Cornwall’s Designers Shine at Top Drawer 2025 – See Who Made the Cut

The work of five exceptional designers from Cornwall has been showcased at the UK’s leading design-led event, Top Drawer, through Creative Kernow Associates’ (CKA) Design Frontier in collaboration with Cornwall Shop Small.

Cornwall’s Designers Take Centre Stage

Alicia Breakspear, Claire Paul, EOT Ceramics, Hand and Palm, and Katy Luxton Jewellery were handpicked to exhibit their work at Top Drawer Spring 2025, held at Olympia London. The event, which connects brands with top retailers in the gift and homeware industry, offers a unique opportunity to showcase products to key buyers at a crucial time of year.

With promotion to 82,000 social media followers, 800,000 email subscribers, and 100 press contacts, the exposure for Cornwall’s designers was invaluable, helping them reach new markets and potential stockists across the UK.

📷Design Frontier - Photo Credit: Alicia Breakspear

A Platform for Creativity

Design Frontier is dedicated to positioning Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly at the forefront of contemporary design. CKA, a new membership and support programme, aims to provide creatives with networking opportunities, online resources, and career development support, with this showcase being a prime example.

Cornish designers and makers were invited to apply for a spot at Top Drawer, and the selected exhibitors each brought a unique artistic style:

• Alicia Breakspear presented her botanical monoprints and greeting cards, created by printmaking with plants to highlight the beauty of nature.
• Claire Paul showcased colourful giftware and stationery, blending folk art with vintage charm and drawing inspiration from Cornwall and Scotland’s scenic landscapes.
• EOT Ceramics, founded by Emily Tapp, displayed coastal-inspired stoneware, glazed to reflect the natural beauty of the seaside.
• Hand and Palm, led by designer and illustrator Luci, exhibited illustrations and products celebrating nature, food, and simple pleasures, with a focus on sustainability.
• Katy Luxton Jewellery featured playful designs in silver and hand-dyed nylon, merging traditional craftsmanship with modern 3D printing techniques.

📷Design Frontier - Photo Credit: Alicia Breakspear

Fresh Talent Joins the Showcase

Alongside the five lead exhibitors, eight micro makers were introduced to further enrich the showcase. Selected through the Cornwall Shop Small initiative, these designers bring big ambitions to the capital:

Eloise Rose Design Studio, Emily Kate Henshall, Godrevy Textiles, Grow and Bloom Studios, Hazel & Twine, Kelpi Studio, Leaf Lane Studio, and Nido will also be included in the Cornwall Shop Small online directory for one year.

Industry Recognition and New Opportunities

The exhibitors were given extensive support to make the most of their opportunity at Top Drawer. Tonia Lu from Creative Kernow Associates’ explained:

“Our showcase was aimed at designers and makers who were ready to promote their work at such a high-profile retail event, but who would also benefit from additional support in order to make the most of the opportunity.”

“We offered the successful designers support with marketing, curation, invigilation, sales, networking with galleries and stockists, logistics and a one-year CKA membership for continuous mentoring to help them maximise their potential.”

The results were promising, with many exhibitors securing new stockists across the UK. Alicia Breakspear shared her experience:

“Thank you for making this event accessible to me. There is no way at this stage in my practice that I would have been able to do this on my own. It was a huge thing to start the year on, a big high! In an industry that can often feel lonely, it was great to be lifted up and spend time with a group of like-minded people – as well as find new markets for my work.”

Support from Cornwall Council

Cornwall Council has played a role in supporting this project. Cllr Louis Gardner, the Portfolio Holder for Economy, said:

“It is fantastic to see the work of such talented Cornish designers taking centre stage at such a prestigious national event.

“We know the exceptional talent we have here, and it is vital we do all we can to get that message out to the wider world.”

For more details, visit Creative Kernow Associates’ Design Frontier portal.

📷Design Frontier - Photo Credit: Alicia Breakspear