 |
Lori Weitzner, principal and creative director of her own New York-based firm, has achieved international renown with designs that cross a multitude of disciplines. A sophisticated color palette, intricate, dimensional textures and a lyrical, painterly approach to pattern characterize Weitzner’s distinctively stylish creations. Whether in the field of textiles, wall coverings, passementerie, dinnerware, packaging, rugs, bedding, fashion accessories, paper goods or healthcare products, her aim is to create high quality design that appeals to a broad range of markets.
In the textile world, Lori has created a high-end textile brand for world-renowned Sahco, designed multiple collections for Jack Lenor Larsen, launched a unique contract line for Carnegie Fabrics entitled Anthology, and develops ongoing collections for Pallas Textiles and Australia-based Loop. Other clients include Samuel & Sons, Missoni, Museum of Modern Art, Humanscale, Rosenthal, Dansk, Wamsutta and Endless Knot Rug Company. Lori has developed packaging for Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden and Calvin Klein. She collaborated with Frog Design on interior furnishings for Lufthansa Airlines, and with Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gamble on clinical products for women.
In addition to her role as a product designer, Lori is also a manufacturer of artful wallcoverings. In 2004 she launched Weitzner Limited, offering innovative furnishings for the wall to designers worldwide. An award winning line that combines extraordinary design with uncommon materials to create innovative new products—including a number of which that are environmentally conscious—Weitzner Limited is an extension of Lori’s commitment to creating exceptional design that is in line with the human spirit.
As Lori’s work has expanded into various permutations and markets, its reach has extended to movie sets, an Olympic village, the Wynn resorts and prestigious stores such as Tiffany’s—even museum walls. To achieve her holistic aesthetic, Weitzner weds both ancient and new materials to create looks that are modern yet warm and earthy. It is a testament to how timeless her work is that the films in which it has appeared range from period pieces like Shakespeare in Love and The Gangs of New York to contemporary works such as You’ve Got Mail and Mission: Impossible.
Important design museums have been exhibiting and acquiring Lori’s work for their permanent collections for several years, including London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and Montreal’s Musée Decoratifs. In 2006 she was the subject of her first solo exhibition, at the Institute of Arts in Minneapolis. Lori is also the recipient of more than 20 awards and honors, including the esteemed Best of Neocon, the Good Design Awards and the Innovations Awards. Lori has recently been nominated by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology for the 2010 Designpreis Deutschland—Germany’s highest design award.
Lori has a BFA in textiles from Syracuse University (1983) and enjoys lecturing on subjects like the preservation of passion and the Designing with the Sixth Sense.
“Design is interactive,” says Weitzner. “It is defined not just by itself but also by how people engage with it. When I work, I always keep all of my senses open. By combining interesting materials, blending the unexpected and working with dimensional color, we enhance our senses and give people the gift of feeling in their space. It is a wonderful opportunity to inspire.”