BIID Announces Final Line Up of Sponsors for 2015 Annual Conference

The British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) is delighted to announce that online sourcing website Eporta will be joining FRONT, Heal's, and Roca as sponsors confirmed for this year’s landmark 50th Anniversary Conference. FRONT London, the bespoke designer rug showroom; Heal’s, the home of modern and contemporary designer furniture, Roca, the leading bathroom specialist, and now Eporta are the innovative brands who will be supporting the conference this year. 

Eporta is a new platform specifically for interior designers and professional buyers. This trade-only platform allows its members to source and discover products from across the world; from large brands to small emerging designers and highly skilled-artisans. Members can use the platform to connect with suppliers they love to arrange trade discounts and begin new working relationships. Once a buyer has curated their collection and established relationships they can use the platform to place orders across multiple suppliers in one simple step, and use the platform to track payments and delivery times.

This year, the annual BIID conference entitled “Who Do We Think We Are?” will explore the forces, both internal and external, that are changing the interior design profession. This theme will be explored in depth at the conference, taking place at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Portland Place, London, on Thursday 18th June 2015.

Architectural historian, writer and broadcaster Tom Dyckhoff, Editor-in-Chief of Elle Decoration Michelle Ogundehin, leading design history expert Professor Anne Massey and influential TV Producer and creator of Changing Rooms Ann Booth-Clibborn, will be amongst those taking part. The conference programme is designed to inspire debate and includes topics such as ‘The Pop Culture Effect’ which will explore whether the perception of interior designers has been shaped by popular television, and the ‘Rise of the Developer-Designer’ which will examine the growth of ‘branded’ property and the role of the interior designer as a strategic business asset.

Commenting on the sponsorship announcement Aigars Zelmenis from FRONT London comments: “It is a great honour to support this wonderful institution of interior design, one of the oldest institutions of its kind, especially as it is their 50th anniversary conference.  At FRONT London our award winning designers celebrate craftsmanship and continue to set new industry standards for handmade rug designs. We also share the same values of creativity, innovation and integrity of BIID.
We know what is takes to be a designer and our passion is to work with the best interior designers in the UK.  We believe BIID to be the supreme organisation in this field.”

Carmel Allen, Creative Director, Heal’s commented: “Heal’s is delighted to be sponsoring the BIID conference in its 50th year! As a store that’s been making and selling furniture and homewares for over 200 years we share a tremendous amount of insight and experience. We are both in the privileged position of working in, and for, the homes of our customers and clients and that too is to be celebrated. Here’s to another 50 years of creating and furnishing beautiful homes that make people feel house proud.”

Alan Dodds, Roca UK Managing Director said:“Roca has a history that dates back almost 100 years and has worked closely with design professionals throughout this time in order to create innovative bathroom solutions that meet the changing needs of the population. Just as the bathroom itself has evolved so has the role of the interior designer and we are very excited to be involved in the BIID Conference as it celebrates its 50th anniversary and looks at how the profession is changing and what the future holds for interior design.“

Commenting on their recent inclusion, Aneeqa Khan, Eporta CEO said: "We are incredibly excited to be joining the BIID this year to support the vibrant and creative community of Interior designers in the UK. As we look ahead to the next 50 years, it’s a natural fit for eporta, as an innovation in the space, to sponsor this event. We hope that eporta will become a support pillar for BIID designers for the future; allowing them to curate the best collections and spend time doing what they love. Eporta is currently offering membership to BIID members (membership is free, by application). To get your membership go to www.eporta.com and request membership stating ‘BIID early access’ in your request."

For more information on the BIID Conference, keynote speakers, and more, please visit www.biid.org.uk/whodowethinkweare.