Promotion: the eighth edition of design exhibition Look Book, as part of this year’s design fair International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), hosted almost 70 brands over three days.
Located in New York City’s Javits Center, the exhibition spotlighted furniture, lighting and design objects from 19 to 21 May.
We’ve selected 15 design brands who showcased their furniture at the fair, from welded metal chairs to horse hair-adorned console tables, furniture made to look like pieces of art to functional forms with a contemporary design twist.
Sawyer Made
American chair designer Sawyer Made is based in Vermont and incorporates traditional woodworking skills to make a range of armchairs, bar stools and benches.
The handmade wooden chairs are designed to be durable and timeless in design, using ash or oak wood that has not been dried in a kiln to follow the technique known as green woodworking.
Oš Estudio
Based in Mexico City, Oš Estudio comprises designers Stephanie Fanghanel, Mauricio Vega and Miguel Ángel Carrera who aim to strike a balance between art and design when creating furniture, lighting and objects.
At this year’s Look Book, the collective displayed its Tloque series, made in collaboration with designer Taller Batán and informed by life cycles in nature.
H. Bigeleisen Designs
Characterised by bright colours and textures, Brooklyn-based Hannah Bigeleisen explores materials and form when making sculptural furniture.
Having worked with wood, fabric, glass, plastic, brass and cement, Bigeleisen’s fair showcase included the Walnut Throne, and velvet Lily and Clover pouffes.
Wren + Cooper creates modernism-inspired furniture using hardwood, focusing on functionality and craft when designing storage, tables, chairs and beds.
With each piece designed to develop a patina over years of use, the furniture is often complemented by the introduction of textures such as horse hair, leather and fabric.
Autonomous Furniture
Canadian brand Autonomous Furniture, founded by Kirk Van Ludwig, manufactures wooden furniture with glass, metal and leather elements and clean lines.
The Nieves collection – including a dining table, console table and bench – was spotlighted at the fair.
Andrew Finnigan Works
Informed by his experience with hand woodturning, Andrew Finnigan now makes wooden furniture that is “both classic and subtly unique”, he claims.
Based in the Hudson Valley in New York state, Finnigan’s collections include tables, a range of seating and coat racks.
Bestcase
Charles Constantine and Randy Rollner founded Bestcase, a studio specialising in manufacturing metal furniture using techniques such as welding, laser cutting and 3D printing.
At Look Book 2024, the designers presented their new Vice collection, including a nightstand, bench and chair.
Steph Trowbridge
Woodworker and ceramicist Steph Trowbridge crafts furniture pieces that aim to be as artistic as her design objects while also offering a functional purpose.
Trowbridge’s Look Book display included her Beaded Tables – wooden side tables that can be adorned with clay beads up the legs – as well as lighting and wall hangings.
Eric Owen Moss Home
Architect Eric Owen Moss’s design brand offers five wooden tables, each with the same circular cut-out motif.
Owen Moss claims the furniture pieces are “developed with the same imagination, craftsmanship, and care” as his architecture practice, but are available to a broader audience.
Juntos Projects
Juntos Projects highlighted its Shadow Play collection – featuring a bench, chair and desk – at Look Book 2024, with each design aiming to utilise lighting to add further dimension to the furniture.
The studio’s name derives from the Spanish term for “together”, which it claims reflects its dedication to collaboration within its design processes.
44 Steel
Handmade in Cleveland, Ohio, 44 Steel’s furniture is designed by Jason Radcliffe, who has established five core collections for the brand.
This year, the brand displayed its Mouse Desk, which it first showcased at the fair in 2009, along with more recent releases.
Tana Karei
Tana Karei is an interior and furniture design studio based in Mexico City that focuses on simple and elegant designs, created by sisters Norma and Cynthia Maldonado.
The duo spotlighted their Cienega and Emma chairs at this year’s exhibition and participated in a panel discussion moderated by Dezeen’s US editor Ben Dreith as part of the Look Book Live talks programme.
BNF Studio
BNF Studio’s collections are designed and manufactured in its Chicago space, led by Ben Newman and Mary Numair.
The brand offers customisation for its clients, offering a range of woods, finishes and colours, which was shown at Look Book, where it also debuted its MT. Curve mirror.
Unform Studio
Unform Studio is the work of Ryan Twardzik, who aims to centre the brand around joyful design, local manufacturing in Pennsylvania and usability.
During the fair, Twardzik presented the pop-up collection of modular seating using a metal frame and cylindrical cushions.
Fuugs
Chairs from the Yarrow collection by Fuugs’ founders Greg Fuguet and Kristen Snow were on display at Look Book’s 2024 edition, with each piece of furniture handmade.
Established in 2016, Fuugs uses material reclaimed from urban trees, Fuguet and Snow claim.
Photos courtesy of ICFF.
The next ICFF event will take place from 18 to 20 May 2025 in Manhattan, New York. Read Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world. Look Book is a part of Wanted (previously known as WantedDesign Manhattan). More information about Look Book and a complete list of designers can be found here.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for ICFF and Wanted as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
