London Design Festival 2025: THE FLUXX TOP PICKS
Each September, the London Design Festival transforms the capital into a vibrant stage for creativity, innovation, and design excellence, and 2025 promises to be one of its most exciting editions yet. Since its founding in 2003, the festival has evolved into a global platform, uniting leading brands, visionary designers, and emerging talent from around the world for a nine-day celebration of the ideas that shape the future of design.
From large-scale installations and immersive exhibitions to cutting-edge product launches and thought-provoking talks, this year’s festival spans iconic London landmarks, cultural institutions, and hidden creative hubs across the city. Whether you’re drawn to bold architectural statements, inspiring craftsmanship, or experimental design, LDF 2025 offers a wealth of experiences waiting to be discovered.
This year, The Fluxx will be exploring the festival and curating our top picks, highlighting the must-see installations, standout collaborations, and emerging voices redefining the design landscape. Whether you’re an industry insider, a design enthusiast, or simply curious about the creative forces shaping tomorrow’s world, these are the events you won’t want to miss.
LDF Projects
‘Beacon’ by Lee Broom
One of the unmissable highlights of this year’s London Design Festival is Beacon, a monumental sculptural lighting installation designed by Lee Broom and supported by BROKIS and Materials Assemble, with the backing of the Southbank Centre. Positioned at the entrance of the Royal Festival Hall, the work draws inspiration from the area’s iconic Brutalist architecture and the legacy of the 1951 Festival of Britain, once celebrated as a “beacon of change.” Crafted using an innovative fusing technology that upcycles discarded glass fragments, Beacon reimagines the form of classic street lamps, collectively shaping a vast sculptural chandelier. One of the installation’s most striking features is its dynamic choreography of light,as Big Ben strikes the hour across the river, the illuminated shades come to life, building from a slow, poetic pulse to a dramatic crescendo. More than a visual spectacle, Beacon connects London’s architectural and cultural history with its present-day vibrancy, creating an immersive experience for all. Sustainably constructed, the installation has been designed so its components can later be repurposed into individual light fixtures, ensuring beauty and longevity beyond the festival. You can explore our full feature on Beacon [here], where we take a deeper dive into the design and creative process behind this extraordinary work.
13 - 21 September / Open 24h / In Person / Free
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX
What Nelson Sees by Paul Cocksedge
Another standout highlight of this year’s London Design Festival is What Nelson Sees, a landmark installation by Paul Cocksedge in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture, taking over Trafalgar Square. Offering visitors an unprecedented opportunity to experience London from Admiral Nelson’s vantage point atop his iconic column, the installation unveils perspectives of the city never before accessible to the public. The striking freestanding sculpture is composed of a series of intersecting tubes, forming telescopic viewing portals that “teleport” audiences fifty metres skyward to see exactly what Nelson sees. Through these portals, visitors can not only witness today’s skyline but also journey through time — rewinding to explore London’s past, from horse-drawn carriages to gas-lit streets, before fast-forwarding into speculative visions of the city’s future. Brought to life using Flow, Google’s AI-powered filmmaking tool, these vignettes reflect on London’s evolving identity as a melting pot of energy, creativity, and reinvention. At its core, What Nelson Sees invites audiences to contemplate London’s history, its present, and its possible futures — all from one of the city’s most enduring monuments.
13 - 16 / 18 September - 10:00 - 18:00 / In Person / Free
Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN
Design Fairs
Design London Shoreditch
Launching this September as part of London Design Festival, Design London Shoreditch is an exciting new multi-venue event experience from the team behind Clerkenwell Design Week, ICON, and OnOffice magazines. Taking over East London’s most vibrant district from 16–18 September, the event will feature three uniquely curated exhibitions spanning architecture, design, culture, and cutting-edge interiors. Visitors can expect a dynamic programme of leading brands, immersive installations, brand activations, and topical talks, all set within the buzzing creative hub of Shoreditch. From bold hospitality and commercial interiors to experimental residential projects and cultural design narratives, the showcase brings together established names and rising talents from the UK and beyond.
The Fluxx is proud to be a media partner for this year’s show, so stay tuned for much more content and behind-the-scenes coverage throughout the event. In the meantime, don’t miss our Design London Shoreditch Fluxx Top Picks article, where we delve deeper into the highlights and must-see experiences from this year’s programme.
Multiple locations in Shoreditch / In Person / Free
Material Matters
Discover the Future of Materials at Material Matters London - Returning to the capital for its fourth edition, the Material Matters Fair takes place from 17–20 September during London Design Festival 2025, showcasing the latest innovations in sustainable design, material intelligence, and cutting-edge creativity. This year, the event moves to a bold new venue — the iconic Space House at 1 Kemble Street, one of London’s most celebrated modernist landmarks. Set in the heart of Central London, just moments from Holborn and Covent Garden, Space House offers a striking backdrop for over 40 carefully curated brands and emerging designers, making Material Matters a must-visit destination for architects, designers, and creatives looking to explore the future of materials.
17/19/20 September 10:00-18:00 / 18 September 10:00-21:30
Space House, 1 Kemble Street (Kingsway, London, WC2B 4AN
Exhibitions / Installations
PLATFORM: Bethan Laura Wood - the Design Museum
PLATFORM is an annual display at the Design Museum, dedicated to showcasing contemporary design practice, and this year’s edition opens with a captivating focus on the work of Bethan Laura Wood. Bringing together over 70 objects, the display features some of Wood’s most eye-catching creations alongside brand-new pieces, offering an immersive glimpse into her bold and expressive world. Known for her sumptuous use of colour, pattern, and texture, Wood’s designs draw inspiration from a rich tapestry of cultures, artistic movements, and historical references, celebrating individuality and maximalism. Her passion for collaboration and working with artisans and craftspeople is evident in each piece, where decoration meets function in unexpected and joyful ways.
Wood’s work is layered with meaning, often exploring themes of femininity, ornamentation, digital culture, and our emotional connections to objects. Across her collections, recurring motifs blur the boundaries between art, design, and narrative, inviting visitors to look beyond the surface. PLATFORM is free to visit, open daily from 10:00 to 17:00, with no pre-booking required — making it a must-see for anyone passionate about design and creativity.
13-21 September 10:00-17:00 / In Person / Free
the Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High Street, London, W8 6AG
Dolce&Gabbana Casa Flagship Store
As part of the London Design Festival 2025, the Dolce&Gabbana Casa Flagship Store on Brompton Road will unveil a striking new presentation of the collection’s most iconic pieces, highlighting the brand’s enduring synergy between creativity, craftsmanship, and design. This year, special focus is given to the Verde Maiolica pattern — a captivating interplay of pure white and vibrant green inspired by the lush landscapes of Mediterranean forests.
The new setup introduces an elegant selection of homeware, upholstery, accessories, dining tables, cabinets, bar carts, and lighting, all wrapped in the distinctive aesthetic that defines Dolce&Gabbana Casa. Through its bold use of colour, rich materiality, and meticulous detailing, the collection celebrates the great ceramic traditions of Southern Italy while expressing a narrative rooted in passion, elegance, and unmistakable Italian flair.
13/15/16/17/19/20 September 10:00-18:00 / 18 September 10:00-19:30 / In Person / Free
Dolce&Gabbana Casa Flagship Store, 220-226 Brompton Rd, London, SW3 2BB
2LG Studio – "You Can Sit With Us" - Design London Shoreditch
designers Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio present the latest edition of their acclaimed inclusive group show, You Can Sit With Us, at the House of ICON. This immersive installation centres Queer designers within an underground Salon setting, creating a safe space for connection, conversation, and queer tarot readings.
In its third iteration, the exhibition explores the theme of the hidden self, celebrating queerness within design while fostering dialogue and visibility. Alongside the installation, 2LG Studio is also curating the talks space for Design London Shoreditch, including an open mic night that invites designers to step forward, share ideas, and make their voices heard.
For more details about this unmissable installation and the full programme of events, explore our dedicated guide by clicking the link in bio.
16-18 September - 10:00 - 18:00 / In Person / Free / Ticket Required / GET TICKET
Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London, EC1V 9LT
Collaborative - County Hall Pottery
County Hall Pottery presents Collaborative — an exhibition that brings together ceramicists and creatives from across disciplines to explore the possibilities of shared making. At its heart, the project celebrates clay as a meeting point, inviting architects, woodworkers, musicians, and visual artists to work alongside ceramic designers in an immersive dialogue of craft, creativity, and experimentation.
Featuring works by Joe Hartley, Carla Wright, Fran Fossi, Catherine West, and Edmund Davies — each of whom runs a community pottery space — the exhibition showcases a series of cross-disciplinary collaborations that push the boundaries of form and function. From tableware designed to transform the dining experience to sculptural pieces exploring sound, tactility, and materiality, the resulting works reflect a vibrant exchange of ideas where innovation emerges through collaboration.
More than just an exhibition, Collaborative is a celebration of process, conversation, and co-creation. Visitors are invited to witness how clay — as both medium and metaphor — connects makers, materials, and disciplines, reminding us that design thrives where creativity overlaps.
13-14 / 16-21 September 11:00-18:00 / 15 September 18:00-21:00 / In Person / Free
County Hall Pottery, County Hall, Riverside Building, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 7PB
Tender Revolution - Royal College of Art | School of Design
As part of London Design Festival 2025, artists and designers from the Royal College of Art present Tender Revolution, an evocative exhibition that responds to the rigid systems shaping our lives with practices rooted in care, attentiveness, and renewal. Working across fashion, textiles, ceramics, glass, jewellery, product design, and innovation-led disciplines, the participating designers explore how design can act both gently and radically, reshaping the way we engage with materials, communities, and one another.
Rather than chasing speed, spectacle, or uniformity, Tender Revolution celebrates contradiction, vulnerability, and embodied experience as catalysts for change. Through acts of listening, questioning, and intentional making, the practitioners ground their work in processes that foster connection and meaning. The exhibition frames design as both an offering and an act of resistance, encouraging visitors to reconsider how small gestures — from extending empathy to reimagining personal and cultural narratives — can repair, connect, and inspire alternative futures.
Running across a nine-day programme of events, Tender Revolution features contributions from graduates of the Design Products (MA), Fashion (MA), Textiles (MA), Ceramics & Glass (MA), Jewellery & Metal (MA), and Innovation Design Engineering (MA/MSc) programmes, inviting audiences to experience a vibrant spectrum of creative perspectives that push the boundaries of contemporary design.
Jakkai Siributr – There’s No Place - V&A x LDF
Artist Jakkai Siributr presents There’s No Place, a collaborative embroidery project that explores identity, belonging, and home, inspired by the ongoing refugee situation on the Thai-Burma border. This long-term installation creates cross-border dialogues between displaced Shan communities at Thailand’s Koung Jor Shan Refugee Camp and audiences worldwide. Participants in Siributr’s workshops were invited to touch, reflect, and embroider responses, blurring traditional definitions of citizen and refugee.
A specially composed soundscape, built from field recordings of the young refugees’ voices and expressions of hope, accompanies the installation, enhancing its immersive and reflective experience. Executed in collaboration with Shan Youth Power and architect Jamjaras Suchiva, and supported by the Royal Thai Embassy, London in celebration of the 170th Anniversary of Thai-UK diplomatic relations, with additional support from Flowers Gallery, There’s No Placeis a poignant and evocative work that highlights the human stories behind global crises through art, craft, and collaboration.
Crockery by Max Lamb + 1882 Ltd. - Gallery FUMI
Gallery FUMI presents Crockery, an exhibition of new works by designer Max Lamb in collaboration with 1882 Ltd., the contemporary ceramics factory based in Stoke-on-Trent, opening on 11 September 2025. Crafted from slip-cast earthenware derived from hand-carved plaster models, the collection reflects the meticulous craftsmanship and experimental approach of both Lamb and 1882 Ltd. Challenging the conventional perception of ceramics as fragile or purely decorative, Crockery demonstrates how functional design can be bold, innovative, and tactile, blurring the lines between utility and artistic expression.
13 & 20 September 11:00-18:00 / 15-19 September 10:00-18:30 / In Person / Free
Gallery FUMI, 2-3 Hay Hill, London, W1J 6AS
Tollgard Pop-Up Exhibition: Uncovering the World of MAN OF PARTS
Tollgard presents an exclusive UK showcase of MAN OF PARTS, the Canadian-born, post-national design brand celebrated for its globally inspired concepts and European craftsmanship. Hosted within Tollgard’s Belgravia showroom, the curated pop-up exhibition invites visitors into a world of sculptural elegance and tactile storytelling, featuring both new and iconic pieces from an international roster of designers.
Highlights include Sebastian Herkner’s Frenchman Street chairs, inspired by the rhythm of music; the Via Bernina tables, evoking the Alpine landscape; and the poetic Berliner Promenade rug by Gregor Hildebrandt. Through these distinct works, the exhibition positions design as a global dialogue, where craft, culture, and narrative converge. This immersive showcase offers a rare opportunity to explore the artistry and philosophy behind MAN OF PARTS — a celebration of craftsmanship, curiosity, and design without borders.
13 & 20 September 10:00-17:00 / 15-19 September 09:00-18:00 / In Person / Free
Tollgard Showroom, Grosvenor Waterside, Gatliff Road, London, SW1W 8QN
Talks / Workshops / Demos
The Craft of Orsini Glass: A Live Artisan Experience - Armani/Casa
Armani Casa invites visitors to discover the artistry behind Orsini Glass through a captivating live demonstration that reveals the intricate processes behind this luxurious artisanal finish. Inspired by the water-green walls and golden stuccos of Palazzo Orsini, the technique involves hand-painting the back of extra-clear tempered glass using a blend of pastel tones applied with a large soft brush, creating a luminous, layered texture enhanced by the delicate application of real gold leaf.
This interactive session offers a rare opportunity to witness first-hand the traditional techniques and artistic decisions that make each panel truly unique. Visitors are encouraged to engage with the artisans, ask questions, and explore the material’s depth, texture, and transparency up close. Alongside the live demonstration, a curated selection of related artisanal pieces will also be on display and available for purchase, celebrating the fusion of heritage craftsmanship and contemporary design.
18 Sept 19:00—21:00 / In Person / Free, by appointment only
Armani/Casa, 37-42 Sloane St, London, SW1X 9LP
Craft by Rose Uniacke
Renowned designer Rose Uniacke returns with a series of exclusive workshops at her Pimlico Road showrooms, highlighting the essential role of craft within contemporary design. Through Rose Uniacke Makers, visitors are invited to explore the intricate processes behind both existing collections and newly introduced products, offering a rare glimpse into the artistry, materiality, and meticulous craftsmanship that define the brand.
By celebrating the intersection of design innovation and traditional making techniques, these workshops underscore Rose Uniacke’s commitment to excellence, giving audiences a deeper appreciation of the skills, materials, and philosophies that shape each piece.
13/15-20 September - 11:00-16:00 / In Person, Free, no ticket required
Rose Uniacke, 103 & 76 - 84 Pimlico Road, London, SW1W