Tonight, the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA) will celebrate its 65th anniversary when the group presents its 2012 Circle of Excellence Awards. The event was established in 1992 to recognize outstanding leadership, vision and dedication in the design and furnishings industries.
This year, Kravet will receive recognition for product design and distinction as an industry resource. In addition to Kravet, awards will be given to Charlotte Moss for interior design, Bard Graduate Center for education and the Hearst Design Group of ELLE DECOR, HOUSE BEAUTIFUL and VERANDA for media.
Claire K. Coleman, IFDA’s founder, will be honored as a leader in promoting the role of women in the home interiors field. In 1947, while working as a reporter for the New York Times and Retailing Home Furnishings, she founded the Home Fashions League after being barred from attending the all-male Curtain and Drapery Market Dinner. This "rejection" spurred her into action and within three months, her group was 60 strong and started its expansion into a nationwide organization, first as the National Home Fashions League and later as the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA).
With 15 regional chapters within the United States and one in Japan, the IFDA that Claire Coleman founded 65 years ago is a unique association that brings together complimentary professions in the furnishing and design industries for shared networking, education and professional development. Claire Coleman is surely a legendary “trailblazer” who has provided extraordinary service and direction in the interior furnishings industry.
Fashion impresario Simon Doonan and designer Jonathan Adler will be the Masters of Ceremonies. A portion of the evening’s profits will benefit the IFDA Educational Foundation, which distributes grants and scholarships for students and professionals in the furnishings and design field.
Stay tuned, tomorrow we’ll provide a full recap from the ceremony!
