David Collins Studio marks 40 years with anniversary exhibition
(UK) – David Collins Studio is celebrating its 40th anniversary with Convergence, an exhibition staged by the David Collins Foundation at The Lavery as part of London Design Festival 2025.
The show opened on 10 September with a launch party attended by guests from the design, hospitality and arts worlds. The evening featured champagne, canapés and a dedicated bar serving David Collins-inspired cocktails in honour of the milestone.
Founded in 1985 by the late David Collins, the studio has become synonymous with some of London’s most recognisable interiors. From The Wolseley and Claridge’s Bar to Cecconi’s and Bob Bob Ricard, its projects have reshaped the city’s dining and hospitality scene, blending glamour with accessibility. The exhibition reflects on four decades of influence through large-scale portraits and a three-dimensional installation showcasing some of the studio’s most celebrated work.
The Foundation, established in 2016 to continue Collins’ passion for supporting the arts, extends the anniversary celebration with Convergence. Curated by broadcaster and author Ellen E Jones, the exhibition features works by recipients of the Arts Foundation’s Futures Awards, including designers Jochen Holz, Aura Murillo and Louise Lenborg Skajem, filmmaker Cherish Oteka, poet Ella Frears and theatre designer TK Hay. Together, their contributions explore themes of memory, permanence and legacy through diverse media spanning design, film, poetry and bio design.
Curator Ellen E. Jones says “I see my role as curator as something akin to a host or facilitator, entrusted with helping to bring together a group of extraordinary guests for a moment of shared connection. In this imagined gathering, the guests are the works themselves, each one representing an artist the late David Collins once met, admired, and was moved by. My hope is to arrange them so that a conversation begins to take place, until the room feels alive with connection.”
As David Collins Studio reflects on its 40-year history, Convergence offers a dual perspective: celebrating its iconic interiors while showcasing the contemporary creative voices supported by the Foundation. The exhibition runs until 19 September at The Lavery, Brompton Design District.
