Shanghai Design Made a Splash and Received the Grand Award of NYCxDESIGN

During May 10-22, 2019, the annual NYCxDesign successfully showcased its  unprecedented grandeur as expected. More than 400 different exhibitions, fairs, forums, product launches, open studios and other creative exhibitions and activities were held in five districts of New York City during this design week. ICFF, Wanted Design, Brooklyn Designs and Time Square’s Design Pavilion brought about a variety of installations and industry theme dialogues. Tens of thousands of designers, design works, design concepts, and design trends from different countries gathered here.

As part of Wanted Design, the prestigious exhibition in NYC Design, “Shanghai Design” presented the new generation of Shanghai’s original design concepts and design trends to the world, introduced 20 original designers based in Shanghai, as well as brand enterprises and design parks, and displayed over 100 design works ranging from furniture to household items, lamps, ceramics, and textiles. Building on the past, these works pioneered in exploration of day-to-day progress and innovation, and brought ancient techniques and traditional materials back to life. These productions were inspired by the serious observation and experience of the past and present, the internal and external existences, and also life, unfolding the design philosophy of inclusiveness and openness against the diversified cultural background of Shanghai.

The 20 brands on exhibition included:

TIWUWORKS, AMY, ziinlife, Atelier Errance, URBANCRAFT, Endless Form, A-Zenith, NOVAH, CREATER, THE SILKY ELITE, JOYS DESIGN, MOTU, KANJIAN, GLASS iSLAND, LETII, QIU, GQ, Quintus、Decobébé、Babycare.

“Shanghai Design” had drawn wide attention and gained favor from many world-class big shots from the design community, foreign media and industry insiders. It attracted a large number of trade visitors, international buyers, and design enthusiasts to visit and take pictures and learn about design inspiration and ideas from designers and heads of brands. Every exhibit attracted buyers who came to ask about the price and make deals, and also negotiated with designers for cooperation. The Chairmans of NYCxDESIGN and Paris Design Week, the founder of WantedDesign, the head of design organizations in Italy, Canada and Mexico, the dean of design institutes such as Pratt and Central St Martins College, and other design experts also came to “Shanghai Design” to appreciate design works and exchange innovative design ideas, even invite the designers to participate in more international design activities and exhibitions.

The most exciting moment of NYCxDESIGN was undoubtedly the NYCxDesign Awards Ceremony – known as the “Oscar” in the design community in North America. Thousands of celebrities, big shots in the design industry, new designers, design media, exhibitors, and purchasers gathered at the renovated Pier 17 in Manhattan to witness and celebrate the birth of the Grand Prize. Among nearly 900 entries, 77 award-winning works of different design categories represented the most outstanding design works and projects in New York in the last year.

For the first time “Shanghai Design” competed for the NYCxDesign Award, Quintus and Decobébé were both nominated for awards for product category. At the award ceremony, when Cindy Allen, editor-in-chief of Interior Design, announced that Decobébé was honored with the Children’s Household Product Design Award, praises were heaped throughout the ceremony. This was the first time that the Shanghai Design and even Chinese Design had won the Grand Award of NYCxDesign, which undoubtedly gave a fillip to the transformation and upgrading of traditional manufacture driven by Shanghai Design.