above> transcend by suzanne tick for skyline design
a neocon 2017 runs from 12 to 14 june at the mart in chicago. at-a-glance preview…
3form / 10 – 142
a collaboration between 3form and brooklyn-based designer louis lim of makingworks has resulted in the creation of mobius, exclusively on view at wanted design in new york city in may 2017. now check out the latest at neocon.
andreu world / 10 – 132
invites you to discover our new collections at neocon 2017. we look forward to welcoming you.
save the date: please join us for the andreu world fiesta. this year’s event will feature traditional spanish tapas and wine along with a very special live music performance.
arper / 339
arper presents their 2017 collections at neocon. stop by for a coffee and explore the new products at their chicago showroom.
buzzispace / 10 – 111
at neocon 2017 on both the first and the 10th floor of the merchandise mart, buzzispace will realize its comprehensive approach to design for happy, healthy living, incorporating a range of furniture options, and serious acoustic solutions.
carnegie / 10 – 112 life is colorful with the roy g biv collection! the energetic collection spans the full spectrum with high performance upholstery and digitally printed wide width sheers that celebrate color at its very best.
designtex / 1032A
in business, collaboration is everything—but creating the right balance between openness and privacy is a challenge. casper™ cloaking technology by designtex is an architectural film for glass walls that obscures digital screens to outside view. it acts as a smart shield to ensure data privacy, while providing the peace of mind to collaborate freely in any working environment. this is a breakthrough that will unleash space design in the networked modern world. casper is the only cloaking technology of its kind anywhere. you have to see it to believe it.
hbf / 387 thomas lykke/oeo has collaborated with hbf to create the studio table series.
haworth / 312
come see bluescape and global commercial furnishings leader haworth an innovative new collaboration space at neocon 2017.
humanscale / 351 humanscale and the living product challenge. talking about sustainability is easy. what’s more challenging is creating a net positive impact. especially when it’s being audited and validated by the international living future institute.
herman miller / 321
when bill stumpf and don chadwick designed the original aeron, they combined a deep knowledge of human-centered design with innovative, never-before-seen technology to deliver a chair unlike any other. just as iconic films and albums are updated for new mediums, standards, and audiences, aeron has now been remastered to meet the needs of today’s work, workers, and work environments. by coupling co-designer don chadwick’s vision with herman miller’s latest research around the science of sitting, the new aeron works better than ever before—so you can too.
ki / 1181
join the ruckus at neocon 2017! get a first-hand look at how ki‘s ruckus collection is disrupting the design paradigm. in addition, we’ll be showcasing innovative product solutions developed using the principles of human-centered design.
keilhauer / 373 luno is for reflecting. a visually striking lounge chair that allows you to move, sit and communicate in your own style. design by eoos.
maharam / 1188
maharam design studio decided to develop a substrate: apt introduces a new polymer that combines a silicone face with a polyurethane-and-silicone mid-layer to maharam’s offering of nonwoven upholstery textiles. using a proprietary formulation. apt is the result of five years of research and development.
mohawk / 377
go behind-the-scenes with mohawk group for a sneak preview of the bold and stylish floorcoverings they’ll be showcasing this year. take a peek at our entire lineup.
okamura / 11 – 124 alt piazza is an office furniture of the future that turns office shared space into a place where you can work comfortably.
steelcase / 300 steelcase workplace advisor empowers organizations to measure the effectiveness of the workplace, and improve it based on easy-to-understand, actionable data accessible through an online dashboard.
teknion / 10 -48 around is fully featured, yet clever new new task chair. hidden innovations facilitate a simple chair design with a light, minimalist form. designed by justus kolberg, around is remarkably comfortable, versatile and easy to use.
vitra / 1192 vitra has been developing and producing office chairs for over 40 years. its first model, the vitramat, set new industry standards, and many of its successors have continued to revolutionize workplace seating. to accompany the market launch of the pacific chair, am chair and id chair update, we are introducing the task chair campaign: a new digital tool that provides existing and prospective customers with an inspiring presentation of these chairs.
wilkhahn’s new metrik cantilever chair stands apart for its sculptural shape and contours which bring modern automotive design to mind. polygonal shapes and rounded edges are part of a distinctive body which is defined by form-fit assembly of the tubular steel frame and seat component. design by whiteID.
above> introducing montara650 collection by the coalesse design group and lievore altherr molina
coalesse® engages a&d as participants at neocon 2016 / #1032 – a&d community invited to take part in the design process
coalesse, recognized for forward-looking, design-driven products that foster social connection, creative collaboration, and focus and rejuvenation, is inviting the a&d community to participate in the design process through a range of new products and custom capabilities at neocon 2016.
its showroom #1032, will feature expressions of custom capabilities that can be applied through the newly launched potrero415™ tables, massaud conference seating, and the montara650™ collection, among other products, giving a&d professionals the opportunity to discover new ways of personalizing through color and pattern, materials and features, and shape and size to make it their own and enhance emotional engagement at the workplace.
showroom visitors are also invited to participate in the design process through coalesse’s new customizer web app, which demonstrates ways of applying custom color and pattern to the groundbreaking lessthanfive™ chair. the web app and degree of product offerings make customization highly-attainable, empowering clients to be curators of a more meaningful design experience.
below> vitra & artek / #1192 // north american introductions / vitra customized applications
at neocon, vitra will present a series of projects that demonstrate how it has optimized collaboration with client project teams. this provides clients a direct dialogue and unprecedented access to vitra’s top design talent, allowing for the custom-development of new product applications for large scale projects.
below> mohawk group / #377 & 3-121
elevate contemporary spaces to inspired floorscapes through mohawk’s latest production collections. inspired by nature and designed to merge fashion with function.
below> mohawk group / moving floors collection / diagonal relief, fade relief, plane high, plane low, 656 green 24by24
designed to be dynamically moving base on the user’s point of view, moving floors was inspired by the multi-layered beauty of our cultural landscape. empowers designers to create kinetic floorscapes through limitless combinations.
below> haberdasher textiles / by laura guido-clark for herman miller / 3-321
haberdasher is an array of palettes and patterns, inspired by traditional sewing materials—and tailored for projects of various sizes and budgets. giving solids and patterns license to commingle or stand alone, haberdasher gives you license to play. mix. match. curate. collaborate. differentiate. and indulge.
above> there are 5 families each with their own identity. pins and needles: a simple pattern of pins strewn about a canvas becomes iconic in a highly graphic way. / string plaid: the crosshatch pattern creates a colorful, dynamic, and graphic twist on traditional plaid. / well suited: allows vibrant and deep colors to collaborate in a small scale, two-color nailhead pattern. / fish net: the quilted hand offers dimension and explores a large line of intense, warm, and cool colors. / tailored: the tightly woven grid texture creates a subtle surface that reflects light and contours form.
below> hbf & hbf textiles / 387
hbf has returned to its roots, teaming with esteemed designer and longtime partner michael vanderbyl to create introduce conexus, a work/lounge chair designed to function across any contract setting — offices, lobbies, hospitality environments…
designer michael vanderbyl notes, “i strive for timelessness. conexus plays with the shape of a classic lounge chair and transforms it into a more organic form that showcases the exceptional craftsmanship in the woodwork and the upholstery. the wood merges with the upholstery in such a seamless way that the piece takes on a sculptural quality, an engineering feat that hbf executed masterfully.”
below> hbf textiles highlights color, texture, yarn, and hue in spring 2016 collection
known for their artful and authentic approach to design, hbf textiles is going back to the classics for its spring 2016 collection. hbf textiles vice president of design mary jo miller started with le corbusier’s infamous lc palette of colors from the 1920s, and used these fresh shades as a catalyst for the collection.
below> tek pier / teknion / 1048
tek pier “is the first product of its kind to successfully merge wall-mounted monitors with height-adjustable worksurfaces,” said paul kruger, teknion’s director of design, architectural products. tek pier takes advantage of teknion’s altos demountable wall cable routing, structure and acoustic performance. the innovative origami mount allows for fluid positioning to share a large format monitor, maintain viewing privacy, or engage in touchscreen applications.
below> designtex / moquette / 1032a
moquette is a textile mash-up that blends a classic velvet weaving technique with the creative possibilities offered by digital printing technology. the woven structure employs a “moquette” construction produced on a modern wire loom, allowing some areas to be woven as flat bands while elsewhere selected yarns are lifted and then cut to create a short, dense pile. beginning with a simple pattern of alternating horizontal stripes of varying widths, the moquette technique adds complexity by introducing a sense of dimensionality, which is enhanced by the luxurious combination of lustrous and matte yarns. finally, the raised, plush surfaces of the woven fabric are printed digitally with a non-repeating and random color pattern.
the result is an intricate layering of textures and colors that evokes natural landscapes, reflecting biologist e.o. wilson’s concept of biophilia—the theory that human beings are instinctively drawn to the natural world, and thus that design following this principle provides a heightened sensation of comfort and repose. below> parentesit freestanding / by lievore altherr molina for arper / 339
arper extends the functionality of parentesit to include freestanding models for increased privacy and comfort. architectural in scale, these modules carve out a three-dimensional space for concentration or quiet conversation in shared workspaces or collaborative environments.
parentesit was created with a dual inspiration of minimalist art and classic japanese interiors. to shift this approach to an architectural scale, the screen is capable of dividing a room in half, or partitioning off a space for quiet, independent thought.
below> wolf-gordon / & 10 – 161
following dazzling installations of sculptures and interactive digital displays in past years of neocon, wolf-gordon has again transformed the market space in a new way. office_excavate re-envisions the cubicle-enclosed office by creating a colorful, open seating space that can be easily rearranged for meetings, coffee breaks, and recharging of phones and humans alike. the furniture, which can be used alternately as seating, desks, tables, or stools, will be upholstered in over 100 different wolf-gordon textiles. office_excavate is a collaboration of karlssonwilker inc., new motor, graham kelman and wolf-gordon creative direction. below> humanscale / 351
they’re not only previewing a brand new line of diffrient occasional chairs they’re unveiling never-before-seen niels diffrient designs. take a journey through human-centered design innovation and chat with founder and ceo bob king, visionary designer todd bracher and the rest of the humanscale team.
below> carnegie / 10 – 112
reflectacoustic is a groundbreaking design that controls sound and delivers heat and glare reduction through yarn, weaving and metalized backing technology. the textile absorbs and reflects back a great deal of light; all validated through 3rd party testing.
below node with sharesurface / sharesurface was designed by steelcase design studio / steelcase / 300
steelcase health research reveals exam rooms not designed for the modern healthcare experience . findings uncover five ways exam space is failing physicians, patients and family members; informs new design framework and product, node® with sharesurface
node with sharesurface features a rotating sharesurface that provides dynamic access to information, a central part of the exam experience. physicians using mobile technology are able to chart while maintaining eye contact, pivot the surface to share their screen with the patient and family for education and shared decision making, all while having mobility in the room. the chair’s back and arms allow doctors to have more conversational postures during consultation and the rotating surface arm moves out of the way for examination activities.
below> northern parallel / cf stinson / 10-1150
[ collection summary ]
• 7 new textiles, 72 colorways.
• a collection of coordinating textiles that explores the connections between michigan (where stinson is headquartered) and maine (where stinson houses their design studio).
• shared michigan/maine discoveries:
• similar geographic latitudes
• rigorous climate with diverse seasons
• inhabitants with an appreciation for nature and willingness to embrace the seasons
• michigan/maine ideals include work hard, build with integrity and if you are going to be unique – be honest. shared mindset explored through textiles that are hard working, unique, honest and full of integrity.
• made in america, small carbon footprint.
below> the doni collection / designed by giancarlo piretti for ki / 1181
if you can dream it, doni can express it. create with a fresh palette of energizing brights and sophisticated neutrals. imagine the possibilities with two-tone colors and unlimited custom color possibilities. the collection offers guest, task, tandem and stackable configurations.
rooted in david rockwell’s innovative approach to hospitality environments and public space, and inspired by his award-winning design for theater and entertainment, rockwell unscripted is a comprehensive collection of furniture elements that adapt to the spontaneous choreography of the work day.
“our interest is in getting people to look at their work environments as a stage on which movable furniture can be arranged in endless configurations. you can craft the scene around what it is you’re doing that day,” said rockwell group founder and president david rockwell.
below> lievore altherr molina’s arcel for bernhardt design / 399
glass gradients by scholten & baijings add dimensionality to a space by establishing a dialogue between the simplicity of the patterns with their signature color palette.
below> suri pouf / designed by sezgin aksu and silvia suardi for kolekiyon / 11 – 113a
inspired by headgear from the ottoman empire
below> elemental wall systems / 3form / 10 – 142
time + weather = beauty
inspired by the rustic look—created from clean materials
the perfect combination of sitting and standing – a new style of work posture
it is no secret that changing our posture throughout the day is essential to our well-being in the office. what’s more, adapting a posture that is appropriate for the task at hand helps relieve stress placed upon the body. okamura recommends five postures for increased office productivity and efficiency. among them is the perching posture, a perfect combination of standing and sitting.
speckle is a durable and easy to maintain textile ideal for any environment.
speckle comes in four color ways and in each the warp yarn subtly contrasts with the soft pearlescent silver speckles in the weft direction.
chilewich has experimented laying speckle tiles quarter turned and found that the natural color shift between warp and weft adds a richness and level of interest to this quiet weave. speckle is ideal for spaces in which the floor is a foundation for bolder interior design elements. a sustainable solution of bold and neutral patterns.
below> wilkhahn / 7-3082c
wilkhahn’s dynamic office seating utilizes patented 3d technology to encourage health, creativity, and productivity in the workplace.
by special request of the a&d community, will show for the first time at neocon, a white, through-dyed seat shell and backrest frame.
below> arborite high pressure laminates / 7-1018
recognizing the increasingly blurred aesthetic line between contract and residential design, arborite has curated a selection of residential products with crossover appeal to create commercial stones.
above left > cityscape loft’s modern, wet cement look is ideal for urbanites in search of a low-maintenance, industrial-inspired surface. right> industrial loft evokes the glazed look of oxidized metal, combining light and dark shades with a matte texture for a chic, modern effect.
below> amble / by stephan copeland for lightcorp / 7-8062
why is amble different? amble is a light with no moving joints or articulation – in fact, the only moving part is a gravity-powered “eye.” minimalist design meets elite performance in a battery operated dimmagle led task light. created by renowned lighting designer stephan copeland, amble is highly adjustable yet has no moving joints or articulation. amble’s lean, single-form construction enables excellent adjustability and mobility through the intelligence of its shape.
below> nima / by giancarlo piretti for american seating / 10-148
aimed for the higher education market and various contract environments, nima is an inspiring multipurpose collection of chairs, providing exceptional comfort through a sophisticated minimalist aesthetic.
below> stir kinetic desk m1 / 1067a
the new m1 is a height-adjustable desk driven by software that senses your presence, learns your preferences, enables you to set goals and actively reminds you to change positions throughout the day.
DesignApplause will continue to add to this post as well as social shout it during neocon.
It’s very difficult to catch everything in this show whether in person or online. Our focus on 2014 new offerings surely limited discovery. What we did find in this year’s show provides a myriad of options for everyone’s needs as seen on our list below. We highlight several unique, innovative solutions.
[ vessel ] Designer Todd Bracher and 3M Architectural Markets engineering produce a solid quartz body that precisely controls light distribution from a single LED. Vessel comes in three lengths, six color options and two color temperatures.
zinta | lievore altherr molina | arper
[ zinta ] A bench makes it to prime time. Thanks to the exceptionally harmonious blend of wooden seat shell with softly rounded edges with partial upholstery on a light-looking frame, the bench is elegant and leisurely in appearance. It can serve as simple, single sofa or large-scale organizing principle in an open space. With a range of cushion options with diverse materials and fillings, it can serve a range of environments from residential to restaurant, lounge to office with equal ease.
avant collection | mark hiron | élan decca / photo courtesy decca
[ avant ] Designer Mark Hirons Avant’s concept of openness include the Lounge Chair, a simple, tailored Sofa and ultimately, to the inviting expanse of a 145-degree Sofa angled to support face-to-face conversation. Defined by a striking angularity, the pieces appear to expand and fan out. Avant seating is available fully upholstered or with wood veneer back that accentuates its crisp profile and sculptural presence.
[ lakendo ] LaKendo, designed by Angelo Pinaffo, is a family of chairs available with tip-up or fixed seat. Its multifunctional uses enable several easy configurations: with polypropylene, padded and upholstered seat and back or back in mesh. The metal frame has a peculiar section’s profile which makes the seat more resistant and supports others specific features such as a set for arms, tip-up seat, wheels and supports sled and bench versions. Among the accessories is available the tablet for both arms.
social chair | yves behar | herman miller / photo courtesy hm
[ social chair ] The Social Chair is the core component of the Public system, bringing new ergonomics, functionality and durability to soft seating while accommodating a range of people and postures. Public is the first office system to support casual work and provide comfort, at the desk, in circulation space, and in group areas—all within a consistent design vocabulary. Designed by Yves Behar and fuseproject.
ballo | don chadwick | humanscale
[ ballo ] Created by Don Chadwick, designer of the Aeron Chair, Ballo is a multipurpose stool that encourages users to engage in short-term, active sitting. The identical air-filled domes serve as the base and seat and pressure can be varied just like a Swiss exercise ball. Ballo helps to reduce the risks associated with sedentary behavior and improve metabolism, calorie burn and core strength. There’s also an adjustable height option.
lo and syz | eoos | keilhauer
[ lo and syz ] the syz table is one continuous table structure with a seamless flow between the cast legs and aluminum extrusions It comes in heights of 29 and 26 inches as well as a very cool and casual 15 inches. Lo is a charming seat cushion. Research has shown that sitting with the hips above the knees restores gravitational equilibrium and provides longer comfort.
berlage | richard hutten | ki
[ berlage ] The Berlage Chair was originally designed in 2004 by Richard Hutten tributing H.P. Berlage, the architect who designed the Municipal Museum of Modern Art in The Hague for the museum’s restaurant. KI reintroduces Berlage in 2014 via their Blu Sky Collection, an initiative of finding intuitive products with unique stories. The strung seat, which is done by hand means each chair by all accounts is unique.
bounce by knoll | knoll
[ bounce by knoll ] In an effort to reduce a level of uncertainty with planning an office space Knoll debuted software developed in partnership with Estimote, a tech start-up building a digital platform to bring content and context to people’s current location. Bounce by Knoll monitors, measures and analyzes space utilization and the work patterns of the office, and offers a digital user engagement platform. Using the Estimote iBeacon platform, Knoll planted seven iBeacons in their showroom that would give attendees a chance to look at occupancy levels at different stations.
antenna round big table | antenna | knoll
[ antenna round big table ] Masamichi Udagawa and Sigi Moeslinger of Antenna create a clever adaptation of their adjustable height Telescope Desk platform. We’d also like to see a Ballo-like chair pair up with it.
[ grip ] GRIP is a universal table suitable for all purposes. A new design inspired by tightrope walkers, the top balances on a narrow beam supported by cast aluminum legs. Grip™ gets more stable the more weighted it becomes. Bases are die cast aluminum and are available in one size. Finish offered in glass bead blasted (textured) and a selection of powder coat finishes in black, white, red and silver. A variety of top shapes and sizes are offered in all standard Nienkämper veneers and plastic laminates, as well as black linoleum.
quiet spaces by susan cain | steelcase / photo courtesy steelcase
[ susan cain quiet spaces ] Susan Cain Quiet Spaces by Steelcase offer five diverse ways to empower introverts at work. Each space supports specific postures, work modes, and expectations for quiet and privacy supported by a carefully chosen range of architecture, furniture, materials and technology. Every quiet space is designed with V.I.A. which provides superior acoustic performance and offers an atmosphere where introverts can work their best.
lite wall | jeffrey bernett and nicholas dodziuk | teknion / photo courtesy teknion
[ lite wall ] Lite Wall is a series of lightweight screens that respond to varying needs of the open office. Using magnets, Lite Wall easily reconfigures without tools or any visible connections. Varying screen heights accommodate standing, sitting, lounge and other critical datum lines in the system/office landscape. Designed by Jeffrey Bernett and Nicholas Dodziuk.
millions of colors | grethe sørensen | wolf-gordon / photo courtesy wolf-gordon
[ millions of colors ] Earlier in the year for Wolf-Gordon, Danish textile designer and artist Grethe Sørensen introduced a ground-breaking technique of translating pixels to threads. Cooper-Hewitt plans to acquire her work once its new building opens in late 2014.
[ the list ]
> vessel | todd bracher(*) | 3M architectural markets
> mimeo | bruce fifield(*) | allsteel
> colina | lievore altherr(*) molina | arper
> zinta | lievore altherr(*) molina | arper
> unos | jasper morrison | andreu world
> mitt > claudia & harry washington| bernhardt
> buzzipicnic | alain gilles | buzzispace
> acoustical sheers | mary holt | carnegie fabrics
> lakendo | angelo pinaffo | diemmebi
> airblade v | dyson
> designtex + wallace sewell collection | wallace sewell | designtex
> avant collection | mark hiron | élan decca
> lex | studios architecture | halcon
> openest collection | patricia urquiola | haworth
> suite | steffen lipsky | haworth
> triscape | todd bracher(*) | hbf
> locale l-desk | sam hecht and kim colin | herman miller
> social chair | yves behar | herman miller
> ballo | don chadwick | humanscale
> quickstand | humanscale
> trea | todd bracher(*) | humanscale
> human nature | interface
> lo and syz | eoos(*) | keilhauer
> berlage – blue sky collection | richard hutten | ki
> antenna round big table | antenna | knoll
> architecture research office collection | filzfelt (knoll showroom)
> bounce by knoll | knoll
> remix | paul wilkinson(*) | knoll
> nexus collection | kari pei | knoll textiles
> scholten & baijings textiles | maharam
> grip | randers + radius / troels grum-schwensen | nienkämper
> grain + pigment | shaw contract group
> design journey | reesie duncan | shaw contract group
> quiet spaces by susan cain | steelcase
> form + structure textiles | teknion
> journal | christopher wright(*) | teknion
> lite wall | jeffrey bernett(*) and nicholas dodziuk | teknion
> millions of colors | grethe sørensen | wolf-gordon
> overlay/underlay | kevin walz(*) | wolf-gordon
[ 1968 > 2013 ]
Who’s watching ‘the sixties’ on CNN? Here’s a little ‘office’ perspective… HM’s Public Office Landscape – 45 years – light years away from HM’s Action Office, the original systems furniture designed in 1968 by Robert Propst that started the modern open plan revolution, etc., etc.
public | yves behar – fuseproject | herman miller 2013 / image courtesy hm
action | robert propst | herman miller 1968 / image courtesy hm
note: (*) we also interviewed 12 designers so stay tuned for more details on these and other great objects.[ best of neocon 2014 winners ]
We’re talking to Susan Lyons, new president of Designtex. [DesignApplause] Where was Designtex maybe a year ago, and where were you a year ago? And where are we today? [Susan Lyons] We’re a 50-year old company. Started by two gentlemen who came together to develop products. Their first product was Verel, a flame retardent woven drapery fabric for the glass wall buildings being erected 50 years ago. This new architecture precipitated objections, mostly from the architects, who wanted a monolithic visual surface. You see, when people move in, there’s a lot of visual chaos in the windows.
That first drapery product, satisfying a need, I think, really started the company down a path towards always looking at ways to combine aesthetic problem solving and performance-based solutions.
Back to your question. A year ago, Designtex was in this showroom space here at Neocon. They had just purchased a large format digital imaging company. This acquisition could propel us into mass customization just-in-time manufacturing, and was one of the things that drew me back to the company. It seemed like a wonderful additional toolkit that we could offer to our clients.
I think one of the things that we’ve always been about and will be about going forward is offering architects and designers a plethora of tools to use to manifest their creative visions for their clients. The large format imaging opportunity was very, very exciting.
A year ago as the imaging thing was picking up speed, we found ourselves focusing less on developing a broader range of textiles. So we’re really trying to bring that back. A year ago, where was I? I was the Creative Director for Materials for Herman Miller. And I loved it, and I love them. But this opportunity presented itself.
[DA] How long were you with Herman Miller? [SL] I started working with Herman Miller in 2007 and was with them for six years, as a consultant. Before that I was at Designtex from 1989 to 2002, leaving as their creative director to start my own business.
[DA] You’re a creative director in textiles. Are you a textile expert or a designer? [SL] I never had formal training, but had opportunities to learn on the job. When I was a senior in college I started a tee-shirt printing company. The idea was done as an independent study that was called ‘The Alliance of Art and Culture in Contemporary Life.’ You know, one of those titles you put together to get your advisor to sign off on. I asked two partners to come in and the business went from printing 10 shirts at a time to printing a thousand. Three years later, another partner, a retired stockbroker who eventually bought the entire business.
Then I had an opportunity to go to India and work with a family who owned textile mills in Ahmedabad, India, where Ghandi was from. And I lived with them, worked with them for six months. They were interested in preserving the traditional methods of textile manufacturing, even though they were owners of large industrial factories.
[DA] What year was this? [SL] 1980. Though they owned these large factories, they were interested in making sure that the villages doing block printing and silk screening and sari and quilt making would still have those opportunities. I was brought in to develop a product that could be exported to the West, to develop a distribution channel.
I worked with all the local artisans. Together we designed a 100 new wood blocks that were more contemporary but used traditional methods. And we developed textiles and quilts and pillows, products that ended up being sold through Habitat in the UK, now The Conran Shop.
That was a great experience for me, I learned a lot about the resources that were available in India including the hand weavers. I came back to the States, showing anybody and everybody all the stuff that I had with me. One women said, ‘Oh, you’re a textile designer,’ and sent me to owner Robin Roberts of Clarence House, a very high-end textile company.
I looked them up in Interior Design Magazine, pre-Internet you know. They made eighteenth century chintz and my work is very minimal, like no way. But this very interesting man said, “I don’t know what to do with you, but this is cool. Why don’t you come and work with us?” So I learned about print design, with him.
Then an opportunity to work at Boris Kroll Fabrics, a company that combined advanced weaving technology with an original and enduring color sensibility. I was made the director of product development and with no weaving experience found myself working on the looms, really hands-on experience, and something I’m quite proud of. I was there for 4 years and Mr. Kroll was still alive, and he was a great teacher and he tought me.
Ironically I ended up at Designtex the first time. And then left. That’s the story. A checkered past.
[DA] Very checkered, but you know what, it also isn’t. It’s pretty focused. [SL] Yes, I think so. It’s just one of those things where having opportunities to actually get your hands on the making part of it. I love factories, and I love to see how things are made. So to have the opportunity where I had the chance to work for companies that were manufacturers and were makers, is great.
[DA] So you’re now the president. Have you given up your loom and acquired a suit? [SL] No suit, no suit. You know, when this position came up I had this interesting thought: I’ve designed products and thought, ‘I wonder if I can design a company?’ What would the company look like and how would I do it?
I do see this as a design project. How do you design operations? How do you design product development? The thinking evolved to how do you use design thinking to actually change an organization? How can you design a culture? How could you design an ethos for a company? How could you design its operations?
We have great people internally, fantastic teams. We’re going through a process now that we’re calling ‘simplexity,’ where all of the departments are basically taking themselves apart to then put themselves back together. It’s using those things you know as a designer but applying them to a different set of problems.
[DA] What’s the relationship with Steelcase? [SL] We’re an independent brand. We’re an independent subsidiary, so we operate independently. We are part of them, we partner with them when it makes sense.
[DA] What’s Designtex’s mission? [SL] Our role and our mission is really to help the indie community realize their creative vision. So we work with them, and if they decide they want to work over here, we go there with them. Steelcase is a great company to be partnered with, but we also work with, more or less anybody.(laughing.)
[DA] Is Designtex worldwide? [SL] We are semi-worldwide, I would say. One of our goals for this year is to build a solid international distribution model. We’re very strong in North America, Canada, Mexico, via NAFTA, We have representation in Asia and Australia,
[DA] Were you on Heimtextil? What other shows? [SL] We’re not a big fan of trade shows. We invest in face-to-face relationships with our sales reps to our clients. We’re at Neocon but I’m not sure where we’re going to show next year. We’ve done various shows over the years, but our big investment is the product, our people and let them work their magic.
[DA] What have you learned since you got this new hat? [SL] I’ve learned a lot. And I’m learning everyday. We have a good team and I learn from them. I learn from our vendors, we have fabulous mills and suppliers that we work with. Our organization has about 220 people, so I’m learning how you do that. It’s learning how to communicate more effectively. How to can keep everyone motivated. How to crowdsource ideas with your people. My job is fascinating has been an interesting learning curve for me.
[DA] What are Designtex’s services and who’s your customer? [SL] We already talked about the indie companies. We do a lot of custom work. In the hospitality market, particularly. We have a really strong technical services department so if somebody needs a particular performance product problem to solve, we’re good at that. We now are adept with the digital imaging, and that’s all custom at the moment.
We have a factory up in Portland, Maine, that is peopled by, and run by artists. This factory’s focus is on artistic problem solving. Many of them are very accomplished photographers and painters. They take their skills used in their own work and bring it to our factory, and help our clients develop exciting solutions for their projects.
color wheel collection | “all colors are friends of their neighbors and lovers of their opposites.” —marc chagall
Color is the foundation of a designer’s tool kit, so Designtex has created a color system. The Color Wheel Collection consists of seven textures offered in an expansive range of 250 hues built using Pantone color references. This program allows designers to easily build palettes of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors that are complementary or analogous across the color spectrum.
We’re starting to create standard products as well, but what’s exciting is on-demand manufacturing. For example, we just finished a fantastic project with Rolls-Royce where they wanted panels that could be changed out very easily. We have a magnetic wall system with an image on top of a flexible ferrous material that can just be peeled off, so it looks very architectural, built-in. ‘Swap out’ is very easy and inexpensive. And a very good environmental story too, because you’re not having to rip the things down and replace them with new material.
[DA] Do you do furnishings? [SL] No, we don’t do furnishings. We do surfacing materials. From upholstery to wall coverings to space division materials.
[DA] Do you make smart fabrics? Fabrics that clean themselves or can change color? [SL] We’re looking at it. Nothing to talk about yet. But Designtex always had a really strong R&D presence. We brought Carol Derby from our environmental research department and promoted her to vice president of R&D. We’ve always liked combining science and art. Looking at ways to use less material and make materials smarter.
DA] What’s really exciting right now? [SL] A big answer question. A lot of the answers right now are in 3-D printing. I’m also excited about what the large format for digital imaging can be. I think up until now it’s been used in a prosaic way: The big flowers or photographic scenes on wall panels. There’s room for more creativity. Not to just make art but to make meaningful products. We’re just starting to explore what it can be.
We’ve always been interested in collaborating with other people. Twenty years ago we were working with people within the built environment but weren’t textile designers, per se. Projects with Aldo Rossi and Bob Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, Richard Meier and Chillida. We did quite a few explorations with Pratt Institute. We had a division called One Plus One, now we’re calling it Designtex Plus. So we’re going to begin to see a series of collaborations under that name.
charley harper
The first one we’re doing is called Designtex Plus Charley Harper. I’ve always loved Charley’s work, and I was talking to Todd Oldham, who’s the steward of the archive, and said, “You know, wouldn’t it be great to use Charley’s imagery for a collection, a collection around wellness?” Just because for me, his stuff just makes you feel good. We thought it would be fun to explore how we could take Charley’s work into a healthcare environment. As we’ve been working on it I’m feeling it’s really going to be more about well-being, a much broader interpretation.
Another big focus, of course, we’ve always had a strong interest in environmental product development, trying to move our materials, constantly optimize our materials, and make them better and more sustainable. An example is a new upholstery line called the ‘Gold Standard Collection’ and we like to say it’s so green it’s Gold—NSF/ANSI 336 Gold. The Gold Standard Collection is the first upholstery fabric ensemble to attain this third-party verified certification at the Gold level, demonstrating a commitment to both the environment and the well-being of the end user.
gold standard collection
This is a fun story. A lot of our product is done in post-consumer recycled polyester, and as you probably know, that comes from, a lot from bottle chip. What’s happening in this market, finally, a lot of the beverage companies want their bottles back. They’re taking custody of their materials back, and it’s getting harder and harder to harvest the polyester yarn from just the bottles.
So we thought, we need to start harvesting other waste streams for material. For white yarn we stick to the method just described: we use the bottle chip which becomes resin pellets which leads to post-consumer white yarn.
loop to loop
For color we go one step further. We take all waste from the Steelcase panel plant in Athens, Georgia, which becomes resin which leads to a gray solution-dyed yarn. Solution dyeing is a yarn coloration process in which pigment (all the multiple colors of the waste) is added to the polymer melt before the fiber is extruded into yarn. The color, therefore, is an inherent part of the yarn itself. We can now over-dye this fabric into any color that want. And this product is also recyclable. Well more than that even: It’s the first upholstery made from recycling already recycled textile waste.We call it Loop to Loop because it achieves a closed loop process for products within its supply chain.
[DA] So recyclable on steroids. [SL] Exactly. This is a platform we’re going to continue to develop.
Designtex is a design and product development firm that celebrates inquiry and collaboration. A Steelcase company, the Designtex offering includes upholstery, wallcovering, panel fabrics, drapery, architectural panels, and digitally-printed surfaces. Designtex maintains showrooms, offices and sales locations in 110 global locations.
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