For almost three decades – this year marks the 29th annual Pinnacle Awards – the International Society of Furniture Designers (ISFD) has honored professional and up-and-coming furniture designers for their innovation, use of materials and the marketability of their designs.
While the honor of winning one of these awards or being named a finalist is important in the industry, the entry process and being a part of the ISFD has a positive impact on members and participants as well, especially for students.
This year, along with the professional categories, the Pinnacle Awards will honor 15 student finalists from a pool of 60 aspiring furniture designer entries.
According to David Blair, ISFD’s executive director, “The Pinnacles gives the students an idea of what the industry is looking for in home furnishings designs. It bridges the gap between the academic and real world.”
To encourage students to enter the Pinnacles, professional entry fees are waived for students and ISFD student members get a free ticket to the celebration. Whether a finalist or not, attending the Pinnacle Awards is a great way for students to network with furniture company executives, making business connections and building relationships.
“The students bring new ideas and functionality. They have a lot of imagination and a new approach to things.,” Blair said. “That new approach can be a springboard to refreshing furniture design for future collections, which is one of the reasons student participation is integral to the ISFD and the Pinnacles.”
Springboard to a professional future
Lee Pei Pei, now a furniture designer at French company Hévéa House and a finalist in this year’s professional category, credits her involvement with ISFD and the Pinnacles for moving her in the right direction.
“I first entered the Pinnacle Awards when I was still a student in my Interior Design Course, participating in the Innovation Design category in 2022. This year is my third time participating in Furniture Design. Each experience has been unique and encouraging,” Lee said.
While Lee didn’t make it to the finalist round with her student entry, the ISFD Pinnacle experience provided value and direction for her career.
“For me, it wasn’t only about the recognition, but also about the process of preparing, presenting and reflecting on our design philosophy, hopefully to gain the confidence that our work could resonate beyond the classroom, that it could stand on an international stage,” she said.
As a student member of ISFD, Lee Pei Pei participated in the Pinnacles. This year, she has three pieces as finalists in the Pinnacles as a furniture designer for French furniture maker, Hévéa House, including her Pelican Storage Chair shown below.
As a professional finalist — under the Hévéa House brand with Francois Iglesia — in the Biophilic Design in Wood category with her Pelican Chair and Perriand Table, along with Home Office nods for the Pelican Chair and the Charlotte Bookcase, her involvement in ISFD seems to have paid off.
“Being a finalist is such an honor, and it feels like a recognition of all the effort and work we’ve put in,” Lee continued. “I hope this recognition will bring more opportunities for collaboration and allow us to share our philosophy with more people. Most of all, I hope it inspires young designers to believe in their ideas, even when the path isn’t always easy.”
For Kian Maghsoud, having been a student finalist in the 2023 Pinnacles for her LayerLounge, her participation and ISFD membership was a springboard to her current furniture design role at Otto & Moore, where she started as an intern in 2023.
“ISFD had been a part of my journey before I even officially joined,” Maghsoud said. “The Pinnacle Awards introduced me to other designers, and people in the industry I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”
For both of these young furniture designers, ISFD and the Pinnacles helped to fast track their careers. Their advice to other student designers would be to go for it when it comes to the Pinnacles.
“There’s nothing to lose and so much to gain,” she noted. “Don’t be shy about starting conversations, asking people about their jobs, their experiences or even just one interesting thing they’ve learned. Step out of your comfort zone and make the experience as valuable as you can.”
The students love being at the gala and they bring a lot of young energy,” Blair noted. This year’s awards take place tonight in the IHFC 11th floor ballroom, with a student meet-and-greet starting at 5:30 p.m.
