Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Awards night in Melbourne

Edra's Massimo Morozzi, centre, flanked by the gorgeous Humberto and Fernando Campana.

I was lucky enough to snaffle an invite to the Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Awards 2008 in Melbourne on Wednesday evening... (actually, I was the "and partner" on Gordon's invitation... but that was good enough for me!). The awards had already been announced in Sydney last week, but I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to attend the Melbourne leg of the tour!

Highlights of the evening:

- Special guests Massimo Morozzi from Italian design giant Edra, and the Campana Brothers! Wow! Talk about design royalty! Massimo was utterly charming. He described Australian design using the word 'techo-craft', discussing the idea that limitations in manufacturing opportunities in Australia have encouraged local designers to perfect the art of hand-crafting much of their work. The Campana brothers were equally charming, but are men of few words!

- Meeting man-of-the-moment - Trent Jansen. I must try not to gush but he is truly so lovely, modest and totally unaffected by all the attention he's currently receiving! I was expecting him to be inundated with design groupies, but the event was surprisingly relaxed and it appears I was the only groupie he had to worry about :) He was on whirlwind stopover enroute to Tokyo.... I am certain we're looking at the next major Australian design superstar here - watch this space! (*Don't worry an interview is in the works...!)

Trent Jansen shakes Massimo Morozzi's hand when he's announced as joint winner of the 2008 Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award. (sorry, bit blurry).

- Bombay Sapphire mix'n'match cocktails flowing all evening... the Bombay Blush featuring pink grapefruit and lime was a hit! Also, a little girly I know, but couldn't go past the lychee and passionfruit pulp... mmmm.

- and the fantastic venue - Comme, just off Collins st in the CBD. Must go back for dinner one evening... beautiful, sophisticated atmosphere, perfect attentive yet relaxed service, and canapes to die for. This is the life!

John Hoogendoorn accepts his award for his stunning Aurora Lamp.

*ps if you can't wait for my Trent Jansen interview do read this great one on the Living Edge blog... which unfortunately asks 90% of the same questions I have already sent to Trent myself. Hmmm actually, these new Living Edge blog interviews seem to replicate many of my standard interview questions... (particularly the inspiring "designer/artists/creative people" question that I often ask). Oh well, live and let live :)