Green Design, New Firms Add To Buzz
(Brooklyn, NY – May 17, 2006) From May 12-14, the Brooklyn sunshine warmed 6,000 buyers, architects, designers and consumers who descended on DUMBO to get in on the BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2006 action. With 55 exhibitors, two venues and satellite events all over the neighborhood, the show was the talk of the town. Presented by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the 4th annual event featured the borough’s finest designers and manufacturers of contemporary furniture, lighting, rugs and decorative accessories, including some of the most cutting-edge sustainable products.
According to Kenneth Adams, President of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, “With each year the show grows to surpass our expectations. The response has been overwhelming with so many visitors commenting on the excellence of the exhibits and products on display. BKLYN DESIGNS’ growth as a trade show reflects the development of our borough’s creative economy. Many returning exhibitors now credit the show for successfully launching their businesses. Newcomers tell us they are thrilled with the leads and contacts made. At the Chamber, we are so proud to have a role in assisting these talented designers to make their mark.”
After his Sunday visit, renowned designer Benjamin Noriega Ortiz said, “This was my first year and I loved it. Meeting the designers and furniture makers in person makes a huge difference when specifying the product. The difference between this fair and the others is that at BKLYN DESIGNS we have the great potential for custom work. I found innovative items that I can’t wait to specify in my new projects.”
Move over Philippe Stark…BKLYN DESIGNS 2006 was the coming out party for several of the city’s hottest new furnishings designers. Brand new work on display included Small Factory Design’s whimsical children’s furniture, unique ceramic pieces from Perch!, Lighten Up!’s gorgeous porcelain table lamps, elegant custom mosaics from Brad Teasdale and one-of-a-kind furnishings from Palo Samko.
According to another newcomer Rob Day, “This has been a phenomenal experience. I showed my very first collection here. The contacts I have made and the interest I have received is really kicking off my business. I met with everyone from homeowners, to architects and designers, even a hotel developer. I’m thrilled.”
“This has been my life’s dream. No one, other than my friends and family, has seen my work before. The organization and production of this show was top notch. The caliber of visitors was great, and the access I had to potential clients was excellent,” said Boa of Object Interiors.
While this year’s exhibitor line-up included 23 new companies, many others returned from previous years. As Jill Ayers of everyspace put it, “We had such a great response. There seems to be a genuine interest in our work, particularly the green story. It’s clear the audience was very knowledgeable and savvy. The overall quality of the show, both products and displays, increases with every year.”
“I’ve been coming to BKLYN DESIGNS for the past three years,” said DWR visual merchandiser Cammi Climaco. “This is the best show to date. It looks and feels like it was carefully curated, and it’s a manageable show making it easy to find new talent. Best of all it’s cozy and feels like a tight-knit community.”
The show also included an informative series of design lectures and seminars, from Rima Suqi’s lively panel on design and commerce to Jen Renzi’s discussion on kitchen design.
“Our seminar series was the most successful one to date. All the panels and lectures were extremely well attended, and keynote speaker, Cameron Sinclair, co-founder of Architecture for Humanity, packed the house,” added Mr. Adams.
Show Doubles In Size In 4 Years, Cameron Sinclair Keynote Speaker
(Brooklyn, NY – April, 2006) Now entering its fourth year, BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2006 will be premiering a record number of new, never before seen designers and products. The unique, juried exhibit, presented by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, will feature the work of Brooklyn’s brightest stars of contemporary furnishings, including: furniture, lighting, linens, rugs, and decorative accessories.
The 2006 BKLYN DESIGNS™ exhibitor line-up has grown to include 56 firms (up from 47 last year), which is nearly double in size since its inception in 2003. With 24 brand new exhibitors, new product launches planned by show veterans, and an expanding schedule of seminars and off-site events, the show is sure to be an action-packed kick-off for NY Design Week.
An exciting feature of this year’s program is a keynote presentation entitled “Design Like You Give a Damn,” by Cameron Sinclair, founder of Architecture for Humanity (AFH). Visitors to brooklyndesigns.net will have the chance to contribute to AFH by ordering a subscription to Time Out NY or Time Out NY Kids.
Other show highlights include a TONY Kids promotion, “Supe-up Your Stroller” featuring decorating pit stops and celebrity judges; and “Selling Out/ Selling In,” a lively debate about design as commodity versus design as art with Rima Suqi, New York Magazine’s Best Bets Editor, The Conran Shop, Target and Jonathan Adler.
Helping to make the 2006 show bigger and better than ever is a line-up of sponsors that has grown to include such premium brands as Benjamin Moore, MINI of Manhattan, Bosch, Thermador, Gaggenau and Brooklyn Brewery. Brooklyn Industries, a new sponsor, will be selling show tickets at its retail locations throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan.
According to Kenneth Adams, President of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, “The growth of BKLYN DESIGNS™ highlights our borough’s burgeoning creative economy. Year after year, Brooklyn’s reputation for design excellence and craftsmanship attracts new talent, business and investment. In addition to blockparty, an art installation that will open to the public in conjunction with the show, we have reached out to DUMBO businesses from gallery spaces to restaurants and bars to create a neighborhood experience for visitors.”
Show hours are Friday, May 12, 10am to 8pm; Saturday, May 13, 10am to 7pm; and Sunday, May 14, 11am to 6pm. Pre-registered professional members of the design trade attend for free all day Friday.
Free shuttle bus service will be provided from DUMBO to State Street to Union Square. Click here for more information on this as well as all off-site events.
RECORD NUMBER OF NEW EXHIBITORS AND EXCITING PROGRAM OF EXHIBITS, SEMINARS AND PARTIES
(Brooklyn, NY – February 22, 2006) The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that the BKLYN DESIGNS™ jury has selected a stellar exhibitor line-up from a record-breaking number of applications. The 2006 show will feature a mix of returning Brooklyn-based companies launching their spring collections as well as 20 new designers introducing their products to the market for the very first time. Attendees will be among the first in the world to see the latest design trends as they are being set, from lighting to rugs to cutting-edge furniture.
The show will kick off NY Design Week on Friday, May 12 with a Trade Day highlighted by professional seminars and a special designer/architect high tea hosted by media sponsor Interior Design and Two Trees Management. Programming on Saturday, May 13 will be focused on green design from materials to architecture with an inspiring panel hosted by Metropolis. Signage throughout the show will identify exhibitors that have eco-friendly products on display. Highlights include an eco-lounge chair created in felt by newcomer Uhuru Design and the launch of sustainable side tables and shelves by returning exhibitor Scrapile.
The events for Sunday, May 14 (Mother’s Day), will celebrate the home and family. At a lecture called “What’s Cooking in Brooklyn” moderated by House & Garden, local restaurant chefs will share their kitchen trade secrets at BOSCH THERMADOR GAGGANEU’s state-of-the-art DUMBO showroom. In addition, Time Out New York Kids is planning a playful contest for best suped-up stroller called “Pimp Your Stroller,” with celebrity judges and hip prizes.
Parties and gallery openings are planned throughout the weekend including a Saturday night open house at the Montague Street Design Within Reach Studio.
BKLYN DESIGNS™ is also putting the finishing touches on a series of off-site events and exhibits that will enhance the show experience. Top of the list is “blockparty: Art and Design of the New Urban House,” an art and design installation, curated by New York architect Jonathan Marvel, design firm TRUCK product architecture and the developer Abby Hamlin. The exhibit at 267A State Street, in Boerum Hill, is set in one of fourteen contiguous new townhouses, designed by Rogers Marvel Architects (http://www.14townhouses.com/). “blockparty” celebrates Brooklyn’s best art, furnishings and design ideas at work in a 21st century townhouse. Free shuttle buses will run throughout the weekend between Boerum Hill and the BKLYN DESIGNS™ DUMBO location. Visit http://www.blockpartybrooklyn.com/ for more information.
According to Brooklyn Chamber President Kenneth Adams, “BKLYN DESIGNS 2006 is shaping up to be an outstanding show. With our 54 exceptional exhibitors and affiliated events, this show will inaugurate NY Design Week with a real Brooklyn accent. DUMBO restaurants, shops and galleries are all planning special promotions for the show weekend.”
KICKS OFF DESIGN WEEK IN NYC Brooklyn Chamber Calls For Exhibitor Applications
(Brooklyn, NY – November 28, 2005) Kenneth Adams, President of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2006 will run from May 12 –14 at several DUMBO locations including St. Ann’s Warehouse. The annual three-day show will feature Brooklyn-based designers and manufacturers of contemporary furnishings, including indoor and outdoor furniture, rugs, lighting and accessories. It will signal the start of Design Week in New York City, America’s answer to Milan’s Salone Del Mobile.
Attracting thousands of visitors to DUMBO, Brooklyn’s hub for cutting-edge design – BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2005 showcased a jury-selected group of leading Brooklyn-Made products, and marked the debut appearance of some of the country’s hottest new designers. In its June issue, Dwell described BKLYN DESIGNS™ as “a boon for those seeking good design minus starchy attitudes…it featured young designers showing eclectic wares in DUMBO.” Metropolis added, “During the last ten years, Brooklyn has emerged as a vital scene for art and design in New York City.…The growing success of Brooklyn Designs…reflect[s] the strength of the new work coming from the borough.”
According to Adams, “This year we plan to grow the show while remaining committed to the high level of quality that our visitors have come to expect. We will again work with a jury of design industry professionals to select the very best work from across the borough. Buyers, design professionals and consumers will be making the trip to NYC for Design Week. We want to make sure that their first stop is Brooklyn. Our curated show will be their chance to see what’s happening in local studios and workshops that are setting home furnishings trends worldwide.”
Show organizers are working to put together an expanded series of events that will take place across the DUMBO neighborhood. There will also be a special focus on “green” production materials and products.
The Chamber has put out a call for exhibitors. Interested Brooklyn-based manufacturers and designers should click here to download a 2006 application form. The jury, made up of leading design professionals including editors from the top shelter and design publications, will review exhibitor applications in late December 2005.
BKLYN DESIGNS™ is sponsored by Two Trees Management, Con Edison, Time Out New York, Time Out New York Kids, Interior Design, Pratt Institute, AIA, ASID and IIDA. BKLYN DESIGNS™ receives additional support from Speaker Sheldon Silver and the Brooklyn Delegation to the NYS Assembly, Speaker Gifford Miller and the Brooklyn Delegation to the NYC Council and the New York City Department of Small Business Services. For more information, interested companies can contact auster*events for sponsorship and marketing opportunities at 718-243-1414.
