With its 'back to school' energy, September certainly isn't the most exciting of months for everyone called to return to their desk after a well-deserved, carefree vacation. Lovers of all things furniture and interiors, though, can count on the annual London Design Festival to step in and spark some joy with its ever-expanding program of shows, workshops, public installations, talks, open studios, and more.
Back this week for a nine-day-long creative marathon centered around the future of the field across tradition and material innovation, the 2025 edition of London Design Festival (September 13-21) brings together over 300 events and just as many artists, brands, and partner organizations into a global celebration of craftsmanship.
Besides playing host to some of the best design exhibitions in London this autumn, London Design Festival, which coincides with the fourth edition and the debut iteration of satellite fairs Material Matters and Design London Shoreditch, respectively, will also see the unveiling of numerous landmark projects, the comeback of its Global Design Forum concept — the initiative's platform for conversations on sustainability and technology — and countless more collateral activations.
To help you stay ahead of the curve as the event hits the British capital this Saturday, we have collated a thematic guide to LDF 2025 that reunites all of its coolest happenings, thematic sections, and destinations in one place. Save it for the right day.
Inside London Design Festival's Heritage Celebration
Art Work
The late iron artist Salvino Marsura, caught in action in his workshop.
Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of its Hackney Wick location, design gallery Béton Brut is hosting a retrospective exhibition of the late iron artist Salvino Marsura. As the first major retrospective of the Italian artist's work, it will span six decades of furniture, lighting, and sculpture with unseen works transported directly from his Treviso forge.
September 13-21, Béton Brut, Unit 2, 30 Felstead St, E9. Plan your visit
A Creative Legacy
Artek's exhibition at LDF 2025, "Gems from the Archive", is a look back in time at the house's greatest hits.
Marking its 90th anniversary, Finnish design house Artek will be previewing a curated collection of reissued designs set to launch in October. Titled Gems from the Archive, it will feature a limited-edition Stool X602, the sculptural Screen 100, and the Cabinet 250. Paying homage to the creative vision of Alvar Aalto, the exhibition will be on display alongside the recent Artek and Marimekko collection and an extension of the brand's ongoing collaboration with Paul Smith.
September 16-20. Tramshed, 32 Rivington Street, EC2A. Plan your visit
Design Classics Reimagined
Vitra's legendary Eames designs, reinvented, are among the most anticipated products to land at London Design Festival this year.
Vitra will be presenting a notable update to its Eames collection through new materials, refreshed colourways, and finishes. Taking the iconic creations of Charles and Ray Eames and reworking them is part of the brand's environmental mission, helping to reduce its carbon footprint.
September 16-20, Tramshed, 32 Rivington St, EC2A. Plan your visit
Dive into LDF's Immersive Group Shows
Ceramic Connections
Francesca Anfossi, one of the talents showcased by County Hall Pottery's latest group exhibition for LDF, "Collaborative".
In an exhibition titled Collaborative, County Hall Pottery is exploring the power of connection through clay as a medium. The collective project has paired ceramicists with creatives from other fields, such as music, architecture, and culinary arts, to explore the artistic exchange that blossoms from cross-sector collaborations. Unique results will be on display, including functional ware from studio potter Edmund Davies and architect-turned-woodworker Dan Risner, and a board game titled Table Manners from ceramicists Francesca Anfossi and Frances Gibson.
September 15-November 19. County Hall Pottery, Belvedere Road, SE1. Plan your visit
Japanese Craft
Tradition and innovation blend in wagumi's "Kagoshima: Stories in Craft from South Japan", which gathers contributions from traditional and contempoerary artists from South Japan.
Returning for its third edition at London Design Festival, Kagoshima: Stories in Craft from South Japan is an exhibition hosted by Japanese design store wagumi, bringing together a selection of traditional and contemporary artisans from across the region. This year, woodworker Shintaro Oku will be leading woodcarving demonstrations as well as a chopstick carving workshop. Other highlights include hand-cut glass from Miriyu Kōbō and traditional handmade paper from Tsuruta Washi.
September 13-21, wagumi, Unit 1.09, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse St, SE1. Plan your visit
Shaped by Design
Artist Emma Louise Payne wants you to rethink the importance the things that surround you have in your life with her new solo show, "The Objects We Live By".
Opening the doors to her five-story atelier close to Hyde Park, ceramicist Emma Louise Payne is hosting a collective exhibition titled The Objects We Live By. Exploring the connection between design and everyday rituals and lifestyle habits, nine invited designers and makers will be exhibiting their work within the immersive setting of the townhouse location, naturally styled as part of its interior scheme.
September 13-21, 76 Sussex Square, W2. Plan your visit
Detail Focused
Designer Eliott Denny, one of the protagonists of "Making Sense", captured at work.
Curated by the London-based practice Mentsen and furniture retailer twentytwentyone, Making Sense brings together the work of six studios, placing a strong focus on the inherent complexities that often go unassumed within the design process. Featuring the work of Elliott Denny, Jones Neville, Ian McIntyre, Michael Marriott, Mentsen, and Eleanor Pritchard, the exhibition will be accompanied by a design library selected by Jasper Morrison and a round table discussion between the contributors to the showcase.
September 16-21. 18c River Street, EC1R. Plan your visit
Toward Material Innovation
Filling Inspired
Curated by research start-up EcoLattice and hosted at the iconic design destination Aram Gallery, Beyond Foam explores alternatives to conventional polyurethane foam fillings. The exhibit will highlight the pitfalls of the materials and present EcoLattice's 3D-printed lattice foam replacement. Applying the material in different formats, eight designers will display concepts that encourage visitors to reimagine the materials we use.
September 11-November 1, Aram, 110 Drury Lane, WC2B. Plan your visit
Bio-Based Brilliance
Design and biology collide at Biofabricate's LDF 2025 presentation, "Biofab Fair".
Biofabricate, the expert authority on biomaterials, is launching a new exhibition as part of the Festival. Taking place over two days, the Biofab Fair will propose what a future world could look like with biology as a design medium. Located on the William Morris Design Line, it will host dynamic talks while presenting a showcase of concepts, solutions, and products that align with regenerative and circular principles. "Now, more than ever, it is time to show what the future looks like when design meets biology," says founder and CEO Suzanne Lee.
September 16-17, Big Penny Social, 1 Priestley Way, E17. Plan your visit
Rethinking Resources
Founded by Jo Barnard in 2015, Morrama is a London-based design agency helping companies to rethink products, packaging, and user experiences. For London Design Festival, the agency is hosting a collective exhibition in its Hackney Depot location to rethink the materials we use and explore regenerative alternatives. Titled From The Ground Up, the exhibition will feature concepts from local studios such as Batch.Works, Carbon Cell, and Shellworks.
September 15-20, Morrama, Hackney Depot, 5 Sheep Lane, E8. Plan your visit
Materials Matter
MycoWorks is among the brands reshaping the future of design one material at the time.
Back for its fourth edition, the acclaimed design fair is taking shape within a new venue this year: Covent Garden's iconic Space House. Taking over an entire floor of the building, the exhibition will explore the latest material innovation from a wealth of visionary designers, architects, and practices. The fair will be zoned into three areas: Knowledge, which houses the talks space and finalists from two associated competitions, including the Wood Awards shortlist (featuring the Karyo Rocking Chair from Isabelle Moore Design, above); Specification, showcasing market-ready materials from brands such as 3M and MycoWorks; and Experimental, an area for conceptual projects and designers pushing the boundaries of materiality.
September 17-20, Space House, 1 Kemble St, WC2B. Plan your visit
Discover LDF's Top Destinations
Design London Shoreditch
The green carnation envisioned by 2LG Studio, part of Design London Shoreditch's captivating inaugural edition.
Conceived by Media 10, the organisers of Clerkenwell Design Week, this new multi-venue design event is set to be one of the hottest new additions to the annual festival. Split across three venues, it will include a workplace design exhibition by OnOffice magazine and the House of Icon, celebrating the magazine's world of interior design and architecture. Situated in Shoreditch Town Hall, this exhibition will also include a thought-provoking series of creative conversations and events in a space designed by 2LG Studio alongside the return of its inclusive design showcase, You Can Sit With Us.
September 16-18, multiple venues, across Shoreditch. Plan your visit
Park Royal Design District
One of the must-see highlights of LDF, the group exhibition landing at Bill Amberg Studio will spotlight experimental leather projects conceived in partnership with The Leathersellers' Foundation and Kingston University's Product & Furniture Design MA Course.
Returning as part of London Design Festival for its fifth year, Park Royal Design District is one of the most exciting creative communities with numerous studios and workshops opening their doors for visitors to explore. One of its highlights will be an exhibition taking place at Bill Amberg Studio, showcasing experimental leather projects conceived in partnership with The Leathersellers' Foundation and Kingston University's Product & Furniture Design MA Course. Pushing the boundaries of the material's capabilities within design, students have been invited into the workshop to utilise surplus leather for bold concepts and ideas that champion circular design.
September 13-19, multiple venues across Park Royal. Plan your visit
Brompton Design District
A piece from Tai Ping's new rug collection, "Ami", which will be on show during at Brompton Design District throughout London Design Festival.
Always a treasure trove of experimental design and fresh faces, this year Brompton sees a new programmer in British-Italian curator and gallerist Alex Tieghi-Walker with the theme A Softer World. What if, it asks, design moved with care? Some of those responding to it are Studio Charlotte Taylor, with a debut solo exhibition, Soft Worlds, Sharp Edges, celebrating the works of 30 female designers within the frame of a bedroom; and curator and designer Tione Trice and fashion designer Ronan McKenzie with Mirroring Dialogue, an interplay of works from artists within the African diaspora. The School of Sustainable Floristry will create floral interventions across the district, and in showroom news, Livingetc favourite Tai Ping will present Ami, a new collection of rugs by Hong Kong studio AB Concept.
September 13-31, multiple venues across Brompton. Plan your visit
Design Talk
As part of Focus/25 on Design's main stage program, join Livingetc's executive editor Pip Rich and esteemed designers for a panel discussion on Thinking Differently: How AI is Revolutionising Interior Design.
September 18, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. Book your tickets
Beyond the Design Frenzy
Creative Escape
A look inside SLOWE Living and Kef's co-curated "Listening Room".
For a chance to escape the crazy schedules of the week, furniture and lifestyle brand SLOWE Living is partnering with audio brand Kef to host The Listening Room — a temporary showroom and curated live music venue that offers visitors the chance to slow down within a sensory and immersive experience. Located in Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, the space will present the brand's most recent designs within a curated interior display, alongside daily vinyl sets and a programme of different events throughout the week.
September 11-17, Kiosk N1C, Unit 108, Lower Stable Street, Coal Drops Yard, King's Cross, N1C. Plan your visit
Reflective Retail
Aesop is offering all LDF goers an opportunity to pause, relax, and recharge with their newest immersive exhibition.
Inviting festivalgoers to drop by for a quiet moment of meditation, Aesop's immersive exhibition reflects on the company's architectural philosophy and design principles. Located within the brand's One New Change concept store, visitors will observe the materiality of the interiors, which places a focus on circular principles. Through the installation, Aesop will showcase how consciously created retail spaces can enhance connectivity within neighborhoods while drawing attention to the creativity of local makers. While you're there, take a moment to consider your own wellness and skincare rituals with therapists on hand to help enhance your daily routines.
September 13-19, Aesop One New Change, 18 Cheapside, EC2V. Plan your visit
Art Trail
"Beacon", a new large-scale light installation by designer Lee Broom, will be on view through September 21 near the entrance of the Royal Festival Hall.
Take a moment to appreciate pockets of art around the city, from Lee Broom's Beacon, situated at the entrance of the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, and made with discarded glass fragments; to Paul Cocksedge's What Nelson Sees on Trafalgar Square, featuring telescopic viewing portals for London's skyline.
September 13-21
With a plethora of pop-ups and exhibitions to choose from, London Design Festival is hands-down one of the year's greatest sources of creative inspiration. And that's also clear in our trend forecasting piece on the best projects we saw there during its past edition.
Still, should you find yourself in need of more thought-provoking design explorations, Tanuvi Hedge's three-part exhibition, Exhibit (A): Furniture for the Anxious Being, is guaranteed to stop you in your tracks.