Those seasoned players are joined by freshman area rug entrants -- including Nepalese focused Bespoke Tibetan Carpets; Brooklyn-studio Pieces, An Aesthetic Pursuit, and Miami art rug atelier Surkoya. Add to that a handful of debuting international participants (Abbatte, Armadillo & Co., Sugo Cork, W Studio, Watay and Wendy Morrison) expecting to capture the eye of the designers and architects walking the aisles, and you have all the ingredients necessary for a head-turning ICFF.
"ICFF is a trendy design and furniture fair and we believe it will be the perfect event to present for the first time our unique rugs in the United States!" said Sónia Andrad, Sugo Cork co-founder, who since the studio's beginnings a year ago, has received many requests from interested parties stateside. "So, now it's time to be presented in U.S."
In fact with more than 30 area rug vendors participating in the 30th edition of ICFF, show attendees will have some of the hottest rug designs to peruse. Bringing their top showstoppers to the Jacob Javits Convention Center are returning ICFF exhibitors, including Apadana Fine Rugs, Bokara Rug, Creative Touch, Eliko, Etnik Halicilik, French Accents Rugs, Marc Phillips Decorative Rugs, Nasiri Carpets, New Moon Rugs, Now Carpets, Orley Shabahang, S&H Rugs, Samad, Scandecor, Shore Innovative Rugs, Tibetano, Warp & Weft and Woven Concepts.
Below, find RugNews.com's exclusive pre-show area rug sneak peek of ICFF newcomers.
ABBATTE
Booth 1722
Abbatte natural fiber rugs are woven in a national monument -- a 13th century Abbey in Spain.
Spanish hand-made textiles and area rug studio Abbatte crafts its natural fiber made-to-order rugs in in the exquisite Cistercian Abbey of Santa Maria de la Sierra. Within this historic site, a national monument built in the 13th century, local weavers meticulously craft each area rug, which take between one and four weeks to produce depending on the measurements and pattern. In addition, the Abbatte artisans harvest plants to color the yarns from a specialized botanical garden on the grounds.
"The rugs are usually made with a linen or jute warp and a wool weft," Miguel Cerezales Rotaeche told RugNews.com. "We work with manual looms and we also dye with natural dyes. The company started five years ago, and we have been crafting rugs from the beginning. We usually produce the rugs under demand, so we only have a few in stock to just show our designs."
AMADI CARPETS
Booth 2534
Amadi's Tuareg collection is inspired by the abstract patterns of the Tuareg tribes of the Sahara desert and meticulously handcrafted by the Amadi weavers in Afghanistan.
West Hollywood, California-based Amadi Carpets returns to ICFF after a short hiatus. The rug maker will showcase its made in Afghanistan area rugs including its latest collection of very textural graphic designs woven of hand-spun wool.
"This is a show we are more focusing on branding more than on sales," said company co-founder Zubair Ahmadi, who along with his brothers established Amadi's first weaving center outside of Kabul in 2013 and eventually recruited some 120 women to craft their area rugs.
"We know that ICFF is not a show were orders are filled but rather about the connection to future potential clients ... doing these shows we feel is essential."
ARMADILLO & CO.
Booth 667
The Paragon design from the Heirloom collection by Armadillo & Co. features an abrash dyed wool.
Australian bespoke area rug dealer Armadillo & Co. which recently opened a flagship showroom in Beverly Hills, California, brings its signature savoir faire to the East Coast now. The atelier's sophisticated, socially conscious designs feature a down-to-earth vibe. The entire portfolio of area rugs are 100 percent handmade of natural and sustainable fibers using fair trade practices.
Armadillo's latest arrival, Paragon from the Heirloom Collection, features an abrash dyed wool that is hand spun and knotted using age-old techniques. Crafted in neutral shades the rugs belie their complex pattern.
Founded in Australia in 2009, Armadillo & Co. also has showrooms in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
BESPOKE TIBETAN CARPETS
Booth 2241
Bespoke Tibetan Carpets showcases the new Yeti collection at the rug maker's ICFF debut.
Two-year-old importer of hand-crafted Tibetan area rugs Bespoke Tibetan Carpets, with offices in New Jersey and in Nepal, introduces ICFF shoppers not only to its brand but also its just released luxurious Yeti collection. Hand knotted from Tibetan wool, Matka silk and linen, with a 10mm pile, Yeti draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the mountains and glaciers of Tibet. With a color palette comprised mainly of whites and natural grays, these designs are crafted of undyed natural yarn using a range of Tibetan knotting techniques with slightly adjusted foundation to create a unique weave. Production times for a made to order 8x10 area rug is eight weeks.
"We chose to exhibit at ICFF because the venue will allow us to market our product the entire high-end interior sector. The Yeti line is all about beautiful craftsmanship and use of the highest quality materials and we believe will be a great line for high-end furniture showrooms too."
EMPIRE COLLECTION / ARONSON'S FLOOR COVERINGS
Booth 2049
A favorite New York source for architects and designers, Aronson's brings its new custom Empire Collection to ICFF.
The 150-year-old Aronson's Floor Covering heads to ICFF for the first time with a debut line of handmade, custom area rugs called the Empire Collection, created in collaboration with award-winning textile designer and color consultant Kristie Strasen. With a spotlight on texture and color, the nearly 20 Empire styles offer a range of hand-tufted and hand-woven rugs crafted in Europe using traditional, artisan techniques.
"We looked across the board at where color in the home is now and where it's headed, and we collaborated with the mill to dye certain colors to our specifications -- complex jewel tones, soft blushes and blues, rich neutrals -- so that the collection would have a great diversity of tone."
In addition to its broad palette of color, the collection offers a mix of natural fibers such as wool, alpaca, jute, linen and Tencel.
NASHVILLE RUG COMPANY
Booth 2471
Nashville Rug Company, known to High Point Market audiences for its pastel Oushak carpets, debuts at ICFF.
The Nashville Rug Company, a boutique area rug showroom based in Tennessee offering fine antique rugs and new handmade designs, debuts at ICFF. The area rug source, which was founded in 2005, runs weaving operations in Iran, Kurdistan, India, Nepal and Turkey. Some of its latest introductions include geometric Berber flatweaves, made in India, and reproduction Oushaks in unique designs and modern color palettes.
PIECES, AN AESTHETIC PURSUIT
Booth 117
Innovative cut-out rugs like Blue Moon above, hint at breakthrough designs to premier at Pieces' ICFF stand.
Pieces, a home desing product line created by Brooklyn-based creative agency An Aesthetic Pursuit, debuts at ICFF. The young label will introduce its new furnishings and decor, including a selection of statement area rugs. At press time the company -- which created an inaugural range of geometric, unexpectedly shaped area rugs made in a blend of hand tufted wool and viscose in India -- will unveil a different look at ICFF.
RICHARD AFKARI
Booth 2851
Manhattan dealer Richard Afkari's ICFF offering introduces global audiences to the showroom's Treasure Chest collection of hand-crafted and hand-picked samples.
Richard Afkari, a leading Manhattan dealer of Persian and European carpets with an eponymous shop on 59th Street and two locations in Connecticut, brings his expertise to bear at ICFF for the first time. Afkari has been designing and making custom carpets in a variety of textures, designs, qualities and colors for the past ten years. And his venerable showroom, which specializes in antique, semi-antique, flat weave, and fine contemporary handmade carpets and tapestries, features an extensive collection of classic and modern rugs from major weaving centers around the world.
"We are excited to present our latest cutting edge developments featuring new textures and qualities," Afkari told RugNews.com. "On display will be our very own Treasure Chest, a never before seen, hand-crafted and hand-picked series of strike off swatches and samples for exclusive preview."
RUG & KILIM
Booth 917
Rug & Kilim introduces new additions to its colorful and graphic Mid-Century Modern collection.
New York area rug maker Rug & Kilim heads to its inaugural ICFF with the intention of rubbing elbows with designers and architects. "We are looking to grow our presence to the trade and to let people know our quality, service and how quickly we can deliver the most special and unusual pieces," Cyrus Nazmiyal told RugNews.com. "We will be showcasing our in-house designs and custom rugs, including a collection of Mid-Century Moderns that are incredibly colorful and graphic. Rug & Kilim, known for its assortment of Scandinavian styled designs, also will showcase some of its vibrant graphic and modern takes on classic looks.
SUGO CORK RUGS
Booth
2435
Sugo Cork Rugs premieres a new, highly textured quality in cork and cotton at ICFF.
Debuting not just at ICFF but in the U.S. for the first time, the one-year-old Sugo Cork Rugs introduces audiences to its experimental rugs made of cork, an eco-friendly and sustainable material. Crafted in Portugal, where the studio is based, the innovative hand-woven designs marry cork's natural flexibility with more traditional materials such as cotton and wool to create rugs with a textural look and tactile feel.
Co-founded and designed by Susana Godinho, Sugo Rugs will present its latest designs at ICFF. Featuring multiple colors and textured weaving stripes -- and a new rug quality -- the fresh additions carry interesting shapes and textures crafted of cork and cotton. "It will be an eco-friendly rug made of natural and sustainable materials and we are pretty sure it will surprise anyone who visits us and sees this special collection strongly inspired by Art Deco tonalities and geometric patterns," said Andrad.
SURKOYA
Booth 2917
Surkoya, a Miami gallery created to translate fine art paintings into area rugs, premieres at ICFF. Sbove a work by Georgian artist Vakhtang Khazalia gets translated for the floor.
One-year-old art rug atelier Surkoya debuts it vibrantly colored limited edition area rugs to ICFF shoppers. The Miami gallery offers high-resolution limited edition printed rugs based on original artwork by artists such as Canadian painter Amy B. Ballett, Moscow painter Slava Gayun mixed media artist Craig Kirk, and Spanish painter Noemi Ibarz. Each Surkoya art rug, produced in a limited edition of seven, is numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity authorized by the author of the work. Where artists are no longer present, the work is certified by Surkoya.
Said Sasha Surkoya, founder and also a painter, "I have a passion for colors and images -- and also for the quality of materials. It took time to explore the world for the finest silk and wool weavers, dyers and printers who could translate paintings into luxurious essential rugs that lose nothing of the spirit, movement or textures of the original artworks."
Surkoya offers her art rugs in two constructions: one option are one-of-a-kind hand made of silk and wool -- "these come with a certificate from Surkoya and an original copy of the painting with artist signature."
"The second choice is printed rugs. We print with chromojet and can mix up to 3,000 colors and shades. Printing go on PA with soft yarn and we also print on wool. Those are limited edition rugs and never be printed more the seven times."
W STUDIO
Booth 2910
W Studio introduces the Spectrum gradient stripe design to U.S. audiences at ICFF.
Alan Pourvakil's award-winning carpet design house, W Studio, heads to points south with his collection of fine hand-knotted carpets. The Toronto-based W Studio brings along its hot off the loom addition to its sumptuous Artisan collection called Spectrum. Each Spectrum rug is made with a range of seven to 13 colors, precisely dyed and meticulously woven by hand of premium wool in Nepal.
WENDY MORRISON DESIGN
Booth 1235
Fans of U.K. designer Wendy Morrison will see her first-ever collection of hand-knotted wool and silk rugs debut at ICFF, including the intricately detailed Jardin de Chinois design.
Wendy Morrison, a U.K. designer best known for her exquisite hand-tufted rug designs, heads across the pond, again, to premiere her inaugural assortment of hand-knotted designs. "We exhibited at ICFF five years ago, but then spent the last few years concentrating on the U.K. market," Gregor Morrison, director, shared with RugNews.com. "Late last year we started a government funded project to grow our export sales to the U.S. and our attendance at ICFF is part of the project."
"We have only introduced hand-knotted designs in the past year and our research has shown that the U.S. market is more favorable to hand-knotted over hand-tufted. Wendy's chinoiserie style encompassing flora & fauna has really become quite fashionable this year and her global fan base has grown to reflect that. She already has many fans in the US. It is our hope that ICFF will provide a further boost to her brand exposure within the US."
U.K. designer Wendy Morrison introduces her first hand-knotted wool and silk area rugs at ICFF, among them the luxe Renaissance design.