In 2007 members of the association undertook a review of the structure and potential of our organisation. Through a series of ‘away days’ we worked with designer and consultant Tory Dunn, spoke with PR expert David McDonough, commissioned a Business Strategy Plan with Alex Murdin and invited Rupert Hambro to become our Patron.

From the outset our name: the Association of British Designer Silversmiths became the focus. Our PR adviser was concerned that our acronym ‘ABDS’ would not represent us effectively without massive media presence. The name was too long to use in full, as he suggested, and designer, so aptly chosen at the time, is now applied to almost anything. So changing our name and therefore our look became a priority.

Contemporary British Silversmiths accurately reflects the nature of our work in straightforward terms. Graphic Designer James Quail’s logo, depicting the atomic structure of silver, has a strong ‘standalone’ quality. It has already been etched and made into silver pins for some of our members! In time we hope the logo itself will prompt instant recognition of our association.