Press Contact: Cathy Steel
Contact Phone: 203-340-9251
Contact EMail: cathysteel@cathysteelassociates.com

"BLOGGERS' CHOICE AWARDS" PRESENTED TO ACCENT ON DESIGN® EXHIBITORS

Design Bloggers Select Standouts at Summer Market

NEW YORK, NY, August 20, 2009... Representatives of leading design blogs recognized five products for innovation and creativity today at Accent on Design®, one of the eight divisions of the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®). Each blogger selected one product from the nearly 200 companies participating in the juried design division as exceptional. Judges' selections were based upon "urgent, odd and delightfully designed" and a product's potential to be the "next big thing."

The summer 2009 "Bloggers' Choice Award" winners are:

Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy:
Ceramic speakers by Joey Roth
"Joey Roth's ceramic speakers offer beautiful, really inventive design for a home audio product at a good price point! www.joeyroth.com

Ami Kealoha & Tim Yu of Coolhunting:
Aqua Infant by esque studio
"We love that esque studio rings a creepily beautiful aesthetic to a functional device. They look great in a potted plant. We also appreciated their handcrafted quality and that Andi, the designer, was inspired by an infomercial." www.esque-studio.com

Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic:
Candle Cube and Bird Feeder Chocolate Box by Vanishing Creatures Chocolates
"The organic artisanal chocolates take the shape of an endangered animal including, the polar bear, koala, elephant, hippo and gorilla and serves as a reminder to promote preservation. The boxes that the chocolates are packaged in then convert to either a candle holder or bird feeder with the candle and bird feed included! Vanishing Creatures also donates a percentage of the proceeds to help preserve the earth's vanishing creatures! It's the gift that keeps on giving!" www.vanishingcreatureschocolate.com

Jasmin Malik Chua of Treehugger:
Candle Cube and Bird Feeder Chocolate Box by Vanishing Creatures Chocolates
"Vanishing Chocolate's packaging is a delightful present in itself and like a bonus surprise! And it is a sterling example of creative reuse that results in zero waste." www.vanishingcreatureschocolate.com

Stephanie Murg of Unbeige:
Boskke Sky Planter by neo-utility
"Gravity-defying gardening comes to earth in the Boskke Sky Planter, designed by Central Saint Martins grad Patrick Morris. Suspended from a ceiling or wall-mount, the ceramic planter locks the plant and soil into place, where it is watered gradually from a reservoir hidden in the top. An elegant solution to fussy orchid pins and an innovative way to use plants as design elements, particularly in small spaces."
neo-utility.com

"The immediacy of the internet allows our blogger judges unparalleled access to emerging product design," said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. "They are ideally and uniquely qualified to identify the standouts from among Accent on Design's established and emerging designers."

The Accent on Design Bloggers' Choice Awards judges were: Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, ApartmentTherapy.com; Ami Kealoha and Tim Yu, Coolhunting.com; Heather Clawson, Habitually Chic; Stephanie Murg, UnBeige; and Jasmin Malik Chua, Treehugger. Accent on Design, the industry's leading resource for design-led merchandise, presents a dynamic juried collection of contemporary and innovative product lines from 200+ exhibitors across all categories. The summer edition of NYIGF marks the division's 25th anniversary.

NYIGF is the nation's premier gift and home accessory marketplace, with 2,900 exhibitors featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. NYIGF is held concurrently with EX·TRACTS® at the Javits Center and Home Textiles Market Week® in New York. Some 30,000 buyers from around the world are expected to attend.

The winter 2010 editions of Accent on Design will take place Sunday, January 31 through Thursday, February 4; and Sunday, August 15 through Thursday, August 19. For information and registration, visit www.nyigf.com.

###

Product photos available upon request.