Tony Chambers on the West End’s burgeoning design district

London has no better place for collectible contemporary design than Mayfair.

There’s the all-singing, all-dancing PAD art fair, which brings design icons and tomorrow’s masterpieces to Berkeley Square every October, and regular design sales at the likes of Sotheby’s, Phillips and Bonhams.

Gallery-wise, European imports such as Carpenters Workshop, Kreo, Patrick Seguin and Achille Salvagni complement British stalwart David Gill (nearby in St James’s) and new arrival Gallery Fumi (previously in Hoxton). Other local businesses have been eager to take on design-led collaborations — recent examples include sculpture dealer Daniel Katz showing Thomas Heatherwick’s extendable ‘Friction Table’ on Hill Street, Paul Smith putting on a display of Finn Juhl furniture upholstered in new fabrics at his Albemarle Street store, and art gallery Ordovas pairing Lichtensteins and Warhols with a limited edition of Gufram’s Cactus.

With so much to shout about, it’s only appropriate that design-led establishments would band together to form the Mayfair Design District. This came into being with September’s London Design Festival, which saw Mayfair join the likes of Clerkenwell, Shoreditch and Chelsea as a designated hub of activity. The alliance has been growing strong since: an official website offers up a comprehensive list of events, while a diligently maintained Instagram feed showcases at least one thing of interest per day.

Beyond drawing footfall into Mayfair, the Design District has a more noble goal. As its initiator, James Malcolm Green, explains: ‘We want to break down any perceived barriers between affordable design and limited-edition works, which often, when placed in a gallery environment, can seem daunting.’ Thus the inclusion of furniture dealers Christian Liaigre and Holly Hunt, concept store The New Craftsmen, bookshop Maison Assouline and Italian brand Alessi, a key player in democratised design. By mixing price points,

Green hopes to raise awareness and appreciation of collectible design beyond aficionados to the wider general public.

Mayfair Design District looks set to flourish in the coming months with no shortage of exciting shows, including a solo presentation by French designer Olivier Gagnère at Kreo; vases and vessels curated by Gianluca Longo at David Gill; and a winter group show at Fumi that includes Max Lamb, Glithero and Sam Orlando Miller. And the imminent addition of Dutch gallery Priveekollektie and local newcomer 18 Davies Street will add to Mayfair’s appeal and help transform it into an international design destination.