THE JOURNAL
of brands can make a bigger impact than individuals. But showrooms are also looking to make an impact in other ways, to create a better and more equitable world – and having more meaningful aims can bring business benefits as well as the feelgood factor. Giving back comes in many guises, including
I
straightforward philanthropy. As part of the 1% For The Planet scheme, hardware specialist Turnstyle Designs donates 2% or more of its annual turnover to environmental causes and organisations, as well as a further 1% to mental health charities. Some of the Design Centre’s brands are charities and social enterprises in themselves: Buy Boon & Up’s fabrics from Tissus d'Hélène and you’ll be supporting female weavers in rural Ghana, for example. Source textiles from Rubelli’s Peter Marino for Venetian Heritage collection and you’ll be helping a non-profit that safeguards Venice’s architectural and artistic masterpieces. Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen of Paolo Moschino Ltd started working with Italian charity
“IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE DESIGN INDUSTRY TO
UNDERSTAND THAT MENTORS
CAN GAIN AS MUCH FROM BEING IN A PROGRAMME AS MENTEES”
San Patrignano in 2019. This community, based in northern Italy, rehabilitates drug addicts through a live- in programme of vocational training, including artisan skills for interiors. “I discovered them on Instagram and bugged Paolo for months to arrange a visit to the community,” says Vergeylen. “We have since visited many times, and each visit is always a positive and uplifting experience. The enthusiasm of the people we work with has no bounds.” The first Boiserie collection of wallcoverings – based on works from the archive of Italian 20th-century master Renzo Mongiardino, which Vergeylen and Moschino discovered at San Patrignano – has grown to also encompass furniture, lamps, cashmere throws and bespoke objects. “I can ask [San Patrignano’s] Luca and Sandro anything. They never say no and always find a way to create the impossible,” says Vergeylen. For Moschino, the benefits go beyond business: “Whilst the sales of our products benefit the community financially, we are immensely proud to be a partner of San Patrignano and to be able to contribute to a community we admire. We have a close personal relationship with many people there.” Such stories show that there’s no conflict of interest between the luxury market and charity enterprises –
t’s long been the Design Centre’s ethos to create and nurture a community, and one of the reasons why brands are drawn to having a showroom here is because of the power of unity: a collective
the products are exceptional first and foremost, and for those who want to know more, there’s a great story going on behind the scenes. Turning adverse circumstances into beauty is also
the goal of Designs in Mind. The Shropshire-based charity runs an art studio for people with mental health challenges, and recently collaborated with Scion to create a collection of fabrics and wallcoverings based on members’ original artwork. From ‘Doggy Daycare’, which features a pack of hand-drawn hounds to ‘River Wander’, which incorporates cheeky hidden ducks peeking out from foliage, the collection exudes a sense of joy that goes back to both Designs in Mind’s and
Scion’s belief in the positive power of creativity. “We automatically knew it was right for the brand,” says Scion’s lead designer Charlotte Gibson. “What they do is just amazing, and it’s really true to our values as well. We’re all about making small changes that will make a big impact on your headspace.” As well as developing new products, showrooms
are finding innovative uses for end-of-line ones; not simply minimising waste, these schemes fuel whole new creative businesses. Altfield donates unwanted fabric to charity Refab, which then upcycles them into bags and purses, teaching women in the UK and India new skills; while there’s a similar story in Tim Page Carpets’ work
OPPOSITE: Fabric brand Boon & Up, available at Tissus d'Hélène, was born out of a desire to help female weavers in northern Ghana sustain their industry; 20% of profits go back to local projects ABOVE: Philip Vergeylen and Paolo Moschino have had a fruitful relationship with the design studio at San Patrignano since 2019, creating the Boiserie collection of wallcoverings pictured here, as well as furniture, lighting, throws and bespoke objects. The 1,300-strong community in Northern Italy rehabilitates drug addicts through vocational training
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