Two thousand and fourteen is nigh and it’s going to be a big year for the design industry—and particularly for these companies, which are celebrating milestone anniversaries: Baccarat (250 years), Schumacher (125 years), The Decorators Club (100 years), Pierre Frey (80 years), Stark Carpet (75 years), Robert Allen (75 years), ELLE DÉCOR (25 years), and the Institute of Classical Art and Architecture (ICAA), Southern California Chapter (10 years). 

Baccarat—250 Years

Baccarat started celebrating their 250th early with book launch events in New York City, Paris and London this past fall. The book, titled Baccarat: Two Hundred and Fifty Years, is authored by Murray Moss and is the first to offer a look inside the house of Baccarat and its crystal creations throughout history. In 2014, the company will partner with retailers around the world to create window displays and exhibitions, and host events and trunk shows.

In winter 2015, Baccarat will create a large exhibition at Petit Palais in Paris, which will be curated by both the Petit Palais and Baccarat design executives.

In the next few years, the company plans to open branded hotels and residences in New York City, Rabat, Moscow and other cities. It is also working to expand its retail presence in the United States and open more design showrooms for the architecture and design community around the world.

Schumacher—125 years

The new outlook for Schumacher began with the appointment of Dara Caponigro as creative director, whose first initiative was to begin work on the collections to celebrate the company’s 125th anniversary. Caponigro will also head up a new advertising campaign for the company. “Our 125th Anniversary Collection will be exquisite," said Caponigro. "The collection will really show off what Schumacher does best, which is to draw from history to create something entirely original and fresh."

"As a fifth generation, family-owned company, our upcoming 125th anniversary is especially meaningful," said CEO Terri Eagle. "We are very excited to commemorate our legacy with stunning new collections and a series of special events. We look forward to sharing the history, prestige and gorgeous product that makes our brand so unique."

The Decorators Club—100 years

A grand party is planned for December 1, 2014, at the Museum of the City of New York to celebrate the organization’s centennial.

“Through the lens of our anniversary we will draw focus on our past members and their contributions to the design community as well as celebrate the future of our club, its members and the field of interior design,” said president Nancy Boszhardt.

In the coming months, The Decorators Club will announce the placement of their recently curated archives of design materials for an exhibition.

“The New York Public Library is one of the institutions that would like to have our archives,” said Boszhardt. “In just a month or two we will decide where our history will be housed so that the public has access to our materials.”

Pierre Frey—80 years

Even though the official 80th anniversary will be 2015, the Frey family will begin the celebration fall of 2014 with the launch of its first book.

“The book features the projects and lifestyle of the company over the years,” said Pierre Frey’s director of international relations, Pierre Frey. “It’s really about the roots, history, family, archives and current projects.”

Parties are being planned for the book launch events, which will be held in New York, Paris and London. The company also plans to mark the occasion by partnering with artists and designers worldwide for collections.

Stark Carpet—75 years

Steven Stark, Ottavio Missoni Jr., John Stark, Margaret Russell, Ashley Stark and Chad Stark at the kick off 75th anniversary party

“To celebrate this historic milestone in our company's lifetime, we have invested significantly in new collections, collaborations, and technology that will represent the direction Ashley [Stark] and myself are taking [the company],” said Chad Stark. “For the last two years, Ashley and I have been working on many initiatives with our father to bring the company under Ashley's and my direction, and many of these initiatives will be visible to the world for the first time in 2014.”

“Personally, I'm most excited for our new website launch, scheduled for Q1/Q2 2014,” he added. “This new website is much more than just a website—we've spend thousands of hours creating tools for designers to use to help increase their business. We are re-launching our entire digital brand and it will be turning point for our company for the next 75 years.”

Robert Allen—75 years

The Robert Allen showrooms kicked off the 75th anniversary celebration this year with the introduction of the new Solids and Textures Collection, which features over 450 new fabrics with deep color runs. According to the Robert Allen team, the collection ties into the rich heritage of the company’s color expertise. “We took the introduction as an opportunity to celebrate our past, present and future,” they said.

The collection was celebrated at various markets across the country, including Fall Market at the D&D Building in New York, where a step-and-repeat photo booth was available for partygoers to pose with the fabrics.

Peter Gurski, Jamie Rummerfield and Ron Woodson

The company was also honored at the December 4 Interior Design Hall of Fame awards in New York City with a special toast. 

So what’s coming down the pipeline for 2014? “We believe that the future of our company, and our industry, lies in digital,” said the Robert Allen team. “Robert Allen is investing heavily in an array of intuitive digital tools to make the designer’s job easier, faster and more efficient. We will be launching a brand new website in 2014 that will include a greatly enhance search function. Additionally, every fabric book we bring to market will have a digital version as well—what was once a trunkful of fabric books a designer would take on a customer call is now viewable on an iPad or flash drive.”

ELLE DÉCOR—25 years

The theme for ELLE DÉCOR’s anniversary is the first 25 years and 25 years of firsts, according to the magazine’s editor-in-chief Michael Boodro. “In every issue, starting with March 2014, we will look back on the talents, trends, personalities, and styles that we have endorsed and supported, and the many creative forces we have helped launch. All of this will culminate in a spectacular September anniversary issue focusing on the creative forces that are shaping the future of design and the home, and that are distinctly ELLE DÉCOR.”

ICAA, Southern California Chapter—10 years

Architects, designers and artisans are invited by the ICCA Southern California Chapter to celebrate the 10th anniversary by submitting work for presentation in various public forums, including an exhibition in September of 2014.

The exhibition seeks to explore the breadth and depth of the classical idea in Southern California, and the manifestation of that idea in the built environment. Conceptual works as well as completed works will comprise the catalog. All arenas of classically-inspired endeavor will be considered, and architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, construction, building arts, craftwork, product and furniture design and execution, painting, sculpture, the decorative arts are a few of the possible categories for which submissions are sought.

The submissions will culminate in the theme of “What Does it Mean to Work in the Language of Classicism in Southern California for the 21st Century?” and will be on display in the fall.