Bard Scotland

Bard, a new shop and gallery in Leith, Edinburgh, showcases the work of 35 contemporary Scottish makers and designers in an eclectic curation of Scottish design set over two floors. Founded by Hugo Macdonald and James Stevens, Bard brings together pieces crafted in a mix of materials, from silver, stone, seaweed and sea plastic to ceramic, glass, textile, leather, wood, willow, and 3D-printed plastic waste. For the design of the space, Stevens draws on a design background honed at Retrouvius, as well as on his experience in creating stores for Perfumer H and Bella Freud and homes for Eddie Redmayne and Helena Bonham-Carter, in a joyful juxtaposition of texture and warm hues. For Macdonald, formerly of Wallpaper* and Monocle, and former brand director of Studioilse, the project is an opportunity to explore collaborations and commissions with the new talent discovered on the married duo’s tour around mainline Scotland, in visits to over 60 homes, studios, workshops and factories. ‘Bard is a professional and personal endeavour,’ he says. ‘We are interested to ask questions about Scottish cultural identity, past and future, through made objects, makers and manufacturers. We hope Bard will be a propositional home for asking relevant questions about who we are through what we make.’