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ShowTex

Amazing Stage Fabrics in Motion

London Olympics

London, UK
August 2012

Worldwide stage fabric manufacturer ShowTex supplied TAIT Technologies with custom confectioned LED integrated fabrics for Danny Boyle's tribute to the health service during the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympic Games.

More than 300 luminous beds in motion made a special appearance spelling out the words "NHS" and "GOSH" - Great Ormond Street Hospital - in LED lights. Later, the glowing pillows and duvets on the huge iron-frame beds formed a circle of light around the dancers celebrating Mary Poppins’ triumph over well known British fairy tale villains.

ShowTex manufactured all oversized duvets and pillows for the beds. Lights were inserted into the quilting and then zipped into the semi transparent covers. More than 2500 running metres of ShowTex’s inherently flame retardant Spinnaker fabric was used for the performance. Spinnaker is a lightweight cloth with excellent translucence.

After the Opening Ceremony, the beds were donated to a hospital in Tunisia by leading events company TAIT Technologies.

Project credits

Client: 
TAIT Technologies
Designer: 
Danny Boyle