Tomorrow's Furniture Today at the ICFF

This year's expo showed that Americans are getting back some of their innovation edge, while sidebar events showcased green design

by Helen Walters

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A crystal-encrusted deck chair. A chair made of melted plastic bottles. A red felt field of flowers. These and other novel objects were on display in New York last weekend at the 19th International Contemporary Furniture Fair. The design juggernaut, produced by George Little Management in association with industry stalwarts such as the American Society of Interior Designers and the International Furnishings & Design Assn., purports to be North America's "singular showcase for contemporary design."

And while the official fair proceedings are contained to the exhibition halls of the Jacob Javits Center on Manhattan's West Side Highway, the event has spilled over, with independently organized satellite events taking place around the city, from the Museum of Modern Art to the lofts of the trendy Meatpacking District.

ICFF organizers estimate the event attracted around 25,000 interior designers, architects, distributors, and developers to Manhattan, as well as Regular Joe consumers interested in finding out what's new and next in the world of contemporary furniture design. All are gathering in the hopes of spotting the next direction for design in various categories, from lighting to furniture and accessories.

Exhibitors hope to attract attention from architects and designers (who comprise some 60% of the show's attendees) or even attention from major home retailers such as Target (TGT) and Crate & Barrel (buyers comprise a further 30%). A small booth at ICFF today could, the theory goes, lead to a major commission tomorrow.

And while many international buyers and retailers still hold that Salone in Milan is the world's premier furniture and home-design event, ICFF is certainly growing in stature and prominence for those on this side of the Atlantic (see BusinessWeek.com, 4/17/07, "A Preview of the Milan Design Fair").

"Americans Are Embracing Design"

"Many American companies don't exhibit in Milan, and we have contingents you won't get to see anywhere else," says Phil Robinson, senior vice-president of George Little Management. "We also have the concept of ICFF Studio, a unique area within the fair where we look to link up young designers with manufacturers." In all, 33 countries were represented at the fair proper, which featured 641 separate exhibitors, including 275 showing for the first time—up from 600 exhibitors at last year's event. Organizers estimate attendance was up 8% over last year.

Robinson attributes that rise in attendance to that most ubiquitous object: the iPod. "It's the extension of the iPod into furnishings. People like cool things," he says simply. "It's clear that Americans are embracing design more and more—whether that's for their children, for their homes, for their offices. You can see that manifest itself across media, automotive design, consumer electronics, coming right down to furnishings. And we're a very horizontal show. We serve every facet of the marketplace, from architects looking for a new material to retailers looking for a new floor covering. It's very diverse."

Trends seen at ICFF work their way into industries such as autos and even technology, thanks to attendees like Piers Fawkes, founder of trendwatching agency PSFK, an online resource for what's new and next in the worlds of branding, fashion, and design. For him, the event offers an opportunity to confirm trends initially gleaned in Milan. "There, I saw a lot of sculptural designs—pieces folded into themselves or formed in complex geometrical shapes," he says. "You can see that again here in New York with pieces like the 'Twist' table by PearsonLloyd."