David Louis Product Design

Well here we all are on the cusp of the Great Exhibition Feb’ 12. As a team we have all been working hard on the launch event and between us it is coming together, granted I will be spending the next few days assembling stock for it but we are nearly there, I am also in two minds as to how to display the David-Louis product, I have always wanted to go for a science feel with test tubes and jars and suchlike but I think I will have to reign that in this time, I will definitly upload some pics to the blog and on twitter once the event is launched.

I wanted to emphasise we are a collaborative group of Jewellery Quarter based companies and are holding a month long show of our combined work for the month of February.

The goal of ‘ Made in the Jewellery Quarter’ is to let the people of Birmingham and the wider region know what is made on their doorstep,
plus give them the opportunity to buy a piece of craftsmanship and a contemporary product from artisans, designers and most importantly locally based businesses.

https://madeinthejewelleryquarter.wordpress.com/

All four companies in “Made in the Jewellery Quarter” are renowned for the quality of their design capabilities and their contribution to the Birmingham product brand and are aiming to help each other’s businesses to succeed together.

Exhibitors include

LJ Millington I David-Louis I Alabaster & Wilson I Capricorn Coating

Well, I am coming up to the end of lecturing at BCU School of Jewellery for this academic year and have been creating a summary of the content for the students to discuss tomorrow and lo and behold when put in order it appears to me to be a useful guide to starting up a new business in the creative sector.

Although I have many projects on the go at the moment including launching a  new brand plus developing my MA project alongside the running of the businesses and oh yeah I am organising an exhibition called “Made in the Jewellery Quarter” for Feb 2012… next month please do come along, anyway, I do think there is the makings of a good start your own business book there so perhaps in the future I will be able to apply myself to this.

Here is the basic content of the course I have developed if you have need of a lecturer or two in any of these areas in the creative sector just give me a call.

Course Overview

Entrepreneurship in the creative sector.

David Hendley (c)

Course Goals

To develop the skills you need to succeed in the current working climate.

To assist with developing an online portfolio.

To assist with developing your vision and create a clear next step when you graduate.

Course Overview

Puropse of a career / business plan

Create a mission statement

Outline of a basic career / business plan

Establish your personal vision

SWOT analysis of your core skills or idea.

Researching & developing your own logo and brand.

Market research -types of, how to & practical.

Freelance employment – rates & marketing

Costing your work professionally

Overheads of a studio

Distribution of your products strategically

Legal structures of a business

Marketing using press releases

Developing your online strategy

Basic web design and architecture

Building an online portfolio

Harnessing social networks

………………………………………….

of course I will keep developing the course so get in touch if you wish.

David Hendley.

Check out our other online gift businesses

http://www.gifts-of-distinction.co.uk
Gifts of Distinction I Sterling Silver goodies for that very special gift – engraving is available.

http://www.david-louis.com
Lifestyle giftware for the home – designed by our lead designer David-Louis

http://www.flaskstore.com
A vast array of exceedingly well made hip flasks and all can be engraved for free.

http://www.tankardstore.com
A specialist web site focusing on an exquisite range of tankards for every occasion.

After several months of work, collaborating with local businesses, negotiating exhibition space, tapping local universities for help I am very pleased to announce the launch of the Made in the Jewellery Quarter Exhibition Feb ’12.

David-Louis.com and three other local businesses have teamed up to display to the public a selection of our wares during February 2012, the exhibition will be held in the Gallery Space known as Art at Artful inside Artful Expression and The David-Louis Project.

at 23 Warstone Lane, The Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham B18 6JQ.

The exhibition will showcase designs by Cufflink Couture, LJ Millington, David-Louis and Alabaster & Wilson, between us we have approx. 300 years of jewellery and product design knoweledge so the show case will be varied and beautiful

We have also launched a website with full details of the exhibition which can be visited by going to

https://madeinthejewelleryquarter.wordpress.com/

At the moment I am experimenting with developing apps, I am unsure if this will be just for my own sites of if I will be offering this as a service but for now here is our bottle opener Android App, please do download it and let us know how it goes, if you like it.

This week I have been experimenting with developing apps for our businesses, here is our first android app for the David-Louis Designer Gents Gifts website, I hope you enjoy it.

Check out David-Louis Cool Giftware on the Android Market!

Last week I visited the pre-launch of the designer maker pop up shop & the ice rink at Somerset House, London, here is a nice snap of the ice rink before it opened.
Just so you know there is a selection of David-Louis.com items on display there so if you are in the area do drop in.

At some stage during Christmas 2011 I know I will need a stocking filler, a quick, lovely gift that will be appreciated by the recipient & I suspect you will need one too. So here is a list of our top 5 stocking filler gifts, they will be in stock, can be engraved, shipped worldwide & are not too expensive.

Stocking filler gift No. 1.

The David-Louis Bottle Opener, its magnetic and sticks to the fridge, we will engrave it for free and ship it really quickly.

The Beer Cube

Stocking filler gift No. 2

Small yet perfectly formed, back pocket, front pocket, breast pocket, polished steel, robust and stylish 3oz hip flask, engravable and great value for money.

The sleek, neat steel hip flask

Stocking Filler Gift No.3

The NEW stack of post-it coasters.

Pre coffee stained coaster post-its, make your desk fun and funky with a stack of paper coasters that double up as post-its..

Post-it paper coasters

Stocking Filler Gifts No. 4

The Steel Tankard

A stylish stainless steel tankard in a beautifully polished finish.

This tankard holds 16oz, and the high quality stainless steel will retain it’s lovely bright finish over time it is also ideal for engraving, we hold it in stock and can ship it quickly.

Our steel tankard

Stocking Filler Gift No. 5

The Plectrum Rockstar Coaster & Bottle Opener

The Plectrum Coaster & Bottle Opener

Don’t forget to peruse The David-Louis Group of comapnies.

http://www.gifts-of-distinction.co.uk
Gifts of Distinction I Sterling Silver goodies for that very special gift – engraving is available.

http://www.david-louis.com
Lifestyle giftware for the home – designed by our lead designer David-Louis

http://www.flaskstore.com
A vast array of exceedingly well made hip flasks and all can be engraved for free.

http://www.tankardstore.com
A specialist web site focusing on an exquisite range of tankards for every occasion.

Exciting new product launch, after testing the new POST-It Coaster at a recent trade fair I am delighted to formally launch them via our blog and website. Here is an image of our new POST-it coasters, 50 paper coasters stacked together with coffee stain on it before you use em, you can write on them and stick em to the wall or put your coffee cup on them and protect you desk from stains – I hope you like them, they are formally on sale at www.david-louis.com from today November 14th.

The David-Louis Sticky Paper Coasters

Coaster and Post-its - 2 in 1.

Pristine, highly polished, full colour awards, these aluminium block awards from Gifts of Distinction went down a storm at the NIA event held by Birmingham business post last month, so well in fact that some of the recipients ordered replicas for their foyer…always a compliment when that happens.

Here is a quick snap of a new A3 external plaque, in steel, full colour logos, on wood with four corner screws and caps. Made in 5 working days.

This plaque can be used inside or outside a building and currently resides in Selly Oak, Birmingham.