BURLINGTON ARCADE unveil extraordinary skyline carpet June 17, 2013 in London
From Eiffel Tower to Freedom Tower - famous buildings from around the world feature in first ever 180-metre carpet design for Burlington Arcade’s iconic runway.
David Linley
LINLEY and Brintons have collaborated to transform Burlington Arcade’s 180 metre long iconic carpet runway into a showcase of the highest quality British design and craftsmanship and provide a welcome to international visitors of an unparalleled nature.
For the first time in history, a highly anticipated design featuring 92 iconic buildings from around the world, has replaced the traditional 180-metre carpet which runs the full length of the arcade.
The new carpet was unveiled today (Monday 17 June) by The Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP, Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, with Burlington Arcade’s famous Beadles – the liveried guards wearing frock coats and braided top hats who have policed the Arcade since 1819.
This is the fruit of a collaboration between internationally renowned bespoke furniture and interior design company LINLEY, and 200-year-old Royal Warrant holding carpet manufacturers, Brintons Carpets, who have united their talents to welcome international visitors to London’s most iconic shopping arcade.
Following a year when the eyes of the world were on London, thanks to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympic Games, shops in Burlington Arcade celebrated a 42% increase in purchases from international visitors, helping to cement its position as a worldwide shopping destination.
Keeping the international spotlight firmly on London’s famous shopping experience, Burlington Arcade commissioned these leaders in exquisite British design, to create a brand new, bespoke carpet that runs the full length of the longest and most beautiful covered shopping arcade in Britain. The focus of the design is to welcome international visitors to the luxury landmark, whilst acting as a showcase for British creativity, wit, design and manufacturing.
The contemporary design features iconic structures from every continent around the world; from bridges to cultural venues and centres of industry and business. Whilst contemporary, the design is still very much connected to traditional LINLEY marquetry and furniture and exemplifies architecture and heritage.
The carpet incorporates old and new architecture from around the world in one piece. The layout of the buildings on the carpet is designed to lead visitors through the Arcade as the city skyline weaves in and out. The buildings are arranged from left to right according to how their respective countries sit on the world map and are clustered together with neighbouring countries from the continents they belong to.
The design includes the Eiffel Tower in Paris, St Pauls Cathedral in London, Italy’s Duomo di Milano, Reichstag in Berlin, Seattle’s Space Needle, New York’s Empire State Building, Chrysler Building and Guggenheim Museum, the Christ Redeemer in Rio, the Sydney Opera House, Moscow’s Dormition Cathedral, The Aspire Tower in Doha, India’s Taj Mahal, China’s Pearl TV Tower and Forbidden City and The Sail in Singapore.
The carpet also features a few design surprises, and visitors who look carefully might see Mary Poppins flying over the London skyline, Quasimodo make an appearance in Paris and King Kong on New York’s Empire State Building
Burlington Arcade existing carpet
Nestled in the heart of Mayfair, Burlington Arcade has been heralded as an historic and architectural masterpiece, a luxury landmark in London ever since it was first unveiled in 1819. As one of Britain’s first shopping arcades, it continues to lead the way in retail trends, from timeless collectibles to more contemporary style and design.
LINLEY, who recently opened a store in Burlington Arcade, was keen to add a new dimension to the shopping experience. Founded by David Linley in 1985, the brand has become a byword for excellence in British craftsmanship. Specialising in the design and production of furniture, upholstery, interiors and gifts of a superlative quality, LINLEY continues to enjoy great prominence in both retail and bespoke business. Architecture is a core element of LINLEY design and has influenced many details on pieces of furniture, architectural models and marquetry depictions.
The design was inspired by a Limited Edition London Box created by LINLEY to commemorate the attention and success that London received in 2012. The main design feature of the box is the London skyline, depicted on the top of the box using marquetry inlay in a variety of veneers, and this became the starting point for the design of the carpet.
LINLEY will exhibit a marquetry screen of the London skyline at Masterpiece this year - the screen will be 2.4m tall by 3.5m wide and depicts a carefully composited view of the London skyline as if seen from an elevated position amongst the rooftops of the instantly recognisable city. Masterpiece and the unveiling of the Burlington Arcade carpet are two of several major showcases for LINLEY for 2013.
The design was manufactured by Brintons Carpets, who after being granted a Royal Warrant in 1958 in recognition of supplying carpets to Royal residences, have since gone on to work with revered brands, including Vivienne Westwood, Manolo Blahnik and Claridges. The unveiling of the carpet will be one of several major showcases for the company’s work in 2013. In July, Brintons will join 200 other companies granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment to showcase their products at The Coronation Festival in Buckingham Palace Gardens, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of HM The Queen’s Coronation.
Both LINLEY and Burlington Arcade have important international relationships, and the aim of the collaboration on the design is to welcome international visitors to the arcade whilst celebrating British tradition, design and craftsmanship.
FCO Minister, Rt Hon Hugo Swire, said: “London is an internationally renowned shopping destination, respected the world over. Seeing all the work that has gone into the unique designs here in Burlington Arcade reinforces this reputation. It also highlights our strengths in manufacturing, design and craftsmanship to the large number of overseas tourists visiting this iconic location. There is an appetite worldwide for luxury British goods and London will always be the showcase for them."
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: “As well as its reputation for heritage and culture, London offers unbeatable shopping, which draws people from across the globe and brings in millions to our economy. Burlington Arcade is one of the capital's great treasures of shopping and this marvellous rug showcases great British design and manufacture. It's a magic carpet ride across iconic buildings from around the world that will add to the arcade's allure for Londoners and tourists alike.”
Ellen Lewis, Marketing Director of Burlington Arcade, said: ‘We asked LINLEY to consider our increased number of international visitors when developing ideas, and the evolved design is something that will certainly convey a highly distinguished British welcome.’
David Linley, founder of LINLEY, commented: ‘This is the longest and most complicated carpet we have ever designed. It has taken us around 250 hours to design, and comes from an enduring affection for Burlington Arcade. We are proud to have been part of this landmark project that adds a touch of the LINLEY signature to a unique and historic London destination’
Sarah Draper, European Marketing Manager at Brintons, said: ‘We’re delighted to have worked so closely with LINLEY and Burlington Arcade. As a UK manufacturer, it’s a great way to showcase and celebrate British design and craftsmanship to an overseas audience, something which all British manufacturers along with the government are looking to achieve.
Burlington Arcade stores on average saw a 42% increase in tax refunds in 2012 versus 2011 (source: tax free worldwide)
Burlington Arcade, situated between Bond Street and Piccadilly, is one of the world’s oldest and most celebrated shopping arcades. Almost two hundred years old, the arcade has a rich and varied history. It was the retail destination in Victorian London favoured by royalty and the cream of British society and even set its own “rules of conduct” many of which are still upheld today by the infamous Beadles.
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