The work of five exceptional designers from Cornwall – Alicia Breakspear, Claire Paul, EOT Ceramics, Hand and Palm, and Katy Luxton Jewellery – has been showcased at the UK’s leading design-led event, Top Drawer, through Creative Kernow Associates’ (CKA) Design Frontier initiative, in collaboration with Cornwall Shop Small.
Top Drawer connects handpicked brands with the very best retailers in the gift and homeware industries through two trade fairs held at Olympia London in Kensington each year, enabling businesses to showcase their products to potential outlets at key buying times.
It also promotes its exhibitors to 82,000 social media followers, 800,000 email subscribers and 100 press contacts, which presents an unrivalled opportunity for them to reach new markets.
CKA is a new membership and support programme for those working in the creative and cultural sectors in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It stages regular events, which enable creatives to interact and share ideas, offers a vast bank of online resources and organises special career development opportunities such as this Design Frontier showcase.
Design Frontier aims to position Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly at the forefront of the contemporary design world by highlighting the exceptional quality of work to be found in the region. It offers a platform for local designers and makers to engage with a broader audience and explore creative collaborations.
Cornish designers and makers were invited to apply to participate in Design Frontier’s Top Drawer Spring 2025 showcase, and the five exhibitors that were selected each contributed a unique artistic perspective to the group’s curated space at the event.
Botanical printmaker, Alicia Breakspear, presented the monoprints and greeting cards that she creates by printmaking with plants, emphasising our connection to the land and the intricate beauty of plant life.
Claire Paul exhibited her colourful giftware and stationery that draw inspiration from nature’s colour palette and the scenic landscapes of Scotland and Cornwall, blending folk art with vintage charm.
EOT Ceramics, founded by Cornwall-based potter, Emily Tapp, evoked the essence of coastal landscapes with her wheel-thrown stoneware, glazed to mirror the natural beauty of the seaside.
Hand and Palm, led by designer and illustrator, Luci, shared art and products, crafted from original illustrations that focus on nature, food and life’s simple pleasures with sustainability in mind.
Katy Luxton displayed her playful jewellery designs in silver and hand-dyed nylon, inspired by geometric shapes and mathematical models, that fuse traditional handcrafting techniques with modern 3D printing.
In addition to the five lead exhibitors, Design Frontier introduced eight micro makers of smaller scale work with big ambitions, selected through the Cornwall Shop Small initiative, to further enrich its showcase in the capital with fresh talent and innovative designs. These were Eloise Rose Design Studio, Emily Kate Henshall, Godrevy Textiles, Grow and Bloom Studios, Hazel & Twine, Kelpi Studio, Leaf Lane Studio and Nido, who will also be included in the Cornwall Shop Small online directory for one year.
“Our showcase was aimed at designers and makers who were ready to promote their work at such a high-profile retail event, but who would also benefit from additional support in order to make the most of the opportunity,” explained curator Tonia Lu from Creative Kernow Associates.
“We offered the successful designers support with marketing, curation, invigilation, sales, networking with galleries and stockists, logistics and a one-year CKA membership for continuous mentoring to help them maximise their potential.
“This latest Design Frontier showcase was a huge success, with many exhibitors securing new stockists across the UK and very encouraged by the outcome,” added Tonia.
“Thank you for making this event accessible to me,” said exhibitor, Alicia Breakspear. “There is no way at this stage in my practice that I would have been able to do this on my own. It was a huge thing to start the year on, a big high! In an industry that can often feel lonely, it was great to be lifted up and spend time with a group of like-minded people – as well as find new markets for my work.”
This initiative is part-supported by Cornwall Council.
Cllr Louis Gardner, the Council’s Portfolio holder for Economy, said: “It is fantastic to see the work of such talented Cornish designers taking centre stage at such a prestigious national event.
“We know the exceptional talent we have here, and it is vital we do all we can to get that message out to the wider world.”
For more information, visit Creative Kernow Associates’ Design Frontier portal.
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