8 Highlights from COLLECTIBLE New York
After seven editions in its hometown Brussels, COLLECTIBLE recently wrapped in New York, adding to the mix of those in art, fashion, design, and tennis zigzagging around town. Filling the void of a fair solely committed to presenting contemporary design, the outing took over two floors at downtown Manhattan’s Water Street Associates (WSA) building.
The 31-floor Fox & Fowle-designed high-rise, which once housed suit-clad financiers, granted its 1980s outfit to the most current in collectible design, from furniture to objects, art, and even speakers. COLLECTIBLE founders Liv Vaisberg and Clélie Debehault partnered with designer Emily Marant to spearhead the fair’s New York edition, which opened during the ambitiously-packed first week of September. “The fair emphasizes designs that blur the line between function and art, creating a space where fresh ideas and experimental approaches take center stage,” Debehault told Interior Design.
“There’s a strong sense of curiosity and appreciation for the stories behind the works, which is exactly what we were hoping for,” added Vaisberg. “One pleasant surprise has been the level of dialogue sparked by the installations—many visitors are not just viewing but actively engaging in conversations with the galleries, designers, curators, and even among themselves about the ideas behind the work.” The fair founder has a point. The vernissage’s swarming audience was the first to experience the fair’s eight sections, which provided platform to individual designers and studios in sections such as New Garde, Architect ⇔ Designer, and Curated. Outdoor, on the other hand, focused on objects created for outdoor use while the brand section Fashion underlined the growing collaborative soul between fashion and industrial designers.
Chelsea gallery Otras Formas brings together a medley of their designers, orchestrating a suggestion of a living room. A standout is a version of Malcolm Majer’s sleek sculptural chair in dark blue. Titled Sorrell Telephone Chair, the steel, tinted maple, glass, and linoleum seat is both light and bulbous, cartoonish yet serious with a minimalist silhouette that achieves flamboyance. Teruko Kushi’s Cloud Mirror is a scene-stealer as well. The large scale ovoid creation is polished and painted, with a bronze finish. Blending the function of reflection with a painterly surface, the mirror is positioned between the contemporary and the aged.
