A celebration of British design
UK, London. Last week saw the launch of a new exhibition at Linley’s flagship showroom on Pimlico Road. The exclusive party, which took place on 26th February, set the tone for the exhibition with a number of high profile guests in attendance.…
UK, London. Last week saw the launch of a new exhibition at Linley’s flagship showroom on Pimlico Road. The exclusive party, which took place on 26th February, set the tone for the exhibition with a number of high profile guests in attendance. The event — which is set to promote and celebrate the best of British design, craftsmanship, engineering and innovation — is open to the public till 14th March.
“I was relieved to hear that people really understood what we were trying to do and had come to the showroom with the intention of celebrating British craftsmanship, design, engineering and innovation; there was a tangible sense of enthusiasm and respect for the brands exhibiting,” explains David Linley, who together with Scott Simpson curated the evening.
A total of 19 brands have taken part in the exhibition including JCB, McLaren, Bamford, Bremont, Dixey, Gladstone and Rolls-Royce. Among the 300 guests who attended the launch of the exhibition were Princess Alexandra of Kent, Sue Crewe, Nick Foulkes, Julia Carrick, Eric and Hannah Heerema and Gerry McGovern. Guests were encouraged to interact with the artisans from various disciplines to gain a better understanding of the expertise used to create the exquisite objects that filled the showroom.
In one of the main windows is a Gladstone motorcycle which was admired by Elizabeth Hurley and Stephen Bayley
“Exhibitions like this promote, support, celebrate and enthuse brands who are all striving for one thing – excellence,” says Linley. “It is essential that British manufacturers are promoted. We have such a vast array of skills and expertise in this country, we need to keep it that way and I believe that exhibitions such as this are a brilliant tool for doing just that.”
A McLaren 12C Spider fills a room towards the front of the building
The launch evening offered each participating brand the opportunity to share stories about their respective brands, while also demonstrating how some of their works of art are created. From Lobb shoe making to Linley marquetry, Barnard & Westwood notebook embossing to BVS Bespoke handbag stitching, the abundance of skills present entertained guests all evening. Delving into their archives, the Bamford watch department displayed a Linley made watch box, CW Dixey had thank you letters from Winston Churchill on display and Bremont Watches exhibited an ejector seat, used to test the endurance of one of their watches.
One of the many Bremont watches on display
“I think there has been a resurgence in the demand for pieces that are made in Britain,” concludes Linley. “There is something reassuring about British made products and the way that they are recognisable by their inventiveness, meticulous attention to detail, ingenuity, creative spirit, eccentricity, sophistication, wit and charm. If we can encourage younger generations to appreciate the skills we have here and introduce apprenticeship schemes which encourage these industries, I am sure that British design and craftsmanship will continue to thrive.”
The event will run until 14th March at Linley’s flagship showroom at 60 Pimlico Road, London.
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