NYIGF 2011 *Faves* Part One

Last week I walked the New York International Gift Fair. I had just one day to pick my favorites and here is part one for you to enjoy!

I LOVE DFC! I saw them for the 1st time at last year's show and I immediately wanted one of their big glitter unicorn head mounts for my apartment :) This year I had the chance to meet Mauricio Paniagua and Tony Moxham, the creative minds behind the line. They are incredibly nice and I'm always grateful to those brave souls who let me take their photo.

They met each other here in NYC and moved their business to Mexico City in 2005. In part, Mauricio shared, because of the cold wet winters we have here. Many exhibitors had to deal with canceled flights and delayed deliveries because of the snow this year.

Visit their DFCasa to see fabulous pieces and learn more about the company. I agree completely with their manifesto on the rose page!

Blue Q is another favorite of mine! They do an unparalleled job of combining ultra cute & kitsch with irreverent and funny. I own several of their bags, but don't yet have Michelle Obama on swing, probably should. Think I need one of these marshall marshmallow pouches for all my make-up and money, too ;)

Maybe they work? I love the weird old clock man is holding in Live Forever tea.

 more cuteness...

  
and some interesting names for Gum!

Hand sanitizer :) good to be clean...

I'm new to Fluffy below, but glad I came across their booth. The bottle openers caught my eye. Their pieces are clean and modern but with a nostalgic twist because of the imagery. It's all very appealing and many pieces are hand made.

  

Fluffy Co is a small and friendly company run out of San Francisco, committed to sustainability and working with small family run businesses. You can learn more about them here :)

 

I wrote about Poketo last year and I've included them in a few random posts about favorite things this year.

 Above, is Angie Myung. She and Ted Vadakan founded Poketo in 2003 in Los Angeles. They design limited edition art products, accessories, apparel & decor. Below, their beautiful new leather wallets and pouches.

I adore their colorful plastic covered wallets designed by a fun mix of artists including

                                Gary Baseman, Andrew Pommier, Lisa Congdon to name a few!

Read an interview with Angie and Ted in the latest issue of  Uppercase magazine and see more on their blog.

The Jonathan Adler Junior collection for kids couldn't be cuter!! It's vibrant, sleek and fun! What child (or adult) wouldn't want this plush fuschia chair with animal pillows? All looks perfect for the playroom in a penthouse :)

I intended to take a few photos of the Jonathan Adler booth for adult interiors, but it was just too busy when I stopped by. I took note of one of his popular quotes atop the display 

"Minimalism Breeds Pessimism" :)

Lifeguard Press licenses Adler's bright and bold patterned designs for their terrific lines of stationery, notebooks, luggage tags, ipad & iphone covers, water bottles and much more!

You may associate Lifeguard Press with Lilly Pulitzer's fab and fun preppy designs. Love those oranges, pinks & greens. Below, her refreshing blue and orange folders :D

Wild and Wolf is a British company that designs in-house and licenses from a wide variety of artists, designers and companies. I was attracted to these designs by (paper-cutting master) artist  Rob Ryan.

I know very little about Rob Ryan, but have seen his paper designs on products and for sale at his etsy shop, Misterrob. His pieces are delicate and beautiful. 

In 2009, Chronicle Books released "This Is for You" - in their words- "Artful, eye-catching, and full of heart, renowned screen printer and artist Rob Ryan's papercuts have graced book covers, album covers, and the fashion collections of Paul Smith. In This Is for You, Ryan takes his unique vision and crafts a book-length valentine that will move the heart and engage the spirit with its charm and artistry."

Above, Dave Heffernan holds bag- "You Can Still Do a Lot with a Small Brain" I like this, but reminds me of Sarah Palin ;)

Penguin Classics pocket and desktop sized journals got a lot of attention. Like the thermos, too!

Shinzi Katoh is another artist/designer I've included in several posts. He is a much loved Japanese artist who has been creating work since the '70s. His designs and characters are sweet whimsical and original and he has influenced many!

Finally, I'll end part one of my post with Maileg. I fell in love with these adorable stuffed animals, little mice in matchbox beds, bunnies, bears, pirates and pigs...

As soon as I saw this display booth, I felt great joy and envy! in a good way ;)

Maileg is a Danish company established in 1999 by Dorthe and Erik Mailil. The collection is now available in Japan, Canada and in the US :)

Dorthe creates everything! She is a well known graphic designer whose designs have been shown at the Louvre in Paris, Caixa Forum in Barcelona and at MOMA here in NYC. She has also been included in the Danish Crafts Collection several times.

Bowling anyone?

I realize my focus here shifted from bright and bold pop products to quiet and sweet endearing pieces. I hope you've enjoyed seeing my picks this year. I had a terrific time running into vendors I met last year and finding new (to me) companies. Once again, I tended to stay in the Accent on Design and Studio sections of the show. I will visit other blogs for everything else! Check back next week for part 2 :D