If you happen to wander down York Street in Marylebone later this month, you should take some time to visit a new studio there, designed to support small design and craft led businesses from across Europe.
Simply named 67 York Street, it has been created in collaboration with Louisa Pacifico of Future Icons along with the owners of the gallery, to provide a platform for designers and makers to sell, showcase and raise their profiles within London's chicest district, but without the headache of expensive retail space.
If you haven't yet heard about Future Icons, it's something that represents a select range of small businesses who design and produce the finest home accessories, furniture, jewellery, fashion accessories, artwork and object d'art internationally.
Of course Louisa has dedicated her education and professional career to design and craft. After studying 3D Design for Production at Brighton University, she headed and developed leading international design event Clerkenwell Design Week. More recently Louisa successfully raised the profile, membership and revenues at Crafts Central as Chief Executive.
Future Icons allows Louisa to combine her network of small brands, corporate clients, press and industry partners together to create and present opportunities to her selected members. Her love of collaborations and networking will provide Future Icon members key support in growing their individual businesses.
Kicking off 67 York Street will be an exhibition by Utopia & Utility, who will be launching their first ever exclusive store. Their signature collections of Stacking Vessels will be on show, as well as the latest mixed media additions and Processed Paper jewels. A brand new capsule collection called 'Seed & Floret' will also make its debut appearance.
Seed & Floret
India Vessels
India Rose and Heiki
Speaking of her new studio, Louisa said: "The concept 67 York Street was born from a collective passion and desire to support small business.
"We (the directors behind it) are all running small companies ourselves and felt it was only right to offer other creatives an opportunity to have an affordable platform with business support to showcase their collections in one of London's most affluent areas – Marylebone.
"By supporting each other, we can sustain a livelihood and in turn encourage confidence in other creative businesses to set up by themselves."
67 York Street is due to launch 16 June 2017, with the Utopia & Utility exhibition running until 24 June. To find out more, visit 67yorkstreet.com.
