KK's Royal Wedding Plates

Scattered around London, the onslaught of tack wedding memorabilia for Prince Will and Kate’s big day led the Netherlands-based collective KK Outlet to consider what modern memorabilia for the Royal union of the Facebook generation should actually look like. Collaborating with designers, Emma Morton, Angela Lidderdale, Ute Geisler, Dave Bell, Richard Walker, Keith Gray and Paul Best, KK Outlet present their own slice of novelty wedding ware.

Made for those of us who this weekend will be celebrating the highly anticipated second helping of the national 4 day bender, rather than the traditional Westminster wedding celebrations, punchy one liners such as ‘It should have been me’ and Facebook relationship likes cover the one-off porcelain series of plates made exclusively for the event. The whole collection is now on display and available to buy in the KK store-come-gallery in Hoxton Square as well as a range of retailers across the UK. Dazed Digital spoke to KK Outlet’s Danielle Pender about the project and what their plans are for the wedding…

Dazed Digital: Can you tell me about how you brought the new collection together and what motivated the commissioning of it?

Danielle Pender: When the engagement was announced we noticed that all of the memorabilia looked exactly the same as it did when Charles and Diana got married. It was all very chinzy and old fashioned, we thought we could update it and make a modern comment on the up coming nuptials.

DD: Why do you think people are so fascinated with Royal memorabilia?

Danielle Pender: With traditional memorabilia some people seem to think it will be worth money in the future, some people like to feel part of the proceedings. With our designs people think they’re funny and that they say the things on everyone’s mind. Who wouldn’t want a free day off?

DD: Coming from the Netherlands, what is your view on the royals and the upcoming wedding?

Danielle Pender: We’re the London office of KesselsKramer and most of us based here are British so we’re quite amused by it but also a little cynical. The Dutch office have been inundated with press requests, the Dutch media seem to be just as obsessed as the UK press.

DD: What do you think the build up to the wedding and the event itself says about contemporary Monarchies? Are they redundant in today’s society?
Danielle Pender: It seems the Royal Family want to be perceived as modern and in touch with “the people” but they’re still spending an obscene amount of money on the wedding and all that goes with it. They carry on a tradition but I’m not sure they have much relevance in terms of contemporary society and the issues everyone faces on a day to day basis.

DD: Will KK Outlet be celebrating the wedding?
Danielle Pender: We’re trying to get tickets to see Odd Future at the Village Underground if anyone has any spares?

KK OUTLET, 42 Hoxton Square, London, N1 6PB