Retail Observer

FEBRUARY 2024 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 57 conversations with acclaimed speakers from the ICFF main stage. Explore the evolution of work through the voices, concepts, and products that are changing the workplace for good. • The Library, in partnership with Phaidon: Global book publisher Phaidon will join as a partner in 2024, with activations for the new release Designed for Life: The World's Best Product Designers and a curated Phaidon library adjacent to the Talks Mainstage. FEATURES • WantedDesign: Emerging Design Dedicated to emerging design, WantedDesign returns as a centerpiece of ICFF with Look Book, Launch Pad, the Schools Showcase, and the Design Schools Workshop. The Wanted Lounge and the Look Book Workspace will be central meeting areas during the show. – Look Book: An in-person portfolio for members of the A&D community to connect with high-end North American designers/ makers/entrepreneurs as well as source original designs and beautifully crafted products for their next projects. Presented with media partner Dezeen and supported by Turf, the space will feature more than 65 exhibitors, up from 48 in 2023, and will include the Look Book Workspace, a communal area for meeting and working. – Launch Pad: An international platform for emerging designers that introduces new concepts and showcases prototypes of furniture, home accessories, and lighting. This year ICFF will show 71 exhibitors including the two Best of Launch Pad winners from 2023: Gus by Good Growing/Tori Deetz and Studio Waah/Shaunak Patel. Sponsored by American Standard and presented with media partners Design Milk and Clever. – Schools Showcase: For the third year, international design schools will show the industry the outstanding work of their students. The Best of Schools Award and Students Prize are presented with media partner Design Milk and sponsored by Alessi. – Design Schools Workshop: New at WantedDesign this year. • At the Crossroads of American Design: Sustainability in Practice and Spirit Returning in 2024 at the heart of the fair, The Crossroads will be a collaboration between the ICFF brand directors; Creative Director David Rockwell, founder of Rockwell Group; and co-curator and editor Pei-Ru Keh. Sustainability, in its complex and multifaceted form, serves as the focal point of The Crossroads' second iteration. This year's exhibition will spotlight the way designers seek to preserve long-honored craft traditions, together with how they push the boundaries of circularity to consciously re-think the legitimacy of material use. It will also highlight the different ways creative communities can make design more accessible to all, whether through more inclusive cultural representations or deeper community-wide engagement. By considering the concept of sustainability in both a formal and ethical sense, The Crossroads hopes to spark new ideas on how the American design community can make its way forward with respect, fellowship, and meaning. • Programming curator Tiffany Jow, editor-in-chief of Untapped, will develop and host talks at The Crossroads with Pei-Ru Keh. • International Pavilions:: Many country groups from around the world are joining ICFF in 2024, including Norway, Brazil, Portugal, and Romania, to name a few. • ICFF Talks: The main talks will happen on the Mainstage and The Oasis space. The Mainstage is sponsored by Turf. Additionally, focused conversations will take place in new dedicated spaces such as Bespoke, Crossroads, Look Book with media partner Dezeen, and Kitchen + Bath. • The Oasis will continue to host conversations about sustainability and conscious design topics. The Welcome Lounge, The Restaurant, the ICFF Editors Awards, and other features will return. • Designing the Experience: ICFF will tap into the expertise of RADS, Rodolfo Agrella Design Studio, to implement the new branding into the show floor and create the 2024 look and feel for the fair. This will include the talks on the Mainstage and The Oasis, the Wanted Lounge, The Restaurant, and the Fair's overall wayfinding aesthetic. NEW VISION: BEYOND THE FAIR As the design landscape and its economic realities change, the team at ICFF is building on the success from this past May, from the selection of the participants, to the programming and marketing, to the redesign of the floor plan and show experience. ICFF is committed not only to hosting a successful fair, but also to nurturing a dynamic relationship with the design community. ICFF is evolving beyond the fair to promote its partners year-round through expanded editorial content and programming, networking, and promotional opportunities. Throughout the year, ICFF will amplify partner and exhibitor materials across its channels (digital, newsletters, social media) and will support events such as showroom activations and partnered programs to engage and educate the design community. Plans for 2024 include a networking opportunity in Paris in January, a global virtual press preview in February, a Look Book talk in NYC in April with media partner Dezeen, an event in Milan in April, and a networking designers' trip to Design Week Mexico in October. ICFF Brand Directors Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat said: "Rather than ICFF being just a three-day event, we are building a brand to speak to the design community on all platforms 365 days a year. We want to keep the conversation going while continuing to provide relevant stories for the entire design spectrum, from students and emerging designers to more established designers and architects. We are promoting all through our channels to make it a real added support to the industry." SHOW DATES & HOURS Sunday, May 19: 10AM-6PM Monday, May 20: 10AM-6PM Tuesday, May 21: 10AM-5PM Registration is open now. Please visit www.icff.com for more information about ICFF. RO

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