Oct 1, 2008

NYIGF accepting applications for Young Designers’ Platform

(WHITE PLAINS, NY)– Young designers – including students, recent graduates, or new companies in business for one year or less – are invited to participate in “A+: The Young Designer’s Platform”, an “incubator” exhibit area within Accent on Design at the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF). Applications to participate in the winter market are available online and will be accepted through Saturday, November 15, 2008.

A+ showcases emerging talents alongside some 200 established contemporary design resources exhibiting in Accent on Design. This type of participation offers young designers an affordable opportunity to expose their concepts, prototypes and finished products to the wholesale marketplace. The program, which was launched in 2008, has showcased a coterie of new design talents at each of its semi-annual editions.

“Young designers are the industry’s lifeblood, and their presence in A+ brings a fresh, vital perspective to Accent on Design’s established offerings,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director. “This program gives up-and-coming design talents an exclusive entrée into the marketplace, and valuable exposure to potential clients.”

Stanley Ruiz, a contemporary home accessory and furniture designer, who participated in the Summer 2008 edition of A+, reported contacts with several key accounts as a result “I’ve had a great response from upscale retailers like Takashimaya, Barneys, and MOMA; cool small stores, like Propel in San Francisco; and a major distributor from Milan,” he said. “This program has surpassed all of my expectations.”

Diane Ruengsorn, founder and director of domestic aesthetic, also noted the quality of contacts made through her participation in A+. “I was really pleased to see high-end, design-driven stores and museum shops. The experience provided a good foundation for future years.”

For more than 20 years, Accent on Design has presented a juried collection of contemporary and innovative product lines across all categories. Accent on Design runs Sunday, January 25, through Thursday, January 29, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The 156th semi-annual edition of the New York International Gift Fair will take place at the Javits Center, and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 90, 92 and 94. NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift and home accessory marketplace, with 2,900 exhibitors featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware in nine carefully categorized divisions. Some 36,000 buyers from around the world are expected to attend. Additional information and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com, or by contacting GLM by telephone at 1-800-272-SHOW (7469), or (603) 665-7524.