Salone del Mobile has been postponed until June, Neuehouse opens its latest outpost in LA, and Raf Simons joins Prada as co-creative director. All this and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
NeueHouse Bradbury debuts within an LA landmark
Membership club and coworking space NeueHouse opened its second property in LA within the iconic Bradbury Building. Conceived by DesignAgency, the concept highlights the building’s Italian Renaissance Revival-style. Comprising 25,000 square feet of open workspaces, the design is punctuated with a midcentury-inspired aesthetic that offsets elements like millwork, exposed ceiling joists, and a light-filled atrium. “Empowering the people who help make Los Angeles so great is something we want to continue doing,” Josh Wyatt, CEO of NeueHouse, told Surface magazine. “It almost feels like we’re a cultural speakeasy.
Salone del Mobile postponed due to Coronavirus concerns
The 2020 edition of Milan’s Salone del Mobile has been rescheduled from its original dates in April to June 16th-21st, amid concerns about the spread of Coronavirus across northern Italy, particularly in the Lombardy and Veneto regions where Milan is located. Salone del Mobile issued the following statement: “Confirmation of the change of date for the trade fair—strongly supported by the mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala—means that the manufacturers, in a major show of responsibility, will be able to present their finalized work to an international public that sees the annual appointment with the Salone del Mobile Milano as a benchmark for creativity and design.”
Raf Simons joins Prada as co-creative director
The prolific Belgian designer Raf Simons has joined Prada as co-creative director, bringing 25 years of experience at top-notch fashion brands including Jil Sander, Christian Dior, and most recently Calvin Klein, which he left in 2018. He’ll work alongside the head designer and co-owner of the multibillion fashion powerhouse, Miuccia Prada. An almost unheard kind of agreement for the fashion industry, Simons will share in “equal responsibilities for creative input and decision-making,” according to a press release. As GQ puts the unprecedented partnership: “This isn’t a fledgling brand with two young designers. It’s Prada, and it’s two mature thinkers perhaps at the peak of their powers.” The duo will make their debut during Milan Fashion Week in September with Prada’s Spring/Summer 2021 womenswear collection.
Art wins at the 5Pointz graffiti trial
This past Thursday, the NYC federal judge Frederic Block ordered real estate developers David and Gerald Wolkoff to pay $6.8 million in damages for whitewashing the works of 21 graffiti artists at the 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center in Queens, New York in 2013 to make way for condos, according to reporting by Quartz. Wolkoffs’ lawyers in 2018 appealed to reverse the decision, claiming it was the very nature of the graffiti works to be painted over. However, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals decided otherwise, based on the fact that said graffiti has recognized “stature” under the Visual Rights Act. The sum also included $150,000 for each of the 45 destroyed works at the center of the case, which showcased works from influential artist such as Christo and Banksy. The landmark decision—a first-of-its-kind case—is a monumental win for the rights of all artists in U.S. and beyond.
Influencer culture pays big for the hotel industry
Designed by Bill Bensley, the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, with villas costing around $7,000 per night, is in high demand by social media influencers. Located on a tiny Vietnamese island off the Cambodia coast, the luxurious retreat receives countless requests by social media figures who offer collaboration in exchange for a free stay at the property, writes Business Insider. Francesca Barba, the resort’s director of sales and marketing, says social media is key to the hotel’s marketing strategy. “Because this property is so unusual that sometimes it can be an influencer with a little number of followers—but concept-wise, an incredible eye. When we are approached, which happens almost daily, we’re looking at everything they do.”
