The May Design Series brings together kbb LDN, The Arc Show, Interiors LDN and DX [plus The Furniture Show at May Design Series, announced this week] – in one commercially-focused event taking place from the 18-20th May at ExCeL, London. British contemporary furniture designer/manufacturer Hitch Mylius was present at last year’s debut event – Furniture News asks director Ian Ashley to outline his plans for a second appearance …
Why did you choose to exhibit at the inaugural edition of the May Design Series?
Our main reason for doing the show was to expand brand awareness, and we are delighted as we came away with a massive list of entirely new contacts, which even now we continue to nurture and keep updated.
For us, May Design Series is a unique opportunity to meet a more eclectic mix of retailers, interior designers, architects and contract specifiers than at any other show. The show itself, to my mind, is executed well – it feels well designed, which also appeals, as it complements the high level of finish in our products.
What are your plans for the 2014 show?
After such a successful 2013 show we are proud to be launching a number of new products, to be shown for the first time at May Design Series. We will be unveiling a bench designed by Magnus Long entitled hm106. It’s exquisitely proportioned – each piece has a looping angular under-frame supporting a beamy upholstered seat, the proportions of which are very pleasing to the eye.
We’ll also be showcasing a brand new chair, designed by Kazuko Okamoto. It’s still in development so the name is yet to be finalised. It will get its first outing at DX in May Design Series, which is something we’re really excited about.
Whilst I can’t divulge too much at the moment as it’s in the early stages, we have a new multi-functional product launch in the pipeline. I think it’s going to become a key piece in our overall collection, so it’s very exciting. DX at May Design Series will be the perfect place to launch it.
What are you most looking forward to at the show?
Personally, I am looking forward to making more new contacts. At last year’s show we met a lot of people who weren’t familiar with our work, so it was a great platform to introduce ourselves and establish new relationships. It’s always great to be introduced to people who get really excited about discovering us. As an established brand with over 40 years’ history, it’s refreshing to still be able to achieve that.
