Inspired.talk

ELLE DECOR A-List Luncheon in NYC

By Beth Greene

Me with Michael Boodro and Karen Marx from ELLE DECOR

Last week, I had the great pleasure of being invited to ELLE DECOR’s exclusive lunch honoring its annual A-List Designers. The list pays tribute to 25 top designers, plus it recognizes 5 up-and-coming design talents that have caught the magazine’s eye. To celebrate this year’s honorees, ELLE DECOR transformed the posh restaurant Modern, located within the Museum of Modern Art in New York City into an oasis of peonies overlooking the MoMA Sculpture Garden. With flash bulbs popping from the design paparazzi, the Modern provided the perfect backdrop on that beautiful summer day. While I was not definitely camera worthy at this event, I managed to have my picture taken with the likes of Thom Filicia, Jamie Drake, Michael Boodro and many more.

Jamie Drake, Thom Filicia, Ernest de la Torre, Michael Boodro

Million Dollar Decorators Jeffrey Alan Marks, Kathryn Ireland and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard

A bit Design Royalty star struck I was, as the who’s who of interior design made this luncheon clearly a not to miss event! Even the members of the new Bravo show “Million Dollar Decorators” entertained us with their candid conversations and tales and perils of television production. 

Old guard and new mingled in an environment that was relaxed yet filled with a fresh energy. Well known names such as Juan Montoya, Sheila Bridges, Ernest De La Torre, Kathryn Ireland and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard mingled with their peers, including Aerin Lauder, who announced earlier this year she’s starting her own lifestyle brand.

Sheila Bridges with Michael Boodro

Ray Booth, David Kleinberg, Richard Keith Langham, Michael Boodro

 
Aerin Lauder and Michael Boodro

Anita Sarsidi from ELLE DECOR, Thom Filicia, Ellen Levine from Hearst, Jeffrey Alan Marks

In attendance was one of my very favorite TV personalities and interior designer extraordinaire, Thom Filicia, who secured a coveted spot on this year’s A-List after a string of professional achievements, including a successful fabric collection with Kravet. Other Kravet licensors missing from the luncheon but definitely on the A-list are Alexa Hampton and Suzanne Rheinstein. And let me not forget to mention my luncheon partner, Aurelien Gallet, of course charmingly French, handsome and fresh off his two successful show house rooms at this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House and ELLE DECOR Modern Life Concept House. I hear his Hampton Designer Showhouse room, opening in July, should not be missed.

The festive celebration also marked the first official event hosted by ELLE DECOR as part of Hearst Corporation, which now owns the brand along with several other home shelter and lifestyle titles. It was an honor to be invited to dine among such an elite group, and a joy to feel the renewed spirit of our industry as we all came together to celebrate beautiful design and inspiration.

All photos courtesy of ELLE DECOR.



Blogfest 2011 Initial Recap - More to Come!

This week we hosted more than 100 interior design bloggers in New York City for the first annual Blogfest 2011. Joining us from 29 states and 5 Canadian provinces, these bloggers brought with them a level of enthusiasm and excitement that made this event an experience for all to remember. Kravet organized the three day event, coordinating travel between venues and getting top licensed designers to host events that showcase our products.

We’d love to share with you some of the highlights of the event. We do plan to host a similar event next year, so stay connected with Kravet on our social media sites to get information for next year’s Blogfest 2012. In the meantime, here are some of the highlights of Blogfest 2011:

From left: Mark Rozzo, Town&Country; Newell Turner, House Beautiful; Dara Caponigro, Veranda; Beth Greene, Kravet

Panel discussion and magazine presentations at Hearst:

House Beautiful, Veranda and Town&Country introduced bloggers to their editors and gave everyone an inside look into their magazines during an afternoon at Hearst Tower.

 

 

ELLE DECOR Modern Life Concept House:

ELLE DECOR opened it’s first-ever show house a day early to host bloggers for a cocktail party and give them the first look into the Modern Life Concept House in West Chelsea.

 

 

Lilly Pulitzer Debut at Lee Jofa:

Bloggers attended a luncheon at Lee Jofa at the NYC showroom where they previewed the Lilly Pulitzer collection and saw the designer room decorated by our merchandising team in all Lilly.

 

 

Barbara Barry presented Indochine at Kravet:

Barbara Barry presented the inspiration for her latest collection for Kravet, called Indochine, and hosted a tea at the Kravet NYC showroom where bloggers got to speak with her one-on-one and snap photos.

 

From left: Ann Maine, Traditional Home; Thomas O'Brien; Suzanne Kasler

Traditional Home and Lee Jofa host Heritage Collection party:

To launch the Heritage collection for Lee Jofa, Traditional Home threw a party for bloggers where they mixed and mingled with Thomas O’Brien, Eric Cohler, Diamond & Baratta, Suzanne Kasler, Suzanne Rheinstein and David Easton. The party featured styled vignettes by each designer where their featured fabric was used.

 

 

Sub Zero and Wolf Wine Down Art Live after-party:

Kitchen brands Sub Zero and Wolf hosted our bloggers at an event in their NYC showroom that featured wine experts and chefs doing tastings and cooking demonstrations for bloggers.

Arch Digest editor-in-chief Margaret Russell hosts bloggers at Conde Nast building:

Following an intimate breakfast at Conde Nast, Architectural Digest EIC Margaret Russell presented her thoughts on blogging, design, and the future of AD to our Blogfest bloggers.

 

 

Studio Tours of Kravet, Lee Jofa and Brunschwig & Fils:

Bloggers took guided tours of our NYC studio space where we do merchandising and product development for all three brands.

 

 
Thom Filicia with Kravet's Beth Greene

Tours of the New York Design Center and Sweet Endings party:

New York Design Center offered guided tours of the building, followed by a cocktail party featuring Kravet license designer Thom Filicia during which we said goodbye to bloggers and concluded our event.

For more on Blogfest, visit www.blogfest2011.com, www.facebook.com/blogfest2011, http://kravet.typepad.com and www.facebook.com/kravetinc.

Design Bloggers Conference and TradHome

Photo via the Cypress Group

Barely a week from a whirlwind trip to LA for the Design Bloggers Conference, our heads are still reeling with inspiration. For two days we heard from interior designers and industry leaders who are pioneers in social media and digital marketing. It was a real treat to hear first hand stories of successes achieved through this medium, and it will absolutely inform our second round of presentations as we travel to Kravet and Lee Jofa showrooms across the US talking about social media.

From left: Traditional Home editor-in-chief Ann Maine, publisher Beth Brenner, Lonny editor-in-chief Michelle Adams

We also had the honor of having dinner with Ann Maine, editor-in-chief of Traditional Home and Michelle Adams, editor-in-chief of Lonny, who have just launched an exciting new joint venture online called TradHome mag. We had such a great time chatting with these ladies about how the concept of traditional has changed in today’s world, and how digital media is influencing print media, and vice versa. They are also excited about being the sponsor of our Tuesday evening event during Blogfest 2011 in May.

We came back energized and motivated and can’t wait to apply some of the great things we’ve learned.

-JP, AF, BG

Rain or Shine: New York City Social Media Marketing Panel

 

Under the threat of imminent ice and snow, we were thrilled to see more than 100 designers and industry friends at the New York Design Center for a lively panel discussion Tuesday, moderated by Kravet marketing VP Beth Greene, featuring prominent New York bloggers Heather Clawson (Habitually Chic), Nicole Gibbons (So Haute), and Rebecca Soskin (Material Girls).

A year ago, we began presenting the basics of social media to designers in Washington, D.C. with a presentation we expected to draw around 25 people. When 75 showed up and it was standing room only, we knew we were on to something. So began a year-long tour of the country, traveling to showrooms and featuring panels of local social media savvy designers in each city, all of whom inspired us and inspired an audience eager to learn more about the growing social media trends in our industry.

 

After 18 presentations and dozens of new Facebook and Twitter friends, we will now be developing the second phase of the presentation and will be heading back out on the road. When we began a year ago, not even half of our audience was on Facebook, now we see an entire room of raised hands. People are learning and exploring and we couldn't be happier.

Our presentation promotes the idea of building a personal brand. We encourage you to think beyond the in-person network of contacts you rely on for new business and start looking online. Celebrate the work of designers you admire, promote your point of view, share some of your insight and your work. Our world is changing and so is our industry. Media partners and magazine editors are on Facebook and Twitter, they're reading blogs. Clients and potential clients are looking you up online before you meet in person, and deciding if you would be a good fit for their projects.

From left: Rebecca, Nicole and Heather

We are so grateful for the contributions of Heather, Nicole and Rebecca yesterday, and to the many inspiring designers we've met along the way. Let us know in the comments, how has social media changed the way you communicate and do business?

-JP

Social Media Marketing Panel Discussion at the New York Design Center

 

Join us next Tuesday, Feb. 1 at the New York Design Center in New York City for a presentation by Kravet marketing VP Beth Greene and panel discussion about social media marketing. Our expert panel includes Heather Clawson from Habitually Chic, Nicole Gibbons from So Haute, and Rebecca Soskin from Material Girls, all inspiring women who have used social media to take their business to the next level. RSVP by emailing events@kravet.com or by calling 516.293.2000 x2395.