DESIGN REPORTthink the stark minimal look is over,” declares
Claire German, managing director of Design
Centre, Chelsea Harbour in London – and she
has the authority and knowledge to make such a
sweeping statement. German is something of a dynamo in the
interior design industry: after earning her stripes as publisher
ofHouse & Garden, she took the helm of the Design Centre in
2010 and transformed it into a mecca for high-end design.
In the nineties and early noughties the Design Centre was
“a soulless, tumbleweed towers” sort of place, says German.
In 2003 it was bought by Terence Cole and Mark Steinberg.
They invested in a £6 million refurbishment and in 2010
brought German on board. “I inherited a strong platform.
Mark and Terence’s vision was to turn it into the world’s
best design centre, recognised internationally, and they
have absolutely achieved that. We are the only Design Centre
in Europe.”
There are now 120 showrooms and more than 600 of the best
international brands, with a waiting list of designers wanting
space on the premises, which are currently undergoing an
expansion. A nerve centre for designers, customers and for
those with a passion for design, it is the first stop for anyone
embarking on a new yacht interior or residential project.
The secret of German’s success lies in recognising the value
of this design community’s expertise. “I applied that publisherskill of promoting a
community, building
loyalty and creating an
ecosystem, so we are not
seen as just landlord and
tenant: what we do here is
creating trends. We hold
two shows a year to launch
new collections, host
press previews before the shows and then present the year’s
new trends.” Hence that earlier statement on minimalism: the
current design trends point towards colour, texture and an
appreciation of craftsmanship and provenance.
When German started, they held four events a year: now
there are 45. Unsurprisingly, she is a very hands-on MD and
regularly does rounds of the centre (although she is more
twinkly fairy godmother than formidable matron). “When you
walk around, you see people standing in the domes holding up
bits of carpet or fabric and maybe a bit of silk lampshade,
pulling all the design elements together. It’s very inspiring.”
The discreet vibe of the Design Centre means it attracts
a host of high profile clients. “We have royalty flying in, actors,
pop stars... They come, they source and they are not disturbed.”
The Duchess of Cambridge was a regular visitor when they
were doing up Kensington Palace. Gwyneth Paltrow and Tom“I
As managing director,
Claire German has
grown the Design
Centre, Chelsea
Harbour, into a home
for more than
600 luxury brands
“CUSTOMERS
HAVE FIVE-PLUS
HOUSES, POSSIBLY
A YACHT; THEY ARE
CONFIDENT, VERY
BRAND AWARE”
Putting the “in”
in interiors
Claire German has made Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour not
just on trend, but ahead of it, says Ticky Hedley-Dent102