This year the London Design festival had invested in many installations in public spaces to promote London as the design capital of the world. A strategic move just before soon approaching Brexit deadline.
In recent years the design and fashion trends have been evolving in slower pace. So, the biggest theme this year was unsurprisingly again sustainable design & materials and in addition new user behaviours based on them.
Two opposite trend directions were dominating furniture and material designs. Orderly simplicity direction was driven by minimalist, practical and quiet Scandinavian aesthetics.
The other direction was driven by diversity resulting into more chaotic, crafty and free form expressions. It reflected the growing global audience and exhibitors taking part in the festival.
Sustainability was this year evolving towards Circular Economy. Leading direction was a growing number of new materials made of waste.
One of the most thoughtful installation was Sea Things (motion graphics of plastics in sea) by Sam Jacob at the V&A Museum. It highlights the need to rethink the global plastics system; to consider its full lifetime journey.
All in all the festival offered variety, optimism and ambition. The buzz was back (however Design Junction destination urgently needs a re-think).
Trending Topics by Minna Takala 