Influencer Award
This month, Homes & Gardens design correspondent Barbara Chandler pays tribute to Jimmy Macdonald (above), founder and director of the London Design Fair
After studying interior design at Kingston University, Jimmy organised various design shows before launching Tent London, during the London Design Festival (LDF) 2007, showcasing the work of new designers on one floor of the Truman Brewery in Brick Lane. At the time, going to gritty east London was a bold move, revealing Jimmy’s instinct for initiating and fostering trends. Today, the area is acknowledged as a hotspot of design.
In 2012, Jimmy added a floor for established Super Brands then, in 2016, after extending to a third floor, rebranded as London Design Fair, londondesignfair.co.uk.
Statistics measure his success: in 2007, Tent London had 37 exhibitors from nine countries and 4,500 visitors from 15 countries. In 2016, there were 450 exhibitors from 29 countries and 27,000 visitors from 57 countries.
So what differentiates this fair from the other big industry events at LDF? “From the start, we’ve been an affordable platform for emerging designers,” says Jimmy. “They can even show prototypes in the hope of finding manufacturers.” Craft and handmade have also been strong strands, and many countries have taken part in group pavilions. Whereas some trade shows exclude or discourage the public, all visitors are welcome here.
The fair has given innumerable British and foreign designers their “first break”. As well as being a popular resource for architects, interior designers and retailers, it has allowed our readers to acquire cutting-edge products and ideas. Jimmy made that happen.