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Draw inspiration from great Scottish design at the new V&A DUNDEE
The Scottish Design Galleries are at the heart of the new V&A Dundee; the first in the world dedicated to telling the extraordinary story of Scottish design. This unique collection contains a wide range of beautiful and innovative objects, from furniture, textiles, metalwork and ceramics, to fashion, architecture, engineering and digital design. ‘The influence of Scottish design is not limited to one country, it has been felt around the world,’ said Joanna Norman, acting head of research at the V&A and lead curator of the Scottish Design Galleries. As part of this, V&A Dundee has appointed a number of ‘design champions’ from across Scotland. Here are three whose work is so joyous that you should own some of it.
Scott Jarvie
From Glasgow, Scott Jarvie studied at the city’s College of Building and Printing, before heading to Edinburgh and graduating with first class honours in product design at Napier University’s School of Design and Media Arts, and being awarded the University Medal. He is the man behind Delupo, an independent luxury furniture company yet a dish drainer created for Lakeland remains one of the designs of which he feels most proud: ‘We were able to embed a great deal of innovative functionality in a simple moulded product.’
Kevin Gauld
The Orkney Furniture Maker, Kevin Gauld, produces handmade traditional furniture as well as creating unique designs deeply rooted in his island home, producing traditional furniture and making his own new pieces. ‘Ever since I was a child, I have been making things from wood; and in order to make something new, we first have to design,’ he said. ‘I love the story behind the Orkney chair; how it talks of people, place and time. Today it is recognised as a design classic.’
Nikki McWilliams
What Andy Warhol did to Campbell’s soup, Nikki McWilliams does to biscuits. She is creative director, founder and chief biscuit sampler at Nikki McWilliams Ltd. Nikki studied fine art at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, before going on to create her own home ware and accessories label in 2009. Her designs are inspired by a love of British culture, contemporary pop-art and her fascination with the ritual of the tea break, with some nostalgia lovingly added to the mix.