ICFF 2003 - god i love NYC

The show was a surprising and respectful success. After the Milan show, a lot of people expected the show to be disappointing, but it was a surprisingly great show. A large talent pool was showcased, however, the foreign exhibitors had a thin showing. As usual, the Italians were strong. There was still a lot of space for rent in Soho, suggesting that the US economy is not as bad as it was and on the comeback. There were plenty of new companies showcasing.

Trends for the show included continued use of bright colors, particularly orange, bright green and pink. Forms influenced by 1960s and 70s furniture were popular as well. There was also a parallel trend of Ultra minimalist designs following a European trend of the last 15 years.

The use of pale, natural woods in seating and lighting was another trend. A number of UK companies had products which slotted together from 2d pieces cut from wood or plastic sheet. Translucent acrylic was used on many products. A number of companies were using roto, blow molding and foam injection molding for seating products. Mark Newson showed a few interesting new products in his talk including a new cell phone.

Notables:

-Pablo design had a very interesting light
-The talk by Marc Newson added a few new things
-Art center college booth was a fine show
-Interlocking forms seamed to be an emerging theme