The sad truth about the state of design in this country is that the coolest, edgiest things often aren’t created by Americans.
Case in point is Citizen:Citizen in Williamsburg (248C North 8th Street, Brooklyn; 718-387-1296 or citizen-citizen.com), a white-walled showroom devoted to emerging British designers that’s made quite an entrance. The star of the current show is Patrik Fredrickson, a 35-year-old with a slightly surreal sensibility. His work ranges from the irreverent (crosses made from industrial brushes, $48–$68) to the practical (sculptural coat hooks, $58), the playful (a black kite in the shape of a bird, $44), and the just plain beautiful (tables made of bundled birch logs, $2,250–$3,450).
Two designers are represented at a time (they rotate every two months), so it’s also worth the trip to gaze upon Ian Stallard’s gorgeous porcelain sconces and pendant lamps modeled after industrial lights—at the opening party, the design mafia swarmed around these like moths to a flame. Owner Sweetu Patel aims to open a similar space in London, showcasing the work of emerging American designers, in the next year. But at Citizen:Citizen, he’s already started a transatlantic conversation.