Industry members Aviva Stanoff and David Santiago will host the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation Induction Celebration on October 23 during the High Point Market. Stanoff, an artisan and multigenerational entrepreneur, founded her eponymous design studio and home décor brand with a focus on pieces that embody deliberate luxury. Santiago, an industry ambassador and founder of Casa Santi Interior Design, is an award-winning designer and gifted vocalist whose Strictly Santi brand was created to be as diverse as his repertoire of talents.
“The creative energy of Aviva and David are evident in their designs, their lives and their abilities to entertain,” says Caroline Hipple, president of the Foundation board of directors and president of Norwalk Furniture. “We look forward to a delightful and inspiring evening celebrating the 2022 class of Hall of Fame inductees as they receive the industry’s most prestigious honor. As we pay tribute to those who have defined the home furnishings industry, we all become encourages and inspired by the industry’s greatest networking event.”
As a child of Japanese and Russian immigrants, Stanoff honors her multicultural upbringing in her work. She began her career in textile arts with an internship at Calvin Klein Home while earning her MFA. By graduation, her designs for Calvin Klein were on store shelves and had earned her a mention in Vogue as well as commissions from Christian Dior, Givenchy Couture and Donna Karan. In 2004, she launched her own line of home accessories in Brooklyn, New York. Her textiles, which are made in the USA, are featured in luxurious hospitality properties, including Nobu, The Cosmopolitan, the Ritz Carlton and The Plaza. Her Forest Chandelier for Currey & Company won the 2017 ARTS Award for Lighting Fixtures, and she won the 2019 Arts Award in Home Textiles. She has received numerous Textile Vendor of the Year awards from ABC Carpet & Home, and her work is featured in the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Museum of Decorative Arts. She has been known to pop up everywhere from the United Nations to corporate and trade events, as well as in her son’s classrooms. She prioritizes philanthropy and community service as an integral part of her identity as a “Sparkletunity Ambassador.”
Santiago, who established Casa Santi in 2011, has collections with American Brass & Crystal Lighting and developed The Passport Collection for Bijou wallcoverings. His product lines cater to both the hospitality and residential markets. He continues to grow as a brand ambassador and gives back through multiple media platforms, including appearances as a guest designer on the NBC hit television series George to the Rescue and as a lifestyle correspondent for The Donna Drake Show on CBS NY. He is the artistic director for MyFace.org, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and adults with facial differences. Santiago also is an accomplished classical opera singer and an alumnus of Mannes College of Music. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the New York City Opera, among others. He serves as the development and cultural outreach officer for Teatro Grattacielo. “The expressions on my face speak volumes that reveal the essence of my true feelings – and usually it’s exuberance,” Santiago says.
Sophia, the world’s first humanoid celebrity, will be the keynote speaker for the Induction Celebration, which will be held at the Sheraton Greensboro Four Seasons.
To become a Foundation member, to purchase 2022 Induction Celebration tickets or to become a sponsor in support of an inductee, visit www.masterthechallenge2022.com.
The Hall of Fame is supported by sponsors of the 2022 Induction Celebration:
• Presenting Sponsor: Surya
• Dinner Table Sponsor: Nourison Industries
• Inductee Video Sponsor: Surya
• Cocktail Sponsor: International Market Centers
• After Party Sponsor: Klaussner Furniture Industries
• Step and Repeat Sponsor: Tempur Sealy International, Inc.
• Leadership Institute Sponsor: La-Z-Boy, Inc.
• At the Hall Sponsor: AICO/Amini Innovation Corp.
• Future Leaders Event Sponsor: International Market Centers; Liberty Furniture Industry Inc.
• Platinum Sponsors: Carpenter Company; Global Views; Southern Motion; Springs Creative; and Bill and Julia Wittenberg
• Gold Sponsors: Jerome’s Furniture; Gat Creek
