Harmony, global voices and material futures at ICFF 2025

ICFF 2025 gears up for a future-facing event around sustainable innovation, emerging talent and curated experiences that explore balance across culture, craft and material.

By Claire Brodka

May 13, 2025 | 12:00 am CUT

Under the theme 'Designing in Harmony', ICFF returns to New York's Javits Center this year from May 18-20. Photo: Jenna Bascom

ICFF returns to New York’s Javits Center this May 18–20 with a refreshed sense of purpose and a global perspective. With its 2025 theme, 'Designing in Harmony', the fair sets out to explore how design can bridge divides — between materials and methods, cultures and climates, past and future.

At a time when balance feels elusive, ICFF is aiming to create it through a curated mix of furniture, lighting, objects and conversations around regeneration, resilience and collaboration positioned as practical frameworks. Architonic spoke to ICFF Brand Directors Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat ahead of the fair to elaborate on this through-line and tease what else to expect.

Opening remarks for ICFF 2024. From left to right, Rodolfo Agrella, RADS, Claire Pijoulat, ICFF, Laura Walsh, Lumens, Odile Hainaut, ICFF. Photo: Jenna Bascom

A reimagined experience

The first update visitors are likely to spot is a refreshed show layout. Organic discovery was paramount here according to Pijoulat and Hainaut, as well as creating new wayfinding strategies and an app-supported matchmaking tool for buyers and brands that focuses on bringing people together.

'We really honed in on the fact that we are gathering 13,000 people in a space for three days. So focusing on that element and designing the show in a way that infuses optimism, creativity and discovery was our focus,' says Pijoulat. 'We worked with Rodolfo Agrella to reshape the activation areas — his focus was to play with colours and layout in a way that really welcomes people and invites them to spend time. We have great partners for each of these gathering spaces and we see that more and more brands are also interested in contributing to this new fabric that we offer at the show.'

Young designers and emerging voices are highlighted as part of the popular WANTED section at the fair. Photo: Jenna Bascom

Amplifying emerging voices

The beating heart of ICFF continues to be WANTED, dedicated exclusively to tomorrow’s creative leaders and supporting young talent. Featuring Launch Pad, Look Book, the Design Schools Workshop and a dedicated Schools Showcase, the platform empowers emerging designers with mentorship, visibility and valuable industry connections.

'The WANTED area is actually a bit bigger than the previous years. We have 18 schools, 90 studios as part of the Launch Pad and more than 70 studios in Look Book. There is a big interest for architects and designers to discover new things, so this has been a really successful feature of the show. It's also exciting for us to put a spotlight on Mexican, Canadian and North American design,' elaborates Hainaut.

International perspectives are represented through spotlights on countries such as Brazil (top) or Italy (bottom). Photos: Courtesy of Bell'Arte (top) & Gaspare Asaro SRL (bottom)

International perspectives, shared language

This year’s edition is also more global than ever. With over 30 countries represented, ICFF 2025 emphasises international dialogue. Group pavilions from Italy, Romania, Austria and Portugal showcase regional aesthetics and innovation, continuing to offer solutions to shared design dilemmas and sharing knowledge.

'We always explore to better understand what's happening on the international stage and support other countries' potential development in the US,' explains Hainaut. 'Especially with our renewed focus on the human aspect this year under the theme of harmony, bringing the right mix of people from all over the world was crucial to us.'

The programming part of ICFF promises to be another highlight. The Oasis (bottom) is sponsored by Leon Speakers, Turf Design and Vestre, in partnership with Architonic. Photos: Jenna Bascom

Programming with purpose

In that same spirit, the programming section of this year's ICFF promises interdisciplinary conversations and critical dialogues. 'I think the talks programme is really indicative of what we were trying to do this year,' Pijoulet points out. 'We're looking to other disciplines to inform what's happening and really want to stop this echo chamber of everybody feeding back similar ideas to each other.'

The Mainstage, sponsored by Moroso, and The Oasis, in collaboration with Architonic, will host an impressive lineup of speakers, panel discussions and workshops addressing a wide range of topics — from sustainability and inclusivity to breakthrough materials, new technologies and new business models.

The ICFF Editors Awards will once again be hosted by comedian Dan Rosen (top), while publisher Phaidon is returning with its library (bottom). Photos: Jenna Bascom

Design urgency

Sustainability threads throughout the fair’s programming with more urgency and intentionality than ever before. The Ouroboros Project, a curated materials showcase by the Parsons Healthy Materials Lab, challenges us to rethink our relationships with waste, cycles and the aesthetics of reuse. And ICFF Editors Awards return with an updated criteria rubric giving greater weight to innovation in environmental and social impact.

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'We want to make sure that what we bring to New York and what we create with this event is relevant for the next generation.'

Despite turbulent global times, ICFF 2025 isn’t reacting to chaos, but looking to offer a response that’s thoughtful and tactile. From high-concept installations to human-scale objects, every piece points toward one goal: balance. In the Brand Directors' words: 'We are always trying to be creative and come up with new ways of showcasing brands, but also the larger discussions. We want to make sure that what we bring to New York and what we create with this event is relevant for the next generation. '

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