LAUNCH PAD FIFTH ANNIVERSARY: AVANDI

2018 marks the fifth anniversary of the Launch Pad at WantedDesign Manhattan. The Launch Pad is a platform for emerging designers who wish to make connections with manufacturers and retailers during NYCxDESIGN, New York’s celebration of global design. Each year, a group of industry professionals reviews the exhibited work to select a Best of Launch Pad prize. Since 2014, the Launch Pad has exhibited over 100 designers from dozens of countries and over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing the stories of some of the designers who have participated in years past and the manufacturers who’ve discovered them. As a reminder, the 2018 Launch Pad applications are due January 31, 2018. Apply here.

AVANDI is a Brooklyn-based contemporary studio that designs and manufactures a selection of home goods and jewelry inspired by sustainable solutions and modular systems. AVANDI generates durable products that seamlessly blend technology and craft. AVANDI’s profoundly versatile designs thrive in a nomadic space, shifting their function to meet your needs, merging with your lifestyle while adding a bit of fun and playful elements.

Q: Which year did you present at WantedDesign? Did you make connections with brands and fellow designers?
I presented at Wanted Design in 2015. I connected with the other Launch Pad designers, and with people from the Trade (architects, interior architects, designers).

Q: Tell us about your favorite project you’ve worked on since you participated in Launch Pad at WantedDesign.
I had a lot of fun working on the STACKED Jewelry Box. I love collaborations, and working with talented makers, and this project was just that! My friend Melanie  and I designed it together, and she turns each piece in her studio.

It was designed with the modern woman in mind and made from hand-turned maple and cork and a solid copper top. An alternative to the traditional rectangular box, this minimalist bowl has different sections for different pieces, using cork to protect your most precious metals. The maple container has a round bowl inside and the cork has different compartments for earrings and bracelets.

Q: How has your work evolved since you shared your work at WantedDesign? Is it now in production? If so, with whom?
I have been focused on self production for a while. Now, I am working toward licensing, and I am currently working with a brand that will produce a product I designed.