LV Market Partners with IFDA for Education Summit

April 11, 2018  by Jane Chero in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry, Las Vegas, Market   

The event is produced by the IFDA Education Foundation an extension of the International Furnishings and Design Association.

“Las Vegas Market recognizes and supports the vital role that IFDA plays throughout the furnishings and design industry, and we are pleased to continue our partnership with the IFDA Educational Foundation for its DesignEDGE conference,” said Karen Olson, senior vice president marketing, International Market Centers.

“This exciting event provides a great educational and networking opportunity, and serves as a stimulating kickoff to the broader Las Vegas Market experience for Summer Market attendees. As the leading furniture, home decor and gift destination in the western United States, Las Vegas Market is committed to providing the industry with an expansive menu of continuing education and growth options,” Olson continued.

DesignEDGE is a regional industry summit started by the IFDA Educational Foundation (IFDA-EF) with the goal “to inspire designers with ‘the edge of new possibilities’ and explore ideas and directions that can expand their business and grow revenue,” said Dr. Wilma Hammett, DesignEDGE chair.

“DesignEDGE is intended to correspond with a major market, making it cost- and time-efficient for designers; they see new products and trends and get a comprehensive professional development opportunity all in the same trip. Las Vegas is the perfect partner and keynote sponsor for DesignEDGE. IFDA-EF and IFDA are thrilled to be collaborating with Las Vegas Market to offer this event at the 2018 Summer Market,” Hammett said.

The DesignEDGE summit is designed to sustain the IFDA Educational Foundation’s mission to foster educational and philanthropic activities to enhance the furnishings and design industries.

“Since its inception, IFDA’s mission has been to inspire collaboration within the home furnishings industry, supporting its people, their products and services,” said Penny Sikalis, IFDA international president. “It’s our philanthropic arm – the Educational Foundation – that’s been in the forefront of industry education, and we're very excited to be partnering with the Las Vegas Market to extend our reach and service the industry at large.”

The DesignEDGE conference kicks-off with an address by keynote speaker Nolen Niu, an internationally recognized and award-winning American industrial designer from Calif., who has developed private furniture lines, custom one-of-a-kind pieces, mass production furniture and retail space for corporate, private and celebrity clientele.

The designer’s eponymous firm, Nolen Niu, opened an upholstery and carpentry production facility in L.A. in 2011, thereby becoming one of the few American furniture design firms to be completely vertically integrated with the ability to competitively design as well as manufacture products in America.

The educational summit will include an introductory “sneak peak” at the new products, trends and not-to-be-missed things to see and do at the Summer 2018 Las Vegas Market. There will also be a special afternoon panel discussion moderated by Nick May, creator of The Chaise Lounge Podcast, which was the first podcast devoted exclusively to interior design, now downloaded in more than 100 countries.

The panel discussion will feature high-profile designers, manufacturers and licensing experts sharing insights and strategies on taking design ideas from “creation to consumer” and will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

Registration for the conference will open April 20.

For more information, go to http://www.ifdaef.org/designedge.