Clerkenwell Design Week London 23-25 May 2023
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Clerkenwell Design Week, all set for the 12th edition

The festival comes back to the heart of London from 23 to 25 May with 11 exhibition venues, over 300 brands and more than 600 events, also amalgamating sister festival Design London

Clerkenwell Design Week London 23-25 May 2023
By Editorial Staff -

Clerkenwell Design Week returns to the heart of London from 23 to 25 May, to discover thousands of cutting-edge products and projects in the design industry, with over 300 brands participating in the event.

The UK’s leading design festival, will take place for 12th time to celebrate the creativity concentrated in the London borough, offering its largest program to date. Clerkenwell, historically a melting pot of craftsmen and makers, is now home to an exceptional concentration of creative businesses, designers and architects. With over 130 local partner showrooms and more than 200 exhibitors, the CDW brings together all the novelties for 2023. There will be world-leading design brands, but also new talents to discover, site-specific installations, as well as hundreds of events, workshops, conferences, parties, presentations and much more.

Gateway at St John’s Gate of the Order of St John by artist Steve Messam Courtesy of CDW

Since inception in 2009, CDW has established itself as one of the foremost independent festivals in the global design calendar, with the aim of promoting excellence, creativity and innovations. "We are thrilled to be back with Clerkenwell Design Week this May", says Marlon Cera-Marle, Design Division Director of Media 10. "CDW is always known for being one of the key destinations for specification – as well as discovering new talent and ideas – for architects, interior designers and creative minds alike".

For the first time, CDW is incorporating the Design London festival, previously held in Greenwich in September, into its program of events, further bolsters the experience and bringing the global design community together in London.

Clerkenwell Design Week visitor registration

 

11 exhibition venues and over 300 design brands

This year's festival merges for the first time with the Design London festival and welcomes a new exhibition venue (Catapult), taking the total number to 11 across Clerkenwell, which will host over 600 events: Design Fields, Contract, Light, Project, Elements, British Collection, Detail, Platform, Ceramics of Italy, Old Sessions House, and Catapult.

In these exhibition venues over than 300 design brands and emerging talents in the sectors of furniture, kitchens and bathrooms, textiles, home interior accessories, lighting, materials and surface will be presented.

Old Sessions House © Felix Speller, courtesy of CDW

Another significant aspect of Clerkenwell Design Week is its extensive network of showroom partners, with an extensive line-up of topic-led initiatives and events, including product launches, exhibitions, workshops and panel discussions. This year, over 130 established names from both the UK and overseas will be in attendance.

Meanwhile, various destinations across Clerkenwell have been dedicated to a selection of international brands and trade institutions. Key festival hubs include Goldsmiths' Centre, Paxton Locher House, Bourne & Hollingsworth, Groupwork, Brewhouse Yard and Cowcross Yards.

Terra Firma edible landscape by Heiter X Courtesy of CDW

Alongside product and showroom showcases, CDW will bring to the streets of Clerkenwell, as part of CDW Presents, a series of site-specific installations from the likes of Budweiser Budvar, Baux, Lammhults, Jennifer Newman, Texaa, Swatchbox, Habbio and Universal Fiber.

 

Conversations at Clerkenwell 2023

Also returning to Clerkenwell Design Week is Conversations at Clerkenwell, a compelling program of daily talks defined to explore current industry topics, drawing upon insight, opinion and debates from designers, architects and business leaders alike. The initiative, sponsored by RAK Ceramics, will be hosted in a purpose-built theater in Spa Fields, in Skinner Street.

Conversations at Clerkenwell 2022 © Black Edge Productions, courtesy of CDW

The program, which includes 19 talks over three days, will open with the London-born-and-bred artist Morag Myerscough, to continue with James Patmore, director of design of Soho Home, and the interior designer of Soho House, Domhnall Nolan; Anglo-Canadian designer Philippe Malouin; Minnie Moll, CEO of the Design Council; Note Design Studio; Pantone; Doshi Levien’s Nipa Doshi and Pentagram‘s experience and sound designer Yuri Suzuki.

Conversations at Clerkenwell 2023, curated by brand consultant Katie Richardson, will push the boundaries of dialogue about design, showcasing some of the most interesting contents from the event, alongside debates on topics such as diversity, sustainability and circularity.

All images courtesy of Clerkenwell Design Week

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