Cool Covkid sees products go global - and they're a hit closer to home too
Items created by a designer who wanted to put the cool back into Cov are now in homes around the world and could make the perfect Christmas gift for anyone with the city at heart.
Covkid began as a celebration of the city’s 1950s architecture and design, creating quality products as part of Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture.
The eye-catching illustrations adorn everything from mugs to tea towels and were based on the William Morris principle of ‘have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.’
Covkid was commissioned to design a range of products for the new Telegraph Hotel, which opened in 2021. The former newspaper office in Corporation Street was originally built in 1958 and its cool mid-century interiors have been restored as the main theme of the stylish hotel.
Covkid’s work can be seen throughout the hotel – from wallpaper and cushion designs through to murals at the Rooftop bar and even a mixed-media portrait of Barbara Cartland in the ladies’ bathroom!
Across Coventry, Covkid’s work can be appreciated including a mural on Greyfriars Lane that was commissioned during UK City of Culture and inspired by vintage travel posters from the 1920s and 30s.
He said: “The city is an inspiration – as soon as I came to Coventry, I really loved the fact that there was so much mid-century architecture. It is a period that has really inspired my work and that is why it was so great to work with the Telegraph Hotel on enhancing a mid-century gem.
“When we created Covkid in 2018, the idea at the time was partly to create merchandise ready for City of Culture. We wanted to make sure that no matter what happened with City of Culture, there would be some stylish products that people could take away with them and did justice to the city. It has always been a work of love.”
A variety of products are for sale at Telegraph Hotel as well as in other venues across the city.
“The principle behind the hotel, I think it is very much the same as that of Covkid,” he said. “The attention to the detail in the design of the hotel sets it apart from the normal corporate style
“By keeping it’s mid-century feel and vibe, it has become a very special hotel – not just for Coventry but the for the whole of the country.”
Amy Windsor, general manager of the Telegraph Hotel, said: “People who visit us very often want to take something home that reminds them of their stay and Covkid’s products are absolutely perfect because they reflect both the city and the hotel itself.
“We know that they have gone all over the world with guests from America to Australia buying products, with the mugs being the most popular.
“We love working with Covkid and you can feel his ideas and inspiration right throughout the hotel and also in our online presence.”
For more information or to buy an item go to: https://www.telegraph-hotel.com/covkid/
