Fair
Clerkenwell Design Week 2025
To wrap up May, the Clerkenwell area of London hosted its annual celebration of creativity and innovation: Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW). CDW brings together brands across furniture, lighting, paint, and more for a packed three-day schedule. The event featured everything from sustainability talks and design psychology panels to brand showcases, hands-on workshops, rooftop parties, and even pizza and matcha trucks.
As always, the team at Dodds & Shute was excited to dive in — expanding our knowledge of new collections, hearing insights from industry leaders, and seeing familiar Clerkenwell spaces transformed for the event.
What better way to kick off a design-focused week than with a delicious breakfast viewing standout pieces from Mattiazzi and &Tradition. Among our favourites: Mattiazzi’s Osso Low stool, Solo chair, and Oto console, and &Tradition’s elegant Gio Chandelier. To round out day one, we made a quick stop at Herman Miller to see some design classics, and ended the day by visiting Knoll next door to attend a talk exploring the legacy of Marcel Breuer — and how his contributions extend far beyond the iconic Wassily Chair. The talk highlighted his gift when it comes to design, his work as a student of the Bauhaus and later on a teacher at the same school. His architectural projects in the U.S. and how his designs are still be celebrated 100 years later.
To wrap up May, the Clerkenwell area of London hosted its annual celebration of creativity and innovation: Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW). CDW brings together brands across furniture, lighting, paint, and more for a packed three-day schedule. The event featured everything from sustainability talks and design psychology panels to brand showcases, hands-on workshops, rooftop parties, and even pizza and matcha trucks.
As always, the team at Dodds & Shute was excited to dive in — expanding our knowledge of new collections, hearing insights from industry leaders, and seeing familiar Clerkenwell spaces transformed for the event.
What better way to kick off a design-focused week than with a delicious breakfast viewing standout pieces from Mattiazzi and &Tradition. Among our favourites: Mattiazzi’s Osso Low stool, Solo chair, and Oto console, and &Tradition’s elegant Gio Chandelier. To round out day one, we made a quick stop at Herman Miller to see some design classics, and ended the day by visiting Knoll next door to attend a talk exploring the legacy of Marcel Breuer — and how his contributions extend far beyond the iconic Wassily Chair. The talk highlighted his gift when it comes to design, his work as a student of the Bauhaus and later on a teacher at the same school. His architectural projects in the U.S. and how his designs are still be celebrated 100 years later.
Textures of Tomorrow: A Day at CDW
After a strong start, day two of CDW kept the momentum going with a special breakfast invitation from Fora Form to view their new Bud seating collection and other sustainable, innovative, and stylish office furniture. Attending events like these aligns with Dodds & Shute’s mission to find, use, and promote design that is ethical and impactful.
In the afternoon, we headed to Ferm Living’s warm and inviting showroom to explore their new collaboration with Utzon. The collection, inspired by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and his Can Lis house in Majorca, blends natural forms and textures with Scandinavian minimalism. In-house designer Phillipp Materna walked us through the design process, adding thoughtful context to the collection’s architectural roots. Deadgood also hosted a workshop that showcased a wide range of creative, future-focused material alternatives, while Olivia from Do Not Go Gentle, educated visitors on their properties and highlighting the brand’s commitment to sustainability. We explored innovative renewable substitutes like apple leather, hemp, and mycelium, offering a glimpse into a greener future.
Crafted in East London
East London's Very Good & Proper were also displaying pieces from their new collections, one that the Genie Chair that was made in collaboration with the Japanese design duo, Mentsen, that were mentioned in our previous post on London Craft Week. We also made it to see Ercol and their comfortable and sustainable products. A favourite being their new and beautiful Butterfly Chair.
Domus hosted a talk (Beneath the Bark) which covered the science behind, increasing popularity of, and benefits of using cork indoors and how it is a great material in a multitude of environments. We were also able to view their cork flooring solutions.
Overall, CDW 2025 was an energising and inspiring experience — offering an insightful look at the future of sustainable, ethical, and beautifully designed products. From bold new collections to thoughtful material innovation, this year’s event was a reminder of why we value being part of this industry. We learned a great deal, connected with like-minded creatives, and are already looking forward to seeing what Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 brings.
Sustainably Sourced: A Closer Look at the British Collection
The third and final day of CDW began with a visit to St. James’ Church to explore the British Collection in the Crypt — a showcase featuring some suppliers that are proud to carry the Grown in Britain (GIB) certification, which ensures their timber is both sustainably and legally sourced. First up was Benchmark, presenting their sleek and thoughtfully designed Aya series, created in collaboration with Foster + Partners. A standout feature of the collection is its transparency: customers can view the carbon footprint of each product — a level of accountability that resonates deeply with our values at Dodds & Shute.
We also visited fellow B Corp, Goldfinger, where we explored pieces from their recent collaboration with Tate Modern. The collection showcased beautifully crafted furniture designed for the museum, along with insights into Goldfinger’s commitment to repurposing felled urban trees that would otherwise be chipped or burned.
.webp)
Nick Shute