DESIGNING A BRAND - Nbaynadamas 3-D AT THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR!

First off...I am sorry! I've been so busy the last 4 days launching the Nbaynadamas online shop and debuting the Nbaynadamas home furnishings and textiles collection at the New York International Gift Fair that I haven't been able to blog and it totally has stressed me out!

I am back to the blog while here at the fair! Yippeee!!!! I feel better now that I'm back in touch.

New York has been absolutely amazing. Where do I start?

First off I've met the coolest Nbaynadamas readers including Stacey and at least 40 others who have stopped by my booth at the New York International Gift Fair where I'm launching my first home furnishings collections.

Then I've had the honor of meeting the glitterati of our blogging world...bloggers who I have become friendly with online and now have the pleasure of knowing in person...including the very adorable and impressive Cassandra of Coco Kelley, amazing and awe-inspiring Crystal and Anne of Rue, stylish Nicole of So Haute, nice Marissa from Style Beat, the truly incredible Paloma of the new High Gloss magazine, the venerable Michele and Patrick of Lonny...just to name of few.

I am so amazed by these stunningly brilliant women (and 1 guy). They have all certainly created an unbelievable kinetic energy. I was so thrilled and truly honored to meet them finally!

Over the last few days at the gift fair, I also met some new blogging friends including Ashlina of The Decorista, Petra of Pretty Little Green Things, Kimberly of Knotting Hill Interiors and Kelly of Kelly G Design. It was also fantastic meeting some incredible home furnishings entrepreneurs some of whom I've covered and admired over the years including the oh so talented Karen from Hammocks & High Tea and Yali and Shoshana of Zicci Bea. Lastly, I met so many new interior designer friends including interior designers Anishka of Ishka Designs and Beth of EGR Designs.

Oh what an incredible 5 days it has been.

Darling friends Alyssa and Candice who are helping in the booth have been so wonderful. Phenomenal ambassadors of the Nbaynadamas brand. We've had quite a few comedy moments in the booth the three of us have. Best of friend Anne took her Sunday to work with us at the booth...and best of friends Nicole and Amie also came by to help out. I am one very lucky lucky girl.

Anyhooo...fair is about to start again...and I wanted to show you my little booth and how I got here.

I decided to do the gift fair back in October or November and then the race began.

Building the 3D version of the Nbaynadamas brand was quite fun...stressful...fun...exciting and more.

The whole thing began with a very bad drawing by me! Take a look.


My first booth drawing back in November 2010! Clearly I do not draw well at all. I sent this drawing off to booth designers to get estimates!(above)


First draft of booth design...I did not like this at all! Reminded me of a 1st grade classroom with cubbies for shoes and art supplies! (above)

Then I began the truly amazing work with my booth design team...

I decided to ship in all of the contents of the booth and have the design team just build a shell. I wanted a square white box that I could trick out with the Nbaynadamas look. I had 4 huge display cases painted bright glossy white in Los Angeles. I pulled a chocolate brown fretwork desk, a sisal rug, some Louis Ghost chairs and then the plan started to make sense.


I found this great desk at a warehouse in Los Angeles! (above)

Didn't want to use the flooring that came with the space so I ordered my own sisal rug. (above)


Clear Louis Ghost chairs were a must...the booth is small...we needed seating that did not obstruct the view...so I took two of these chairs from my bedroom and shipped them to NY! (above)


The key...is these amazing 9 foot display cases that I had painted in Los Angeles and then shipped to New York. (above)

The final rendering. In the end, after I sent the design company all of the design elements and a new drawing...this is that they came up with! (above)


This is what the booth looked like when I arrived at the Javits Center on Friday. A white box...ready for a makeover! (above)


The first ever Nbaynadamas trade show booth - a truly cozy little nook - perfect for housing my first collection! (above)








Best of friend Anne lent me two gorgeous sterling silver vintage bowls for cards and paper clips in the booth. (above)


Anne also gave me a pink birdcage I had given her for the booth...it wouldn't fit in the display cases so we had to cut off the legs and the top! What a good friend...allowing me to cut up her personal home accessories! (above)








A group hug...Coco (I'm on the left), Alyssa (right) and Candice (center with back to camera) after our sale to a store on Main Street in Nantucket (Candice wrote the order)! I dreamed of my collection being on Nantucket and now it is! Ahhh...! (above)
So...for right now that is it..the 3-D version of Nbaynadamas! Will tell you all of the stories of all of the fun people who have stopped by my booth including my design crush JONATHAN ADLER!!!!!! Oh just thinking about him in my booth makes me dizzy...that story to come later!

Happy Wednesday! Happy happy Wednesday! I've missed you guys!

xo
Coco

You have read this articleNbaynadamas with the title DESIGNING A BRAND - Nbaynadamas 3-D AT THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR!. You can bookmark this page URL http://nbaynadamas.blogspot.com/2011/01/designing-brand-nbaynadamas-3-d-at-new.html. Thanks!

Write by: AN - Monday, January 31, 2011