French Design Connection

Raphael Charles - Multiple magnetic coffee table for SMO Gallery

After showcasing the new cosmopolitan design scenes of Paris, Milan and Stockholm, Francesco Pirrello (founder of Meet My Project) sets out to interpret an original exhibition concept under the supervision of Clément Sauvoy (French journalist based in Paris specializing in design, lifestyle, and architecture): a brand new 13th edition of Pirrello’s exhibitions will be brought to the Big Apple on the occasion of New York Design Week. This first New York installment will take place at the Chambers Hotel NY (Manhattan, Midtown, a few blocks from MoMA). During this year’s anticipated NY Design Week (ICFF, Wanted Design Fair, Noho Design District, Soho showrooms and more) Chambers Hotel will host pieces by great French manufacturers (Saint-Louis, Christofle), by emblematic worldrenowned editors (Roche-Bobois, La Tôlerie Forézienne, Emeco, Dedar, Bulo, Serralunga, Design Within Reach, Brokis, Mixcv), major design personalities (Pierre Charpin, Christophe Pillet, Christophe Delcourt, Dan Yeffet, Bram Boo, Ora Ito, Karim Rashid, Philippe Hurel, Brad Ascalon, Cedric Ragot, Stephen Burks, Gerardo Baltasar Portillo, Claudio Colucci, Mathieu Lehanneur, Marc Aurel, Cécile Planchais, Lucie Koldova, Rodrigo Almeida) and prominent contemporary design galleries as well (Cristina Grajales, SMO Galerie, Secondome), not to mention an emerging young talented generation of design represented by Bette Eklund, Bina Baitel, Laurent Corio, Naama Hofman, Miwa Akabane, Loic Lobet & Anaïs Triolaire, Julien Benayoun and Christina Liljenberg Halstrøm. The goal at the heart of this ambitious project is to break the boundaries between the traditional international fairs (Maison&Objet;, Milan International Furniture Fair, London 100% Design, etc.), the gallery fairs (PAD, Basel, Miami, etc.) and the contemporary design gallery exhibitions. The objective is not only to export the best of European design to the Big Apple but also to build fundamental bridges between the two worlds in terms of art, design, creation and trade. This bridging of the fields will be brought to the attention of an American audience of designers, journalists, collectors, manufacturers, distributors, and the contract business elite, as well as the large number of overseas visitors that NYC is accustomed to during the city’s yearly string of design events. The set design is provided by the Manhattan studio of Brad Ascalon, one of America’s leading design talents of his generation, who has partnered with two additional American companies, the Massachusetts-based metal laminate manufacturer Chemetal and the Philadelphia-based design and production house Draft Works, to produce the site-specific exhibition. This new style of curation by Clément Sauvoy is also intended for meetings, mutual exchanges, and debate as more than 70 pieces devoted to French luxury, as well as an installation by the Swiss studio Allegory, span a space of 400 square meters, split between the lobby and open mezzanine. During the unique event, where visions will combine and collide, food design will also be presented under the guidance of David Edwards’ Laboratory (Design professor at Harvard University). In addition, the event will feature two carteblanche video projections by the film director Eames Demetrios and the architect of Chambers Hotel David Rockwell. Chambers Hotel NY - 15 W 56th St New York Contacts: [email protected] www.frenchdesignconnection.com (coming soon)