Tom Dixon at Spoke Club
British design star Tom Dixon launched his new Utility Collection, available at Klaus by Nienkmper, at the Spoke Club in Toronto.
1–Model scout Paul Mason, Beatrix Nienkmper and Pablo Perez, district manager for EQ3, the contemporary home furniture retailer.
2–Spouses Sarah and Del Terrelonge: she is senior director of sales at market research firm Toluna; developer-designer Del will soon launch his boutique hotel Templar and condo Langston Hall in the King-Spadina neighbourhood.
3–Our host, Klaus Nienkmper II, who manages the family retail store, Klaus by Nienkmper; and guest of honour Tom Dixon.
4–Janno Badovinac, industrial designer, and Rachel Hale, account manager, at Fugitive Glue; with Richard Kuchinsky, who hand-stamped Eames chairs onto his white shirt, and is “directive creator,” according to his business card, at Directive Collective.
Raw Design Smackdown
Raw Design invited clients and friends to “smackdown” the recession at Florida Joe’s, a Toronto boxing gym, with real live boxers.
1–Atlas Boxing Club’s Victor Lupo, Welterweight Canadian Champion and WBA Federal Latino Champion; Raw Design partners Roland Rom Colthoff and Richard Witt.
2–Marlene Shiff, fashion mentor and former owner of Boutique Le Trou; fashion designer Evan Biddell, 2007 Project Runway Canada winner; and his manager, Ali Lawee.
3–Eva Ta, development planner, and Graham Chalmers, co-owner, Davies Smith Developments, flank Orest Boszko, partner, contractor Boszko and Verity.
Casa Life
Casa Life principal Robert Whitfield turned his Liberty Village showroom into a party palace studded with furniture prototypes and their designers. The level of buzz generated by each piece will help determine if he puts it into production.
1–Interiors and product designer Anwar Mekhayech, principal, the Design Agency, and fashion designer Shawn Hewson of Bustle Clothing.
2–Casa Life owner Robert Whitfield and Carmen Dragomir, principal designer, Lesqape.
3–Ally, a visual-arts student at NSCAD University, and brother Nicholas, entering Queen’s, check on the prototype couch by their architect-father, Raw Design principal Roland Rom Colthoff.
Savoia Canada
High-end porcelain tile maker Savoia Canada welcomed friends to its new showroom, formerly occupied by Knoll, across from Toronto’s St. James Cathedral.
1–Piergiorgio Mazzetta, executive VP, Savoia Canada, and Graziano Verdi, president of the Italian parent company, Granitifiandre.
2–Karl Lohnes, decorating expert on CTV’s Canada AM; and caterer Massimo Capra, co-owner and chef at Mistura restaurant.
3–From Julia West Home: intern designer Sara Russell, designer Isabella Dabrowiecki, the eponymous founder, and design chief Doina Dule.