ASFD Partners With CIFF On Asia-Pacific Pinnacle Awards
Furniture World News Desk on
3/25/2017
The American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD) recently announced that it has licensed its Pinnacle Award program to the China International Furniture Fair (CIFF).
March 18th marks the launch of the first-ever Asia - Pacific Pinnacle Award Competition, culminating later this year with a gala celebration at the 40th China International Furniture Fair, September 12-15 in Shanghai. Entries are expected from Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Created more than two decades ago by the ASFD board of directors to promote design quality and encourage the recognition of furniture designers within the retail home furnishings industry, this year marks the 21st anniversary of the Pinnacle Awards held each October during the High Point Market.
According to John Conrad, executive director of ASFD, the American organization will assist in the Asia – Pacific competition. Members of the ASFD board will be included on the judging panel.
“As with the Pinnacle Awards, which have come to stand for excellence, innovation and originality in the practice of furniture design, our goal is to ensure a design competition that is above reproach, and that the Asia - Pacific Pinnacle Award judges will be presented with the crème de la crème of Asian furniture design,” Conrad says.
ASFD president, Jason Phillips ads, “While our roots are stateside, design is a global endeavor. We couldn't be more excited about this partnership with China and the broader Asia-Pacific region. The enthusiasm and support from CIFF has far exceeded anything we could have hoped for. One only has to look at the presentation they have put together at the last two expos, showcasing current and past Pinnacle winners. We have confidence this is the right step for our organization as the world becomes easier to reach than ever before and the clients our members work with come from the farthest reaches of the globe.”
Like the American competition, submissions in 17 categories will be judged by a panel, including prominent Asian shelter magazine editors, design educators, professional designers, leading manufacturers and major retailers. The new competition will also feature a category for students. A new website www.pinnacleawards.asia will be launched in late May to promote the competition throughout the Asia – Pacific region and encourage submissions by both professionals and students.
Entries are open to all Asian furniture designers and manufacturers. Products entered must be in current production and be available locally to Asian consumers through internet, catalog or brick-and-mortar retailers. Entries must meet the most discerning design standards and are judged on form, function, innovation, retailer and manufacturer benefit and consumer benefit.
More about ASFD: Founded in 1981, the American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD) is dedicated to excellence, innovation, education and originality in the practice of furniture design. ASFD serves as the unified voice of the furniture design community, advocating professional practice and integrity at all times. ASFD seeks to demonstrate the value of design to the furnishings industry.
More about CIFF: Founded in 1998, the China International Furniture Fair (CIFF) has been successfully held for 38 sessions. CIFF is one of the most influential furniture exhibitions in the world. It runs twice a year in both Shanghai and Guangzhou. Every year the spring edition in Guangzhou connects over 3900 world leading brands with more than 170,000 professional attendees from 200 countries and regions, creating immense value for the international furniture industry. It is expected that CIFF will be a great platform for American design to enter the Asia Pacific market.