The Next Big Thing on the Global Design Calendar
A hidden gem on the European design circuit, rising expectations for 3daysofdesign, and “Function” debuts at The Armory Show.
Hello Friends,
Happy June! May was a whirlwind - in the best way. As most of New York’s design world has reported, NYC Design Week was back in full force: new fairs stirred things up, and the cool Brooklyn makers literally came out of the woodwork to show IRL for the first time in years. The energy was great, and the city lit up to celebrate the best in local design.
New York remains one of the most powerful furniture markets in the world, and if there’s any upside to the chaos of the current tariffs situation, it’s that NYC’s incredible talent got a bigger spotlight this year. It will certainly encourage more interior designers to source a little closer to home, as they should.
Now in June we head into the last major moments on the design calendar before September. Copenhagen’s 3daysofdesign (June 18–20) has blown up since last year, with more and more design brands eager to take part in the city’s famously well-organized activations. Unlike Milan, it’s not a self-guided free-for-all, so if you’re a brand hoping to get press, you’d better register with the organizers. Their official press tours are so tightly packed that unless you've paid to be part of the fair, it’s unlikely you’ll see any meaningful media coverage. The press tours can typically run from 8 am straight through to 11 pm - an exhausting yet exciting 3 days (of design).
Leo and I have been lucky enough to be invited on the tour a few years in a row - and while it will test your stamina, it’s also amazing and feels intimate. You build real connections with important companies (mostly cool mass production and/or Scandinavian heritage names like New Works, Audo, Fredericia, Fritz Hansen, Carl Hansen & Søn - however, expanding quickly to include non-Scandinavian brands), and you actually get time to get to connect with other journalists in the design world.
This year, I am skipping the official tour but popping in independently to enjoy the city on my terms (Leo, however, will be on the tour). I have a feeling the event will be bigger than ever this year, which might be tough on little Copenhagen’s infrastructure (if you flew out on the last day of last year’s edition, you’ll know what I’m talking about).
Antwerp’s Design Week
This afternoon I’ll be Eurostarring to a new city-wide festival I’m very excited about: Antwerp Design Week. I first stumbled into Antwerp out of curiosity - squeezed between visits to Collectible in Brussels and TEFAF in Maastricht - and quickly fell in love with this chic little micro city. It’s one of my favorites in Europe.
We all know how incredibly chic (arguably the most chic?) Belgian design is. Just look to Antwerp legends like Vincent Van Duysen and Axel Vervoordt, both known for their mastery of gorgeously streamlined, organic spaces, as well as Gert Voorjans, known for his elegance and use of color. And of course, you can’t talk about Antwerp without mentioning fashion - this is the city that gave us the Antwerp Six, after all.
This year marks the third edition of ADW, and while it’s still under the radar, it’s been quietly gaining momentum. They’re making a bigger push this time, including a proper press tour, which I’m very lucky to be part of.
For this edition, ADW brings together 80+ Belgian and international brands — from heritage names like &Tradition, Vitra, and HAY to rising talents like Anobjct, AtelierBloc, and Jesse Visser - some of the many independent creatives I look forward to meeting.
I am so excited to check it out, and I will report back next month!
In the meantime, if you’re headed to Copenhagen, make sure to check out TDR’s calendar as we’ll be updating with shows to see if you’re off-tour. Enjoy, Copenhagen in June is as close to utopia as we can get!
In this issue:
Sneaky Links 📰
Exhibition of the month 🪑
Fair of the Month 🏠
Sneaky Links 📰
(Keeping this short this month)
Art Basel announces new fair in Doha for 2026, tapping into the Middle East market. artnet.
The Armory Show, most likely to differentiate itself from parent company Frieze and competitor Art Basel, has introduced a new section called Function. Not surprising! Art is taking design more seriously. Expect solo and two-artist booths that blur the line between form and function, presented by intergenerational artists and international galleries.
BOH’s take on New York’s recent design week. Business of Home.
Exhibition of the Month: Nick Valentijn
We often feature St Vincents gallery exhibitions because Leo and I are genuinely huge fans of their curation. Since we are all about Antwerp this month, we wanted to spotlight Nick Valentijn’s solo show debut at the gallery, featuring the sculptor, designer, maker and artist new works in metal and wood. If you happen to be in town, their opening is Saturday, June 7, from 2 to 6 pm.
June 7, 2025 to September 20, 2025
Location: Kleine Markt 132000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Design Week of the Month: Antwerp Design Week
As mentioned above, in a city with so much design culture and appreciation for aesthetics, I expect this to be a good one. Will report back next month.
Thank you for reading!
For our mid-June VIP In-Sites newsletter, we are publishing our interview with social media expert Julia Wang. She and I will discuss some strategies you can apply on Instagram, and I’ll get into Substack, my thoughts on the platform, and who can benefit from joining.
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Until next time,
Julia (and hello from Leo and Zack)
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I just came back from ADW and I’m so in love. It was my first time in this lovely city and I can’t wait to be back. I loved the showrooms and overall vibe. I’ve been to Salone del Mobile twice and I loved Antwerp edition and vibe so much more. I really hope it stays that way