OCTOBER DESIGN DIARY 2023
ND’s October Design Diary is here. Keep reading for our guide to the top events and exhibitions in the UK this month across all corners of design. We’ve included free exhibitions and exclusive offers to give you even more reasons to fill your calendar with creative inspiration and engage in key discussions in the design world.
THE FABRIC OF DEMOCRACY: PROPAGANDA TEXTILES FROM THE FRENCH REVOLUTION TO BREXIT
FASHION + TEXTILE MUSEUM
29 SEPTEMBER 2023 – 3 MARCH 2024
Curated by design historian Amber Butchart, this exhibition delves into the realm of printed propaganda textiles spanning a period of more than two centuries. Explore the ways in which fabric designers and manufacturers have reacted to political turbulence, tracing their responses from the French Revolution through to Brexit.
SERPENTINE PAVILION 2023 BY LINA GHOTMEH
HYDE PARK
UNTIL 29 OCTOBER
Make sure to stop by the Serpentine Pavilion during your autumnal walk in Hyde Park to experience Lina Ghotmeh’s architectural design titled À table, inspired by her Mediterranean heritage and animated table discussions surrounding everything from politics to personal lives and dreams. Ghotmeh’s design for the 2023 Pavilion arose from her vision to develop our primal relationship with the Earth into a sustainable future.
THE MISSING THREAD: UNTOLD STORIES OF BLACK BRITISH FASHION
SOMERSET HOUSE
21 SEPTEMBER – 7 JANUARY
Head to Somerset House this autumn to explore the stories of Black British fashion in The Missing Thread, a major new exhibition curated by the Black Orientated Legacy Development Agency (BOLD). The showcase covers the shifting landscape of Black British culture and its distinctive impact on the rich design history of Britain since the 1970s.
ANTIFURNITURE
THE DESIGN MUSEUM
26 SEPTEMBER – 29 OCTOBER
In this new free display at the Design Museum, visitors are invited to climb, hide within and temporarily inhabit a series of wooden furniture inspired sculptures. Enjoy this unique interactive experience in which performance artist Fyodor Pavlov-Andreevich challenges our understanding of furniture design until 29 October.
THE KNITTING & STITCHING SHOW
ALEXANDRA PALACE
5 – 8 OCTOBER
The UK’s leading textile art and craft event, The Knitting & Stitching Show, returns to London’s iconic Alexandra Palace from Thursday 5 – Sunday 8 October 2023, with a packed programme of highlights to excite and inspire!
Acclaimed textile artists and groups will be sharing new work in the Textile Galleries, with exhibitions by Art Textiles: Made in Britain (Illuminate), Batool Showghi (Talking Threads), Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn (Rhythms & Reflections), Nneka Jones (Cut From The Same Cloth), Sabine Kaner (Hand Stitched Stories), Selby Hurst Inglefield (Body of Work), and the winner and shortlisted entries for The Fine Art Textiles Award.
Whether you’ve been sewing for years, are a textile enthusiast looking to expand your remit, or are a newbie crafter, this is your chance to get stuck into the wonderful world of textiles!
Book today using code ND23 to save!
(£6 off adults / £3.50 off concessions. Not valid on Saturday 7th October)
DECOREX
OLYMPIA LONDON
8 – 11 OCTOBER
The UK’s celebration of interior design, Decorex, is a cornerstone for European Interior design, showcasing the latest trends, offering an array of features, and providing a home for established and emerging designers. The upcoming iteration features 250+ brands at Olympia London, focusing on quality, inspiration, and connection. Additional features include Design Talks, hands-on demonstrations, and designer collaborations, like the burlesque-themed VIP lounge.
Make sure you visit exhibitors Georgia Johnson (Stand K52) and Burniture (Stand J44) during your trip to Decorex, who were each awarded the Decorex International Sustainability Award at ND23 in Week 1 and Week 2 respectively, for their commitment to exceptional sustainable design.
BRITISH CERAMICS BIENNIAL
STOKE-ON-TRENT
23 SEPTEMBER – 5 NOVEMBER
Now on until 5 November, the British Ceramics Biennial takes over Stoke-on-Trent for six weeks of exhibitions, installations and events.
From spotlighting the UK’s leading artists working in clay to introducing work by international artists and fresh new talent, the British Ceramics Biennial is a celebration of the creative potential of clay for storytelling, playfulness, risk-taking and activism.
Over 40 artists will exhibit new work at All Saints Church in Hanley, and partner venues across the city; AirSpace Gallery, The Brampton Museum and The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. See the full programme below.
CLERKENWELL DESIGN TRAIL
4 – 5 OCTOBER
The iconic pink trail and flags return to EC1 this October for a two-day programme of engaging events, showrooms, talks, parties and more, spotlighting Clerkenwell as the design hub of the UK and bringing together the design community to network and reconnect. Click below to browse the programme.
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