For me, 2012 has represented a fantastic year for British creativity, innovation and design. People have commented on how far I have stretched myself in launching so many projects over the past year, but I view my ventures into so many different avenues as inspirational. It is inspirational to show that creativity is unbridled.
The looming economic climate has often cast shadows over the prospects for the UK in terms of foreign trade and investments. Yet despite this uncertainty, I feel prouder being British today than I have ever done. Through these difficult times, Britain has showcased itself to the world. A look back at the Queen's Jubilee and our recent success at the summer Olympics are easy examples of this. It is clear we are a passionate nation, who have come together in unity throughout such uncertain times, and created something extraordinary.
From this British passion and vision, design is coming to the forefront. Our heritage and drive is continuously being reflected back in the greatness of our design community. Artists and designers represent a sort of consortium of people, a think tank, collaborating and bouncing off one another directly, or by being inspired by others work.
The GREAT campaign is a perfect showcase for our creative community and what they do British trade. We have such incredible ambassadors for Britain, exporting culture, fashion and incredible design across the globe. I hope this is showcasing to young people, like those I work with as part of the Prince's Trust, that you really can do anything. Follow your passion, work hard and you will find success.
My work with Pearl Motor Yachts on the recently launched Pearl 75 presented an opportunity for me to showcase the versatility in my own design, share my creative drive, to inspire young generations to do the same. With this project, I aimed to design a space in which to live and function, with the same ethos I approach any format of design.
Here, it was absolutely crucial to think about practicality, while still focusing on the feel of the space. My first step was to alter the yacht layout to get as much space as possible. Focusing on textures also opened the up space and made it feel lighter, by choosing surfaces that played off the reflective nature of the water outside the yacht. I applied a fresh perspective on traditional yacht design which really paid off.
This focus on texture continued with my collaboration with Smallbone of Devzies which launches on 24 September. With kitchens, I look at the space as more than somewhere to cook. Kitchens have become the heart of modern homes, and my new collection truly incorporates this vision to create an all-embracing area for family and social life. My vision was to marry the brilliance of Smallbone's traditional craftmanship with my modern and aesthetic design, and our first collection represents a unique collaboration of British style, quality, heritage and haute design.
It's unique dynamic mix of finishes and materials allow you to select the textures, tones and finishes that really work for you. Designed to combine perfect function with aesthetic form, the new collection takes functionality to a new level of sophistication, with carefully considered secreted storage solutions and unique finishes to add depth, practicality and elegance to your kitchen.
I hope both my collaboration with Pearl Yachts and Smallbone can become representative of the real greatness in British design and craftmanship. With my Smallbone kitchen collection having recently reached NY, and the Pearl 75's presence in the Middle Eastern markets, I'm delighted to be representative of what our country has to offer. We have the potential, passion, quality and focus to create real economic opportunities for the UK through great British design.