Lori Weitzner
Lori Weitzner | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Syracuse University |
| Occupation(s) | textile design, product design |
| Website | loriweitzner |
Lori Weitzner is an American textile and product designer. She is the founder and Creative Director of Weitzner Design, Inc., a New-York-based design studio, and the head of the Weitzner Limited brand.[1][2][3]
Career
Weitzner studied design at Syracuse University and earned a BFA in Textiles.[4] After graduating in 1983 she traveled to Europe where she worked as a freelance designer selling to Italian and Swiss fabric makers such as Missoni and Boller Winkler / Schlossberg. Afterward she returned to New York where she did packaging design for Estée Lauder, Elizabeth Arden and Calvin Klein; product design for Dansk, Rosenthal, Marcel Schurman and Johnson & Johnson; display design for Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys and Florian Papp; and environmental designs for Lufthansa, amongst others.[5][6]
In 1993 she began working for world-renowned textile designer Jack Lenor Larsen. With Larsen, Weitzner was given the opportunity to create independently-designed collections that bore her name. Their collaboration produced many celebrated designs, a lot of which are now housed in museums worldwide. In 2007 the Minneapolis Institute of Art honored the pair with a special exhibition under the title "The Jack Lenor Larsen Studio Part II, The Lori Weitzner Years 1992-1995".[4][6]
In 2000 she began designing fabric and wallpaper for Sahco Hesslein, becoming the first woman and the first American to design for the renowned German textile manufacturer.[4][5] In 2004 she launched Weitzner Limited, an innovative textile and wall covering company known for combining modern techniques with unconventional materials.[1][4][6] Some notable wallpapers include "Newsworthy," made from 100% upcycled newspapers hand-woven together with nylon thread in a similar technique used with grass cloth and finished with a water-based topcoat;[7][8] "Quarry," made out of super-thin layers of actual rock; and "Magnetism," a wallpaper coated in magnetic minerals.[9] In 2011 Weitzner Limited entered a merger agreement with Pollack Associates, a New York-based textile design company whose founders, like Weitzner, are alumni of Jack Lenor Larsen’s studio.[10][11]
Weitzner’s products grace celebrity homes including those of Julianne Moore, Will Ferrell, and Beyoncé, and often appear as costumes and sets for movies such as Gangs of New York and Mission: Impossible. Her designs have also adorned notable public spaces such as numerous Four Seasons Hotels and Google’s New York Headquarters.[4]
In 2012 Weitzner began a collaboration with Philadelphia University’s College of Design. The program combined class work at the university and in-studio presentations and talks at Weitzner Design Inc. in Chelsea. Throughout the semester teams of interdisciplinary students worked together to develop textile concepts, which they later presented to a panel of judges for a chance to be selected for commercial distribution by Weitzner Limited.[12][13]
Weitzner also lectures frequently, often on the benefits of holistic design.[1]
Awards and Recognition
Weitzner’s work belongs to the permanent collections of such museums as Cooper Hewitt, Musee des Arts Decoratifs[disambiguation needed], the Museum of Architecture and Design, and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, among others.[13][14] She is the recipient of over 25 prestigious design awards, including several Best of the Year awards from Interior Design Magazine and a nomination for a Chrysler Design Award.[15][16]
References
- ^ a b c "The Designer Lori Weitzner," LoriWeitzner.com, retrieved October 11, 2015.
- ^ Tim McKeough, "Newspaper Finds Its Way Onto the Wall," The New York Times, April 7, 2010.
- ^ Emily Jenkinson, "Upcycling: is this eco trend here to stay?," The Independent, July 30, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e "The Designer," WeitznerLimited.com, retrieved October 11, 2015.
- ^ a b Laura Thomas, "New Twists in Textiles," San Francisco Chronicle, August 29, 2001.
- ^ a b c "Industry Profile: Lori Weitzner," Decorex.com, retrieved October 11, 2015.
- ^ Kristi Bernick, "’Newsworthy’ Wall-Covering is Made Entirely of Newspaper," Inhabitat.com, April 8, 2010.
- ^ Craig Nakano, "Wallpaper that steals headlines," Los Angeles Times, April 6, 2010.
- ^ Alexandria Abramian Mott, "The wallpaper made of stone," Los Angeles Times, October 14, 2010.
- ^ "Pollack and Weitzner Join Forces," PollackAssociates.com, May 2, 2011.
- ^ "Our History," PollackAssociates.com, retrieved October 11, 2015.
- ^ "Philadelphia U Design Students Gain Hands-On Textile Experience," Interior Design, February 17, 2012.
- ^ a b "Photo Finish for PhilaU Students," Interior Design, May 8, 2012.
- ^ "Designer Insights with Lori Weitzner," TerrysFabrics.co.uk, June 10, 2015.
- ^ "2012 Best of Year Awards: Products," Interior Design, December 26, 2012.
- ^ "Best of Year 2014: Products and Materials Winner," Interior Design, December 5, 2014.