Be Original Americas Fights for Original Design, Here’s the Latest
Be Original Americas, the 12-year-old non-profit advocacy group for original design, forges ahead with their nationwide work to spread word of the movement. Next month, the organization will work alongside Cranbrook and the College of Creative Studies to host two sessions during Detroit Month of Design on September 17th. The afternoon workshop, “Originality Deconstructed,” will come alive with hands-on experiences fostered by members of the design industry.
The workshop will delve into the development, design, and production of products from these organization members:
- Designtex
- Flavor Paper
- Foscarini
- Rosendahl Design Group
- Steelcase
Come evening, the “Reimagining Through Design” discussion, moderated by Charles Cross of Landscape + Urban Design, will dive into an exploration of the community, history, sustainability, and innovation of Detroit’s growth and future. Attendees can look forward to hearing from panelists:
- Kenneth Baker, Gensler
- Laura Guido Clark, Love Good Color & Project Color Corps
- Jennifer Kolstad, Ford Motor Company
- Kirt Martin, Landscape Forms
On September 25th in New York City, The New York School of Interior Design will host Be Original Americas for a roundtable discussion highlighting the career challenges, wins, and experiences of a talented panel that includes:
- Casey Baxter, HBF/HBF Textiles
- John Edelman, Heller
- Coleman Gutshall, Bernhardt Design
- Kyra Harnett, Twenty Two Wallpaper
- Omar Nobil, Design Within Reach
- Helene Oberman, Interior Design Magazine
- Mavis Wiggins, TPG Architecture
Moderated by Thomas Krizmanic, Principal, Gensler, we hope to encourage students, professionals, and entrepreneurs to enter the world of (original!) design in any facet of the business. For more information, please reach out to beth@bdeandco.com.
At ICFF/Wanted this past May, the winners of the inaugural “Next Generation of Originality” Award were announced. Be Original Americas bestowed the accolade on two talented individuals: Lisa Sacco of Lisa Sacco Design and Chevy Chanpaiboonrat of Buddy Design.
Be Original Americas continues to collaborate with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to fight the flood of design knockoffs entering the United States. Their latest efforts will include conducting training at various ports to provide CBP officers with the knowledge and tools needed to help identify and seize counterfeit products. Millions of dollars worth of knockoffs of member products have been stopped from making their way to the U.S. market since the initiative began.
The organization is also happy to announce that Dezeen and The Architects Newspaper/AN Interior have joined them as media partners on the mission to protect original design and invest in its future.
Be Original Americas proudly works with over 800+ members, supporters, and followers in the fight for original design. From companies big to small, they promote open discussion and sharing about how to better protect designs from counterfeit culprits.
