Jan 11, 2013

NYIGF Showcases Emerging Design Talents at Winter Market

Two special New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®) initiatives – A+: The Young Designers’ Platform at Accent on Design® and Emerging Designer Maker Platform in Handmade® Designer Maker – will showcase emerging design talents, January 26-30, 2013, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers. In addition, one newcomer to Handmade® Designer Maker has been named recipient of the 3rd annual Carol Sedestrom Ross “Maker-to-Market” Scholarship.

“NYIGF is an incubator for design, and we’ve developed several programs to foster, reward and promote emerging talents,” said Christian Falkenberg, NYIGF director and GLM vice president. “We’re also delighted to name the winner of the third annual Carol Sedestrom Ross ‘Maker-to-Market’ scholarship, which fosters wholesale craft industry talents and recognizes Carol’s legacy on the wholesale craft industry.”

A+: The Young Designers’ Platform at Accent on Design®
The A+ showcase introduces the work of emerging designers, selected on the basis of design concept, creativity and originality, and provides emerging designers an affordable opportunity to expose their concepts, prototypes and finished products to the wholesale marketplace. A+participants were chosen by designers, retailers and industry advisors on the Accent on DesignSelection Committee as well as Paul Rowan of Umbra. “A+: The Young Designers’ Platform” atAccent on Design runs Sunday, January 27, through Wednesday, January 30, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Winter 2013 A+ participants, and their new product introductions, are:

design on shell (Springfield, PA) with Shirrley, an expandable, multi-function tote bag made out of a piece of mesh fabric and a single strand of string, which stretches to 40 x 60 cm when fully open, and collapses into a stylish shirred handbag. Yuree S. Hwang, president and design director, was educated in her native Korea, where she received an MS and BS in industrial design, as well as a BS in computer science, at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Her education continued at the Traditional Korean Arts and Architecture School, where she studied traditional fine woodworking and pottery. www.designonshell.com

Souda (New York City) with the Kreten Side Table, Mitre Stool, Bubble Chandelier and Kawa Series of porcelain vases and vessels. Founded in the summer of 2012 by three recent Parsons School of Design graduates; Isaac Friedman-Heiman, Shaun Kasperbauer and Luft Tanaka, Souda designs and manufactures furniture, lighting, and home decor, utilizing a process-driven approach to create objects with character. By combining in-house production with components produced by local machinists, woodworkers and metal shops, Souda’s objects are uniquely expressive and well-crafted. soudasouda.com

Emerging Designer Maker Platform within Handmade Designer Maker
The Emerging Designer Maker Platform introduces the work of emerging craft designers and makers, selected on the basis of design concept, creativity and originality. Applications are only accepted from designers who have been in business for one year or less. Emerging Designer Maker Platform participants were chosen by artisans, retailers and craft industry advisors comprising the Handmade Designer Maker jury. Emerging Designer Maker Platform runs Saturday, January 26, through Tuesday, January 29, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center North Connector.

Winter 2013 Emerging Designer Maker Platform participants, and their new product introductions, are:

Vanessa Chew Designs (Brooklyn, NY) with ROOTS Wooden Jewelry collection (Bib Necklace, Pendant Necklace and Threader Earrings). Chew, a graduate of the master’s degree program in industrial design at the Pratt Institute in New York City, focuses her designs on minimizing waste and utilizing materials to create a lower environmental impact. To create her jewelry collection, Chew re-purposes wood off-cuts, carefully sanding and oiling each by hand to emphasize the wood’s natural beauty and unique features. www.vanessachewdesigns.com

Clementine Porcelain (Omaha, NE) with design-driven and functional cast porcelain. Designers and teachers Jesse Ross and Tracy Shell offer both custom and production pieces, including vases, bowls, cups and other vessels. With a mission of service, the company donates a percentage of profits to The Backpack Program for hunger relief, administered by the Food Bank of the Heartland. www.clementineporcelain.com

Nicole Porter (Astoria, NY) with a Modern Neon Hardwood line of homewares made from high-quality beech wood. Porter both designs and produces eco-friendly homewares in textiles, ceramics and wood. Starting with familiar design elements updated for today, Porter uses color liberally in her designs, and sources materials from American manufacturers. Her influences include Scandinavian and mid-century modern design. www.nicoleporter.com

Wendy Robbins (Bergenfield, NJ) with the Tin Ceiling collection including vests for men and women, women’s cropped jean jacket and women’s fitted jean blazer. Robbins designs one-of-a-kind women’s clothing for small boutiques in NYC and various indie venues. In September 2012, she created the Tin Ceiling Collection, incorporating her love for old world architecture and design and her love of unusual textiles. She recreates tin ceiling patterns on clothing with dimensional textile paint, and finishes them to look like real antique brass, silver and copper.www.wendyrobbinsny.com

3rd annual Carol Sedestrom Ross “Maker-to-Market” scholarship
Mecca Perry, founder and creative director of Ann Perry Designs, has been awarded the third annual Carol Sedestrom Ross “Maker-to-Market” scholarship. A professional cook by trade, Perry has created a line of stylish aprons mimicking the style of fashionable dresses (annperrydesigns.com). Her current, one-size-fits-most line varies in looks, fabrics and colors. The award, granted to individuals or companies whose products exhibit the greatest potential for design, creativity, craftsmanship and unique artisanry, is named in honor of the late Carol Sedestrom Ross, GLM’s former director of craft marketing.

NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800 exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. The winter market takes place Saturday, January 26, through Wednesday, January 30, 2013, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94. Some 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online atwww.nyigf.com.