BKLYN DESIGNS Announces Exhibitor Highlights, Interactive Pop-Ups and More for NYCxDESIGN 2017

With NYCxDESIGN around the corner, BKLYN DESIGNS has announced highlights from its 50+ exhibiting brands and numerous partners creating interactive and site-specific installations for the show.

The signature, annual celebration of the borough's creative community, founded and managed by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and co-produced with Novità Communications, will showcase emerging designers and established brands producing and selling a range of design objects including furniture, lighting, tableware, art, textiles, and jewelry, many of which have received Brooklyn-Made Certification.

In addition, interactive installations, design service providers, pop-up shops, live demos, workshops, panel discussions, local vendors and kid-friendly programming makes the show a must-attend event for trade professionals and design lovers of all ages. BKLYN DESIGNS takes place May 5-7 at the Brooklyn Expo Center at 72 Noble Street in Greenpoint.

"Brooklyn is a vibrant community of makers. Whether they're creating a luxury piece or one for practical use, the products from BKLYN DESIGNS' exhibitors are thoughtfully designed and meticulously crafted by the most creative people on the planet...Brooklynites," said Andrew Hoan, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. "We're proud to feature artists and designers who help people reimagine the way they live and work."

Brooklyn is world-renowned for its community of talented woodworkers, which can be seen in native New Yorkers such as Mark Jupiter, afourth generation woodworker, as well as recent arrivals like Christopher White who studied woodworking in Bordeaux and the Basque Country. The show also attracts people with an entrepreneurial spirit, evident in the many trained architects and designers who have crossed over into product design such as Roberto Gil of Casa Kids and Hannah Getachew of Bolé Road Textiles, as well as design and architecture firms launching new product lines such as OT/TRA, Think Fabricate and MK Workshop.

Collaboration and social good are two other defining characteristics of the borough that seem to manifest themselves in this year's exhibitor pool from Market Goods, who works closely with artisans in Bangladesh, to Refoundry, who trains formerly incarcerated people to repurpose discarded materials into unique furnishings. Reflecting the borough's reputation for community and collaboration, many of the exhibitors are family-owned brands including Maria Castelli, a leather goods brand run by a mother-daughter team of architects, and JMP, a woodshop specializing in stairs and rails, run by a father-son team of woodworkers.

The popular BKLYN BUYS marketplace, returning for a third year, will feature designers and makers specializing in jewelry, ceramics, and other items for sale. A few highlights include: nylon jewelry from Michal Lando, porcelain vases from WrenLab Ceramics,and Keap, whose candle sales support the distribution of solar lamps to communities in need.

In addition to design products and services, a wide range of pop-ups, lounges and installations will ensure that attendees never want to leave. At the front of the show, AphroChic will present the Design Against Hate Lounge, an interactive space demonstrating how acts of creativity can make a positive social impact, featuring décor and events around the idea of American Inclusivism. Bolstering the show's family-friendly vibe, Rockwell Group will donate its Imagination Playground for creative kids to build and play.

The American Design Club will host the American Design Club Pop-Up Shop featuring jewelry, lighting and accessories for sale by well-known Brooklyn designers. They are also collaborating with local artists and designers to create Project Cornhole, a series of one-of-a-kind cornhole boards that will be played during the show's Opening Night Party on Friday, May 5. The Textile Arts Center will also return with the TAC Pop-Up Studio, activating the show floor and creating a unique, hands-on experience for attendees. The studio will host live demos and workshops by artists in residence, teaching skills for children and adults, such as block printing, indigo dyeing, macramé, and fabric marbling.

There will also be numerous creative installations at the show including: a custom Vessel chandelier designed by Todd Bracher for Humanscale; Shadow Man, a one-of-a-kind, 28 foot-tall and 12 foot-wide sculpture from Naula; and LAYERED FRAGMENTS: a dyptich, designed by Jieun Yang, a Brooklyn-based architect and principal of Habitat Workshop, who won BKLYN DESIGNS' first-ever installation competition. Local food vendors at the show this year include Sixpoint Brewery, Café Grumpy, and Colson Patisserie.

BKLYN DESIGNS is thankful for the generous support of its sponsors Benjamin Moore, Broadway Stages, AJ Madison, Con Edison, Forest City Ratner, Just Energy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sweeten, Formula E and Williamsburg Hotel. Media sponsors include Metropolis, Interior Design, Architectural Record, The Architect's Newspaper, New York Cottages & Gardens, Interiors & Sources, Design Milk, Brooklyn Magazine, AphroChic, BKLYNER and The Bridge. The show is also supported by the local chapters of ASID, IFDA, IIDA, and AIA.

For more information and ticket sales, visit bklyndesigns.com. BKLYN DESIGNS offers free admission to registered trade and media. For instant updates on the show, follow @BKLYNDESIGNS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Founded in 2003 by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, BKLYN 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, BKLYN 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. BKLYN DESIGNS is supported by the New York State Assembly, the New York State Senate and the New York City Council. The 2017 edition is May 5-7 at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint.

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