Each year, the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) invites internationally celebrated designers and local talent to transform a raw space into a showcase of extravagant dining vignettes in support of the HIV/AIDS cause.
Dining By Design is DIFFA’s signature event of the year in any region, and now in its 19th year, it’s raised nearly $800,000 toward DIFFA’s grant making efforts.
At Pier 92, Twelfth Avenue at 55th Street, a constellation of events spread over five days hosted 2,000 people at two fundraisers and 45,000 people throughout the week of March 17-21.
As one of the design industry’s largest fundraising events, and arguably New York City’s largest HIV/AIDs-related fundraiser, Dining By Design is a rare occurrence of many distinctly unique elements of the design industry collaborating closely for a common goal. Each dining vignette is the finished product of months of planning, design and fundraising efforts by local and international designers, furniture companies and design firms of all sizes and cultures.
For the 8th consecutive year, the event was co-located with the Architectural Digest Design Show, helping to pull in the consumer face and appeal to the widest possible audience. And this year, 20 brands involved in the event were Dining By Design newcomers.
“One of the things we’re most proud of is the diversity of brands and people in the room,” said Johanna Y. Osburn, executive director of DIFFA. “It doesn’t impact just one community of the design world. We’ve been able to continually attract new people and companies who are willing and excited to be involved.”
These installations use the power of design to challenge and champion something that everyone can, and must, do: eat and dine!
“They highlight creative ways to think about gathering and dining and many also ask us to reflect on our work – that the efforts to fight HIV/AIDS are still as relevant as our first Dining By Design almost two decades ago,” said Ms. Osburn, in the Dining By Design program. “Dining By Design reminds us that we must do the same grassroots work we did when DIFFA was founded in 1984 – gather around the table, harness our resources and creativity, and raise critical funds to help organizations providing direct services to help those living with HIV/AIDS and education to prevent infection.”
Some designers and manufacturers choose to host and design their own installation, but many of the vignettes feature creative pairings of contract furniture companies and furniture shops (think Crate and Barrel, Arteriors, Design Within Reach, 1stDibs, Ralph Lauren Home, Marc Blackwell, and Echo), and a mix of individual architects, interior designers, fashion designers, floral and landscape artists, event producers, photographers design schools, as well as teams from large national design firms.
Ms. Osburn noted that the event does not include a competition element, and this is by design.
“Because this is a charity event, we want everyone to be on equal footing. We have many heavy hitter companies, as well as boutique specialty brands, national firms and independent designers of all kinds. This event is really about harnessing creativity for the cause.”
Each of the 33 “tablescapes” manifests a distinct, expressive point of view. Though not required, some of the vignettes blend the HIV/AIDS cause into the design, whether through a theme of hope, love, inspiration or calm/peace.
This year, Dining By Design featured three tablescapes from New York design schools, with each team of students working closely with an industry professional “mentor.” This year’s teams and mentors are Pratt Institute, mentored by Elizabeth Bolognino; New York School of Interior Design, mentored by Tyler Wisler; and Parsons The New School For Design, mentored by Jes Gordon.
Dining By Design is shining example of many facets of the design industry at their best. If you didn’t have a chance to attend this year’s event, enjoy the photos and sign up for 2017!