The Dry Cleaning Exhibition Spotlights Emerging Designers in London
Amy Duong — August 23, 2025 — Art & Design
References: maxradfordgallery
Dry Cleaning exhibition spotlights emerging designers in London through a dynamic open call group show that transforms a warehouse near Borough Market into a vibrant design arena. Hosted by Max Radford Gallery in collaboration with Clink Street Ceramics, the show occupies a spacious industrial venue and features 53 unique collectible designs across furniture, lighting, ceramics, and sculpture. Designers were given free rein rather than a rigid brief, allowing each piece to reveal its own narrative and material exploration.
Work on display includes a room divider crafted from leather, human hair, and velvet; a polished stainless steel and resin lamp known as the Devil Lamp; and furniture formed from recycled leather and lambswool. The setting underscores the gallery’s intention to blur the boundaries between craft, materiality, and exhibition. This marks the gallery’s first open call presentation since 2021, signalling a renewed focus on process-driven creativity and international visibility in London’s design scene.
Image Credit: Ed Rollitt
Work on display includes a room divider crafted from leather, human hair, and velvet; a polished stainless steel and resin lamp known as the Devil Lamp; and furniture formed from recycled leather and lambswool. The setting underscores the gallery’s intention to blur the boundaries between craft, materiality, and exhibition. This marks the gallery’s first open call presentation since 2021, signalling a renewed focus on process-driven creativity and international visibility in London’s design scene.
Image Credit: Ed Rollitt
Trend Themes
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Multi-material Crafting — Designers experiment with combining unconventional materials such as leather, human hair, and velvet, leading to innovative textural and structural possibilities in design.
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Open Call Showcase — Open call exhibitions offer a platform for diverse and unexpected design narratives by providing creators the freedom to express unique perspectives.
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Design-centric Industrial Spaces — The transformation of warehouses into vibrant exhibition venues showcases a trend in utilizing industrial spaces to enhance the display and appreciation of design works.
Industry Implications
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Collectible Design — The focus on unique, one-of-a-kind pieces in exhibitions boosts the collectible design industry, where individuality and exclusivity are key.
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Sustainable Furnishings — Recycled materials, such as leather and lambswool in furniture, emphasize a growing industry focus on sustainability and environmentally conscious design.
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Gallery and Exhibition Management — There is an increasing demand for innovative exhibition strategies that utilize unconventional venues, transforming how design is experienced and appreciated.
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