Mode Studio

Happy Christmas!

2006-12-15T10:00:00.000Z

Running up to christmas now and just about managing to get the orders out in time. Cardiff is heaving and a complete nightmare for shopping so if anyone is thinking about it, don't.
Fridge Monkey is doing really well so hopefully it will be 'everywhere' come next year. We've got Paris and Frankfurt in Jan/Feb as well as Spring Fair so it is going to be busy for Kev and Al (I've got babies arriving so I'm on base duties).
So happy christmas to all and have a blinder of a new year.
Dunc

New Web Site

2006-10-02T14:00:00.000Z

Sorry about our site being temporarily down. We are having a major overhaul of and putting all the new products on and taking all of the old stuff off. We are effectively starting from scratch, so even though we hope it won't take too long to sort out please bear with us. We are in safe hands though, Ceri (from Core Multimedia - our new web visionary) is on hand and will kick us into shape if we start arsing about. In the meantime just e-mail Me, Kev or Al if you need anything or feel free to drop a comment on the blog. Thanks, Dunc.

T3 online

2006-09-08T13:38:00.000Z

The Fridge Monkey makes its first appearance on the web with T3 online, and hopefully the magazine next month.

All the fun of the Fair

2006-09-08T13:17:00.000Z

Thanks to everybody we met at Autumn Fair and 100% Design that gave such positive feedback to the new range of products. It was nice to finally meet those that we have been speaking to for a while and pleased to meet so many new contacts. Please take a look at the gallery for images of the stand.

Autumn Fair

2006-08-17T10:32:00.000Z

We will be exhibiting at Autumn Fair next month in Hall 3, Design Led Gifts at stand W23. Its our first time at Autumn Fair and really hoping it will be a good show for us.

Great Weekend

2006-08-17T10:09:00.000Z

Just about recovered from a really good weekend. Had a fantastic article about us in the Western Mail on Friday regarding winning the Gift of the Year and saw the Fridge Clock in The Times Magazine - 6 Kitchen Greats, so to celebrate we went to North Wales and climbed Mount Snowdon!

Gift of the Year - Made in the UK

2006-08-01T16:04:00.000Z

Hundreds of entrants, Shortlist of 10, 4 Highly Commended and 1 Winner. Mode.
The Fridge Clock won the Gift of the Year Award on what turned out to be a fantastic evening at the Ballroom of the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, London. We are delighted with the award and determined to get back there next year with some of our new products. Thanks go to the GA, all at Clarion for inviting us to their table, the judges, family and friends.

100 Gadgets to buy before you die

2006-06-30T10:57:00.000Z

T3 The World's No.1 Gadget Magazine has issued a list of the 100 Hottest Gadgets available including the Audi RS4, the S Class Mercedes, the rainbow iPod, the PS3, the Ducati 999, the Tag Monaco Vintage, the Leica D-Lux 2, the Eames Lounge Chair and the Mode Winerack. Very illustrious company indeed. Thanks very much T3. We are so proud.

Gift of the Year 2006

2006-05-31T10:24:00.000Z

Another day, another shortlist. The winerack and the fridge clock have both been shortlisted for Gift of the Year awards by the Gift Association. Its the industry Oscars, and the winners will be announced at a glitzy black tie dinner and ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on the 27th July. Fingers crossed again.

Cardiff Design Festival

2006-05-22T08:03:00.000Z

Excellent. Made it on to the shortlist of designers that will be exhibiting at the show. Dinner at the Audi showroom sounds like a good night out as well. Must remember to take the camera this time!

Cardiff Design Festival 06

2006-05-17T13:25:00.000Z

More good news, we have been included in the Welsh Design Showcase for the Cardiff Design Festival 06 website. Over 200 designs were submitted from 54 designers and companies and the best in each category have been selected for the showcase. There will be another panel meeting to discuss who will be exhibiting at the show, so fingers crossed.

100% Design

2006-05-17T13:21:00.000Z

It's been a while since our last blog as we have been really busy working on a new range of products. These will be launched at 100% Design in September. We managed to get accepted as new exhibitors for 100% which is great news as they no longer accept designers that only produce accessories. I think they liked our stuff so much that they made the exception for us.

Top Drawer

2006-01-26T15:32:00.000Z

Just a quick word of thanks for the interest and feedback given by the many new contacts and friends made at Top Drawer last week. It turned out to be a very beneficial trip and well worth the effort. We were delighted that the fridge clock was included in the New Product feature at the front of the show. Please take a look in the gallery for some more pictures of the stand. Special thanks go to Jenny Duff for being so neighbourly at the show.

Celebration of Innovation

2006-01-26T15:13:00.000Z

The WDA have announced the final 5 to make the shortlist for the Celebration of Innovation awards 2006. And we are on it! The winner will be announced on 8th February at the annual awards dinner at The Celtic Manor. Great news, better dust off the old dinner jacket.

Top Drawer Spring

2006-01-04T11:10:00.000Z

We will be making our way up to Earls Court later this month for our first trade fair of 2006- Top Drawer Spring. We've just got a week to sort everything out but I'm sure we'll get there, we are on stand H94 so all are welcome to come along and see us. I doesn't help mind you that Kev dislocated his shoulder last month (christmas do gone bad) and so I'm sure will be unable to carry/assemble/paint etc... Unfortunately you can't dislocate your voice box so I'm sure he'll be able to bark out instructions.

British Blog Directory

2005-12-07T10:34:00.000Z

Just registered with this British Blog Directory site and trawling through found the surreal and very funny blog by the frictionless man. I can't vouch for the music but the rantings and gibberations of these erudite band members and friends in Swansea made me laugh for hours.

Back again..

2005-12-06T09:22:00.000Z

Not posted anything for a while - been recovering after the win against the Aussies. Hoorah. Anyway, things are hotting up here at the office with Christmas orders coming in and some good press coverage. Here is a little gem from Ferry Halim at Orisinal to help you relax for a little while before cracking on with it again. He has quite a few games and they are all very chilled out....The Bottom of the Sea

Shame about the rugby..

2005-11-21T09:23:00.000Z

Got a ticket for the Wales V South Africa game on Saturday. Dissappointed with the result but had a great day anyway. Found this sketch book on the web and love it. www.show-me-dq.com/

A little bit about us.....

2005-11-18T11:36:00.000Z

Mode Associates Ltd was founded in July 2004 by Duncan Taylor and Kevin Champion both graduates of Industrial Product Design. Duncan returns from a successful career in the automotive industry and Kevin from a furniture and product background. After innitial success as consultants to a variety of Blue chip companies and SME's we turned our attention to launching a range of Mode products. The first two products to hit the market are a rubber fridge clock which magnetically attaches to a fridge door and a rubber winerack which holds three wine bottles in it's flexible jaws.

After our first show at Pulse in Earls Court, London, Alun Jones joined us as Sales and Marketing director. Alun brings with him a wealth of retail and strategic experience which we feel will help the development of Mode Associates.

It truly is an exiciting time at Mode with our first two products starting to gain a higher profile and increasing press coverage, so please look out for us in lifestyle magazines and Sunday supplements.

Mode has received business support from Venture Wales which is funded by the WDA and the Welsh Assembly, the organisation is positioned to help start up businesses with advice, mentoring and business training.

Einstein knows it.

2005-11-16T10:04:00.000Z

Obviously the big brainy fella is on the same wavelength - Dunc .

Banksy

2005-11-15T16:24:00.000Z

You've probably seen some of his stuff but may not know who Banksy is. In fact nobody does. A few weeks ago the BBC's culture show had a feature on him. Stupidly, I missed the exhibition in London last month. Gutted, his work is brilliant.

Gizmodo

2005-11-15T16:07:00.000Z

Check out this site, it's got some superb products and some even better descriptions from whoever writes the stuff - www.gizmodo.com

Welcome ...

2005-10-27T11:18:00.000Z

Welcome to our new blog. Please feel free to post any comments on anything you may have seen or read either here or on our website.