Editorial

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#2

Editorial
Well it has been a busy few months, ever
since we decided to start #1, we knew that
it was going to be a lot of work but not this
much….I am knackered.
Firstly though all of us at Naked Wales
must thank the Welsh Art + Design
community for their help and support in
FUHDWLQJWKLVRXU¿UVWHOHFWURQLFPDJD]LQH
Throughout the issue we hope that the
articles are informative and of interest.
This issue has been very much a step into
the unknown. A statement of intent. And
an invitation to others to contribute for the
hoped for #2 which should be published in
4 months from now. It is a question that we
hope will be answered by the
Art + Design community.
Editorial
#1 is the design issue with articles
revolving around the festival season,
KRZHYHUDVWKHPDJD]LQHEHFRPHVPRUH
established we hope to extend the scope of
WKHPDJD]LQHWRDOOVHFWRUVRI$UW'HVLJQ
so if you are an artist or a budding critic
then get in touch and we can get it into the
next issue.
6RWRWKHPDJD]LQHVWXIIHGIXOORI
reviews and articles summing up Wales
Design Scene as well as the design
scene as a whole. We hope you enjoy
and we very much value feedback into our
¿UVWPDJD]LQH
Editor
Carwyn Lloyd Jones
hello@nakedwales.com
#1
Editorial


What is art?

// With recent coverage of Damien

Hirst’s ‘repair work’ on one of his
most famous pieces the formaldehyde
Mother and Child divided. The
question of what is art and in
particular is a piece of art ever able
to be replicated, has been brought
into view.
As Damien Hirst himself puts it:-

“If my grandfather gave my father

an axe, and my father replaced
the handle and gave it to me, and
I replaced the head, is it still my
grandfather’s axe?”
Let us know what you think by emailing us at hello@nakedwales.com

#2
 Editorial

Page 4 // News & Reviews

Page 6 // A Spoon Full of Sugar

Page 8 // Tent London

// Carl Andrews spent a weekend

at the London Design Festival and
visited Tent London to give #1 his
thoughts on the show.

Page 14 // Peidiwch edrych ceffyl anrheg yn y ceg

Page 16 // Why Work Where we Work

Page 20 // Places We Love

Page 22 // The Professional Touch

Page 24 // There’s Millions say’s Jeffery

// Is this the new trend? Agencies

all working together to deliver
a bigger and comprehensive
package to their client?

Page 26 // Killing Cre~ativity

Page 30 // My Life as a Corsetier

Page 34 // Product is Paramount

Page 36 // Credit Where Credits Due

Page 38 // Cliniqué

Page 40 // Seven Tips

// Design Management Europe

Award DME are coming to
Cardiff in 2008, Darragh Murphy
talks us through the event

#3
News & Reviews

News &
Reviews
New Designers 2007
THE University of Wales Institute,
Cardiff (UWIC) once again made an
impressive impact at a major design
show which attracts thousands
of graduates and members of the
industry.
Interior Architecture at Cardiff’s
School of Art & Design recently took
a large stand at the annual New
Designers Show in the Business
Design Centre, Islington, London,
with sponsorship from Eastlake
Design Partnership (edp).
New Designers attracts around 4,000
graduates from the design courses
around the UK, who are given the
opportunity to display exciting and
original work to the industry, the public
and the media, and in many cases,
launch careers.
And the work of UWIC’s talented
students stood out from the rest with
Heather Calvin-Thomas receiving the
Architectural Education Trust award of
£350, while Jerome Rapin was short-
listed runner up in the Interiors Award
and has been asked to submit his work
to the New Designers Selection - the
top 50 designers of the New Designers
show.
Patrick Hannay, Course Director of
Interior Architecture at UWIC said:
“The talent and hard work of this
year’s graduates is reflected in their
success at New Designers. As one of
the largest graduate design shows in
Europe, it is outstanding for the work
of our students to be singled out and
proves the quality and talent of what
they have produced.
“As well as the two awards, an
unprecedented number of our
students displaying work picked up
jobs direct from the show, so they
have a very promising and exciting
start to their careers in design.”

Timothyben
Timothybenfurniture launched this functional - they demand to be
summer two new Perspex Illuminaires; touched, as well as used & admired.
Citrus and Shimmer, both of which
Timothybenfurniture’s innovative
received international recognition.
products have received regular
This has come after it’s Brush Strokes
features in design magazines
product featuring on BBC’s One’s
worldwide including idFX, K on/off -
Homes live! amongst other exhibitions.
Moscow, Designluxe - Tokyo and Brava
Following on from this success this
Casa, and has exhibited at the likes of
Autumn sees the addition of two
SaloneSatellite and Euroluce.
new storage-based products; Arrow
(bookcase come sculptural storage In June 2007 the Brushstrokes coat/
unit) and Arrow Desk (pictured). bag hanger was shortlisted for Product
of the Year at the Cardiff Design
Tim Forrester is one of the UK’s most
Festival and in December 2005 his
innovative designers, achieving great
Luna furniture range was a runner-up
success during his time working in
finalist in the BIDA Awards 2005 for
Milan he has now returned to the UK to
Furniture Product of the Year.
continue designing & manufacturing.
To find out more about
The Cardiff based designer-maker
Timothybenfurniture and to view an
produces simple, effective products
up-to-date range of their work,
that are beautiful as well as multi-
www.timothybenfurniture.co.uk

#4
 News and Reviews

Book Review:
Design Like You Give a Damn
Architectural Reponses to
Humanitarian Crises.
Going beyond aesthetic niceties
Design Like You Give A Dam gives
a whole new meaning to design.
It throws the stigma / archetypal
association of Interior Design with
Changing Rooms and Architecture
Grad Designs aside and boldly
introduces ethics, principles and most
importantly humanitarianism. It shows
that design is not about luxury and
fancies but it is a necessity. It is down
to us designers to lead the way.
Design Like You Give a Dam shows
ideas and strategies for solutions to
desperate situations such as homeless
people, third world countries – shelter,
first aid, medical attention then
provides amazing solutions which can
eradicate such needs.
It takes design to a whole new level
where materials used are recycled,
sourced locally or specially made all of
which are basic but fulfil its use greatly.
It shows that design does not have to
be aesthetically amazing. The simple
solutions in themselves are beautiful
as well as extremely functional. The
innovative schemes enhance people’s
lives by giving them the necessary
basics needed to live shelter – Warmth
– Energy – sanitation – health and
education. If you believe in uniting
people and making the world a better
place then this book is for you. As for
me I design like I give a dam.
Sinclair, Cameron; Stohr, Kate;
Architecture for Humanity
ISBN-13: 9781933045252

Seeing Far
Centre for Research in fine Art, has
renamed and been re-branded. Part
of UWIC’s School of Art and Design.
The Centre for Research in fine Art
was setup in 1994 to give staff access
to digital media with EEC funded
initiatives such as the Electric Lunch,
which allowed European Art colleges
to link together to participate in online
conferences and exhibitions. Along
with this the Centre also setup the
Cardiff Digital Portfolio in 1998, which
looked into how technology could be
combined with traditional art practices.
Since these early years technology
has moved on a pace and as such the
blurring between digital and traditional
techniques has become even more
blurred. To this end CRFA wanted
to create an independent brand that
encompasses the new direction of
where it sees itself.
Now cfar – centre for fine art
research, has been produced by
Cardiff based agency Hoffi, Director
Carwyn Jones comments “with the
change in direction cfar was wanting
to take it seemed that there needed
to be a feeling of openness to the
brand” we wanted to cater for future
developments and through the design
and the use of the bracket in particular
which is never closed we hope the
referral to research which is always an
on going thing”.
Cfar will have over 25 staff at any one
time will all be using the cfar umbrella
to help the Centre become one of the
leading researching establishments
in the UK. It is also hoped through
new technology such as blogs, that
research will become a much more
open and communicative exploration.
A spoon full of sugar
a spoon full
of sugar
The Wales Millennium Centre launched
it’s new identity this summer, designed by
Sweet, a small design agency based within
throwing distance of the WMC’s doors.
Despite the dismal weather and grey
days the new brand for the WMC has
brought some colour to the otherwise drab
summer. Sweet, set up by Fay Blakeley
and Jonathan Morris in 2005, is a specialist
design agency that teamed up with brand
strategists Peach on this project. This
specialist approach did the trick with Penn
Trevella, Head of Marketing at the WMC,
commenting “We were open to this way of
working as we could see the advantages of
working with specialists in their respective
¿HOGVUDWKHUWKDQWKHPRUHWUDGLWLRQDO
model of one agency doing the lot.”
As well as working with Sweet and Peach
the WMC also approached Design Wales,
a government-funded group, that was set
up in 1994 to give design support to Welsh
Businesses. Due to the nature of the project
it was decided to publicly tender for the
initial stage of the pitching process. An
#6
advert was placed in Design Week and
Design Wales generated an email to all the
companies listed on their Design Directory
Database. From here on in, Victoria Jones,
from Design Wales, explains “we had a
selection day when the WMC team and
four members of the DW team selected
10 agencies to present to them. The
presentations were held over two days. At
the end of the second day four agencies
were selected for a second presentation”.
The WMC were also advised by Design
Wales not to free pitch for this tender,
which is a refreshing change for a large
company such as itself. Once the 4 agencies
had been selected the WMC visited the
UHVSHFWLYHFRPSDQLHV¶RI¿FHVWRVHHKRZ
they worked, and to try get a feel for the
company and it’s people.

Penn Trevella believes that this was an
essential aspect of the process, to allow
them to choose an agency “that understands
us, our business and the environment we
operate within. Its not just about design
– it’s about creativity.”
Once the visits had taken place the four
agencies were then asked to produce
something that represented the present
WMC, as well as the WMC of the future.
This presentation was a paid section of
the pitch, which we at NakedWales hope
companies will take note of and where
free pitching will become something of a
distant memory.
Penn Trevella’s feedback from the process
has been positive, noting that “while they
found it challenging they felt it gave them
A spoon full of sugar
the opportunity to demonstrate their skills important for the brand mark to encompass
and qualities.” this. Jonathan Morris explains how “we
took the idea of light in performance
Through the discussions that took place
and just had fun with it”. The brand is
with Design Wales, as well as advising not
also designed to have two very different
to produce free pitch tender, Design Wales
treatments where the print version works
looked into creating a design brief for the
µLQDVLPSOHUIDVKLRQZLWKÀDWFRORXUV«
WMC. This went beyond just looking for a
while the digital logo uses a myriad of
mark for the WMC and caused the WMC to
different colours for each shape within
look at a much more integrated approach to
the marque’.
the whole process. Sweet collaborated with
Peach to develop a creative brief that the The brand, made from differing geometric
identity was then based on. shapes, is designed to represent the
diversity of the WMC. The brand will be
For many, the WMC is famous for it’s
launched over a long ‘when necessary’
architecture and being home to the WNO.
basis, and so it seems it might take some
However, it is a lot more than that. It
time to see the full impact of the brand.
houses seven national arts originations,
For now, it seems to be exciting times for
and is a place that you can grab a coffee
the WMC.
and watch daily free performances. It was
#7
Tent London

Carl Andrews

Tent London So I had one weekend to try and take in as much

of the London Design Festival as possible. But
what shows should I go to? At first I thought I
maybe able to get to 3 or 4 shows and give a
superficial look into them all however why do
that when you can go to one place and see up to
10 events?

#8
 Tent London

Well that is what the marketing said.

This year there was a new kid on the
block. Tent London, which took place
in the east side of London, it takes over
from where 100% east has been for the
last two years.
Based over the entire Truman brewery
in London’s trendy brick lane area.
Tent London – set up by Ian Rudge
founder of 100% Design and Jimmy
MacDonald founder of the original
100% East show – have broken up the
show into ten events including Con-
tent, Circa, Talent Zone, Superbrands,
Urbantine Project and all of the Your
Space events.

We started our
journey around
Tent London at the
Circa event,
bringing together
vintage designer
pieces from the
top dealers.
This was the UK’s first international
event for this type of show, taking up
most of the ground floor of the Truman
Brewery, Circa was a riot of colour with
the themed orange carpet leading you
through some of the design classics
of the last century. I was really excited
by the Circa concept having a great
love for vintage furniture. One of the
stars of Circa was the Retrouvius stand
– based in London – Retrovius show-
ing two pieces being the Ernest Race
Rocking Chair which had been newly
reupholstered in vintage fabric, and the
fantastically elegant Lloyd Loom Chair
which was also upholstered in vintage
fabric. With the Lloyd Loom Chair
seeming to sum up the modern feel of

#9
Tent London
furniture design today, which is very
much playing with materials and their
properties. Also showing at Circa was
Cardiff based company Omnipod, who
where showing an simple and elegant
1950 dining suite comprising of a set of
four bent mahogany plywood chairs
and circular dining table by
Vittorio Nobili.
As well as the stands at Circa there
was also a small number of pieces that
had been donated as museum pieces
that where dotted around the hall one
of the most iconic being the Robin Day
chair – pre tubular steel legs.
Circa seemed to be very in keeping
within the area that Tent London takes
place, with Brick Lane being at the
centre of an eclectic mix of ultra
modern thinking and vintage design.
There did seem to be a slight
uneasiness though as to how this type
of show sat with the rest of the events
and perhaps a show within it’s own
right may have been of more value. It
seems almost that the whole idea of
vintage (for me at least) has been to
seek out that great deal or that unusual
item and the journey/struggle to find
1
#10
that piece is what it is all about, just as
much as the actual product itself. With
the well documented recent debates
surrounding design and art, it seems
as it was billed that people were
looking at Circa to be somewhere to
buy items for investment opportunities.
Moving on from Circa Tent London
brings you Content which was
effectively the same show as 100%
2
East had been the previous two years.
Content brings Tent London up to date
with contemporary design pieces from
emerging and established designers.
A few of the same faces were here
from last year with Farm, Corian and
Precious things all building on their
previous strong years. Indeed with
DuPont Corian celebrating it’s 40 year
history through 40 design pieces
among the most interesting being a
vase/light designed by Piers Mansfield
Scadden called Candelabra. Farm who
also exhibited last year showed some
new pieces with Siamese chair and
chair coat stand being some of the
more fun and querky, in particular the
way scale had been altered and 3
distorted within the products.
Some other
highlights came
from Precious
things, P45,
Unlocked and
Ring Leader.
Unlike last year though there did not 4
seem to be the strength in depth from
the previous 100% East show of 2006,
it is unclear whether this is due to it
being the first year and so thought they
would wait and see, or that people

Picture Credits:
Previous Page: Outside the I.DOT exhibition
1. P45 – Coconut Chair
2. Ring Leader – Katie Rowlands
3. Unlocked – Yoshinobu Sakural
4. Farm – Siamese Chair
5. Dupont Corian – Candelabra
6. IKEA Sustain – Lisa Stockton
7. Burst Chair – Oliver Tilburry
8. Lighting – Jordic Anudas
5 tell if Tent London turns into as popular
decided the 100% futures exhibition at
Earls Court maybe the place for them.
Along with Content came Talent Zone
and some very interesting lighting
displays. Some of the stand out pieces
in the Talent Zone area where
Ravensbourne College who showed
very strongly with a number of nice
pieces including IKEA sustain by Lisa
Stockton, also in the Talent Zone Oliver
Tilbury’s Hall stand and Burst chair
where also very striking and beautiful
in there own way and brought a lot of
humour to the area.
It was often some of the small pieces
that attracted the eye and while
walking through the show, pieces by
Lucinda Barnes And her Tier Drop
Cake Stand, and Kathi Macheiner’s
textile products all brought a much
more experimental feel to the show,
and in the lighting area the Less Lamp
by Jordic Anudas was reminiscent of
Tent London
the droog do create work of the early
90’s bringing a whole interactive feel
to the product with you actually having
to hammer your own pattern in a
perfectly formed egg shape which then
revealed light through the pattern
created by a beautifully minimalist
piton that was provided.
One of the areas I was most looking
forward to was the Superbrands area.
With companies such as Edra and
6
Moooi both showing at Tent London, I
personally love many of the modern
pieces on show at the Moooi stand in
particular the Marteen Bas smoked
series, however there did once again
seem to be a very reticent feel to the
area. I was hoping for more from such
large companies almost to feel like this
is how you should show furniture/
product, there was also a feel that the
space could have held more
companies. It does seem that time will
event as 100% Design, maybe not in
7
terms of deals done and money made
but more in the idea of talent finding
and identifying new trends.
Finally there was the Urbantine Project
which was situated just outside the
Truman Brewery in a inflate design
inflatable tent. The Urbantine Project
was the result of a fast architecture
competition which this year was setup
to highlight up and coming
architectural talent. With the brief
asked the architects were invited to
explore the changing nature of the 21st
Century workspace whilst considering
concepts of Fast Architecture. The
prize of 10,000 pounds was one by
Alex Haw who’s piece centered around
the ergonomics of the human body.
8
#11
Editorial

#12
Editorial

#13
Ceffyl Anrheg

As a bilingual south Walian Welshie I

was a devil for exploiting the English
idiom to bursting point. I was too fond
of my English idioms and an idiot when
it came to finding original Welsh ones.
Mad as a hatter I was.
I am not cured by any means but I
think I’ve done my ‘twrci oer’. What
I’m sensing more and more however
is that the prophetic words of Mrs
Edwards are ringing true. I am now
becoming the grumpy old man poised
with red marker pen in hand. What gets
to me on a daily basis is the constant
stream of slavish translation from
English to Welsh, word for word,
without any element of creativity.
Designers…you should be demanding
original Welsh text that doesn’t sit
neatly on the page next to the
English text.
I haven’t always agreed with what I
am about to say but in the spirit of
nation-building, and as we gain greater
confidence in ourselves and our
abilities, the Welsh language needs
to truly reflect a creative nation. At the
moment it’s holding us back. If you are
a Welsh speaker, one pastime I’m sure

Rhodri Ellis Owen

‘Peidiwch edrych ceffyl

anrheg yn y ceg…’
‘Mae hwn yn idiom Saesneg!’ said the
exasperated Mrs Edwards. The phrase
still haunts me to this day. Not a single
schoolboy essay went by without the
bloody phrase appearing scrawled in
the margin in blood red Welsh ink!

#14
 Ceffyl Anrheg

you love to indulge in is scanning signs Welsh reader some credit and offer
in the supermarket, restaurant menus something unique for making the effort
or hotel room welcome letters that to choose the Welsh over the English.
have been put through the translation This is not a nationalistic rant but a cry
mill. Oh how we laugh and cringe. I just for creative copy that each language
don’t get it. The non-Welsh speaker can be proud of.
won’t read it, and if he or she did they
As a case in point we were asked
might as well be reading double Dutch,
recently by a new client to provide our
while the Welsh speaker will just find
own take on an English web text which
it hilarious. Who gains there? Nobody,
they wanted to translate creatively.
except the so-called translator. Hey, I’m
We do not profess to be a translation
not one to knock good effort when it is
company but the client liked our use of
due…but come on…use your loaf!
Welsh on our website and wanted to
We need what I’m calling avoid the usual translation by numbers.
‘NouveauCymru’ writing. We duly obliged. We did a trial piece.
The next time you are given a They loved it. We got the commission.
translation job to do, read the English, Does that make us a translation
get the gist and then put it to one company? No. NouveauCymru writing
side. Start writing the Welsh version company? Yes.
based on what you remember reading Dyna fe folks!
in English, not what is written word
Rhodri Ellis Owen, Cambrensis
for word. Read it back to yourself in
Communications, see his profile and
Welsh…lot more meaningful don’t you
details in the contributors section at the
think? Forget trying to capture every
back of this issue.
word…what’s important is the true
‘essence’ of Welsh.
There are some exceptions, legal
documents for example must match
the English case law but when it
comes to the type of work us creative
types do on a daily basis the rules
of engagement need to flex a bit.
Why produce a Welsh version if the
Welsh speaker finds it easier to read
the English? We need to give the

#15
Why work where we work?

When it comes to finding a studio

space, what’s important? Any space is
surrounded by the obvious economic
reasons; transport, local facilities and
most importantly price, but does this
extend any further?

Why work
where we
work?
When I first moved to the bay our
studio was no more than 8m square,
but it was a space that quickly became
home. An old historical building,
with strong architectural features,
segregated into offices with large
ugly blocks; all painted a clinical
shade of white and lined with a harsh
hardwearing blue carpet; a window
that looked onto an aging brick wall
of a derelict building. A closer look
at the details brought forward and
understanding of the buildings history
something that inspired you when you
realise the generations that used the
cast iron windows decades before you,
never envisaging their use as a make
shift light box or a day dreaming portal.
Even so the space soon became
lined with inspirational junk mail
and pickings from magazines and
exhibitions, which all come together
and reinforce the aspirations we all
have for our working environments.
I guess the next question I should ask
is why I choose Cardiff Bay as a home

#16
 Why work where we work?

for the studio? We’re forever being

told that these days a business can
But am I fooling myself to think that any
of us choose our studio space based I’m fucked if I
know! So, we
exist anywhere through connections on inspiring location, architectural
with e-mail and the web. But when I’m features and it’s historical, cultural, and
confronted by these statements I often creative links? I’m sure most choose
think of how communities are formed
and how the world has developed
a place of work based on availability
and price, which can only amount to
asked a few
through face to face communication:
I don’t find the most inspiring things
a siphon of creativity and a monotone
style produced by our designers:
people.
sat at home working at a laptop 24/7, design led by magazines and not the
knowing that I’m connected to China life of a community.
via a run down office block in Slough.
I know the technology thing is cool,
being an interactive designer I’m
heavily involved with it, but what I need
is to be inspired; by my place of work
and everything associated with it.
Even on my journey into work I see
new things each day; ads, pools of
rubbish and fashions; most certainly
new fashions; people that stand out
from the mix of black, blue and grey
suites that walk to work in the city’s
many offices each day.

THIS WA
Y

#17
Why work where we work?
BWA design with
a splash of life in
Hay-on-Wye
Us: How did you find your offices?
BWA: Via a local estate agent
Us: What was it about the location that was
particularly good for you?
BWA: We relocated our main office to Hay-
on-Wye from London because we like fresh
air, we want to get out into the mountains
and we believe in enjoying life and getting
the work/life balance right. We took a risk
because many of our clients are London
based – but we visit London weekly and
business is thriving so no regrets. We are
also increasingly working with regionally
based clients.
Us: Was it your first place?
BWA: No, we started off in a bothy in the
middle of the woods. Great for lunchtime
walks.
Us: If no, Why did you move from there?
BWA: It was very small, cold in winter and
in the middle of no-where. So we finally
moved (to our house) to the middle of
no-where and ‘commuted’ to a new rented
office in Hay-on-Wye for some town life. It’s
more convenient to be in town – near the
post office, easier for deliveries and easier
for clients to find us – and at least possible
to buy a sandwich if you forget to make one.
Us: Do you think it is important where you
work location wise or do you think you could
do the same things no matter where you
worked?
BWA: Hay-on-Wye as a location for the
business works for us – we’re happy and
busy. Hay is a thriving town boosted by the
national media for a couple of weeks each
year during the Literary Festival – therefore
gets a look in from a few relevant clients,
plus those who happen to come here on
holiday. We can easily reach London (by
train from Hereford); and we meet clients
in Wales, the South East and the Midlands,
so all round it’s good business with a great
quality of life.
#18
Us: If not where you work now, where would
your dream office be?
BWA: We currently rent our space, so round
the corner (in Hay-on-Wye) where we would
like to eventually buy a building (when
somewhere comes up) to create our own
office space.
Us: Do you think Wales makes the most out
of its design talents?
BWA: We’d certainly love to part of the new
exposure – and to network more with other
design agencies. It would be good to learn
from others – as well as know who we may
be competing with for jobs!
Haverfordwest
a Coterie of
designers
Us: How did you find your offices?
Tracy: Through an artist friend that knew the
space was coming up for rent. The
landlord is a picture framer and it had
been the shop front to his business until
he decided to work just from his workshop.
He’d had offers from hairdressers, sandwich
shops etc but
was keen to let it for something art related.
Us: What was it about the location that was
particularly good for you?
Tracy: It’s set on the riverside, along an
old tow path just off the old bridge coming
into the centre of town, very picturesque.
It was important to have a quiet spot that
people enjoy visiting and spending time
in the gallery away from the hustle bustle
of the high street. The actual building
itself was perfect as it’s a listed building,
full of character with lots of original
features,wonderful light coming in and
particularly upstairs was perfect for my
studio.
Us: Do you think it is important where you
work location wise or do you think you could
do the same things no matter where you
worked?
Tracy: Having worked from home before
this has made a real difference to my work.
I no longer have to shut myself away to get
work done, but enjoy being up in my studio.
It allows me to work alongside running
the gallery and I get to meet all sorts of
interesting people through the gallery, often
making interesting connections. It means I
get feedback on my work directly from my
customers which is really important.
Us: If not where you work now, where would
your dream office be?
Tracy: Anywhere with a fantastic view and
lots of light. I can’t help my mind wandering
whilst working so it’s nice to watch the
ducks playing on the river!
Us: Do you think Wales makes the most out
of its design talents?
Tracy: No, not nearly enough. On a more
local level Pembrokeshire has a vast
amount of artists and designers, and the
County Council has absolutely no interest in
helping or promoting its talents in any way.
One of my main reasons for
setting up Coterie was the lack of
opportunities for new designers to show
their work within Wales. I don’t think we
have anything near the scale of Origin,
100% Design, Bovey Tracey Contemporary
Craft fair to name a few.
YourMindsEye
turns a chapter
Us: How did you find your offices?
Jamie: The company had already moved
into Chapter when I started....but I believe
my predecessor found out about it via word
of mouth after attending some photography
classes here.
Us: What was it about the location that was
particularly good for you?
Jamie: The great thing about Chapter is
that it is, an Arts Centre and therefore by its
nature, a hub of creativity. Your exposed to
a mix of creative talent working in a variety
fields. This exposure has a positive impact
in influencing and informing your own work.
Us: Do you think it is important where you
work location wise or do you think you could
do the same things no matter where you
worked?
Jamie: There is a definite positive impact
to having a pleasant working environment.
Particularly an environment you feel
comfortable, confident and relaxed in. The
more relaxed and confident you are the
better the quality of work you will produce.
Us: If not where you work now, where would
your dream office be?
Jamie: Probably over looking a beach
somewhere on the Gower, near where I
live. You could gather inspiration from the
beautiful views and (nip out for a quick surf
whenever there were waves). The problem
would be, of course, that we would be
removed from our client base and no-one
would be able to find us!
 Why work where we work?

Us: Do you think Wales makes the most out

of its design talents?
Jamie: While things have improved recently
we definitely need to expose ourselves to
larger markets. I’m surprised there are no
Assembly led initiatives to develop networks
between business in London and Design
Agencies in Wales. It would be a mutually
beneficial association with the London
Businesses bringing the bigger contracts
and the Welsh Design Agencies bringing the
talent and skills at more competitive rates.
Sequence
Us: How did you find your offices?
Paul: We reviewed several offices in
Cardiff including locations at the Bay and
across town. We used the services of a
local property specialist - James Perry of
Middleton Perry to help us with the search,
this was invaluable not just in location
choice but in understanding the range of
options in property charges and contracts.
Us: Do you think it is important where
you work location wise or do you think you
could do the same things no matter where
you worked?
Paul: I think for our business, location is
incredibly important.
Our offices are in a good central point for
our clients and staff. As I mentioned earlier
being near the station is important because
we have clients that come up from London
and all over the UK and because of our city
centre location they can step off the train
and literally into our offices.

Burning Red Us: What was it about the location that was
particularly good for you?
There is also a growing New Media scene in
Cardiff and as Wales’ leading digital agency
Paul: We selected Fitzalan House on the we need to be in the heart of Cardiff so
Us: How did you find your offices?
basis of great location - in professional that we can actively be a part of the media
Alex: Through an existing client.
services area, near Queen Street Station, culture in Wales.
near several client offices, useful for staff to
Us: What was it about the location that was
use shops etc. Us: If not where you work now, where would
particularly good for you?
Alex: The office was our primary concern, your dream office be?
Us: Was it your first place? Paul: We are actually very happy with the
location was a benefit with it being down
Paul: No, our first office was on Bridge location of our office, we perhaps would like
the bay.
Street, Cardiff. to extend our offices.
Us: Was it your first place?
Us: If no, why did you move from there?
Alex: No - had an office down titan park...
Paul: Our old offices served us well for
7 years from the start of the business,
Us: So, why did you move from there?
however staffing numbers and the need
Alex: Changing in people and structure of
for a dedicated, custom built data centre,
the business...
dual route telecoms access, parking and
fresh facilities for staff were all factors in
Us: Do you think it is important where you
choosing to move.
work location wise or do you think you could
do the same things no matter where you
worked?
Alex: Yes and no, you can do the same
things wherever, however - the important
thing is the people to help drive, develop
and push you ... plus friendly (ahem ;) )
competition is a good thing some times.

Us: If not where you work now, where would

your dream office be?
Alex: Nancy (france)

Us. Do you think Wales makes the most out

of its design talents?
Alex: Yes and no; why do some ‘big firms’
think they need ‘big english-based agencies’
to develop their identity etc instead of
investing in home-grown talents... and thats
from an englishman!

#19
Editorial

#20

Places
we
love
New onto the design scene in
west Wales this year is Coterie, a
contemporary design gallery and shop
showing just how talented this hidden
corner of Wales is. Set up by furniture
and accessories designer Tracy
Watkins, Coterie is quickly establishing
itself as a premier design centre. Borne
out of Tracy’s passion for design and
her frustration at the lack of access
to well designed quality products in
west Wales, as well as the lack of help
and facilities for talented designers
to get their work out there, Coterie
is dedicated to the promotion of
emerging design practitioners helping
them to get their first foot on the ladder.
Editorial
Showcasing the very best in applied
art, furniture, textiles, ceramics, glass,
jewellery, accessories, in fact anything
design-led, Coterie is all about showing
original work from emerging and
established designers, with the majority
of the work from within Wales. Holding
preview evenings for launching new
work and introducing new designers
with regularly changing exhibitions
Coterie is well worth the trip. Relaxed
and friendly, Coterie is situated on the
riverside in Haverfordwest, just down
the steps off the bridge, opposite
the council offices, open Monday to
Saturday 10am - 6pm. See
www.coteriedesign.com for more info.
#21
A professional touch
This September UWIC’s Graphic
Design third year were part of a
scheme that hoped to help this
problem. Four Cardiff Design
Agencies were approached by UWIC,
they were asked to set a brief and
effectively be clients for four distinctly
different briefs. The four agencies
which took on the challenge were
Hoffi, Staziker Jones, Stills and
Sweet creative.
There were some very challenging
briefs. The running theme though
was branding with Stills asking their
groups to look into the rebranding of
Cardiff, and no less ambitious was
Sweets brief to rebrand St David’s
Hall. Staziker Jones and Hoffi both
gave live briefs to the students with
Staziker asking the students to look
into the branding and supporting
literature for a fitness company,
and Hoffi asked their two groups to
explore the branding and promotional
material for a new start up company
called Ted and Karlsson.
The overall objective of the project
was to give the students an insight
into handling clients expectations and
A professional
touch
As practicing designers who now have a job, it
is always easy to forget those first few months
trying to get a that elusive job. Being told you
need experience but not being able to gain
experience because you cannot get employed.
Catch 22 as always.
#22
also seeing levels of professionalism
that is needed when they gain a
job in the industry. The initiative has
been running for several years now,
however this year it was the first time
that students had been asked to
work in teams. The idea being it may
help the students realise what their
strengths are. It is hoped that some of
the contacts gained will continue and
possibly lead to direct work or through
the addition of such a piece in their
portfolio help gain them a job.
Hoffi’s Director Julian Sykes comments
“I know for others they have been
involved in previous years, however
for us it was the first time we have
been involved. Like the other agencies
have said it was a mix of being a
client but also guiding them and
helping them. For us it was particularly
important as the project is a live one
and we hope that we can continue the
relationship on to get a final outcome
to the project”.
 Editorial

Orange Cheese
£1.99
At your local shop

Advertise?
hello@nakedwales.com #23
there’s millions say’s jeffery

there’s
millions
say’s jeffery
Over the years there has been the idea that
big is better and what could be better than
somewhere where you can get everything?
Look at the huge out of town supermarkets that
have devastated the small town retail outlets.
Everything is under one roof and so there is no
reason to go anywhere else. Right?
The design scene up until twenty Designers seem now to becoming
years ago has been set upon a similar overwhelmed by the sheer diversity of
notion where big is beautiful, and what they should be able to do. To this
with the idea that companies want to end, design companies are now seeing
come to designers to deal with all their a new value in resurrecting the idea
design problems. In the last twenty of a specialism within their field. Over
years, however, the design industry the last two years the Design Council
has evolved hugely. It has established and Creative Cultural Skills have been
product, communication and interior working with over 4,000 designers to
design sectors which are joined with create a ‘UK Design Industry Skills
other design fields such as service Development Plan’ under the name of
design, business strategies design, the Design Skills Advisory Panel. The
and experience design, to name but report is an in-depth plan of how the
a few. design sector can carry on it’s success

#24

One of the most recent examples of this type
of approach is the re-branding of S4C by Proud
Creative. Proud used a number of collaborators
for the S4C brand.
within the British economy; by looking
at the present situation in industry and
education, and also suggesting ways of
improving the current situation.
The report has already made quite
an impact within the design scene.
Hopefully the education sector will
take on the suggestions of the report
so we can maintain our industry as
being the largest design sector in
Europe, with an annual turnover in
excess of £11.6bn. One question this
report seems to bring about is if all of
these new types of design sectors are
opening up is it possible for design
agencies to really do everything under
one roof? For many, the answer is a
resounding no. Design Agencies are
realising the advantages of specialising
in certain aspects of design and
forming strong alliances with other like-
minded companies. If a large job does
come up they can then call upon their
collaborators.
This has been used more and more
over the past decade or so. One of the
most recent examples of this type of
approach is the re-branding of S4C by
Proud Creative. Proud used a number
of collaborators for the S4C brand.
Helping with the consultancy they
turned to onedotzero. For production
(of some of the projects) they worked
with a collective called Rare. For the
initial idents for S4C they worked with
award winning Director Simon Ratigan,
and more recently with Minivegas.
Other collaborators on the projects
included Freefarm, The Acid Casuals,
Marc Ortmans, Folk Design, Rushes,
John Hill, Ariane Geil and Lineto.
While it could be said that this type of
collaboration has been happening for
years in the design industry, it seems
now that design agencies are being
a lot more open about the fact that
they are collaborating. Rather than
the traditional view of seeing it as a
weakness having to get someone in to
do something they cannot, agencies
are now seeing that being a specialist
is a strength and not a weakness, and
rather than clients getting mediocrity
across the board they are now getting
the cream from all the fields. One
question that does come to mind is the
very reason why agencies previously
kept their collaborations under wraps.
This was so they could put a mark up
on that particular part of the job, just
like many still do today with print work.
While one can understand a general
project management fee being added
onto the companies quotation it does
seem to now be almost a no-no to add
a mark up on top of that. The reason
being is that the client knows who
the agency is working alongside as it
has been an open process from the
start, and so they could quite easily
go direct to that agency. So how do
collaborations counter this idea?
Perhaps by the very name collaboration
or collective, by being part of strong
collectives or collaborations. Working
with multiple companies has many
more advantages over using just a
single company, in the same way as in
the natural world strength is achieved
in numbers. If there are numerous
there’s millions say’s jeffery
companies joined together mutual trust
can be gained which potentially can
create a larger catchment area for each
individual company involved in that
collective. So if a company specialises
in branding but is approached by
someone who wants a website they
will be able to point them towards their
website agency within the collective.
There is no doubt that this type of
working has been used before, but
now with the latest technology people
don’t have to even be local to each
other. Sometimes people don’t even
need to be in the same country. The
traditional designers’ friend -- the
macintosh computer - is leading the
way in making this possible. With
the integration of ichat and ivideo
allowing people to chat via video, and
also being able to share documents
between .mac accounts which allows
all involved access to the project,
which can then be downloaded onto
a video iPod or through their WiFi
MacBook Pro.
All of these new advancements have
made this type of work easier, and
it seems as technology advances
then we can imagine that the way of
communicating will become more
and more sophisticated, perhaps as
sophisticated as a face to face meeting
can be. For now, we are very much
at the new beginning of this way of
working, and time will tell whether it
becomes the norm. However, it does
seem that to be a specialist is the new
holy grail for design.
#25
Killing Creativity
KillingCre-
ativity
We created it. We helped it grow, We publicised it.
Why would an industry based on creativity, create
such a situation? What is it?
F ree pitching. By free pitching I
mean it is the process where design
agencies produce design work for no
money this is either as a speculative
proposal or for a particular tender that
is open to a public tendering process.
Within the design industry free pitch-
ing has now become commonplace
for large tenders, and now it is even
creeping into smaller jobs. Free pitch-
ing probably began when too many
design agencies grew too quickly.
Then when work got scarce, agencies
would ask their designers to produce
work speculative design pieces to try
and gain that elusive new client. So
from this small beginning oak trees are
made. Agencies are now being asked
to produce work for free time and time
again. During a year an agency could
#26
lose anything from 10,000-500,000
pounds in wasted time. Time that could
although if you were to win the tender
then the rewards would be great it is
be used on paid work. Now that free anything but a certainty, so working on
pitching has become the norm, com- such tenders has to be fitted in be-
panies who send out these tenders do tween paid work. So are clients really
not think there is anything wrong with getting the best from these agencies?
asking agencies to work for free. For
The answer seems to be a resound-
companies it is an easy ride as they
ing no. The frustration coming from
get to see visuals/designs before they
the agency having to produce work
have to choose an agency. The design
in between paid jobs surely sublimi-
market place does not help the situa-
nally comes through in the work they
tion, with new design agencies setting
produce for the tender. It also deval-
up all the time. These companies have
ues the whole design industry, unlike
to get work anyway they can, and
other industries it is our creativity and
while not ideal free pitching does allow
ideas that we sell rather, not a physi-
them to compete on an equal playing
cal product. So if we give this away for
field against more established agen-
free, then it is really telling clients that
cies. Working on these free pitches
we don’t have value on our work.
is always a balancing act because
 Killing Creativity

So it seems to be up to us to start
to re-educate our potential clients.
Explaining to them why free pitching
can lead to a negative outcome. For an
agency that works on unpaid pitches
their other clients are inadvertently pay-
ing for this free work. Put another way
if an agency has a client in the furniture
industry and they tender for another
furniture manufacturer project the 1st
furniture manufacturer is actually inad-
vertently paying for it’s competitor to
get a possible better project. The ten-
der process also brings into question
‘I think by running a paid pitch
process agencies realised how
It also seems to bring into question the
seriousness of the client and it’s proj-
ect, for if you were really serious about
a project that was going to represent
your company in some way would you
really be happy with something that
was bought for free and produced in
someone’s free time?
This has lead some companies to
begin to see the negatives within free
pitching and also to see the negative
aspects of how their company is then
perceived. Penn Trevella Head of Mar-
keting for the Wales Millennium Centre
- if you run a sloppy process then you
increase the chances of getting a
sloppy result’.
It must be these kind of tender pro-
cesses and pitches that we make
public and shout about the outcomes
being positive and more Penn Com-
ments ‘I think the time we invested
gave us a better outcome and I would
think that as we were paying them the
agencies were more willing to commit
time to preparing their pitch.’
While hard to say for definite it seems
that the outcome for the company has
been what they wanted and in some
cases surpassed what they were ex-
pecting for as well as the actual brand
they also learnt about themselves
through the process.

serious we were about the project
and our quality and professionalism
expectations’.
the relationship between the agency
and client. The tender process is much
more of a scenario based on exploita-
tion rather than benefit. These are both
ways for the client and the agency. So
assuming the agency wins the pitch
and they get the work the initial feeling
is of excitement and relief however the
work that has already been produced
has to be swallowed up somehow.
Either the agency absorbs the costs
which would mean that they become
reliant on pitching and so they become
financially unstable. Another option
maybe that employees work unpaid
on such pitches, which doesn’t create
a particularly good feeling within the
agecy. Or the costs of an unpaid pitch
are added to all jobs as identified previ-
ously with companies applying for the
free pitching.
At the moment it only seems to be only
a few companies that are seeing paid
tenders/pitches as the way forward
with the majority of companies still us-
ing traditional free pitching. As design-
ers while it is obviously hard to take
the leap of faith we must all look to
has recently overseen the re-brand- stop producing work for free. No other
industry gives away their products for
ing of the WMC through a tendering
free, so why should we? We should
process where there was an initial
if possible also champion compa-
public request of interested agencies
nies that start to pay for their pitching
which was answered through agency
processes, and through this we can
supplying a proposal document. From
hopefully show the companies that still
the agencies who supplied a proposal
persist in making companies work for
document there was a second phase
free take stock and see what they are
which was an interview, and then from
missing out on.
there a third phase which was for the
final selected four agencies, who were
given a creative brief, with this final
phase being a paid process.
The payment of the creative phase
of the tender was very important to
the WMC, Penn Trevella comments ‘I
think by running a paid pitch process
agencies realised how serious we
were about the project and our qual-
ity and professionalism expectations.
Client professionalism is a big thing

#27
My life as a Corsetier
My life as a Corsetier
It can be a strange mix of events
that bring one face to face with
one’s destiny.
Everything has to start somewhere
and mine started with my Mother
(not just for the obvious reasons). I
watched, fascinated, as she created
stylish yet quirky clothes for me
as a child, driven by her belief
that fashion for children was staid
and dull. The part that held my
attention this long while, is the
inventiveness with which she
approached this task, putting
her ideas together in a way
that reminded me of shuffling
a pack of “Happy Families”
cards – fascinating to a
child’s mind!
Different parts that ended
up together in a happy
symmetry would not
from the outset suggest
themselves for a good
match! Many problems of
dressing awkward children
she overcame in this way
- just as years ago, it was
seen as sensible for mittens
to be worn attached to a long
length of string hidden in the
back of the coat; left dangling
all day there, at the ends of
the sleeves like extra pairs of
cartoon hands…
Perhaps more closely to the point
was the day my Brother arrived
home wearing a corset. He was
aged 14. With hindsight, we are
glad to say that this turned out to
be more of a miracle than a freak
show, he had broken a vertebrae.
We had much to thank the corset
for lessening the impact of a strong
kick during a rugby match, to one
of some pain but normality, from the
more sobering alternative that might
have been. He was lucky.
#30
I was lucky too, as this began an
interest that has led me to spend
my life with corsets. They are such
remarkable inventions. It seems
that no other garment has a stronger
magic for us in our modern,
western world.
I constructed every type of historic
corset and showed a few of these to
my friends. Perhaps not surprisingly,
I was met with “Dear Girl! What
a curious occupation - we threw
these away years ago! We’ve had
‘Women’s Liberation’ since then!”
They were right; these good natured
society ladies knew one thing:
Corsets, these days were now just
‘fetish wear’. I was going to have to
do a lot of ‘explaining myself’…
Interestingly, I realised, corsets
have never paused for long in their
relentless march through history.
(Although really - who would want
to squeeze themselves into one of
those now?)
- worn for centuries, those corsets
reflected the way women of the past
were smaller as a result. Of course! I
decided: today’s women would want
corsets for women of today.
Since the earliest times, there
has been a preoccupying need to
avoid flopping around under our
clothing. It isn’t seemly, and not in
the least comfortable. It also leads
to stress on the body, ageing and
sagging. For the sake of many such
unpleasant reasons, it has always
been supposed that a supportive,
structured solution would provide the
necessary, more pleasant results.
I set to work and produced 52
styles that gave different, but truly
comfortable, figure shaping results
while Madonna leapt memorably into
the nation’s consciousness; corset
fever had gripped society once more.

There are 2 noteworthy lapses in
corset-wearing; the early nineteenth
century, when women fancied
themselves to be Grecian Goddesses;
floating along dreamily, apparently
naked underneath their gauzy,
flowing robes.
When 1960’s women responded to
cries of “burn your bras - for women’s
lib”… disappointingly, many would
have suffered a less buoyant figure as
a result.
So much for trying to go without what
pleases men; we must realise that if
the so called “battle of the sexes” is to
be won, then it is the need to address
what pleases women that counts.
There were many intriguing pointers
along the way. My early life with
my parents led me to discover and
consider the more exciting and
glamorous world that lay beyond
the immediate surrounds of a quiet
country existence in rural Wales.
Their weekends were spent in the
company of well-known London
characters enjoying their popularity
and success. I met Fashion designer
Mr. Freedom and followed with
interest the fabulous leather fashions
of the Greenwich Family collective
as their clothing went down a storm
throughout London boutiques. While
my mother chatted with Stephanie
Beacham and my father danced
the night away with Marsha Hunt,
impressions were forming in my mind.
We made some of the 52 styles in
beautiful variations of colours, silks
and eveningwear ensembles. Not just
a new dress, but a whole new shape!
We found they sold well in London
and the provinces. Making corsets
work in a way that was exactly right
for an individual’s proportions and
needs for comfort became my most
My life as a Corsetier
pressing preoccupation. My corsets, I
thought, have a job to do; it is beauty
and body maintenance.
This happy circumstance of being
surrounded by women delighted
with their shapely figures and new
confidence brought me to realise
what the next part of my journey
should be - they looked fabulous for
a wonderful evening out but what
about during the day? (For some,
it seems, it didn’t bear thinking
about). What could I do to help,
they wondered?
I designed another corset and
took it to a show at Geneva
and London.
“A traditional corset is not
particularly suitable or
appropriate for wearing under
a modern woman’s every
day wardrobe, or office
clothes!” I explained. The
corset won an award. The
“Everyday Corset”™
was launched.
Our grandmothers knew
that wearing corsetry will
mould and reshape the figure
naturally, supporting the flesh
without allowing it to sag. A
properly fitted, well constructed
corset will give gentle support to
the muscles of the stomach and
lumbar region, an additional benefit
to the wearer.
To find out more about Victoria
Whiteland Couture Corsetry and the
“Everyday Corset” please visit:
www.vwhiteland.com
www.everydaycorset.com
www.victoriawhiteland.com
www.inspiredbyruby.
#31
Want to contribute on the next issue?
email: hello@nakedwales.com
Product is paramount

Product is
paramount: a look at how product
design is changing…

#34

Product design has always been about
the end user. In it’s purest form, it is the
creation of an item that fulfils a clear
function. The first man to create an
arrowhead from flint, or carve a mug
from a chunk of wood was a designer.
He was creating an item that fulfilled
a clear function. Today, societies
expectations of design and designers
have evolved to a point that transcends
mere function.
For example, how as designers,
manufacturers and consumers can we
justify the creation, and purchase of a
new mug, when thousands of perfectly
functional designs exist? The reason
is, in this one simple object we jointly
continue to seek the perfect balance of
form, proportion, function, ergonomics,
material, manufacturing processes
and surface pattern. Each element
in time will stand to reveal a subtle
but briefglimpse in to our desires,
aspirations and state of our society at
the time of it’s creation.
New technologies will always ask
people to engage a product in a new
way. They have also speeded up
the design process, become more
affordable and reduced the margin of
error (e.g. 3d cad, rapid prototyping).
All of this has lead to the design
industry becoming increasingly
competitive.
Whilst new technologies have speeded
up the design process in a number of
ways, the information age we live in
has created a user with more power
that demands more from a product.
They criticise, and eliminate. They
experience, and celebrate. This is
an opportunity to engage with ones
market, listen to the users wants and
needs, assess how they interact with a
Product is paramount
product, and in true ethnographic style, in the last 20 years. Pressures from
evaluate where one is falling short, organisations and extensive lobbying
where improvements can be made and has sparked a consumer backlash
make a better product. with regards to the packaging of a
product, as well as the manufacturing
Involving the market during the design
processes used in its production. This
and development process creates a
has manifested in the design of the
bond with a brand. One that doesn’t
products themselves.
need to be convinced through marketing
and advertising activities. This holistic Short term we must ensure we use
approach means refining one’s abilities existing new material as efficiently
as a designer to extract and translate as possible, as well as recycling.
user wants and needs from surveys, Long term we must look to create
focus groups and though observation all new materials that are derived
into a workable and successful product. from sustainable resources. We
By incorporating this into the design must continue to ask what makes a
process we seek to reduce the margin successful product, and use our market
of error that new technology can’t. to help us find the answer. A product
Assessing human response and that enhances the life of the user; that
interaction. Providing a platform from creates and sustains employment; that
which user needs can be translated into does not have an overly detrimental
a design and thus into a brand. effect on its environment; that makes
a statement about the time and
It is widely accepted that the product
consciousness in which it was created,
is the brand. A product is often the one
and only dares to hope that in time
tangible element that the consumer
it transcends the increasing need for
has to interact with the company in
trend driven product and stand as
an intimate way. A poorly designed
simply, good design.
product effects brand equity. One’s
perception of Apple as a company for
example, is as much about the ipod
you carry, or the imac you sit behind,
as it is about the traditional notions of
the brand.
A product must embody and capture
the spirit of a brand. This is the point
at which the market engages and
interacts with a brand and where,
brand values must be delivered. It is
where customer loyalty is won and lost.
The major challenges facing product
design today are not only ones ability
to facilitate the perfect product,
in terms of usability, function and
appearance. We cannot continue to
consume in the way we have been
#35
“Perhaps they’re too busy filling out
mind numbing tender documents for
poorly conceived project briefs that
they’re not allowed to query”

You might buy a kettle and you’ll know

the brand name and even be swayed
to make the purchase because of
your awareness and trust in the brand
values, but would you, and should you
know the name of its designer?
There are of course celebrity designers
who have become household names;
James Dyson, Paul Smith, Laura
Ashley for example. But beyond the
limits of the design world who knows
who designed the new branding for
the Wales Millennium Centre, the
furniture for the foyer of the Senedd,
or the attractive new packaging on
the supermarket shelves?* I often
find myself searching unsuccessfully
through printed material, catalogues,
annual reports or tourism brochures for
some mention of the designers.
Successful accountants and solicitors
tend to be visible to the business
community and to the public. In
contrast design companies are much
less visible as is the vital contribution
they make to business success. Don’t
you find that surprising considering
communication is a vital part of their
work? Perhaps they’re too busy filling
out mind numbing tender documents
for poorly conceived project briefs that
they’re not allowed to query until after
the contract has been awarded. When
will people realise that designers can
help a client form an appropriate brief.
There is a higher concentration of
quality design in Wales than in other
similarly populated regions in the
UK. The local design industry is
busy exporting its expertise far and
wide outside Wales. Recent Design
Council research concluded that Welsh
Companies are slightly more likely than
average to appreciate the potential for
design to affect business success both
positively and negatively
Welsh businesses also have a slightly
higher number of in-house design
departments than average. It maybe
that this demonstrates a greater
commitment to design which should
be welcomed. But could it be that
creativity is stifled if employees are
unwilling to speak out and suggest
more exciting and higher risk design
solutions?
Despite these positive findings there
remains a profound complacency
about quality design in Wales. That is
why there is an enormous job to be
done to highlight the really first class
work that goes un-noted. Three years
ago The Cardiff Design Festival was
launched to remedy this omission.
We were amazed to uncover all the
work of international standard here
on our doorstep.

FBA
Attic 2,
Sweet,
*Answers;
Credit where
credit’s due
It’s often impossible to tell who
the creator of a beautiful or
effective design is.
Olwen Moseley
Many of the design disciplines are
represented: The best of product,
furniture, graphics, fashion, textiles
and multimedia design is showcased.
Design related events are staged
across the city and regionally. Young
design companies are encouraged,
established design companies
recognised and celebrated.
The Festival is growing. We’ve taken
to the international stage with a
showcase of this work at the Dutch
Design Week in Eindhoven and to the
Istanbul Design Festival. We’ve also
hosted a delegation from the Chinese
creative industries.
Credit where credit’s due
In October 2008 we will be to be
further defining our international profile
by hosting the Design Management
Europe Awards in Cardiff. This will
bring top CEO’s from businesses all
over Europe to our doorstep. With To find out how you can participate
partners and sponsors from the City contact
Council, the Welsh Assembly, the Olwen Moseley or Angie Dutton
business and education communities Cardiff Design Festival
the Festival can demonstrate just how Cardiff School of Art & Design
strong and vibrant creativity is here. UWIC
It will need to be a joint effort to show 02920 41 6628
that Cardiff truly is the most energetic
omoseley@uwic.ac.uk
and creative capital city in Europe
adutton@uwic.ac.uk
– join us in showing this to the world.
Actions speak louder than words. www.cardiffdesignfestival.com
#37
Cliniqué
A special Portfolio Clinic organised as
part of the Cardiff Design Festival saw
established and experienced designers
from across Cardiff giving advice and
guidance on presentation, pitching
and portfolio layout to this year’s
design graduates.
The event, held at Cardiff Audi’s state
of the art showroom at Cardiff Gate,
saw more than 20 of Wales’ leading
design company bosses and creative
directors matched with graduates
from across the design spectrum,
including interior architecture, graphic
communications and design for
interactive media.
Cliniqué
Organiser Olwen Moseley, Enterprise
Co-ordinator at Cardiff School of Art
& Design, UWIC said: “We have been
delighted by the support from design
studios across south east Wales.
This type of event gives graduates
a real opportunity to showcase their
portfolios and CVs, and the refine
their pitches without the pressure of a
job interview or presentation. This is
how they learn what is required in the
design world to gain a commission or
longer term job.”
#38
The designers giving their time to the
students were drawn from various
marketing communications, graphics
and interior design companies,
giving the graduates a chance to get
views and advice from three different
professionals about their work and how
best to present it.
Huw Moseley, managing director of the
design consultancy Eastlake Design
Partnership (epd), was impressed by
what he saw at the Portfolio Clinic. He
said: “The quality of work presented
today has demonstrated the range of
talent and creative thinking joining the
sector this year. Helping these young
designers to improve their presentation
and portfolios is worthwhile, not just
because its good to help graduates get
a good start, but also give me a broad
overview of the calibre and variety of
skill sets coming through the system.”
As well as Eastlake, Attic 2, Mode,
Info Group and Hoffi, to name a few,
all took time out of their schedules to
take part in the clinic, all of whom felt
strongly about supporting the local
design scene and trying to make it as
successful and vibrant as possible.
From the feedback of the event it does
seem to have been a success.
Claire Hughes, 22 from Bridgend,
has just gained a 2:1 honours interior
architecture degree. She said: “The
Portfolio Clinic has given me a chance
to see what is expected by design
bosses, and to test my presentation
and CV at the kind of people who will
hopefully be giving me a job soon.
The advice I have received today has
helped me tweak my portfolio layout
and given me an insight about the
kinds of questions I might be asked at
interview. I think I now have a real edge
over at the outset, rather than having
to waste job interview opportunities in
order to get my pitch right.”
Huw concluded: “I have high hopes
for the future. If these designers
are anything to go by, the creative
sector in Wales is clearly a hotbed of
talent and I look forward to following
the careers of these young people.
Hopefully, some of them will remain
in Cardiff and help us to cement the
city’s position as a major creative hub
capable of taking on the best from
London and across the UK.”
Due to the success of the event it
is hoped that it will now become a
regular event during the Cardiff Design
Festival. With the Festival moving
to October for next year it is hoped
that more students will attend the
event. And that the idea could also be
exported to other areas of Wales so
that it will include as much of the Welsh
design scene as possible.
 Editorial

Photographer?
Contribute
hello@nakedwales.com #39
Seven tips

Darragh Murphy, PDR, UWIC

seven
tips
Over the summer I interviewed
some of the UK nominees for
the 2007 Design Management
Europe Award DME. The
nominees represent some of
the most innovative businesses
in the country, they standout
for their financial and strategic
investment in design.
The DME Award is not a design award Each company’s motives for using
but a business award recognising the design ranged from survival to profit,
skills and leadership of management from world domination to saving
to implement design successfully to lives. Their products ranged from the
achieve commercial success or deliver inconspicuous to the extraordinary,
services. Funded by the European from the most basic duty to the cutting
Commission under the INNO- edge of digital technology. These
Actions initiative the award is open to beginning and end points demonstrate
businesses from micro size to large, the breath of the subject and suggest
non-profit and national government the diversity of the practice.
organisations. To win one of the
So too are the management styles of
awards represents recognition by
the company directors interviewed:
an international jury to lead innovation,
Nigel Quinn of Nightingale Beds draws
implement change and excellence
on his military training to deliver a
in management.
design objective; Giovanni Benedetti
Capturing and presenting Design of Benedetti International enforces his
Management practices at a case ‘radical innovation’ mantra which he
by case level is an exercise in story perfected through several company
telling and each story is very different. buy outs; and, John Braithwaite of

#40

The 2007 DME Award will be held at the Red
Dot Design Museum, Germany on the 22nd
November. The University of Wales Institute,
Cardiff will be hosting the 2008 DME Award at
the Wales Millennium Centre during the Cardiff
Design Festival in October 2008.
Sunseeker International justifies the
lengths they go to in the pursuit of
excellence after forty years producing
luxury boats. That each company is
successful demonstrates that their
different approaches work for their
environment and market.
On the surface their approaches
to design are diverse and non
transferable but underneath the
processes are three core success
factors – strong leadership, a well
researched design brief and creativity.
Leadership supports the argument
that design is a symptom of good
management and that the design brief
is an indicator of how much a manager
knows his customer and is prepared
to investigate the opportunity. Creativity
is what the specialists are expected
to provide.
A common factor observed in all
of the companies is the attitude of
the managers. The most innovative
businesses challenge convention
and challenge the regulations and
standards that control their industry;
this is not a skill, it is an attitude.
Seven tips
To these businesses, design is a Get the brief right and then give
facilitator for innovation and therefore a designers the freedom to do whatever
core part of their enterprise. How they they want and trust they will come up
approach design from a manager’s with an answer.
point of view can be illustrated with
Paul Draper,
their top tips for managing design:
Bisque Radiators, Bath
Motivate the design team; be open,
Early and often, keep the designer
determined and committed with that
in the development process early
team so that the only thing that rubs of
and often.
you on that team is positive.
Dr Hugh Cormican,
Nigel Quinn,
Andor Technology, Belfast
Nightingale Care Beds, Wrexham
Keep design intent; keep the essence
Start with a totally radical solution and
of the original design throughout the
not just the same. You may end up
process
somewhere in the middle but don’t
waste time on 5% better. Graham Ballard,
Contour Premium Aircraft Seating,
Giovanni Benedetti,
Cwmbran
Benedetti International, Wishaw
Managing Vision – Aiming for the
Spend time at the beginning, fully
ultimate, pushing the limits all the time
understand the problem, the root
but knowing when to stop and go to
causes and the issues you are trying
production
to address with your solutions, there is
temptation to embark on the solution John Braithwaite,
too soon. Sunseeker International, Poole
(‘Making Headway’, John Boult, New
Professor David Cousins
Design, September 2001)
National Patient Safety Agency
NHS,London
#41
 Editorial
Contributors
RHODRI ELLIS OWEN – contributed by writing
‘Peidiwch edrych
ceffyl anrheg yn
y ceg….’
Chairman of Cambrensis
Communications and an Economics
with French graduate from the
Universities of Sussex and Toulouse,
Rhodri is a highly experienced
practitioner in the fields of public
relations in Wales. Since joining
Cambrensis in 1994, Rhodri has worked
as a public relations and copy writing
consultant for a number of high profile
organizations in Wales, including the
Countryside Council for Wales, Cadw,
S4C, Cyfle, the Welsh Books Council,
the Care Council for Wales and the
Design Commission for Wales.
Rhodri Ellis Owen
PR/Cysylltiadau Cyhoeddus
Cambrensis Communications Ltd
7 Romilly Crescent
Treganna/Canton
Caerdydd/Cardiff CF11 9NP
T: 02920 257 075
F: 02920 257 076
M: 07885 416 103
#42
HOFFI – contributed by
designing #1 of Naked Wales.
Design
Hoffi are a bilingual Design agency
based in Cardiff. Hoffi was born with
the idea of fun, sophistication, social
observation and lifestyle, providing
a truly unique creative experience
for us and our clients. Working
closely with you and utilising our
extensive knowledge, experience
and with a professional attitude. We
produce design that works socially,
commercially and creatively.
Professional logo and stationery
design through to complete brand
solutions. Brochures, Direct-mail
and flyer design. Powerful interactive
presentations and engaging interactive
CD-Roms. Accessible websites that
work with you, for your clients that
are developed to the latest standards
and Disability Discrimination
Act (DDA) compliancy.
Hoffi
Enterprise House
127 Bute Street
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff, CF10 5LE
T: 02920 487 941
F: 02920 487 941
E: shwmai@hoffi.com
W: www.hoffi.com
 Editorial

VICTORIA WHITELAND - contributed by writing

“My life as a
Corsetier”
I have been a designer of couture
corsetry, bridal and ball gowns for
many years. I am interested in the way
women see themselves today, we each
have such unique beauty.
I live in Carmarthenshire, in an old
farmstead by a river. I am lucky of
my wonderful team here and family.
Friends are composers and artists;
creativity is a celebration of life! When
in London I love to stay with my friends
who run the Tibetan Buddhist Centre,
Westminster, the perfect place to
unwind… vibrant colours, imagery, and
of course everyone there!
T: 01570 480 098
ANDREW PURNELL - contributed illustration
E: mail@inspiredbyruby.com
“Why we work
where we work”
Growing up on the rolling hills or
Dorset then moving to Wales to fulfill
a degree in Graphic Communications,
Andrew has found his footing in the
design scene in Cardiff. Working
along side successful club promoters
and squeezing in as much illustration
where he can. You can find an array of
Andrews ideas and creations on
his website
M: 07738 411 015
W: www.andpurnell.com
E: hello@andpurnell.com

#43
 OLWEN MOSELEY - contributed by writing

“Credit where
DARRAGH MURPHY - contributed by writing
credit’s due”
Principal Lecturer, Director of
“Seven Tips” Enterprise and Development

European Project Manager Department She joined the School of Art & Design
PDR RESEARCH at UWIC in 1996 and continues to
teach Graphic Communication in
Research Fellow at PDR, UWIC Project
addition to being Director of Enterprise
Manager for the Design Management
for the School, with responsibility
Europe Awards (DME) to be held in
for Industrial and Business Liaison
Cardiff 13th October 2008.
and Knowledge Transfer.In 2005
E: dmurphy-pdr@uwic.ac.uk she was named by ‘Design Week’
magazine as one of the ‘Hot Top 50’
PDR
most influential people in design in
UWIC
the UK for her role in establishing
Western Avenue
the Cardiff Design Festival. The last
Cardiff, CF5 2YB
two years’ festival successes were
T: 029 2041 6725 repeated again in July 2007. She is
F: 029 2041 6973 a Member of the Higher Education
E: info-pdr@uwic.ac.uk Academy. Her special interests within
education are; Professional Practice,
Creative Thinking & Idea Generation,
Typography and Information Design.
T: 02920 417 114
E: omoseley@uwic.ac.uk
W: www.cardiffdesignfestival.org
 Other
JULIAN SAUNDERS - contributed by writing
Contributors
“Product is
“Book Review”
paramount” Michelle Scott
Interior Designer
Julian Sanders is Creative Director and E: Michelle.r.scott@ntlworld.com
Founder of studio sda; a Cardiff based
design consultancy specialising in the
creation and development of brands “Tent London”
through the effective use of product Carl Andrews
design, graphic design and packaging Designer
design. Clients include Kenwood,
Wedgwood, Samuel Heath, Peter’s
Food Service, Abergavenny Fine Foods, “New Designers”
Ty Tanglwyst and Brushdoctor. UWIC
Julian Sanders
Creative Director Apologies if we missed anyone out
studio sda
8 Pacific Business Park
Pacific Road
Cardiff
CF24 5HJ
T: 02920 464 661
E: julian@studiosda.com
W: www.studiosda.com
/ 50