John Pawson lays out the Design Museum Shop in Kensington

Design Museum Shop interior and various products on display

Ahead of the Museum proper’s relocation to the iconic Commonwealth Institute building in Kensington this November, the new Design Museum Shop on Kensington High Street (just a short hop down the road) is open for perusal

(Image credit: TBC)

By Elly Parsons

last updated 9 August 2022

Ahead of the Design Museum's hotly anticipated relocation to the iconic Commonwealth Institute building in Kensington this November, the new Design Museum Shop on Kensington High Street (just a short hop down the road) opens for perusal.

Small put perfectly formed, the space hints at what's to come from the new Design Museum, as both spaces have been subject to the minimalist eye and artful guidance of British designer and friend of the museum John Pawson. Plain, smoke-grey walls chime with the designer's 'undesigned' aesthetic, while textures of stained oak, glass and a cream terrazzo floor nod to the 1960s – the era that the Grade-II listed museum building was built.

Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum explains, 'The Design Museum shop reflects the values of the museum itself. It’s our ambassador on the high street, always changing, always full of fascinating things, displayed with style, and staffed by people who live and breathe design.'

The shop's 76 sq m space proves size isn't everything, and it packs a well designed punch. Compact shop fixtures come courtesy of Vitra Retail and classic Dieter Rams-designed Vitsoe '606' shelving lines the walls. Large windows on three sides give the illusion that the store is a magnified display case, in which to showcase tempting trinkets from new and established talent.

We were particularly taken by Torafu Architects' 'Air Vases', and the Barber & Osgerby jugs for Royal Doulton. Expect a rotating range of time-honoured classics like these, along with mixed global ephemera at reasonable prices, and a tight edit of more expensive objects and memorabilia, all of which uphold the Museum's commitment to quality, ingenuity and of course, style.

We were particularly taken by Torafu Architects’ ’Air Vases’...

... and Barber & Osgerby’s jugs for Royal Doulton

blue and black rocks and crystals — Expect a rotating range of time-honoured classics, along with mixed global ephemera at reasonable prices

INFORMATION

For more information, visit the Design Museum Kensington website (opens in new tab)

Photography courtesy London Design Museum Shop

ADDRESS

Design Museum Shop
224–238 Kensington High Street
London, W8 6AG

VIEW GOOGLE MAPS (opens in new tab)

TOPICS

Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.