Marriage of inconvenience: Design Glut holds Uncomfortable Conversations

Marriage of inconvenience: Design Glut holds Uncomfortable Conversations

Marriage of inconvenience: Design Glut holds Uncomfortable Conversations

New York – Thoughtful, conceptual design exhibitions are rare in New York, but if anyone could deliver the goods, it would be local design duo Design Glut.

The design company’s young founders Liz Kinnmark and Kegan Fisher, known for their clever jewellery and home accessories, curated Uncomfortable Conversations, an exhibition at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) showcasing work by various design talents.

The exhibits, all on sale through the new mobile text start-up Subports, deal with life’s inconvenient situations. Items on display included a spiked backpack that can be used to defend oneself from an attacker and a ‘Pre-Handshake Handshake Device’ that allows enemies to ‘make a first move towards reconciliation’. Also on show was a ‘Consumption Porcelain Dinnerware’ set that uses infographics to educate diners about how much they’re consuming.

Look out for a forthcoming full review of ICFF in our Micro Market section, in which we will explore market changes in depth.

Uncomfortable Conversations at ICFF, Design Glut, New York Uncomfortable Conversations at ICFF, Design Glut, New York
Uncomfortable Conversations at ICFF, Design Glut, New York Uncomfortable Conversations at ICFF, Design Glut, New York
Discover More Daily Signals
The Trend: Human by Design

Daily Signals

The Trend: Human by Design

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity.
Design : Creativity : Branding
The Big Idea: Branding in the Age of Elasticity

Daily Signals

The Big Idea: Branding in the Age of Elasticity

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity.
Design
The Campaign: New Forest’s rebranding turns tourists into custodians

Daily Signals

The Campaign: New Forest’s rebranding turns tourists into custodians

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity. 
Design
The Viewpoint: Rehumanising 3D Design

Daily Signals

The Viewpoint: Rehumanising 3D Design

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity. 
Design
The Space: Glossier unveils immersive experience for Fleur fragrance launch in Paris

Daily Signals

The Space: Glossier unveils immersive experience for Fleur fragrance launch in Paris

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity.
Design
The Trend: The Great Beauty Blur

Daily Signals

The Trend: The Great Beauty Blur

2025 marks a critical inflection point for beauty. The sector, once defined by diversity and creativity, has grown increasingly monotonous, as glob...
Beauty : Wellness : Identity
The Big Idea: Neo-community Market

Daily Signals

The Big Idea: Neo-community Market

Brands are redefining engagement by transforming followers into communities where belonging is the ultimate currency.
Beauty : Engagement : Community
The Campaign: The Ordinary exposes beauty industry buzzwords in dystopian new video

Daily Signals

The Campaign: The Ordinary exposes beauty industry buzzwords in dystopian new video

In a provocative campaign in October 2025, skincare brand The Ordinary called out the beauty industry’s reliance on pseudo-scientific language.
Beauty : Skincare : Cosmetics
The Viewpoint: Reframing Ageing

Daily Signals

The Viewpoint: Reframing Ageing

Jacynth Bassett, founder and CEO of Ageism Is Never In Style, is reshaping the conversation around ageing, positioning it as a privilege rather tha...
Beauty : Marketing : Ageing
The Space: Koyia perfumery asks customers to pay with time rather than money

Daily Signals

The Space: Koyia perfumery asks customers to pay with time rather than money

In September 2025, Swedish fragrance brand Koyia introduced a forest-based retail concept where the only currency is time.
Beauty : Retail : Fragrance
You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN