Lego) by Andrea Giovannetti
Image: Lozi dresser and shelving unit
Image: Rafias PRI SIM fabric
Image: Delightfull's Donna copper table lamp
Image: HI-MACS' pink bedroom
Image: Pyrolave glazed Volvic lava stone basin
Image: Mambo Unlimited Magnolia suspension lamp (lipstick)
Image: PLYCOLLECTION's Zesty Stackable Chair
Image: Mambo Unlimited Ideas' Ivy armchair
Image: Designheure's Eau de lumière chandelier
100% EC1 DESIGN
Clerkenwell-based showroom exhibitors to look out for Vitra will be demonstrating flexible workspaces. Highlights include Konstantin Grcic’s Hack table system and his Allstar office chair, along with Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec’s Workbays. Isomi will be launching a new collection of desks designed by Paul Crofts and made entirely of concrete. Look Closer by Reclaimed Flooring Company will include a texture station and magnifying glasses to encourage people to get up close and personal with the firm’s collection. BuzziSpace will be launching their first furniture collection upholstered with Kvadrat fabrics.
