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Leather vs. “Vegan” Leather

Many of us are already familiar with the numerous key advantages of leather from sustainability and durability standpoints. If not, please feel free to take a deeper dive into the subject with our Leather Sustainability post. In short, genuine leather is a by-product of the meat and dairy industries, it lasts long and wears in with time and use and will eventually biodegrade in a landfill if and when it is discarded.

Who hasn’t seen leather used in all the traditional ways? Upholstering Chesterfield sofas, elegant lounge chairs, banquettes in steakhouses. These are all classic applications and for a good reason! They look sophisticated, feel luxurious and boast exceptional sustainability and durability. At Jamie Stern, we love leather and we love these timeless uses. 

For the seventh year, the Jamie Stern team gathered to put on a favorite annual get together, our BDNY Showroom Event. There were some exciting new changes and updates this year including the location. Earlier this fall, we moved into our new showroom space, located at 231 W. 29^th Street. This new spacious setting is still only a few blocks from the Jacob Javits Center and makes for an easy walk to and from the show. 

Designed by Rachael H. Grochowski, Founder and Principal of Montclair, New Jersey’s RHG Architecture + Design, the Infinity Collection for Jamie Stern combines shapes inspired by nature with precise construction suitable for multiple market segments. Consisting of two chairs and two sofas, this collection creates seating that enhances connection, creativity and comfort.

The Dune Chair and Sofa as well as their armless counterparts, the Mesa Chair and Sofa, feature thoughtfully designed proportions and a careful balance of shape and volume, making the pieces of The Infinity Collection perfect additions to an unlimited range of interiors and spaces.

Read our interview with Grochowski below to learn more about her creative process, the inspirations behind the Infinity Collection and the designer herself!

Form and function come together beautifully in Peek & Trilogy, a quartet of new tables and stools designed by Timothy deFiebre for Jamie Stern. These deceptively simple pieces feature a careful balance of line and volume in streamlined silhouettes that work in multiple settings, including corporate, education, hospitality and residential, providing easy, lightweight options to choose from.

Read our interview with Timothy deFiebre below to learn more about his creative process, the inspirations behind the Peek & Trilogy Collection and the designer himself!

Jeannene Doub is a veteran textile designer who currently serves as the Director of Design & Development for Jamie Stern’s Fabric division. She first came to the world of textiles by training as a hand weaver before formally studying textile design at Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now part of Thomas Jefferson University) and the Scottish College of Textile in Galashiels, Scotland. After decades designing fabrics for the interior design community, she has developed a thorough understanding of the critical balance between design, production and sales. As a result, she has established herself as a creative force within the Jamie Stern Furniture, Carpet, Leather & Fabric team.

As we head into 2024, we wanted to take a look back at the past twelve months and all that it had in store for Jamie Stern Furniture, Carpet, Leather & Fabric. We launched a series of exciting new collections, ran a number of engaging design contests, contributed to a great deal of beautiful projects and worked with countless inspiring designers and architects throughout the year.

Although it would be impossible to touch on every wonderful endeavor, we did want to take the time and recognize some of our favorite highlights from 2023.

Back by popular demand, we were excited to once again host one of our favorite annual events, the Jamie Stern Rug Design Contest. From September 1^st to October 1^st, interior designers and architects from all over the United States and Canada were encouraged to create an original design and submit it for the chance to have their work transformed into a beautiful wool area rug by our Rugs & Carpets division. From each of four regions (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and West), a Grand Prize Winner and two runners-up would be selected by our all-new panel of esteemed judges from the interior design community.

Caroline Kepley is the co-founder and lead designer of Comma, an industrial design firm with a central focus on interior projects. Drawing inspiration from a self-described transient upbringing in which change was the only constant, she places great value on the power of evolving environments and projects with a true sense of freshness.

Reverie for Jamie Stern represents Kepley’s first collection of natural fiber rugs. The three designs – Visage, Celine and Terre – are born out of her love for novelty, a fascination with human connection and a constant search for beauty. Her commitment to crafting distinct experiences, evoking emotions and inspiring connections through design is as present and undeniable in this collection as it is in the rest of her work.

Read our interview with Caroline Kepley below to learn more about her creative process, the inspirations behind the Reverie Collection and the designer herself!