Bright Ideas Abound at Nilufar Gallery’s Open Edition, and Other News

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Bright Ideas Abound at Nilufar Gallery’s Open Edition

As per usual, Nilufar Gallery is readying a packed roster for this year’s Milan Design Week. Besides debuting solo exhibitions for the likes of Objects of Common Interest, Osanna Visconti, Draga & Aurel, and Audrey Large, the beloved design gallery founded by Nina Yashar is launching a new initiative called Nilufar Open Edition. The curation spans more than 80 pieces united by their bright hues and rich patterns, but across several price points and product categories like sofas, dining tables, carpets, and lighting. 

The result, of course, is nothing short of vivid, and presents a compelling snapshot of the current state of collectible design. “My aim has always been to deliver the best possible pieces to the public,” Yashar says. “With the Open Edition project, I can finally reach the Nilufar community that’s spread out around the globe.” Among the highlights: Israeli architect Gal Gaon’s delectable Macaron loveseat and poufs that resemble the tasty treat, a modular sofa system by Lebanese duo David & Nicolas that nods to the spacious living rooms of Middle Eastern homes, and a wool-and-silk rug by Parisian talent Sophie Dries that rethinks Mallorcan wall patterns. —Ryan Waddoups

Saint Laurent is launching a film production subsidiary with two Almodóvar shorts.

Saint Laurent plans to establish a subsidiary, Saint Laurent Productions, that will focus on full-fledged film production rather than simply funding or dressing actors. It is the first subsidiary registered to produce films, and two shorts by Pedro Almodóvar will debut in the Cannes Film Festival next month, with feature-length projects with David Cronenberg and Paolo Sorrentino in the works. The movies produced by Saint Laurent will be intended for profitability rather than being classified as “fashion films” and will be sold at film festivals.

Mary Quant, the fashion designer who defined youth culture in ‘60s London, dies at 93.

Mary Quant, the legendary fashion designer who defined London’s youth culture in the 1960s, has died at 93. Her innovative, affordable, and wearable garments like tunics and shift dresses sold at her iconic fashion boutique and hangout spot Bazaar, became synonymous with the Swinging Sixties and inspired a generation of young working women to dress with confidence and flair. Her legacy will be remembered as a trailblazer who transformed the fashion industry and emerged as a role model for young women of the era.

New York appoints a “rat czar” to help mitigate the city’s rampant rodent population.

Kathleen Corradi has been named New York City’s first “director of rodent mitigation”—or in other words, rat czar. Although not a trained rodentologist, she will take on the daunting task of overseeing the city’s existing army of rat experts, such as the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Office of Pest Control, and the citywide rodent task force. The number of rat sightings documented by city inspectors doubled last year and has been attributed to pandemic-era budget cuts that Mayor Eric Adams has reversed. Corradi’s efforts will focus on reducing food waste, which scientists believe would do the most to control the rat population.

Rossana Hu will lead the Department of Architecture at the Weitzman School of Design.

Rossana Hu has been appointed as a tenured professor and chair of the Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design, effective January 1, 2024. The co-founder of Neri&Hu Design and Research Office becomes the third woman to lead the Department of Architecture and will replace Winka Dubbeldam, who served as chair since 2013. Best known for revitalizing historic sites, Hu has been deeply committed to architectural education and has taught at universities and professional forums throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States.

More than 900 people impacted by the Grenfell Tower fire reach a civil settlement.

In 2017, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower, a 24-story social housing block in London, which claimed the lives of 72 people. The disaster sparked outrage and raised questions about the safety of high-rise buildings and the responsibility of those involved in their design and construction. Multiple investigations were launched in the aftermath, including a public inquiry, criminal investigation, and civil claims. Now, more than 900 Grenfell Tower fire survivors, bereaved family members, and residents have reached a settlement with companies and public bodies involved in the building’s refurbishment. Separate from the public inquiry and the ongoing investigation, the settlement includes compensation divided among the claimants based on their individual circumstances, as well as a community restorative justice project.

Yale University Library acquires a trove of archival documents about Kevin Roche. 

Yale University Library’s Manuscripts and Archives has secured a trove of architect Kevin Roche’s work, including correspondence, photographs, interviews, and project documentation from his firm Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates. The archive, which took more than a decade to catalog, features 789 boxes of his correspondence, 954 drawing tubes, more than 64,000 4×5 transparencies, and 88,000 35mm slides. Roche, who won the Pritzker Prize in 1982, is renowned for his corporate headquarters, museums, theaters, and universities, including Saarinen’s TWA Terminal at JFK Airport and the St. Louis Gateway Arch.

Today’s attractive distractions:

Stock photo models are still shocked to see their faces in ads and memes. 

It turns out Polaroid’s bizarrely beautiful blue film was invented by accident. 

The Sports Bra is a Portland bar dedicated exclusively to women’s sports.

Against all odds, the Kissimmee River has been restored to its natural state.