ASFD Rebrands as ISFD, Carsten Astheimer to Keynote Pinnacle Awards Gala

August 15, 2018  by Jane Chero in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

Globally celebrated product designer Carsten Astheimer will be among those representing the international design community and will deliver the keynote address at the revamped twenty-third annual Pinnacle Awards Gala, the home furnishings industry event dedicated to promoting design quality and encouraging increased recognition of product designers.

The Gala will take place on Oct. 15 at High Point University’s Congdon School of Health Sciences.

“Long known as a typical sit-down dinner with a cocktail hour, the Pinnacle Awards Gala has been rethought from start to finish, right down to the price of admission,” relates John Conrad, executive director of the organization now known as ISFD. “Everything we’ve done is meant to make the evening more glamorous, memorable and fun for all.”

According to Conrad, the rebrand of ASFD into an organization with global reach has been in the works for some time. “Over the last five years our membership has been steadily growing to encompass designers and design firms outside of the United States,” he said. “Our first area of global growth actually began in Asia. That led us to a collaborative agreement with the China International Furniture Fair (CIFF) in 2016 and eventually the Australasian Furnishings Association. Throughout the past two years, we have also had members move to Europe. Among these, our first ever Student Pinnacle Award winner—Rebecca Goddard—who now lives in Berlin where she is launching her own design firm later this month.”

ASFD previously licensed its prestigious Pinnacle Award concept to the China International Furniture Fair, launching the first-ever Pinnacle Awards Asian Pacific Competition in Shanghai in the process. The association is currently exploring a similar effort with management of Germany’s Cologne Fair, along with several other design-related organizations across the European continent. “Design is global,” said Conrad. “Our brand now better reflects that reality.” 

To make it easy to attend the event, which occurs during the High Point Market, High Point University buses will transport gala guests from the front door of Showplace to the campus and the School of Health Sciences building. There they will encounter a jazz trio and a moveable feast created to encourage interaction between design students, design stars, the media and other industry notables, as well as manufacturers interested in renewing relationships and meeting new talent.

In keeping with the international flavor, the event’s German-born headliner is the founder of Astheimer Studio based in the United Kingdom, a world-class design studio known for pushing boundaries and working in product sectors as diverse as automotive, marine, consumer electronics, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in addition to both indoor and outdoor furniture. Among the many brands counted among its clients are Land Rover, Bentley, Airstream, Mars, Kohler and Gloster to name a few.

Joining Astheimer as presenters for the evening are: Genevieve Gorder, television host and interior designer; Corey Damien Jenkins, interior designer; Michelle Jennings Wiebe, interior designer; Amy Archer, vice president of merchandising and creative force at Lee Industries; Next Gen retailer Lael Thompson, CEO of Denver-based Broyhill Home Collections and Bob Maricich, chief executive officer of International Market Centers.

Tickets for the gala are $75 in advance and $100 at the door. To purchase, visit http://bit.ly/2018PinnacleAwardsGala.