May 12, 2017
Soho Design District Expands Its Mission
Formed in 2015 to address common neighborhood issues, the Soho Design District group has since broadened its scope, collaborating with New York’s art community and educating the public on design history.
Originally formed in 2015 to address common neighborhood issues such as rising rents, the Soho Design District group has since broadened its mission to include collaborations with New York’s art community and efforts to educate the public on design history and authenticity. The organization—which boasts high-profile members like Artemide, FLOS, and Fontana Arte—this year will include design and manufacturing brands Lee Broom, Studio Anise, and the Rug Company.
On May 22, the neighborhood’s showrooms will once more offer extended hours during the annual Soho Design District Night, allowing visitors to wander from showroom to showroom and take in the newest products by its members—to ease transportation between various NYCxDESIGN locations, SDD has partnered with ride-share provider Via to offer discounts to attendees. For the first time, the initiative will also showcase member brands at ICFF, in a booth designed by creative firm b-havior. “Our plans for the future are to launch design tours in Soho to talk about its history, and a career page posting jobs from members and partners,” says the district’s president and cofounder Dahlia Latif. “We want to ensure that we give students and new graduates access to learn and interact with the industry.”