About me

Max Clements - MC DESIGNS 2009 Originally from N. Ireland, I trained in furniture design in Nottingham, followed by post-graduate studies back in Belfast. The course there was focused very much on producing ‘designer makers' and this is initially where I saw my future. However before immersing myself in this world, I spent a year participating in a unique international educational experiment, involving living and working communally at Sherborne House, in Gloucestershire. This proved ideal preparation for setting up a furniture design studio and workshop in Co Down in 1975. Here the small company produced bespoke contemporary furniture for architects, interior designers and private clients. In the early 1980's and with a growing family I moved to Wales to work as a designer with the Christie Tyler group of furniture companies. Adapting to a different scale of operation and business culture, I became involved not just in furniture design but moved into working with exhibitions, retail design and branding concepts. This lead on to a career involving design projects with many of the major furniture manufacturers and retailers in the UK. In the 1990's I became design manager at ‘Showcase', part of the Silentnight group of companies where I established and ran a number of retail and exhibition design teams. I also worked with external creative specialists to develop innovations in products, branding, trade events and design research. I later became a design director at the Silentnight Group head quarters, where I worked with my creative team on the development of the group's exhibition centre and award winning product designs. We also produced regular highly successful live events within different trade exhibition environments, involving fashion, music and theatre. My independent consultancy MC Designs, has grown from this background and now works with companies and organisations that require creative assistance with product design and brand development, particularly in 3D environments such as exhibitions, events and commercial interiors. I also work on design research projects, seminars, creativity workshops, which identify new sources of inspiration and directions for product concepts and design solutions. I currently work with clients in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

Skills

Furniture Design, Sustainable Upholstery Design, Event & Exhibition Design, Hand Drawing/Cad Skills, Illustration, Workshops and Presentations (Creativity, Design Directions, 'Pecha Kucha)

Sector Experience

Furniture Manufacturing - Contract & Domestic, Retail Design, Trade Events and Exhibitions, Interiors

Clients

CMP Exhibitions, Expolink, Harrison Spinks, Honest Entertainment, Silentnight Group, UBM Information