ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair), North America’s leading platform for contemporary design, returned to the Javits Center May 17-19, 2026, for a landmark edition that celebrated the global design community during NYCxDESIGN.
Guided by the theme “Common Ground: A Global Dialogue on Design and Shared Values”, this year’s edition positioned design as a connective force across different cultures and design perspectives. Through international exhibitions, immersive installations, and expanded programming, ICFF created an environment that encouraged conversation and discovery across the design community.
Credit: Jenna Bascom Photography
“ICFF 2026 reflected the kind of thoughtful evolution we believe the design industry is actively seeking,” said ICFF Brand Directors Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat. “There was a strong sense of engagement throughout the fair, from the conversations happening on the show floor to the depth of the talks programming and the quality of presentations from exhibitors. This edition demonstrated how design can bring people together while also creating meaningful business opportunities. We also saw continued momentum around emerging talent and independent design through the growth of curated sections such as Launch Pad and Look Book, alongside a particularly strong international presence from Brazil and India. Overall, the quality of attendees and level of engagement throughout the fair remained exceptionally strong.”
Attendees experienced an immersive floor plan conceived by RADS (Rodolfo Agrella Design Studio), resulting in a more elevated and intuitive journey throughout the show floor. The fair also unveiled new curatorial partnerships and mission-driven initiatives, including ICFF’s first-ever collaboration with Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester, reinforcing the role of design as a tool for positive social impact. The Parsons Healthy Materials Lab, led by Jonsara Ruth, presented a new exhibition exploring bio-based materials, healthier alternatives, and forward-thinking production processes through a dynamic series of talks and workshops.
Craftsmanship took center stage in the expanded Bespoke: The Art of Making feature, presented in partnership with Hospitality Design and the Mayfair Design District. At the center of the installation was the Bespoke Salon, designed by Post Company, an intimate and thoughtfully designed space that hosted live demonstrations, presentations, and daily conversations and drew strong audiences throughout the fair. Another standout installation, Rarify brought together original Bauhaus archival materials and contemporary production through a landmark collaboration between Rarify, Tecta, and the Bauhaus Archive Berlin in a first-of-its-kind presentation at ICFF.
Credit: Jenna Bascom Photography
WANTED also returned with expanded participation across Launch Pad, Look Book, and the Schools Showcase, reinforcing ICFF’s continued commitment to emerging talent and original design. The Look Book program, curated this year with Julia Haney Montanez and presented with media partner Dezeen, spotlighted more than 60 North American design studios, while Launch Pad featured more than 80 emerging designers and the Schools Showcase expanded to include 24 schools, its largest participation to date.
More than 110 designers, editors, architects, and thought leaders participated in talks and special programming across the Main Stage, The Oasis, Bespoke Salon, Aqua Atelier by GROHE, and the Juniper Recharge Lounge, drawing a huge audience over the three days. Conversations explored topics ranging from material innovation and affordable housing to sustainability, emerging technologies, and global collaboration.
Programming highlights included A Message for Mamdani, moderated by Julie Lasky of The New York Times; The State of Affairs in Design Media, hosted by Tiffany Jow of Untapped; and Design as Diplomacy: Soft Power, Hard Materials with Amit Gupta of STIR. The fair also expanded its Emerging Designer Spotlight initiative, developed in partnership with Clever and Amy Devers and sponsored by Danver.
As ICFF concluded its final May edition, the fair also marked the beginning of a significant new chapter. Beginning in 2027, ICFF will transition to a fall schedule, with the inaugural edition taking place November 14-16, 2027 at the Javits Center alongside BDNY. ICFF and BDNY will remain two distinct, independently curated trade fairs, each with its own identity, audience, and programming. Taking place concurrently at the Javits Center, they will deliver complementary experiences that together create a broader, more dynamic platform for the broader design industry. Announced only days before the fair’s opening, the move reflects years of industry feedback and a strategic evolution that aims to align more closely with the global fair calendar while establishing New York as a broader and more impactful design destination. Throughout the fair, exhibitors, partners, and attendees responded enthusiastically to the announcement and the opportunities the new timing will permit.
Credit: Jenna Bascom Photography
2026 Awards
This year, ICFF hosted the ICFF Editors Awards, WANTED’s Best of Launch Pad Awards for furniture/home accessories and lighting, Best of Students Award, and Best of Schools Award.
ICFF EDITORS AWARDS WINNERS
Furniture: Bernhardt Design
Outdoor: British American Camping
Lighting: Ridezign
Flooring & Rugs: Gica Atelier
Kitchen & Bath: Herbeau
Materials & Surfaces: Leon Speakers
Craftsmanship: Atelier Lebuisson
Exhibit Design: Arboreal
American Brand: Sin
International Brand: Zieta Studio
Sustainable Design: Parsons Healthy Materials Lab
Best in Show: Zieta Studio
BEST OF LAUNCH PAD WINNERS
Furniture/Home Accessories Winner: Amin Tadj Studio
Lighting Winner: Mios
BEST OF STUDENTS WINNER: Heecham Kim, SCAD
BEST OF SCHOOLS WINNER: Lawrence Technological University
BEST OF EMERGING DESIGNERS SPOTLIGHT: Joey Aji
ICFF Partners and Sponsors
BESPOKE: THE ART OF MAKING
A special thanks to Hospitality Design for partnering on the entire feature and hosting daily activations within the Salon; Post Company for designing the Bespoke Salon; and main Bespoke Salon sponsors Ferreira de Sá and Andrée Putman Studio. Tonester provided paint for the Bespoke space.
ICFF TALKS
The Main Stage was sponsored by Moroso and The Oasis was sponsored by Leon Speakers, Ethnicraft, and Mohawk Group, in partnership with Architonic.
WANTED
● LAUNCH PAD: Sponsored by American Standard and presented with WantedDesign and media partner Dwell.
● LOOK BOOK: Presented with media partner Dezeen.
● SCHOOLS SHOWCASE: Presented with media partner Design Milk.
● DESIGN SCHOOLS WORKSHOP: Presented with media partner Core77, conducted with school partner CENTRO, and sponsored by KI with the support of molo.
● Tonester provided paint for the WANTED space.
THE RARIFY DINING LOUNGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BE ORIGINAL AMERICAS
Designed by RADS – Rodolfo Agrella Design Studio, curated by Rarify, and furnished in collaboration with Be Original Americas.
MEDIA & VIP LOUNGE
Designed by RADS – Rodolfo Agrella Design Studio and sponsored by Vitra and molo.
MAIN STAGE CAFE Sponsored by Tolix.
A special thanks to Ligne Roset for the Welcome Lounge, Juniper for the Recharge Lounge, in partnership with HBF and HBF Textiles, and ROOM x OFS for the collaborative studio space.
Credit: Jenna Bascom Photography
Beyond the Fair Highlights
This year, ICFF extended its presence beyond the Javits Center with two standout NYCxDESIGN programs that brought the design community together ahead of the fair: ICFF Night Out and Look Book Offsite. Plans for 2027 events will be announced later in 2026.
In partnership with NYCxDESIGN and Interni magazine, ICFF Night Out welcomed hundreds of designers, media, and VIP guests on May 15 for a curated series of evening events across NoMad and SoHo at the Flos, Lixil, and Moroso showrooms.
From May 15–19, ICFF and AvroKO presented Form and Feeling at Host on Howard as part of ICFF’s inaugural Look Book Offsite program. The well-attended exhibition brought together independent North American design studios exploring contemporary form and traditional materiality and featured works by 16 invited Look Book designers, including Cuff Studio, Ian Love, Kate Dannessa, Coil + Drift, Vy Voi, Thomas Yang, and Simon Johns.
