London Design Festival returned for its monumental 23rd year, with 11 districts across the capital hosting a series of pop-ups, installations and events to mark the occasion.
From Chelsea to Shoreditch to the recently established William Morris Design Line, the city was once again transformed into an immersive hub for all things design and architecture. The festival not only highlighted the extraordinary creativity the capital has to offer but also cemented London’s status as a rightful candidate for the world’s most inspiring city.
As well as providing a stage for established brands to launch new collections, open their showroom doors and unveil new partnerships, it was also the perfect opportunity for emerging designers to showcase their talent to a global audience of design aficionados, such as House of ICON, an exhibition dedicated solely to fresh talent hosted at Shoreditch Town Hall.
Here are some of our highlights from this year’s event:
Lee Broom’s landmark lighting installation
Lee Broom, one of the most recognisable names in lighting design, presented Beacon – a striking installation on London’s South Bank. Created from black lamp posts topped with glass shades crafted from recycled materials, the piece was inspired by the classic Dolphin Street Lamps historically found in the area.
But this wasn’t just a visual spectacle; Beacon doubled as an hourly light show, chiming with Big Ben across the river to create a 360° experience of light, sound and architecture. Debuting during the festival, it will remain in situ until early 2026, offering plenty of time to experience it for yourself.
Photography: Luke Hayes
2LG Studio present The Green Carnation
We’re big fans of the team at 2LG Studio here at the Coop, having worked with them on several projects in the past. So naturally, one of our top picks this year was The Green Carnation – the third iteration of their ‘You Can Sit With Us’ exhibition.
Renamed as a nod to Oscar Wilde and the green carnation he wore as a symbol of queerness, the exhibition showcased furniture, lighting, glass, art and textiles from an exciting roster of queer artists and makers, including Azem William, Henry Svendsen and Marf Summers. A brilliant example of how LDF, and London’s wider design community, celebrates queerness and LGBTQ+ culture.
Photography: Megan Taylor
House Guests at Focus/25
Chelsea Harbour’s Design Centre is a flagship for luxury interior design and a longstanding highlight of the LDF calendar. Alongside the expansion of the centre, its annual Focus exhibition has grown significantly in recent years, and this year’s House Guests pop-up in Design Avenue was one of the standouts.
Providing a platform for smaller brands plus partnerships and key products from more notable names, House Guests showcased a diverse mix of collections to the wider design industry. Highlights included JORO, a textile brand founded by siblings Sahib Singh, Nimrat Kaur and Simrat Kaur, inspired by traditional Indian fabrics. JORO’s takeover of the Design Centre restaurant, complete with an introduction from Elle Decoration’s editor-in-chief Ben Spriggs, proved a brilliant introduction to London’s design crowd.
Other featured names included our very own CasaLatina (pictured), wooden lighting designer Tom Raffield, and neo-classical textile brand Timney Fowler.
Ercol x Max Radford
British furniture stalwart Ercol teamed up with curator and interior designer Max Radford to present an exhibition of one-off pieces crafted from Ercol off-cuts. Hosted at Clerkenwell Fire Station – the oldest fire station in Europe – the show created a striking contrast of old and new.
Designers Isabel Alonso, Lewis Kemmenoe and Andu Masebo were among the emerging talents featured in the collection.
Photography: Richard Round-Turner
Stage Left, Letter Pressed by Rosie Reed Gold
A treat for literary lovers, Stage Left, Letter Pressed was Rosie Reed Gold’s heartfelt homage to East London’s literary history. Alongside an exhibition of creative works, the programme included a series of events designed to immerse visitors in the area’s rich cultural legacy – from workshops to a sound healing session inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
While free to attend, the event encouraged donations for Ministry of Stories, a writing charity supporting young people in East London.
Brain Gym by Moleskine
Stationery brand Moleskine brought an experimental twist to the festival with its Brain Gym pop-up – an interactive space where visitors could explore handwriting and drawing exercises as “workouts for the brain.”
Highlights included hands-on workshops, a live design competition, and a collaboration with furniture brand Sons of Beasley. The installation culminated in a growing ‘Wall of Shared Creativity’, as visitors pinned their works to form a collaborative exhibition in real time and essentially create a landmark installation in its own right. A beautiful representation of the power of old-school pen and paper.
From bold installations to intimate showcases for emerging talent, this year’s London Design Festival once again proved why the capital remains a powerhouse of creativity and culture. Whether spotlighting heritage brands or championing new voices, the festival continues to hero innovation, inclusivity and inspiration throughout its week-long staycation in the capital.
