Design-Nation: Our History

Design-Nation was founded in 1999 by the late Peta Levi MBE, an imaginative and influential champion of British design, who also established New Designers, London’s annual showcase of graduate talent in art and design.

Originally established as New Designers in Business, the organisation set out to give new designers the manufacturing, marketing and business expertise needed to develop their ideas and build successful creative businesses. It subsequently became Design-Nation, operating as part of Peta Levi’s wider Design Trust initiative.

Following Peta’s death in 2008, Design-Nation continued to evolve. Having merged with London Metropolitan University in 2006, the organisation’s ownership passed to member ambassador Andrew Tanner in 2011. In 2014, Andrew Tanner approached Clare Edwards, then Director of Design Factory and The Hub Sleaford, about bringing Design-Nation to The National Centre for Craft & Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. This laid the foundations for a closer relationship between the two organisations, which culminated in their merger in 2017, bringing together two established networks to create a broader national platform for contemporary craft and design.

In 2022, governance of Design-Nation’s passed to University of Lincoln and in 2025, Design-Nation became an independent not-for-profit organisation, marking a new chapter in its development and reaffirming its commitment to championing designer-makers and creative businesses across the UK.

A legacy of opportunity and innovation

Peta Levi’s ambition was to create a unified platform for emerging design talent: a place to showcase exceptional work and bring designers together with the people and organisations who could help them develop, collaborate, commission, manufacture and trade.

That ambition continues to shape Design-Nation today. Our national network and curated directory bring together skilled designer-makers working across contemporary craft and design, creating opportunities for their work to reach new audiences, markets and collaborators.

Over more than 25 years, Design-Nation has helped thousands of designers develop their practice, launch new products and grow their creative businesses through pioneering programmes, partnerships and exhibition opportunities.

Our early programme included six Decorative Arts Today selling exhibitions for Bonhams, featuring leading designers including Ron Arad, Danny Lane and Tom Dixon. We launched the Young Designer of the Year award at Decorex and presented curated member exhibitions at major design platforms including Collect and 100% Design.

One of our most influential initiatives was Eureka, an ambitious five-year programme connecting Design-Nation members with manufacturers and retailers through bespoke partnerships. The project supported designers to develop innovative products and commissions, challenging conventional approaches to British design and manufacturing.

Across five years, 28 members were commissioned to create 40 products as part of the annual Eureka Collection, launched at London Design Festival. Partners included Designers Guild, Crabtree & Evelyn, Fired Earth, The Conran Shop, Heal’s, John Lewis, SCP, Wesley Barrell and Royal Doulton.

Connecting designers with opportunities

Alongside these landmark projects, Design-Nation has continued to create opportunities for members to showcase their work, develop their businesses and build relationships across the creative industries.

Our programme has included exhibitions and presentations at major platforms and festivals, including London Craft Week, London Design Festival, Decorex and New Designers. Our longstanding relationship with New Designers has also seen us work with The Design Trust to judge and present the One Year In Award, supporting the next generation of creative businesses.

We have supported members through international research missions and exhibition opportunities in Japan, New York, France and Germany, alongside mentoring programmes, retail pop-ups, industry events, professional development and study days.

These experiences have helped designers build confidence, develop new skills, explore different markets and make valuable connections across the sector.

Looking ahead

Today, Design-Nation builds on this rich history while continuing to respond to the changing needs and opportunities of contemporary craft and design.

As an independent national membership organisation and network, we connect and champion designers and makers at every stage of their careers, from students and emerging practitioners to established creative businesses.

Our work brings together people, ideas and opportunities, supporting excellent creative practice, encouraging innovation and helping designer-makers build sustainable futures.

More than 25 years on, Peta Levi’s founding vision remains central to what we do: creating a platform where exceptional talent can be discovered, supported and celebrated, and where contemporary craft and design can flourish.

For more information about Peta Levi MBE,  there are excellent and fitting online tributes by leading design experts and writers Barbara Chandler and Charlotte Abrahams, as well as an obituary by her local newspaper Camden New Journal.

Image: Amy Cushing