Parsons Students Design “Wasteless” Products Using Poltrona Frau Scrap Leather"Wasteless 2015" on view at Poltrono Frau showroom, May 15-30, 2015 |
NEW YORK, May 1 2015 – Using scrap leather from Poltrona Frau, the world’s leading producer of luxury home furnishings, students from The New School’s Parsons School of Design have created home furnishing concepts that will be presented at an exhibition during Parsons Festival and NYCxDESIGN. The exhibition, “Wasteless 2015,” will be on view at Poltrona Frau’s New York showroom, 145 Wooster Street, May 15-30. It opens with a reception on Saturday, May 16, 6-8 pm. Under the direction of noted designer and Parsons alumnus Andrea Ruggiero, product design students in “Wasteless 2015” converted leather scraps into luxury accessories to maximize the potential of the material and emphasize Poltrona Frau’s Zero-Waste Design initiatives. Three students will be chosen as the winners of the exhibition and will travel to Tolentino, Italy over the summer to tour Poltrona Frau’s factory and further prototype their designs. “In the fourth installment of this exciting collaboration with Poltrona Frau, students learn about the importance of ethical manufacturing practices through the upcycling of scrap leather and the diversion of materials away from the landfill,” Ruggiero said. “They’re also given the real-life experience of designing for one the world’s top producer of home furnishings.” Piero Valentini, managing director of Poltrona Frau, said the company is “proud to partner once again” with Parsons for “Wasteless 2015.” “This continuing collaboration is representative of Poltrona Frau’s commitment to educating younger generations on the value of handcrafted goods and our commitment to incorporating our longstanding heritage with our modern Zero-Waste Design initiatives,” he said. “Using material that traditionally ends up in the factory’s waste stream to make something completely new aligns with Poltrona Frau’s eco-sustainability commitment.” He added: “Now in our fourth year of collaborating with Parsons, this year’s project is sure to produce some exciting new results and to provide a unique experience for both the brand and the talented students involved.” |
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Parsons School of Design at The New Schoolis a global leader in design education, with programs that span the disciplines of design and the fine arts. With the launch of its fashion design program in 1904, Parsons is credited with the rise of Seventh Avenue, the epicenter of American fashion. Parsons offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design, Associate Degrees in Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing, and a Master of Fine Arts Program in Fashion Design and Society that was initiated through the support of Parsons alumna Donna Karan. Parsons has educated generations of leading American fashion designers, including Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi, Tracy Reese, Narciso Rodriguez and Anna Sui; and rising talents Prabal Gurung, Derek Lam, Ohne Titel, Thakoon Panichgul, Proenza Schouler, Vena Cava, Alexander Wang, and Jason Wu. For more information, visit newschool.edu/parsons. Parsons Festival Features an array of exhibitions, presentations, installations, workshops, symposia, gallery openings and performances that celebrate the next generation of artists and designers working in a range of disciplines. The festival, which takes place May 7-22, will be held at The New School’s Greenwich Village campus and at venues throughout New York City. For more information, visit newschool.edu/parsons/festival/. Poltrona Frau, backed by a great history and tradition, lives in the present. Interpreters of timeless beauty, the company believes in designs and materials that guarantee wellbeing, and it proudly maintains its international standing as a spokesman for the values associated with the design and production of Italian-made goods. Founded in 1912, Poltrona Frau has been refining its sophisticated expertise in hand-crafted workmanship for more than a century. This expertise continues to be passed down by master craftsmen from generation to generation. Today, as in the past, this heritage of knowledge and skill is captured within each piece of Poltrona Frau furniture and continues to evolve to obtain the best from the renowned Pelle Frau® leather. Poltrona Frau’s blend of tradition and modernity has made the brand a highly recognizable presence in the residential, office and contract sectors in addition to the interiors for cars, airplanes, yachts, helicopters and trains. Fore more information, visit poltronafrau.com. |
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Media Contacts: Scott Gargan, Marlene C. Capron, |
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