Designers Selected By Prestigious Jury For BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2009

Exhibitors Announced

(Brooklyn, NY – March 4, 2009) BKLYN DESIGNS™ is proud to announce its 7th annual all-star lineup which features 45 of Brooklyn’s top designers. The BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2009 show will highlight the freshest and most innovative contemporary furniture, lighting, carpet, flooring, and wall coverings designed by both new and veteran exhibitors.  The show, presented by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce from May 8 – 10 at DUMBO’s legendary St. Ann’s Warehouse, kicks off New York Design Week.

During this highly anticipated three-day showcase, BKLYN DESIGNS™ bustles with over 6,500 visitors, including interior designers, retailers, manufacturers, distributors, developers, and other design-conscious members of the public who follow New York City’s hottest trends.

“Brooklyn is burgeoning with talent, and BKLYN DESIGNS™ is one way we have been able to support and celebrate our local designers over the years,” says Carl Hum, president & CEO, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

The BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2009 jury includes design aficionados that hail from top publications like New York and Interior Design magazines, from popular blogs including Design*Sponge and Inhabitat, as well as acclaimed New York City educational and cultural institutions like the Brooklyn and Guggenheim museums and Pratt Institute.

Mr. Hum is especially excited to have the jury return for a second round of deliberations to select five designers from the BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2009 roster to attend the world-renowned International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) as “Brooklyn’s future international stars.” These five exhibitors will attend ICFF one week after BKLYN DESIGNS™ as deserving representatives of BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2009 and Brooklyn’s undeniably talented design scene.

Courtney Sloane, juror and founder of Alternative Designs, said this year’s selection process was difficult, “We chose the show’s final 45 exhibitors from over 100 applicants. The jury raised the bar for accepting exhibitors and selectively chose designers that kept an eye on sustainability, while escalating their material in response to the changing marketplace.”

Eric Manigian, founder of Eric Manigian Studio, is a return BKLYN DESIGNS™ exhibitor – his “exhibition venue of choice” – for the seventh year in a row and is eager to unveil his newest circular-shaped table, which is produced from the wood of a salvaged maple tree. Mr. Manigian enjoys showing his most current work at BKLYN DESIGNS™ because the intimately curated show “lends itself to a more serious viewing experience.”

Palo Samko, also a featured BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2009 exhibitor, is thrilled to launch his newest products at the show because, as he points out, this public event in particular attracts a range of new customers across the national and international design stage that translates into over 75% of his yearly sales.

Pratt Institute once again will return to show off the stunning and innovative designs to come out of its industrial design program by its most talented recent graduates.

Also new this year is the DWELL Magazine BROOKLYN Home Tour @ BKLYN DESIGNS™, to be held Saturday, May 9. This self-guided tour will feature five distinctive homes selected to inspire design professionals and enthusiasts alike.

To see a full list of BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2009 exhibitors, please visit http://www.bklyndesigns.com.

Companies interested in marketing opportunities and sponsorship can contact auster*events at emma@austerevents.com. Please direct all press inquires to Emma Parnass at 718-243-1414.

ABOUT BKLYN DESIGNS™
BKLYN DESIGNS™ 2009 is sponsored by 93 Nevins, Two Trees Management, Pratt Institute, Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center, Con Edison, AIA, ASID and IIDA. This year’s official media partners are Interior Design magazine, New York Magazine, and Dwell magazine. BKLYN DESIGNS™ receives support from Speaker Sheldon Silver and the Brooklyn Delegation to the NYS Assembly, Speaker Christine Quinn and the Brooklyn Delegation to the NYC Council and the New York City Department of Small Business Services.