For one week only, more than 400 design-related events, public projects, and installations take over the city. There are eleven official Festival design districts to explore and five special projects at the V&A, which, this year, celebrates its 10th anniversary as the official London Design Festival hub.
London Design Festival, 2018: V&A Special Projects
15 - 23 September
While the V&A's Frida Kahlo retrospective is a must-see exhibition this autumn, on no account should you miss our favourite of the London Design Festival projects: The Onion Farm in Room 94 of the V&A's Tapestry Galleries. Surrounded by ancient tapestries, the 25m long spinning sculptural installation by Danish fashion designer Henrik Vibskov (above) casts a new light on the juxtaposition of old and new.
Pick up a little red book from the entrance hall detailing the V&A's extensive programme, or click here for the V&A's full London Design Festival 2018 programme.
London Design Festival, 2018: Designjunction, South Bank
20 - 23 September
Designjunction – the cutting-edge interior design show, now in its eighth year – will be taking over South Bank this September. Exhibiting some of the best national and international brands in art and design, expect to see everything from furniture and lighting to technology installations and fashion accessories.
With three locations (Doon Street, Riverside Walkway and Oxo Tower Wharf & Bargehouse) showcasing more than 200 brands, Designjunction is the best place for browsing (and buying) affordable contemporary design pieces. Get ready to be inspired.
Read more about designjunction 2018
London Design Festival, 2018:100% Design, Decorex International and The London Design Fair
100% Design, 19-22 September, Olympia London
100% Design is the UK's largest trade event aimed at designers and architects. With more than 400 UK-based and international brands, and a vast range of interior design products, 100% Design is a great place to spot new talent and discover emerging trends.
Decorex International, 16-19 September, Syon Park
As one of Europe's leading design fairs, Decorex International offers an unparalleled opportunity for interior designers, architects and property developers to discover the finest furniture, lighting, textiles, craft and accessories from emerging and established names alike.
London Design Fair, 20-23 September, Old Truman Brewery
Showcasing over 500 designers, this four-day trade fair in the heart of East London draws its talent from across the globe. Hosting a vast collection of international exhibitions, designers, brands and country pavilions, at the London Design Festival, London Design Fair has seamlessly established itself as the go-to trade event during the week.
London Design Festival 2018: The Design Districts
There are hundreds upon hundreds of events to choose between during London Design Festival, and almost all of them take place across the eleven official London Desgin Festival districts, spanning the capital: Brompton, Clerkenwell, Shoreditch, Mayfair, Pimlico Road, Fitzrovia, West Kensington, Marylebone, Victoria, Regent Street & St James' and Bankside. These districts are city-wide hubs with distinct concentrations of local LDF activity and can be traversed easily on foot.
London Design Festival 2018: Design Routes
In addition to the eleven official design districts are three official Design Routes: Paddington, Brixton and London King's Cross. Introduced in 2017 to recognise smaller clusters of design activity, these three Design Routes boast a plethora of events, talks and product launches. All Design Route Trail events are within walking distance from one another.
London Design Festival 2018: London Design Biennale, Somerset House
Building on the success of its inaugural edition in 2016, London Design Biennale, 2018, returns to Somerset House this September with more than 40 participating countries, spanning six continents. Each exhibiting country will present ideas, artworks and installations that respond to the theme of 'Emotional States', and explore the complex relationship between contemporary design and the environmental, social and emotional issues we face each day.
Discover the 7 must-see Pavilions at Design Biennale 2018
London Design Festival 2018 Special Project: Es Devlin: Please Feed the Lions
18 - 23 September
This year, there are four London Design Festival Landmark Projects, but we've fallen head over heels for Es Devlin's Please Feed the Lions. On Monday 17 September a fifth lion will join the pride of Trafalgar Square, as part of the festival. The fluorescent red, interactive installation is the result of a year-long collaboration between internationally renowned set-designer Es Devlin and Google Arts & Culture.
However, unlike the pride, Devlin's lion roars poetry – the words he roars will be decided by the public, who can 'feed' him suggestions at anytime, day or night. During the day, poetic phrases will be displayed in the lion's mouth, by night, they will be projected onto Nelson's Column. Devlin's immersive lion sculpture sees history, design, machine learning and the creative arts merge as one.
Elsewhere: Azzedine Alaia, London Design Museum
Now - 7 October
This retrospective is a blockbuster tribute to the genius of a designer who dealt not only in haute couture, but in timeless beauty.
| What | London Design Festival, 2018 - everything you need to know |
| Where | Various Locations | MAP |
| Nearest tube | King's Cross St. Pancras (underground) |
| When |
15 Sep 18 – 23 Sep 18, Times vary |
| Price | £prices vary across locations |
| Website | Click here for more information |
