NYCxDESIGN 2025: Brooklyn Takes Center Stage in Global Design Festival

By Jonathan Abel, Senior Correspondent

New York Design Week 2025, running from May 15–21, has kicked off with an expanded focus on Brooklyn, spotlighting Williamsburg and Dumbo’s burgeoning design districts. This year’s festival celebrates innovation, sustainability, and community, featuring a blend of emerging talents and legacy brands that are redefining the New York design scene.

Brooklyn’s Emergence as a Design Epicenter

Brooklyn’s neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Dumbo have transformed into vibrant hubs for design enthusiasts. The Dumbo x Design event, held throughout the week, showcases over a dozen firms, including furniture designers and product creators pushing boundaries in both aesthetics and utility. The event culminates with a festive closing party at a local creative venue, celebrating the borough’s creative spirit.

Spotlight on Innovative Exhibitions and Showrooms

Kvadrat Febrik’s Sustainable Textiles: In collaboration with Note Design Studio, Kvadrat Febrik unveiled “Myr” and “Mylla,” two 100% recyclable knit textiles crafted entirely from post-consumer recycled polyester. The immersive showroom installation emphasizes softness, volume, and scale, reflecting a deep commitment to sustainable design.

Pinch Design’s NYC Debut: British brand Pinch Design launched its first New York showroom, styled as a domestic apartment in Greenwich Village. Known as “The Apartment,” the space offers visitors an intimate, home-like experience of the brand’s timeless furniture collections.

The Future Perfect’s Celebrated Exhibitions: The Future Perfect gallery features new works by renowned designers Faye Toogood, Lindsey Adelman, and Lucia Massari. Toogood’s “Lucid Dream” explores subconscious states through hand-painted furniture and lighting, displayed in an imaginative dual-gallery format.

Reimagining Iconic Designs

Casa Valle’s Batlló Chair Reissue: Casa Valle introduced a limited edition of Antoni Gaudí’s Batlló chair to the U.S. market. Created in partnership with design artisans, the 50-piece edition features an ebony-stained finish and retains Gaudí’s original ergonomic artistry and organic forms.

Design Within Reach’s Sustainable F300 Lounge Chair: Design Within Reach reissued Pierre Paulin’s iconic F300 lounge chair using HiREK®, a sustainable polymer made from industrial plastic waste. The update maintains the chair’s sculptural silhouette while embracing eco-conscious materials.

Celebratory Events and Installations

The festival commenced with a vibrant rooftop opening party at the former Domino Sugar Factory, featuring neon lighting installations and sweeping Manhattan views. Guests enjoyed a flowing cocktail fountain and bespoke culinary creations, setting an energetic tone for the week’s events.

On Mercer Street, BDDW presented a life-sized hunting game installation, adding an interactive and whimsical dimension to the festival. Visitors engaged directly with the playful exhibit, which captured the festival’s spirit of immersive, hands-on design experiences.

Embracing Diversity and Emerging Talent

This year, NYCxDESIGN places a strong emphasis on inclusivity and diverse creative voices. “Innerwoven,” a curated exhibition, features handmade works by Black women artists, celebrating the convergence of craft, identity, and tradition.

Meanwhile, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) at the Javits Center gathers designers from over 35 countries. From breakthrough technologies to refined craftsmanship, the showcase reinforces the global relevance and reach of New York’s design community.