Design Global Marketplace, The Bruno Effect has Launched

November 17, 2021  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

Believing design marketplaces should foster open communication and relationships, former 1stDibs International Managing Director Carmine Bruno founded The Bruno Effect to enable designers and collectors to communicate directly with the most renowned dealers online, and take transactions offline. It launches with hundreds of renowned dealers in the US, UK and Europe and over 30,000 exceptional pieces of antiques, vintage and contemporary design.

The Bruno Effect seeks to complement current offerings within the furniture and collectibles resale industry, which is expected to reach $16.6 billion by 2025, rather than compete with them. Unlike other marketplaces, it forgoes the prevalent one-click transactional model which can anonymize dealers and prevents designers and collectors from engaging with them and purchasing on their own terms. By being able to seamlessly connect with vetted dealers to learn about the items they're sourcing, buyers can negotiate and purchase confidently off the platform.

"This marketplace is a long time in the making. Though we started building it 18 months ago, I've believed for many years that there's a better way to connect interior designers and collectors to a global supply of the finest antique, vintage and contemporary design. The Bruno Effect brings this vision to life on November 10," says Carmine Bruno. "The internet is an incredibly powerful sourcing tool, but Amazon-style marketplaces that regulate buyer-seller communication have created barriers when trying to buy a one-of-a-kind, high-value item. While they have sought to disrupt the industry, we are here to harmonize it, and we are thrilled to liberate the design community by giving them what they want: one place to source the best global high-end furniture and collectibles and connect directly with the dealers."

The Bruno Effect is a family-owned business and has assembled a team of design industry veterans who collectively bring more than 60 years of experience. In celebration of the launch, The Bruno Effect has partnered with American designer Schuyler Samperton and British interior designer Shalini Misra, who curated exclusive collections.

Founding members of the marketplace include: Koopman Rare Art, Ronald Phillips and Robert Young Antiques in the UK; Twentieth, Moderne Gallery and Todd Merrill in the US; Galerie BSL and Galerie Marcilhac in France; Galerie Gaudium and Bloomberry in the Netherlands; Alain Hens and Goldwood Interiors in Belgium; Modernity in Sweden; Compasso in Italy; and O'Sullivan Antiques in Ireland. New dealers will be added through the company's invite-only model.

Ahead of the launch, The Bruno Effect introduced Effect Magazine, a digital publication that has already become a leading destination to amplify and inspire the most creative voices in design. The magazine has featured Kit Kemp, Matthew Williamson, Rachel Chudley, Todd Merrill, Michelle Ogundehin and more.