5.13.11 | New York, NY | Espacio Sami Hayek, a new design brand positioned to develop multi-channel collections of home furnishings, accessories and design solutions, will unveil its first line at ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) in New York City, May 14-17, 2011. A partnership between the environmental designer Sami Hayek and Springs Global US, Inc., Espacio Sami Hayek will launch with a luxury collection that includes furniture and upholstered items, lighting and decorative essentials.

Sami

“Our desire is for Espacio Sami Hayek to deliver an enhanced life through products, spaces, and experiences that tell a story of passion and individuality, of joy and inspiration,” said Executive Creative Director, Sami Hayek. “Inspired by the craftsmanship of local traditions in global cultures, we will engage in artisanal processes and incorporate their heritage into elements of the brand.”

Barro Negro

Available Fall 2011, the collection merges rich colors and textures with contemporary lines to create designs that are signature Hayek—unique, warm and livable. Pieces are complimentary yet freestanding - referencing similar aesthetics while functioning well individually—with the intention to create an experience through curated elements, rather than a singular style. Materials are explored and celebrated in every element in the line—from curvilinear seating in carbon-fiber, acrylic, stainless steel, brass, and bronze to a furniture series made from reclaimed wood sourced from the Midwest, including a bed, nightstand, desk and sofa. The 2011 collection will also include lighting, tabletop and bedding—designed as accents to subtly enhance the environment created by the signature pieces.

Serving Pieces

In designing his first collection for the brand, Hayek mines his Mexican roots to connect ancient materials and local artisans to contemporary design. A set of tables and serving pieces are made from Barro Negro, a curious dark, rich clay unique to the Oaxaca region of Mexico used for centuries to create everyday pottery. The clay, traditionally baked in low-temperature wood-burning fires inside the home, is set through a highly specialized and rare smoking process, instead of glazing. Fascinated by Barro Negro since his childhood, Hayek spent over a year working with a local master potter to revolutionize the manufacturing process and technical qualities of the humble material, making it both refined enough for serveware and strong enough to be used for furniture—an industry first!

An artisan collective run by the master potter, and formed together by Espacio Sami Hayek and a Mexican foundation that supports Oaxacan culture, trains local craftspeople to create the company’s furnishings and accessories. Pieces are created by families working together in local villages—with one generation passing on the trade to the next—utilizing the same social structure that has shaped work life in the area for centuries.

In addition to the Barro Negro pieces, a collection of luxury area rugs are woven from indigenous palm leaves using a technique that is also native to the Oaxaca region. A similar partnership with the Huichole community in the Michoacan region is producing beaded panels with traditional Huichole motifs using contemporary beads that are applied to a credenza. The applique will be applied to additional items in future collections.

Through these collaborations, Espacio Sami Hayek hopes to create a market for traditional materials and skills and generate living-wage jobs in areas of Mexico where they are desperately needed. In doing so, the company hopes to encourage sustainable economic development in a manner that will help the communities flourish both financially and socially, while remaining true to their heritage.

“Working with Sami to bring Espacio to life has been an incredible experience. I am thrilled to launch this collection, which meets the standard of authenticity we set for ourselves both in terms of aesthetic, and most importantly in terms of sourcing. Our drive to manufacture as many products as possible in Mexico will bring benefit not just to manufacturers there, but also to local communities and villages with specific artisan craft expertise,” states Joe Granger, President, Springs Global.

Springs Global will unveil Espacio Sami Hayek in four phases, offering a wide array of innovative design options at a range of price points.=A0 The launch of the collection will be followed by the introduction of a more affordable line of furnishing and accessories, along with an e-commerce destination, later in 2011. Following this, Springs Global will increase the Espacio Sami Hayek retail presence, and direct dialogue with its consumers. Facilitating the initiative will be the opening of a series of flagship boutiques in the United States, in Los Angeles, New York and Miami, followed closely by stores in key metro areas in Mexico and Brazil. The stores will appeal to consumers with a new shopping experience, understanding their multi-tiered shopping behaviors, by presenting curated collections of products from both tiers, all housed in one retail environment. This will inspire consumers on how to combine cornerstone investment pieces with affordable accents that meaningfully enhance their environments and their lives.

The final core development of the Espacio brand will be the creation of a turnkey “design solutions” business within the real estate development and architectural sectors. It will include overseeing and executing the Espacio vision, inside and out, in large project designs for resorts and other commercial ventures, such as residential and business properties. The full range of products, including casegoods, upholstery, lighting, linens and decorative accessories designed and produced for these key initiatives will be comprised of unique items for the project build-out, as well as the best of all collections sold at Espacio Sami Hayek vertical stores.

Furniture and accessories in the collection will retail from $400 - $5,000, with specialty items ranging from $8,000 - $24,000. Tabletop will range from $29 - $149 with serve ware ranging from $175 - $575.

www.espaciosamihayek.com

Visit Espacio Sami Hayek at ICFF at Booth #1318
Sami Hayek will be available at ICFF for interviews. To schedule an appointment, or for more information, please contact:
Sarah Natkins, Culture & Commerce
+1 212 842 1509 / [email protected]

About Sami Hayek

Sami Hayek’s design is based on an ongoing dialogue of powerful thoughts and moments in time translated into colors, textures, forms and compositions. Born in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico to a multi-cultural family, Hayek’s work is strongly influenced by the diversity and richness of his upbringing. After receiving his degree in environmental design from the Art Center College of Design, he established his own studio. The Los Angeles-based multi-disciplinary practice engages in a wide array of design projects at various scales, from affordable products to luxury furniture to residential and commercial design. Every project is driven by a desire to enhance life through products, spaces and experiences, from furniture for Poltrona Frau and a limited time collection of furniture and accessories for Target™ to a 120-unit middle-income housing project in Mexico. In 2011, in collaboration with Springs Global, he launched the Espacio Sami Hayek brand, a multi-channel collection of home furnishings, accessories and design solutions. Sami Hayek has served as a guest critic and lecturer at UCLA, New York University, University of Southern California, Penn State, SCI-Arc, and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, among others, and currently teaches at Art Center College of Design.

About Springs Global US, Inc.

Springs Global US, Inc., is the world's leader in innovative branding, design, marketing, and development of decorative home furnishings, supplying major retailers worldwide with a diverse portfolio of some of the most legendary and recognized home brands in the world. A subsidiary of Springs Global Participações S.A., the world's leading Brazilian and American manufacturer and marketer of home furnishings, Springs Global's iconic brands include Wamsutta®, Springmaid®, and the company has licensing agreements with companies and brands including Diane von Furstenberg, Nate Berkus, Paula Dean, Cindy Crawford, Court of Versailles®, and Walt Disney World® Resort. Springs Branded Business Unit offers global decorative home furnishings solutions for its brands and retail partners through innovative design, products and marketing. www.springs.com.