In-Sites Exclusive: The 2025 New York Design Week Guide
A no-nonsense 4-day walking guide from TDR - efficient, edited, and useful. Enjoy!
Hello again to our most special friends,
Just a quick note of gratitude from Leo and me: we’ve been promoting design exhibitions since we founded TDR in 2017, and we’ve only now been able to monetize the editorial side of the business, so thanks to you, our paid subscribers, who we are proud to say consist of industry leaders we look up to. Thank you for your support.
We know these city-specific newsletter editions appeal to a portion of our readers, but they take a lot of time, curation, and effort to plug everything into a walking guide, so we wanted to treat our paid readers to the full experience, including free tickets (keep reading). But we don’t want to gatekeep good info, so feel free to forward this to any NYC design world friends who might enjoy the guide, and maybe they will want to grow with us as well. And as always, any students or interns who would like a complimentary In-Sites subscription, just send us a message in the chat, or reply to us here.
Before we dive in, a quick bit of news: Leo and I have started a newsletter for our sister publication, Leibal, which Leo founded over a decade ago. It’s a major brand in the minimalist design world of editorial and retail, and very high-brow (in my opinion!). For those who don’t know: Leo’s a journalist, constantly traveling (he was just in Shanghai and Mexico), and always knows the coolest things to see. I’ve been hassling Leo to bring a bit more exposure to what he’s doing since he’s a behind-the-scenes kind of guy, so we are creating a once-monthly newsletter, of mostly city guides and features on the independent designers we work with. We are learning along the way. First issue out later today: Join us there if you’d like!
Let’s dive in….
NYC Design Week (aka NYCxDesign - though we don’t use that) starts this week, and excitement is in the air!! This feels like the first edition since 2019 where some of our favorite names in design will participate either independently, at WANTED, or at the new Shelter fair. I feel like we are back in action, and NYC is back on top.
Our picks for events are below in order of proximity. Of course, it’s a huge event, so we weren’t able to fit everything in, and there’s a lot more awesome stuff to see. Make sure to visit The Design Release’s website to see more.
Please note: this is a long one! It may get cut off in your email, however if you click “view entire message” you’ll be able to see everything in your mail app or browser.
Thursday, May 15
An easy day. On official day 1, I would head to Chelsea in the late afternoon to see all the collectible design exhibitions on view for Chelsea Design Night, which includes:
Friedman Benda’s Voice of Silence: the fourth solo exhibition by Korean artist and master craftsman Byung Hoon Choi.
Friedman Benda: 515 W 26th St 1st Floor, New York, NY 10001
Then head over to Mary Wallis’ Open Studio, presenting her new lighting collection, Lido.
Mary Wallis Studio: 526 W 26th St #526, New York, NY 10001
And I would make a point to see Bossa Furniture, who has opened two new venues in the neighborhood (a big congratulations to founder Isabela Milagre) with a comprehensive exhibition of master Brazilian designer Joaquim Tenreiro’s work at their Annex location, and at the other, Crafting the Future an exhibition of work by Lucas Recchia, a leading voice in contemporary Brazilian design.
Bossa: 210 11th Avenue, Suite 403, New York, NY 10011, USA
Bossa Annex: 555 West 25th Street, 3th Floor, Chelsea, NYC, 10001
Friday, May 16
On official day 2, I would align with Mercer Street’s block party, sticking below Houston, and strolling to all the coolest galleries and some of the most interesting exhibitions of the week. High on my personal list are OUTSIDE/IN and CASA VALLE.
(Remember, there’s a lot more happening than just listed here, we can’t include everything, so visit the site, narrow to NYC, and the map function will help you plan your neighborhood visits.)
OUTSIDE/IN by Lyle Gallery
Hello Human and Lyle Gallery showcase a new generation of 12 independent artists and designers who are reshaping the industry from their unique vantage points, often from outside the establishment.
Lyle Gallery: 24 Rutgers St 1st Floor, New York, NY 10002
An exhibition of objects ranging from ceramics to electronics, exploring themes of desire. Presenting the work of eighteen established and up-and-coming designers, including Juntos Projects, Tino Seubert, and Caroline Kable.
Fredericks and Mae: 6 Allen St, New York, NY 10002
Free Play by Superhouse
Ceramic artist Sean Gerstley unveils a new body of work in his second solo exhibition. Known for his vibrant, sculptural vessels, Gerstley embraces playful, intuitive expression in this latest series
Superhouse: 120 Walker St #6R, New York, NY 10013
Emily Thurman Presents "Hundō"
Salt Lake City–based designer Emily Thurman presents her first-ever collection of furniture, lighting, and sculptural objects.
Emily Thurman Studio: 86 Walker St 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10013
Giancarlo Valle and Jane Keltner de Valle present an immersive exhibition unveiling Antoni Gaudí's (1852–1926) iconic chairs reinterpreted by CASA VALLE.
Casa Valle: 50 Lispenard St, New York, NY 10013
Every Single Time by Sebastian Gladstone Gallery
Sebastian Gladstone Gallery presents a two-person exhibition by G.V. Rodriguez and Bennet Schlesinger. A testament to friendship, artistic kinship, and the joy of making, the show brings together a body of new lighting and furniture works by Schlesinger and new paintings by Rodriguez.
Sebastian Gladstone Gallery: 36 White St, New York, NY 10013
Glass Subjects: Curated by Charlap Hyman & Herrero
Spanning 300 years and featuring more than 20 works of decorative and fine art from diverse locations—Brazil, France, Italy, Sweden, and the U.S.—Glass Subjects serves as an homage to the French artist Serge Roche and his 1930s gallery of mirrors and mirrored objects on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris.
R & Company: 64 White St, New York, NY 10013
The Reveries by Galerie Philia
Galerie Philia presents The Reveries, an enchanting exhibition by contemporary designer Elsa Foulon, showcasing her groundbreaking ceramic creations during New York Design Week. RSVP required: NYC@GALERIE-PHILIA.COM
Galerie Philia: 74 Warren St, New York, NY 10007
Emily Marant presents Still Growing
Design curator Emily Marant presents Still Growing, an exhibition of emerging artists and designers at Amelie du Chalard.
Amelie du Chalard Gallery: 85 Mercer St, New York, NY 10012
Then head to Orior at 6 for the block party!
Orior: 32 Mercer St, New York, NY 10013
Saturday, May 17
I would spend Saturday exploring Shelter and anything I missed in Chelsea. However, if you don’t live in the area, you can combine Saturday and Sunday into a bigger day with ICFF.
Shelter very generously offered our paid subscribers free weekend tickets: