BROOKLYN DESIGNS Announces Exhibition Highlights

Showcasing the Contemporary Design Scene in Brooklyn
May 11-13 at the Brooklyn Museum

Kicking off the first weekend of NYCxDESIGN and newly located at the Brooklyn Museum, BROOKLYN DESIGNS is proud to announce highlights from its 50+ exhibiting brands. Beginning with a VIP preview on May 11 and opening to the public from May 12-13, the show is an annual celebration of the borough’s creative community, presented by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerceand co-produced with Novità Communications. With a freshly curated lens and a new home at a prominent art institution, BROOKLYN DESIGNS will showcase emerging designers and established brands that span a range of design objects, including furniture, lighting, tableware, art, textiles, technology and jewelry, many of which have received Brooklyn-Made certification.

“We’re proud to showcase Brooklyn’s thriving and innovative design community each year at BROOKLYN DESIGNS,” said Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Andrew Hoan. “The designers and architects whose work will be on display at the Brooklyn Museum this year represent the innovative drivers of the borough’s maker economy, using style to drive substantive economic growth. We thank our elected officials and partners for making this incredible show possible.”

The event’s keynote speaker will be Jonathan Marvel, a renowned architect of many of Brooklyn’s newest iconic buildings.

Brooklyn is an important hub for both innovation and craftsmanship, bridging the gap between old, masterful techniques and new, contemporary aesthetics. This can be seen in the work of exhibitors like Mark Jupiter, an established fourth generation woodworker whose custom designs combine refined elegance, repurposed industrial materials and sustainable sensibilities, as well as emerging brands like Shuya Design, whose custom furniture combines wood and marble, amongst other materials, in unconventional ways. A Red Hook-based furniture design studio, TOKEN, will introduce a new brand direction at the show, focusing on its atelier style of development and production and founder Will Kavesh’s fine arts background.

The show also attracts ambitious architect-turned-product designers such as Hannah Getachew of Bolé Road Textiles and Matthew Hoey of Studio Camden, as well as OT/TRA and Think Fabricate, whose furniture brands complement their architecture practices. A spotlight will also shine on lighting brands this year. From Fitchwork’s ornamental pendants sintered from powdered nylon and porcelain to Caiu Lighting’s natural stone veneer fixtures, material boundaries are being pushed through exquisite artistry.

Furthermore, studios with a multidisciplinary focus are producing unique products, including custom design and fabrication studio Argosy Designs, which will launch APD – Argosy Product Division at BROOKLYN DESIGNS, applying the same unparalleled dexterity of its architectural metalwork to the design and manufacturing of hand-crafted lighting, accessories and furniture pieces. Many brands are looking to further merge art and design, such as Fort Makers, whose playful, multidisciplinary studio focuses on handmade, useful objects with the intention of expanding the definition of art and Evan Z. Crane, who aims to create not just furniture, but functional sculpture imbued with personality. The intersection of technology and design will be achieved by Brooklyn SolarWorks, which creates solar powered rooftop canopies to produce electricity for your home.

The beloved BROOKLYN BUYS marketplace will return for a fourth year, featuring designers and makers specializing in jewelry, ceramics, and other items for sale, making it the perfect destination to find a unique gift for Mother’s Day. A few highlights include: concrete jewelry from Kahen_design, ceramic home objects from Demetria Chappo Ceramics, and handmade textiles from Five | Six Textiles, which works with African artisans to bridge the gap between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary aesthetics.

In addition to exhibitors and a shoppable market, the show will also feature Brooklyn’s past, present and future with programming and special installations, including an exhibit of historic ceramic pieces from Brooklyn dating back to the 19th century, from the museum’s decorative arts collection. The Prospect Park Alliance will also host a free design-themed tour of Prospect Park.

BROOKLYN DESIGNS is thankful for the generous support of its sponsors Broadway Stages, Con Edison, Sweeten and Sterling National Bank. Media sponsors include Metropolis, Interior Design, The Architect’s Newspaper, Design Milk, Architonic, Remodelista, The Bridge, The Epoch Times and NTD.TV. The show is also supported by institutional partners such as ASID NY Metro, AIA Brooklyn, IIDA NY, IFDA NY and the Prospect Park Alliance.

For more information and ticket sales, visit www.brooklyndesigns.nyc. BROOKLYN DESIGNS offers free admission to registered trade and media. For instant updates on the show, follow @BKLYNDESIGNS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To access HR exhibitor photos and show materials visit bit.ly/bkd18presskit.

About BROOKLYN DESIGNS

Founded in 2003 by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, BROOKLYN DESIGNS was one of the first design fairs to shine a spotlight on the creative economy in Brooklyn, and helped put many Brooklyn makers and designers on the map. Attendees include designers, architects, builders, developers, store buyers, industry influencers, educators, urban planners and design-savvy consumers, who all come together to celebrate the borough’s rich design heritage, iconic style and bustling creative community. With thousands of visitors over the three-day weekend, BROOKLYN DESIGNS is one of the most vibrant shows in New York City and of the anchor fairs of NYCxDESIGN – the official citywide celebration of design. The 2018 edition is May 11-13 at the Brooklyn Museum.www.brooklyndesigns.nyc