Beyond the Design: Crafting the Senses Behind the Bespoke Salon

At this year ICFF’s Bespoke Salon, Presented by AD Pro, MAWD | March and White Design reimagined what a design showcase can look, feel, smell and sound like. MAWD Co‑Founder Elliot March and New York Studio Lead Shelley Baxter took us inside their strategic approach, revealing how the space became a live interplay of hospitality, craft, and sensory engagement.

Designing for Hospitality

“Our strategy for the 2025 edition … was to imagine a space that is hospitality‑driven,” says Elliot March. “We wanted to demonstrate how high‑level craftsmanship can be introduced within a design fair context and not just residential spaces.”  Rather than merely décor, the Salon was conceived as an immersive environment: “holistically constructed to resemble the lobby of a five‑star hotel” to foster connection and calm amid the bustle of Javits Center. Led by Shelley Baxter, the studio built a layered, multisensory arena. Touch, scent, sound, vision—they all engage. The installation wove materials such as marble, wood, glass, leathers, and upcycled textiles; custom elements such as a scented cork sculpture; and live sound from the recently unveiled Edelweiss Piano, titled ‘The Luna.’

Craftsmanship at the Center

Elliot emphasized the importance of carefully curated brand contributions: “Each brand was be essential in creating a well‑balanced environment.” MAWD placed artisans at the heart of the narrative—from the Ferreira de Sá rug woven from recycled nylon to Promemoria’s couture detailing, LASVIT’s glass luminaries, and Bio Alchemy’s olfactory sculpture. Shelley Baxter explains how the tactile nature of the materials and finishes became part of the storytelling. “We don’t want visitors simply to look at pieces — each one invites touch, sound, smell, and evokes memory.”

The Sensory Dialogue

The studio led experiential coordination, ensuring that the space activated all senses—layered textiles underfoot, sound drifting through, scent subtly infusing the air. Elliot describes it as “a space closer to a sensory performance compared to a standard exhibition.” Inspired by the moon, sound filled the Salon from Edelweiss Piano’s ‘The Luna’, whose significant footprint and self-playing mechanism invited guests closer. Elliot shared: “Sound was activated … to naturally draw individuals into the lounge space and create an ambience that more closely resembled a hotel lobby.” Meanwhile, scent was anchored by Bio Alchemy Olfactive’s cork totem, custom‑infused with natural oils. As noted by Bio Alchemy Olfactive’s Founder Michelle Gagnon, “The custom-designed scent of distilled plants, woodlands and flowers is imbued in the connected cork through a laborious bathing process over days. It projects outward and inward, creating new layers of illusions and veils of olfactory experience, immediate and deeply immersive.”  Touch was layered in every material—from Promemoria’s grand ‘Hollywood Sofa’ to Cassina’s wood screen.

Sustainable Design

Elliot emphasized sustainability as both concept and practice: “We are working with a number of exceptional brands … whose work utilizes natural materials, showcasing time‑honored traditions of craft and contemporary nods to sustainability.” The custom rug from Ferreira de Sá, made of ECONYL® regenerated nylon showcases the innovation and commitment within these brands brought to sustainability. MAWDmade’s recent collection also made an appearance. Composed of sustainable materials, 90% of the MAWDmade collection’s components are recyclable following the object’s life span. Shelley further explains MAWD’s thought process: “Choosing materials that honor both tradition and sustainability was non‑negotiable. It’s not craft for craft’s sake—it has to reflect the future we need.”

Why Craftsmanship Matters

Crafting deeply felt engagements between materials, makers, and moments, Bespoke: The Art of Making transcends showroom display. It offers design professionals a model for future experiences where craft, context, and community converge. In an age where design moves fast, it’s imperative we take the time to honor the traditions and practices that have been passed down, and to the makers who devote their lives in pursuit of this passion.

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