New York, NY (January 29, 2026) — ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair), North America’s leading platform for contemporary design, returns to the Javits Center May 17–19, 2026, with a renewed vision that deepens its commitment to global exchange, emerging talent, and meaningful collaboration across the design industry.
Held during NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s premier design festival, ICFF is guided by the 2026 theme Common Ground: A Global Dialogue on Design and Shared Values, ICFF positions design as a connective force, bringing together diverse perspectives, disciplines, and cultures to explore how shared values can shape more thoughtful, sustainable, and human-centered environments.
Global Collaboration and Curatorial Partnerships
At the core of ICFF’s evolution is a deliberate approach to collaboration by working with national and international partners, curators, and media platforms to bring editorial depth, cultural relevance, and global reach to the fair. These partnerships reinforce ICFF’s role not only as a marketplace, but as a forum for dialogue, exchange, and discovery.
In connection with this year’s theme, ICFF is proud to announce its first-ever partnership with Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester, launching a new program that supports Habitat’s work to expand access to permanently affordable homeownership and advance equitable housing solutions. Through this partnership, ICFF is bringing the design community together around a shared commitment to housing equity, with a portion of registration proceeds supporting Habitat’s mission across New York City and Westchester County. The collaboration will also provide material resources and in-kind support, extending the impact of the fair well beyond its run and reinforcing how design can play a meaningful role in creating positive, lasting change.
Among these collaborations is ICFF’s partnership with Mayfair Design District, which brings a distinctive London perspective to New York through the fair’s Bespoke programming. ICFF is also expanding its curatorial lens by working with independent voices shaping contemporary design culture, including Julia Haney Montanez, co-founder of The Design Release, who joins ICFF as Program Curator for the Look Book program in 2026, and design writer and curator, Adrian Madlener, who joined the ICFF team as a Talks Program Consultant to enhance the content of the 2026 fair.
New Perspectives and Areas of Focus
Additional 2026 initiatives reflect ICFF’s emphasis on material responsibility, innovation, and interdisciplinary dialogue. These include an upcoming exhibit led by Jonsara Ruth, Design Director of the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design, with further details to be announced, as well as an expanded focus on lighting through enhanced programming within the Juniper Recharge Lounge.
Programming Overview
Aligning with this year’s theme, “Common Ground,” the robust ICFF 2026 talks program will touch on a broad range of timely topics, from the considered use of healthy building materials to how design can drive effective and inclusive social strategies.
STIRworld’s Amit Gupta will probe how cross-cultural exchange can inform consensus without stakeholders having to concede their convictions. With the “Can There Ever be an Affordable House Again?” talk, Dwell editor-in-chief William Hanley will investigate the affordable housing crisis. Noted industrial designer Todd Bracher will launch his new monograph, Observations, Research, and Design, published by Phaidon.
Julie Lasky of The New York Times will moderate a panel on how the Mamdani administration can support New York’s design community. Untapped Journal editor-in-chief Tiffany Jow will guide an informal discussion with fellow editors Lila Allen, Dan Rubinstein, andJill Singer on the past, present, and future of design media. In addition, Amy Devers, host of the Clever podcast, will return to lead the highly anticipated Emerging Designer Spotlight.
Expanded Emerging Designer Spotlight
ICFF further strengthens its commitment to discovery with the launch of an expanded Emerging Designer Spotlight (EDS), a year-long initiative designed to elevate new voices beyond the show floor, in partnership with Clever and Amy Devers. The program introduces a monthly editorial series, each highlighting three to five international emerging designers selected by ICFF, offering deeper insight into their practices, processes, and points of view. The initiative culminates at ICFF 2026 with a custom Emerging Designer Spotlight presentation on the Mainstage, featuring five selected designers in a curated live program.
HIGHLIGHTS
New Design Firm for the Bespoke Salon: Post Company
Returning with a broader scope and vision, Bespoke: The Art of Making will be presented in partnership with Hospitality Design magazine. At its center is the Bespoke Salon, an architecturally expressive environment designed by Post Company, offering a refined setting for conversations, presentations, and material exploration. Sponsored by Ferreira de Sá.
“In a world of mass production and digital images, we are drawn to the antithesis: the bespoke. Our Bespoke Salon for ICFF 2026 celebrates craft and artisanship in a space where the contemporary and the antique coexist. Inspired by an archivist’s residence, the salon invites visitors to linger, discover, and experience the warmth and comfort of a meticulously composed environment,” states Jou-Yie Chou, Partner, Post Company.
Photo Credit: Post Company
Rarify Reframes Modern Design at ICFF
Rarify presents a landmark exhibition at ICFF in official partnership with Tecta and the Bauhaus Archive Berlin, bringing museum-quality Bauhaus archival material into the iconic New York City fair for the first time. The exhibition pairs original drawings, prints, and design artifacts from the Bauhaus Archive with contemporary furniture by German manufacturer Tecta, reframing modern design not as nostalgia or spectacle, but as a living, evolving framework that continues to shape everyday life.
Rarify, the independent American design company known for democratizing access to design education and historically significant furniture, is introducing Tecta to the U.S. market as its exclusive representative. Like Rarify, Tecta is a small, value-driven manufacturer that has spent decades stewarding and advancing Bauhaus ideas through responsible, contemporary production. This collaboration marks a significant moment at ICFF: it is the fair’s first exhibition to unite a living manufacturer with the official Bauhaus archive, collapsing the distance between museum and trade fair, history and production, education and use.
Expanded WANTED Feature
ICFF’s incubator for emerging talent continues to grow in 2026, featuring:
- Schools Showcase, with more than 20 schools participating and presented with media partner Design Milk
- Design Schools Workshop, “The Unseen Narratives” is conducted this year in partnership with Centro (Mexico), sponsored by KI, with the support of molo, and presented with media partner Core77. Through sound, rhythm, data, technology, and emotion, the students will explore the invisible patterns of daily life. They will explore transforming what surrounds us into new ways of seeing and feeling.
- Launch Pad, sponsored by American Standard and presented with WantedDesign and media partner Dwell
As part of WANTED, the Look Book exhibit, with more than 70 North American Design Studios, is presented with media partner Dezeen; and the Look Book Lounge is sponsored by Topjob.
Photo Credit: RADS
Returning Programs & Features: Expanded for 2026
Building on its role as a hub for discovery, education, and community, ICFF welcomes back several core programs—each reimagined and enhanced for deeper engagement and broader industry impact:
- Mainstage: An elevated lineup of global speakers on material innovation, sustainability, cultural storytelling, hospitality, and technology. Sponsored by Moroso.
- The Oasis: A space to relax, meet, and host intimate talks spotlighting sustainability, innovation, and human-centered design. Sponsored by Ethnicraft, Leon Speakers, and Mohawk.
- Welcoming Lounge by Ligne Roset: The iconic brand returns to host the Welcome Lounge at the entrance of the fair.
- Aqua Atelier by Grohe: An exploration of sustainable water practices and new materials within the Kitchen & Bath pavilion, featuring conversations led by industry experts.
- Juniper Recharge Lounge: A serene, lighting-driven space designed for reconnection, networking, and restoration.
- Rarify Dining Lounge, in partnership with Be Original Americas: A destination celebrating authenticity and contemporary craft through shared meals and conversation.
- ROOM x OFS: ROOM x OFS return this year with a collaborative studio and lounge space where conversations and content merge. The ROOM x OFS space will host live discussions with design thought-leaders as part of their “In the ROOM” podcast. ROOM will also unveil the next episode of its acclaimed Designers on Design video series live on the ICFF Main Stage, featuring tête-à-têtes with today’s top design talents.
- ICFF Editors Awards: Honoring excellence across product categories and disciplines, highlighting standout work and emerging voices. The awards take place May 17 at 5:00 PM.
After Hours in NYC
On May 15, ICFF Night Out returns with a curated evening of events across NoMad, SoHo, and Flatiron, activating showrooms, studios, and creative spaces in partnership with NYCxDESIGN and Interni. Designed as an after-hours extension of the fair, the citywide program brings together designers, brands, and media for a series of hosted evenings that encourage connection, conversation, and shared exchange within New York’s design community.
Show Dates & Hours
- Sunday, May 17: 10 AM – 6 PM
- Monday, May 18: 10 AM – 6 PM
- Tuesday, May 19: 10 AM – 5 PM
For more information and to register, please visit icff.com.
