LDF: product highlights from the Shoreditch Design Triangle
Discover the latest innovations, products and installations we uncovered during the darc Lighting Tour, in partnership with Design London Shoreditch at London Design Festival.
As summer fades into memory, the design world is only just hitting its stride. For us at darc, the London Design Festival marks the true beginning of the season – a moment that not only re-energises the industry after its quieter months but also sets the tone for what lies ahead. This year, the festival saw the debut of Design London Shoreditch, a fresh addition to the festival and one we were excited to collaborate on. Brought to life by the organisers of Clerkenwell Design Week, the event popped up across East London’s thriving design district with a series of tightly curated exhibitions.
As part fo the launch, darc partnered with Design London Shoreditch to host a dedicated lighting tour, guiding attendees through standout showrooms and brands while highlighting the latest products and projects that showcase the ever-evolving role of light in design. As Media 10’s Marlon Cere-Marle, and leader of the tour, explained:
“The idea behind the lighting tour was to give lighting designers and specifiers the chance to experience key installations and product launches first-hand, while hearing directly from the creatives shaping the industry. It was extremely well received, with visitors valuing the opportunity to ask questions and connect directly with brands and designers. The launch of Design London Shoreditch has further strengthened Shoreditch Design Triangle as the largest district and a key destination during London Design Festival, drawing an even broader trade audience to the area. Collaborations like this with darc are central to that success, and we were delighted to partner with them to bring the tour to life.”
The tour began at Lee Broom’s flagship showroom, where the designer welcomed us with his trademark flair – coffee, pastries, and a display as immaculate as ever. But the real spectacle was the work. Broom’s collaboration with Lladró, Cascade, was a highlight: porcelain lanterns reimagined as glowing, modular installations, which made its debut in Milan earlier this year (read more here). His new Chant Portable Lamp was another standout – sleek, sculptural, and refreshingly functional. With a 40-hour battery life and a festival launch price of £225, it was one of those rare pieces that balances collectability with accessibility.
At Tala, the experience took a different turn. Instead of unveiling a product outright, visitors were confronted with a question: What do you usually do before going to sleep? Unsurprisingly, most admitted to scrolling on their phones. The point was clear – and so was the solution. Tala, in collaboration with Heatherwick Studio, introduced Wake, a bedside lamp designed to replace our phones as a sleep companion.
Presented in the immersive Sunset Room, Wake felt more like an experience than a product launch. The installation washed the space in warm, meditative light while a film narrated its three-year journey from idea to object. The lamp itself, made from ceramic and glass, blends craft with technology through subtle, programmable sequences of light and sound. Unlike the clunky “sleep gadgets” already on the market, Wake feels like something you’d want in your home. Elegant, tactile, and purposeful – a rare combination. (Read more about Wake in Issue #61).
Just across the road, we visited the Buster + Punch flagship, where founder Massimo Buster Minale unveiled Takeout – a portable table lamp in solid metal, featuring the brand’s signature cross-knurl detailing. Its distinctive light pipe and canopy sit beneath a toughened glass shade, dimmable by touch. Though still in development, the tour had the rare opportunity to handle the prototype firsthand. True to Buster + Punch’s flair for storytelling, the launch is accompanied by a bold creative campaign, which we also previewed. Unlike the brand’s predominantly made-to-order catalogue, Takeout is designed as a grab-and-go item, ready to purchase and take home immediately. To match the lamp’s concept, the flagship itself had been transformed into a quirky convenience store – echoing the promotional video – complete with playful touches such as Buster + Crunch cereal boxes.
At the Wax Building, home to brands like Cozmo, MinimalLux, and Tamart, the standout was undeniably Lightmass^ by Raw Edges. The lower-floor installation featured sculptural, feather-light lighting pieces that integrate LED sources directly into their mesh structures, blurring the line between form and function. Pendants, floor, and table lamps are crafted from a single material, reducing waste while remaining adaptable to a variety of spaces. The collection’s focus on sustainability and its ability to turn light into a tangible spatial experience underscore Raw Edges’ vision of lighting not just as illumination, but as a key architectural element.
After stops at architectural lighting brands Light Lab and XAL, the tour arrived at the final destination: House of Icons, housed in Shoreditch Town Hall and the beating heart of Design London Shoreditch. The space offered a curated mix of exhibitions, talks, and installations, showcasing both emerging and established lighting brands.
In terms of exhibitors, two highlights stood out. Dutch company Georgious presented its Slide Light, a tubular floor lamp with adjustable height and light output. Smart sensors activate only the exposed LEDs, allowing the piece to subtly transform a room’s ambience. Meanwhile, Italian family-owned Masiero’s Dimore lighting impressed with its luxurious contemporary collection for private interiors. By blending sophisticated aesthetics with emotional nods to tradition, the brand delivers lighting that is both artistic and functional.
From Lee Broom’s sculptural innovations to Tala and Heatherwick Studio’s immersive experiments, and the playful ingenuity of Buster + Punch to Raw Edges’ sustainable designs, the festival felt alive with ideas that push lighting beyond utility into art and experience. Design London Shoreditch proved itself a worthy addition to the festival, offering a stage for daring design and thoughtful craftsmanship.
www.designlondonshoreditch.com
