John Reeves - Genius

Just a quick note to proclaim my love for the work of a young English designer called John Reeves. His designs have already won a couple of awards, he has licensed his whole range to Heals of London (all British distribution is unfortunately through Heals), but anyone who knows Heals knows what amazing taste their buyers have, and will get a sense of how fabulous this young man is. He lives in Vietnam to oversee the factory.. and because he likes it there, and he is a really good person... how do i know this: a) because i met him briefly at the Las Vegas show in January, and b) because in his product catalog he publishes an ode to Love, and although the first few pages of the catalog show cute pictures of Japanese couples holding hands - the truth of this little free style poem is that its about self esteem, self acceptance and yes self love. To quote: "....Self Confidence is Love in real time..." This man is both smart and talented - now everyone rush out and buy his gorgeous furniture. http://www.Reevesd.com

The state of American design innovation.

Among the small and mid sized manufacturers in the US, truly innovative design is hard to find.

Not necessarily non existent, just difficult to promote on a small scale, and thus difficult to locate.

Is this perhaps the result of a constellation of cultural peculiarities? America believes that big is better, safer, more reliable - but where does that leave the specialist, the boutique and the craftsmen.

Also 'new' is always a bit challenging (emotionally speaking) for people. Some cultures or rather sub cultures, orient themselves to this newness as if it were a personal growth opportunity, a way of expanding one's horizons.

Good new contemporary furniture design is no different, it makes a statement, communicates that the owner of this home is ALIVE, living in the present, enthusiastic about now. Of course there are markets for the traditional, the tried and tested familiar aesthetics of ages past, and no doubt there always will be. The question is not whether this is right or wrong, good or bad, the question is why, on balance are their more stylistically courageous people, per capita in Europe than in the US?

Las Vegas Market

The market this year was actually pretty good.

One comes to expect the same product in a dozen different showrooms from a dozen different manufacturers, representing knock offs of knock offs of knock offs... I feel rather sorry for the designers because clearly there is no way to protect your designs in this shameless industry.

That said, there were some new faces with some nice products.. if not exactly innovative they were at least interesting perspectives on existing designs.

In the last 4 years I've seen some of the hugest companies slide into obscurity, and some sharp newcomers claw their way to the forefront.

I spend most of my efforts on Building B, floors 6,7 and 8 because this is where the modern and contemporary distributors are mostly to be found. Of course its also where all of my competition hang out. I make certain to cover the rest of the show too in search of the hidden gems wedged between the wedgwood and the mdf.

Its interesting to me that so much of the american market can be described in terms of their distinctively pigeon holed / themed tastes: cape cod, log cabin, baroque italian, faux classical, mission and shaker, and of course modern (by far the smallest segment of the market here in the US).

Bye for now.
M

More Manufacturers than you can shake a stick at

So I spent my day creating a list of all the Furniture Manufacturers I have ever contacted. WOW - I really have never looked at the industry this way.

I only speak to modern and contemporary furniture manufacturers so there are a great many that I never look at, and that simply makes this all the more amazing.

Hundreds and hundreds of high end, specialized, fabulously skilled, marvelously prolific manufacturers in Europe alone. Further more I have to assume that my personal knowledge of this landscape merely describes the tip of the ice burg. There must be many more whom I have either managed to miss at the shows or who do not have a trade show presence; companies that go to their smaller local shows but not to the large expensive international ones.

What I'll be looking for at the shows

The Paris show is really about high style. It defines chic and fine taste in a way that really turns my head. Its not the most cutting edge, not necessarily brimming with innovation, but there are always some really remarkable newcomers, that make you rethink concepts as mundane as 'a chair' or 'a chandelier'.

That said my primary reason for going is for the solid quality and elegance I have come to expect, and the wondrous old world luxury.

Once Again T'is the season of Furniture Shows

These are the shows that I consider a must see for the spring season. Its a grueling schedule but somebody's got to do it:)

Paris: Jan. 25 - 29, 2008
Las Vegas: January 28 - February 1, 2008
Milan: April 16 - 21, 2008
Brazil: April 28th - April 30th 2008