WantedDesign

Ini Archibong in conversation with Stacey Shoemaker Rauen, part of WantedDesign Talks
COURTESY: WantedDesign / PHOTOGRAPH: Jenna Bascom Photography

PLAYING CATCH-UP after two delayed fairs, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), New York City’s top design event, was finally able to do an in-person edition in November. It was a streamlined, shortened edition, but what the fair lacked in scale it more than made up for in energy and excitement. The fair also marked the first showing of WantedDesign (the renowned alternative fair happening parallel to the main fair) after it became part of ICFF.

Showcasing more cutting-edge manufacturers and design collaboratives from around the world, WantedDesign has become a fertile platform for emerging designers that don’t often have an opportunity to showcase their work to such a wide audience. From their Look Book and Launch Pad programs this year, TDE brings you our top four picks.

Lauren Goodman, ‘The Providence Project’,2021
COURTESY: WantedDesign & Laura Goodman

Jaeyeon Park
With a design degree from The University of Seoul, Korea and a Master of Fine Arts from Cranbrook Academy, Park takes inspiration from stories he reads, from sources as varied as Franz Kafka and Murakami Haruki. He then applies the 3D design techniques he developed at Cranbrook to create expressive objects (usually in coated epoxy clay) from his interpretations of the narratives and ideas examined. For his 2020 ‘Jimmy’ chair, the inspiration was a dramatic love song from the 1980s that he translated into a sculptural object rendered in fiery reds, oranges and yellows.

Jaeyeon Park, ‘Jimmy Chair’, 2020
COURTESY: WantedDesign & Jaeyeon Park

Simon Johns
With a degree in fine arts, Johns brings a unique approach to the handling of materials. His exquisite craftsmanship makes it difficult to figure out what materials he uses in his pieces – the work looks both raw and extremely sophisticated. The ‘Shale Collection’ is inspired by a type of rock formation that tends to break into layers as it erodes, creating a map-like collage of the assorted minerals that form the stone. In his design he takes that layered abstraction and carefully translates it to the surfaces of his pieces, mixing materials and techniques – creating a new material language in the process.

Simon Johns, ‘Ledge Dry Bar’, 2020
COURTESY: WantedDesign & Simon Johns

Mana Sazegara
Colourful, fun, bold and graphic – those are the words that come to mind when coming face-to-face with Sazegara’s designs. With a nod to the storytelling quality of Memphis designers, such as Ettore Sottsass, her pieces – whether seating, sculpture, or rugs – all seem to dialogue and play with one another. With a Masters in architecture, Sazegara is based in New York City.

Mana Sazegara, ‘Sweet Gathering Collection’, 2021
COURTESY: WantedDesign & Mana

Lauren Goodman
An alumnus of the Rhode Island School of Design, Goodman developed ‘The Providence Project’ using discarded and abandoned materials she discovered around the city. She reshaped the metal pieces to create her designs and finished them with oxy-acetylene. Her minimalist, delicate design sensibility subtly draws attention to alternative material resources, whilst infusing poetry into the upcycling dialogue.

Lauren Goodman, ‘The Providence Project’, 2021
COURTESY: WantedDesign & Laura Goodman