CreateKX - Designing the Recession

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Designing the Recession

Does creativity really boom in an economic bust?

Sir Terence Conran was recentlly quoted as saying “some of the best things come out of hard times” and he should know. As business advisor to the Prime Minister on supporting the creative industries, he designed a ‘Basics’ range for Habitat during the last recession (which reappeared in our high street as the popular and ubiquitous Muji) and reports that sales of furniture at the Conran Shop are up by 35 per cent on last year.

Despite the recession many design and craft businesses are thriving as they respond to emerging consumer trends and new opportunities created by the downturn. This lively panel debate will explore whether creativity and business really can prosper in difficult economic times. The event will be chaired by Vanessa Swann, Chief Executive of Cockpit Arts, who will sharing preliminary findings from the 2009 research report on business performance and activity in the craft sector conducted by Cockpit. Early indications from the research show that despite difficult trading conditions, craft based businesses at Cockpit are trading well. The discussions intend to shed light on some of the strategies being employed by craft and design businesses to beat the recession.


Speakers include: Rachel Galley based at cockpit Arts and a recipient of the Coutts London Jewellery Week- New Jeweller Award for 2009, Ptolemy Mann a successful textile artist and designer specialising in large scale textile artworks for corporate and public clients and The Future Laboratory recognised internationally for its innovative approach to trend forecasting, consumer insight and brand strategy.

This event is co-hosted by Cockpit Arts in celebration of the London Design Festival.

Speaker Biographies

CHRIS SANDERSON, THE FUTURE LABORATORY

Christopher Sanderson is co-founder of The Future Laboratory and Strategy and Insight Director, where he is responsible for delivering the company's extensive global roster of conferences, media events and in-house briefings. Clients include the Gucci Group, the European Travel Commission, Retail Week, BBDO's HUB conference and Omnicom's DAS. Chris has a monthly column in UK luxury industry bible The Luxury Briefing, and was previously contributing style editor at British Esquire. Prior to founding The Future Laboratory, he was UK communications director for surfwear brand Quiksilver, and a lecturer in visual communication at the University of the Arts in London. He has also served as a member of the advisory panel for the British Council's Creative Industries Unit, wher eprojects included setting up magazines in Estonia and India, and mapping the growth of the creative economy throughout Scandinavia.

www.thefuturelaboratory.com  



PTOLEMY MANN

Ptolemy Mann is an established textile artist and designer specializing in large scale, hand dyed and woven textile artworks for international corporate, domestic and public clients. She collaborates extensively with architects, art consultants and interior designers on site specific art projects and offers an architectural colour consultancy service for interior and exterior colour specification. An extensive portfolio of commissions and textile designs illustrates over 12 years dedicated to the exploration of colour in art, design and architecture. Most recently she is producing a range of digital print, woven fabrics and flat woven rugs for Christopher Farr. She exhibits and lectures regularly throughout the UK and abroad and writes regularly for the textile magazine Selvedge. She is a member of the GLOBAL COLOUR RESEARCH UK Colour trend prediction panel. List of clients include: NHS, Hilton Hotel Group, KPMG Accountants, Open University, Land Securities, Glaxo Smith Kline, Cunard, Norwegian Cruise lines and Bank of Ireland. She is based in London and has a BA from Central Saint Martins College of Art and a MA from the Royal College of Art. www.ptolemymann.com



RACHEL GALLEY
Rachel Galley graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in 2004 with a First Class Honours Degree in Jewellery Design. She has since worked for some of the most prestigious brands in the luxury market such as Links Of London, Stephen Webster and Boodles, before setting up her own business two years ago in a studio at Cockpits Arts. Rachel’s designs are stylish, interactive and fun to wear, often containing a mystery within. She draws her inspiration from intricate carved wood, bronze historic treasures, architecture, engineering, natural textures and objects found in our daily lives. Rachel adds her own innovative twist with hidden compartments or containers, enabling the wearer to interact with their jewellery and adds bespoke, handmade fittings and clasps to give each piece her own signature finish. Rachel was one of 10 finalists in the 2008 UK Retail Jewellery awards for the Young Designer of the Year award, and has just been awarded a Coutts London Jewellery Week- New Jeweller Award for 2009. www.rachelgalley.com  



VANESSA SWANN, COCKPIT ARTS CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Vanessa Swann was appointed Chief Executive of Cockpit Arts in 2002. Since then she has transformed the organisation from a managed workspace to a creative business incubator, actively supporting and promoting designer-makers. She has considerable experience of working with, and for, designers and designer-makers and is a spokesperson and commentator on the sector. She was previously the Deputy Director of the Design Museum and Director of the Commissioning Service at Contemporary Applied Arts. Prior to this she headed the RSA Art for Architecture scheme.

www.cockpitarts.com