Location: Manhattan, New York
Client: FENDI Casa & Manhattan Magazine
Category: Events
Held annually in March, DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) invites local and international designers to transform a raw space into a showcase of over-the-top dining environments for its annual fundraiser for HIV/AIDS — Dining By Design (DBD).
Co-located with the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, DIFFA’s signature event gathers thousands of supporters at Pier 92 in New York City to fundraise for a cause. The event combines a worthy cause and exceptional design into a five-day showcase.
In 2015, Ms. Ibáñez was selected and sponsored by FENDI Casa and Manhattan Magazine to take on the opportunity to create an installation while seating ten guests in a 10’W x 10’D x 10’H space, with a minimum 50% opening in the ceiling. She recruited many vendors to support her in this project as part of her challenge was to create this installation within a modest budget.
Inspired by the timeless beauty and elegance of Marilyn Monroe, Ms. Ibáñez created a concept called ‘Ode to Reflections – Invitation to the Light’, which embodies a refined spiritual ambiance at the intersection of fashion, glamour, dining, and the light reflected from our own selves.