Decorex International, which comes to historic Syon Park over September 18 to 21, will open this year’s London Design Festival by exploring the history of design and its implications for today. According to the organizers, this year’s Decorex theme, “Roots of Design,” is about “considering the origins of design, the processes involved, and examining the influences that have challenged its DNA. From customs and culture, these influences have shaped design today.”
Among the programs designed to reflect the theme are “Designing Your Future Heritage,” a talk on how to commission contemporary, custom design, by a panel that includes Corinne Julius, design critic and curator; Sean Sutcliffe, co-founder of furniture maker Benchmark; interior designer Suzy Hoodless; and Sebastian Cox, furniture designer and craftsman of fine objects. Cox says, “I strongly believe that by looking at the roots of design we can continue to make things that don’t adhere to short-lived trends; by looking at our roots, we can make things that remain beautiful for centuries.” Other programs include “The Design Journey,” “The Routes of Design,” and “Bespoke Spaces and Cross Collecting.”
Guest speaker and architectural interior designer Staffan Tollgard says of the theme, “As a designer, you look for meaning in everything, and you’ve got to start somewhere when you design. For me, the roots are the origins of the architecture, the history of the client, and in combination, that’s where you start designing from—you use it as your guidance to build on.”
