Collective Design Fair launches in New York

'Lala' cabinet
Southern Guild is presenting the 'Lala' cabinet by Johannesburg-based studio Doktor & Misses. Its pattern is inspired by painted decorations often seen on tribal houses
(Image credit: press)

Just as design aficionados are beginning to recover from the onslaught of the Milan Furniture Fair, this week sees the launch of another design show, Collective Design Fair, in New York City. Slotting in right before Frieze New York and the city's design stalwart International Contemporary Furniture Fair a week later, Collective proffers to be its most eclectic, with an international mix of vintage and contemporary design under its roof.

The show's inaugural edition has pitched up within Pier 57, an industrial space conveniently located near Manhattan's Meatpacking District and the Hudson River Park. Founded by architect/designer Steven Learner, the curated fair hosts 25 exhibitors from around the world offering largely limited edition works. Together with a group of designers, curators, gallerists and collectors, the show is conceived as a commercial and educational platform that will appeal to both design veterans and newcomers.

'The key word here is inclusivity,' said Lerner at the show's opening. 'We really wanted a diverse mix of names, from the usual people to more up-and-coming galleries, to stand side-by-side. We've got glass, jewellery and mid-century furniture pieces. There's really a little bit of everything.'

Collective Design Fair touts itself as a medium for discovery and it certainly brings a freshness to New York's design landscape. For starters, the choice of venue serves as a wonderful, design-forward backdrop that even had the exhibitors excited. Zesty Meyers, principal of R 20th Century, said, 'You can really see that there is a design focus here. The contrast of the industrial space with the refined pieces just really helps each stand sparkle and jump out.'

The show's content is just as impressive. In addition to the country's leading design galleries, the fair has roped in exhibitors from Stockholm, Johannesburg, Paris and further afield. The overall mix is varied, with R 20th Century honing in on the mid-century designs of Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler for the Brazilian furniture company Forma, Philadelphia's Wexler Gallery pushing the value of American designed and made glassware and Stockholm's Modernity gallery bringing work from lesser-known Swedish designers to the fore. Kinder Modern, an American company specializing in vintage and new children's furniture, also caught us off-guard with its sophisticated offerings for young ages.

Besides this, Collective also pays homage to one New Yorker, Gaetano Pesce, with an installation of studio and personal archive pieces fitted right at the entrance of the fair. Showcasing work over the course of the last 25 years, the special exhibition presents Pesce's multidisciplinary approach as a source of creative inspiration that will touch current design fanatics and also those to come.

hand-sanded plastic shrouds covered in bamboo, aluminum and polycarbonate.

David Trubridge's 'Baskets of Knowledge, Kuta Tuaatea', 2009, are hand-sanded plastic shrouds covered in bamboo, aluminum and polycarbonate. They are presented by Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia

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industrial interior of Manhattan's Pier 57 with installations

The industrial interior of Manhattan's Pier 57, located along the West Side Highway, serves as the perfect foil to the designs it showcases. Pictured is 'Swash' installation by Dara Barnes

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A child's desk and chair

A child's desk and chair by Lucas Maassen and Sons at Kinder Modern

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Blue and red Tomotom chairs

Other Kinder Modern finds includes these 'Tomotom' chairs by Bernard Holdaway for Hull Trading, 1966

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1930s child's chair

Kinder Modern also found this child's chair, dating back to the 1930s, at a sale in Detroit. The designer is unknown

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child-sized dose of Memphis flavour furniture

A child-sized dose of Memphis flavour, courtesy of the Los Angeles-based AQQ Design for Kinder Modern

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glass-topped coffee table

Cristina Grajales Gallery is presenting a stunning glass-topped coffee table by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne

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'Piano' shelves

'Piano' shelves, 2007, by Sebastian Errazuriz at Cristina Grajales Gallery

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'Blow Me' lighting on assembled fans

One of the major talking points, Sebastian Errazuriz's 'Blow Me', 2013, brings new meaning to the idea of being blown away

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Brass and blown glass sconces

Brass and blown glass sconces, 2011, by John-Paul Philippe at Cristina Grajales Gallery

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Glass sculptures

Glass sculptures by Philip Low at Grey Area

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The Concrete Chair

'The Concrete Chair' 1981, by architect Jonas Bholin and 'PK12' chair by Poul Kjærholm on the Modernity stand

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Spanning sketches, maquettes and finished pieces selected from Pesce's studio and personal archives

The fair plays host to a rare presentation of Gaetano Pesce's work. Spanning sketches, maquettes and finished pieces selected from Pesce's studio and personal archives, the installation is a tribute to the veteran designer's modus operandi.

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A sketch for 'Up in Dress'

A sketch for 'Up in Dress', by Gaetano Pesce

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Pesce's finished product, 'Up Armchair in Dress'

Pesce's finished product, 'Up Armchair in Dress', 2007

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Beautiful Pesce sketches

Beautiful Pesce sketches for Hubin's House Project, 1987-88

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Low Rider chair

Among other works, Philadelphia's Wexler Gallery presents 'Low Rider' chair, 2013, by Vivien Beer, which has been crafted from steel and cast concrete

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'Rimple' made from cast glass and stippled with copper

Also on the Wexler Gallery stand: 'Rimple', 2013, by Daniel Clayman, which is made from cast glass and stippled with copper

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Mark Peiser's 'Afternoon Ending', 1990, sitting atop Timothy Schreiber's 'Chrome 8 Tables', 2012

Mark Peiser's 'Afternoon Ending', 1990, sitting atop Timothy Schreiber's 'Chrome 8 Tables', 2012 at Wexler Gallery

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functional sculpture made from Maplewood

Chicago's Volume Gallery has brought along Ro/Lu's 'Objects for Creating One's Own Interior Cosmos', a functional sculpture made from Maplewood

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Leather 'Sled' chair

Leather 'Sled' chair, 1970, by Ward Bennett, shown by Mondo Cane

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Constructivist table lamp

Another Mondo Cane gem: a Constructivist table lamp from an unknown American designer, 1970s

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stacking tower of inlaid wood and acrylic boxes

R 20th Century is presenting a wide selection of beautiful objects including this stacking tower of inlaid wood and acrylic boxes, 'Ziggurat Tower' by Oeffice

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Several glazed ceramic boxes

Several glazed ceramic boxes by South Korean artist, Hun-Chung Lee, at R 20th Century

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wooden chairs

R 20th Century is also shining a special spotlight on the work of Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler for the Brazilian furniture company, Forma, from the 1950s

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Saarinen nesting tables

Among other vintage gems at Mark McDonald Gallery are these Saarinen nesting tables from the 1940s...

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1984 chaise

... and a 1984 chaise by Richard Meier, produced by Knoll. This is a rare beige version - it was largely produced in black

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vases by Turi Heisselberg

Johannes Gallery is showing several new vases by Turi Heisselberg, such as these 'Baluster Vases I', 2013

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silver and steel hanging sculptures

The Brooklyn-based gallery Grey Area is presenting these silver and steel hanging sculptures, 'Time Past and Time Future' by Lilah Fowler

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3D-printed jewellery pieces painted in gold leaf

3D-printed jewellery pieces painted in gold leaf by Rachel Timmins, spotted at Sienna Patti Contemporary's stand

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red sofa from 1958 and the eyeball statue

Nicholas Kilner is paying homage to the work of Ico and Luisa Parisi with a stand filled with their pieces, such as this sofa from 1958 and the eyeball statue

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'Golden Variation' console in brass and wenge

'Golden Variation' console by Jonathan Nesci in brass and wenge on show at Chicago's Casati gallery

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Pei-Ru Keh is a former US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru held various titles at Wallpaper* between 2007 and 2023. She reports on design, tech, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru took a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars, actively seeking out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.