Dutch Stuff: The Full Line-up

“Dutch Stuff aptly defines Dutch design: it is undefinable,” says London Design Fair founder Jimmy MacDonald. “If you named the exhibition, and in doing so tried to define Dutch design, you’d risk getting it very wrong. It would be like putting it in a box: there would be no exploration or intrigue.”

This September marks the very first time that Dutch design will have a dedicated presence at London Design Fair. As the name suggests, Dutch Stuff is a deliberately eclectic and multidisciplinary exhibition encompassing furniture, lighting, textiles, jewellery, ceramics as well as category-defying sculptural objects. The sprawling show, that will take place against the industrial backdrop of the Old Truman Brewery’s 6,000sqm top-floor space, will bring together over 65 studios, collectives, labels and independent makers all hailing from the Netherlands.

The largest areas of the exhibition will be occupied by three sub-shows each curated by a contemporary design label associated with the Netherlands: innovation-driven designer-run platform Form&Seek, Eindhoven-based design retailer Vij5, and boundary-pushing design group Dutch Invertuals. Interwoven between these three exhibitions will be the work of 19 independent designers, selected by London Design Fair.

With such an eclectic line-up of designers and the curatorial eye of four industry experts, the objects on display are satisfyingly diverse.

The very addition of a Dutch pavilion to the London Design Fair line-up is also big news. The country’s presence at London Design Fair has been three years in the making and involved a serious effort when it came to lobbying.

”For the longest time both myself and my wife’s favourite country for design was the Netherlands,” says Jimmy. “The Dutch design shows were the go-to shows in Milan. It was hyper-experimental, artistic and super interesting. That feeling about Dutch design has never left me. When I go to Milan, it is usually the Dutch content that I am drawn to, without even knowing that it is Dutch. Because of that, we have always wanted a Dutch exhibition at London Design Fair. We have had most other countries pass through the show over the many years. The Netherlands has never really had a presence at London Design Festival so we have literally lobbied for three years. And now it is happening.”