Issey Miyake, London

How simple and yet how wonderful is this? While flaneur-ing the city I was drawn to this like a moth. The repetition of the product and how wonderfully it was illuminated is quite incredible. I see this store very frequently and while it is absolutely amazing, the store itself unfortunately changes very little for such an a amazing designer. For some reason, some how I just expect it to be so much more pioneering - and it is in so may ways, although not necessarily the space in which the product is sold. Anyway, in places such as New York, particularly in bars and restaurants they use these a lot to display product (the booze) and it looks so appealing when illuminated by a light box, it really does. I have ordered several myself (although not at this size) to illuminate some glassware for one of my clients. Get 'em while stocks last...!

ERCO Lighting, London

ERCO Lighting, has been one of the most generous companies to us in Education in giving their time in presentations to our students at their fabulous showroom in Dover street (and actually at their showroom in Dubai too where they kindly talked about the incredible projects that they have worked on in the Emirates). I came here once when I was a student over twenty years ago and never forgot their generosity and I am sure my students and graduates will not either.

I once taught a group of students from Kazakhstan, at the School of Art in the capital - only one student spoke English so you can imagine how time consuming my lecture sessions were as each piece of information was gradually translated. It was also quite unnerving having 40 video cameras thrust at me for each lecture session - almost as if I was about to give out a secret formula - of course there really isn't one in this industry, just creativity, ingenuity, interest and plain old hard, hard work.

I took them to ERCO Lighting when we came to London. The guys at ERCO were incredibly patient in explaining to the group fundamental information needed for lighting a space, and it, subsequently being translated piece by painful piece.

I happened to be walking along Dover Street one evening recently and remembered that ERCO also owned the very last piece of work produced by the amazing Verner Panton - well I believe so anyway (pictured at the back of the top image)

Dramatic Lighting - Moby in Concert

As part of student's research, one of the areas that I always suggest looking at for inspiration are live concerts. Theatre, Newspapers, Exhibitions, Animation, Sound, Music and live events (to name just a few) provide enormous amounts of inspiration for ideas whether in Commercial Spaces or product presentation. I try to see as much of these as my time allows and record these ideas as primary research. Having amassed over many years a vast collection of primary visual information, I use this whenever I feel the need to be cleansed and motivated.
I managed to record the lighting here at the concert itself which I may use as inspiration for a future idea - the sound has been deleted with respect to the artist and to avoid any possible copyright infringement. Unfortunately the quality is not perfect although its purpose is to act more of an aid memoir rather than a crystal cut recording.

Light Installation

Just along Southwark Bridge Road there are two incredible light installations situated under the railway bridge. I came across these installations by chance after walking around Borough market, and then additionally by chance just a 100m or so further along seeing the Uber cool Chocolate Factory galleries.

In some way these types of installations can become the 'sticky' plaster on the wound of bad design although it certainly is a beacon in an area which is both deprived while simultaneously and ironically being expensive - perhaps being on a White background rather than Black doesn't really help it. Maybe thats intentional?

I enjoy the serendipitous nature of finding these things while on a journey and tend to look a them with the intention of a commercial application although as ever with these light installations, its night time when they really come alive.