Following the last year’s glamour of the British Design Embassy initiative in Milan, this year the British Consulate General Milan promoted UK design and creativity with the project 100% British Design that was organised during the International Furniture Fair and Milan Design Week. The location was a really unique “supermarket”: the Design Supermarket recently opened at la Rinascente store in Piazza Duomo, Milan.

The Design Team of the British Consulate General targeted design-conscious consumers offering for three weeks a selection of some of the best known British brands of furniture and lighting alongside the work of new designers. In line with the concept of the Milanese store, it was a showcase and sales point of home and lifestyle design objects. Design solutions that can be purchased, used and enjoyed in everyday life. The Milan Design Week is the high-profile occasion to show selected brands and designers to an international public of design “users” and to the world press.

The items, carefully chosen by the Consulate Design Team and agreed with la Rinascente, represented the best of British craftsmanship and creativity ranging from textile design to artistic china, designer chairs, armchairs in recycled materials, cool fashion designer cushions and sculptural dishracks.

Marina Iremonger, Head of Design Team at the British Consulate, came up with the idea together with Gilles Massé, Head of the Home Division of la Rinascente. The project was shared with Vittorio Radice, Chief Executive Officer of la Rinascente who in the past 5 years has led the transformation of the department store, strongly believing in the creation of the Design Supermarket.

Laurence Bristow-Smith, HM Consul General and Director General for Trade & Investment, said: “The UK’s international design profile has risen rapidly in recent years. It is good to see that our talent and expertise are recognised here in the home of modern design”.

The exhibition 100% Design London, the key event of the London Design Festival was instrumental in identifying the brands and products on show.

Contacts

If you are interested in finding out more about potential opportunities in the creative/design sector in Italy please contact:

Marina Iremonger

UKTI Milan

Email: marina.iremonger@fco.gov.uk