This year’s London Design Festival marked a special milestone for Heal’s: 21 years of the Heal’s Discovers programme. To celebrate, Heal’s invited a group of alumni designers back to the flagship Tottenham Court Road store for an exhibition and panel discussion hosted by Pip Rich, Executive Editor of Livingetc.
As someone who was part of Heal’s Discovers 2011; with my Twist occasional tables and Nesting candlesticks, it was a real privilege to return as both a designer and a panellist. I later went on to lead the programme from 2013 to 2017 during my time on the Heal’s team, which makes it a rare and meaningful experience to have seen the initiative from both sides.
For me personally, Heal’s Discovers was a fantastic platform as an emerging designer. It connected me with journalists, industry experts and customers, opening doors that had a lasting impact on my career. The programme has always been about much more than a product launch: it’s about nurturing talent, building relationships, and giving new voices the opportunity to be heard.
Since opening its doors in 1810, Heal’s has been a home for design innovation. The Discovers initiative continues that legacy by championing new talent and introducing exceptional work to a discerning design community. Looking back at the archive; now part of the V&A collection, you can see how good design stands the test of time, whether 20 years ago, today, or 20 years into the future.
The panel itself was a joy to be part of, alongside Russell Pinch, Kieran Letts, Amechi Mandi and Leonhard Pfeifer. I loved hearing everyone’s stories of their connection to Heal’s and the different ways the programme had shaped their journeys. And yes, in case you were wondering, we did accidentally arrive in perfectly coordinated beige outfits...leading to our unofficial new boyband name, Design Sync!
Being back at Heal’s for this milestone felt like a full circle moment; a reminder of how formative the Discovers experience was for me and how important it remains for the industry today. Here’s to the past, present and future of great design at Heal’s: Where Design Lives.
