There’s a new industry list to contend with. Frederic, the lifestyle and design magazine backed by F. Schumacher & Co., has debuted its inaugural It List, honoring 13 early-career designers—and it’s not stopping there. The magazine is also giving the chosen designers $10,000 each to help grow their design businesses.
The list includes interior designers Allegra O. Eifler, Augusta Hoffman, Chelsea Handegan, David Frazier, Jessica Summer, Julien Devergnies, Lonika Chande, Lynn Kloythanomsup, Miminat Shodeinde, Rosanna Bossom, Sebastian Zuchowicki, and Peter Dolkas and Michelle Ficker of Studio Dorion. The prize money is a unique perk to Frederic’s list, something that sets it apart from industry honor rolls like Elle Decor’s A-List and Architectural Digest’s AD100.
Frederic editor in chief Dara Caponigro sees the cash as an integral part of the award. “At FS&CO, we talk a lot about how design is core to everyone’s well-being and how interior designers are true magicians who make the world a better and more beautiful place,” she tells Business of Home. “We feel it’s important to give back and to give recognition to up-and-coming interior designers, and to help them grow their businesses so they can continue making magic.”
Hoffman, whose eponymous firm is based in New York, says it’s “incredibly gratifying to be recognized for my team’s effort to execute beautiful and happy homes.” As for the prize money, Hoffman will put the stipend toward “design research to push creative and cultural boundaries for our clients … [and] to explore the world of furniture and product development,” adding that she has “so many dreamy ideas that I would love to bring to fruition one day, and this gives me a proper push in that direction.”
Focusing on early-career designers is an interesting, though not unheard of, spin (House Beautiful does an annual Next Wave list of early-career American designers), but Caponigro and her team also chose to include designers from abroad, with five of the baker’s dozen hailing from the U.K. or Europe. Designer honoree Frazier, who’s based in New York, is thrilled to be flanked by peers from across the pond: “The It List sets itself apart as a new, intimate group of young designers with distinct styles and global talent,” he says.
Launched in early 2021, Frederic replaced its predecessor, The Bulletin, a Schumacher-focused publication that was more newspaper than glossy shelter magazine. Since then, Frederic has built a loyal following in the design industry and developed into an independent media brand, Frederic Media, with paid advertisers, publishing four times a year.
“The Frederic It List awards are a way to celebrate both the brand’s successes and design at-large,” says Caponigro. “Most importantly, though, the It List is a way to acknowledge both master interior designers who generously pass on their knowledge and know-how as well as younger designers whose passion and talent will continue to keep our very special world alive.”
Homepage image: A living room by Billy Cotton, featured in a recent issue of Frederic | Courtesy of Frederic
