In this episode of Design Discord, Alyssa and Fernando sit down with designer and organizer Chris Held to talk about his journey—from founding the annual exhibition Jonald Dudd to launching the experimental showroom DUDD HAUS in Philadelphia. Chris shares what it’s taken to build alternative spaces for design, and how collaboration, community, and experimentation have shaped his approach. The conversation dives into the unique business model behind DUDD Haus that fosters generative opportunities for artists, the challenges of maintaining an artist’s spirit in their work with the demands of today’s market, and what it takes to support a new generation of collectors. We also touch on shifts in the design scene over the last few years and the realities emerging designers face when trying to build both their audience and income.

Chris Held (b.1978 Atlanta, GA) is a multidisciplinary designer, curator, and co-founder of JONALDDUDD, an NYC Design Week exhibition (2015-present). He also co-owns and operates the design studio Nice Condo (2019-present), which offers a catalog of residential furniture, brand identity services, as well as commercial fixtures, custom build-outs and creative partnerships. Held relocated to Philadelphia in 2023 and subsequently co-founded the radical design collective, DUDD HAUS (2024-present). Working in furniture design and fabrication for over two decades, Held’s work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Dwell, Surface, Sight Unseen, Core77, and Nylon. Held currently lives and works in Philadelphia, PA.

Jonald Dudd

https://jonalddudd.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jonald.dudd/

DUDD HAUS

https://www.duddhaus.com/https://www.instagram.com/duddhaus/

Nice Condo

https://nicecondo.co/https://www.instagram.com/nicecondo/

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Mentioned Designers:

Nacho Carbonell: https://www.nachocarbonell.com/

Peter Marigold: https://petermarigold.com/

Steven Bukowski: https://www.stevenbukowski.com/

Eny Lee Parker: https://www.enyleeparker.com/

Tara Donovanhttps: www.pacegallery.com/artists/tara-donovan/

In this episode of Design Discord, Alyssa, Fernando, and special guest Mika Rosique, Fernando’s wife and longtime Sales Director of Fernando Mastrangelo Studio dive into the often-overlooked side of the design world: sales. They unpack Mika’s path into the role, the value of building a strong client management system, and what it takes to maintain real, lasting client relationships. The conversation explores authenticity, communication, and the role pricing plays in shaping perception and success. They also reflect on the dynamic of working together as a couple and the realities of navigating the art and design market from the inside.

In this episode of Design Discord, Alyssa and Fernando sit down with Oliver Pelle of New York City based lighting and design studio Pelle to talk about the long game of building a creative practice. From navigating the pressure to market yourself, to balancing originality with commercial viability, Oliver shares his perspective on what it really takes to sustain a design career over time. The conversation touches on the influence of social media, the importance of staying humble, and the reality of talent in a crowded field. He reflects on the role of trade shows, the evolution of marketing strategies, and the technical hurdles—like UL certification—that shape how design gets made and seen. With sharp insight and a deep understanding of the business behind the work, Oliver offers grounded advice for emerging designers trying to find their footing.

About Oliver:

Oliver Pelle is the co-founder of Pelle, a multidisciplinary design studio he runs with his partner Jean. Formed in 2011, the studio blends sculptural expression with technical precision—resulting in both iconic and one-of-a-kind works. Based in Brooklyn, New York the studio encompasses a fabrication workshop, research lab, and gallery space, allowing for continual ideation and evolution. Pelle’s work has been shown at MoMA, Design Miami/, and Salone del Mobile, and featured in Architectural Digest, Vogue, Wallpaper, and more.

Check out Pelle's work: https://pelledesigns.com/

Follow Pelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pelle______/

In this episode of Design Discord, co-hosts Alyssa Gerasimoff and Fernando Mastrangelo unpack the complexities of creativity—its rhythms, constraints, and the shifting relationship between passion and recognition. They reflect on how success can both fuel and hinder creative growth, the role of education in shaping their paths, and the tension between personal fulfillment and market demands. The conversation explores fear, grit, and the value of taking breaks, while also asking deeper questions about identity, authorship, and free will in the creative process.

Mentioned Designers:

Vincent Pocsik

Wendell Castle

Casey McCafferty

Nick Missel

In this bonus episode of Design Discord, Fernando, Alyssa, and special guest Mika (Fernando’s wife) reflect on what they saw during NYCxDesign. They cover ICFF, Wanted, Shelter, and a few standout independent exhibitions. They talk through the dynamics of booth presentations, the rise of ceramics in contemporary design, and the value of connecting directly with makers. The conversation also touches on the lasting impact of COVID, the tension between creative expression and market trends, and the importance of emerging voices in collectible design. Plus, a few practical tips for navigating today’s design fair landscape.

Mentioned Designers:Eny Lee Parkerhttps://www.enyleeparker.com/https://www.instagram.com/enyleeparker/Jumana Motiwalahttps://www.instagram.com/jumana_motiwala/Mary Ratcliffe Studiohttps://www.maryratcliffe.studio/https://www.instagram.com/maryratcliffestudio/INDO-https://indo-made.com/https://www.instagram.com/indo.made/Design V/Ahttps://www.design-va.com/https://www.instagram.com/designart_va/Jonald Duddhttps://jonalddudd.com/https://www.instagram.com/jonalddudd/Aeny Studiohttps://www.aenystudio.com/https://www.instagram.com/aenystudio/Aronson Woodworkshttps://www.aronsonwoodworks.com/Ian Love Designhttps://www.ianlovedesign.com/https://www.instagram.com/ianlovedesign/Roll & Hillhttps://rollandhill.com/https://www.instagram.com/rollandhill/Colony Design Galleryhttps://goodcolony.com/https://www.instagram.com/colony.nyc/Fort Standardhttps://www.fortstandard.com/https://www.instagram.com/fort_standard/Matter Madehttps://mattermade.us/https://www.instagram.com/mattermade/Steven Bukowskihttps://www.stevenbukowski.com/https://www.instagram.com/stevenbukowski/Luke Malaneyhttps://www.lukemalaney.com/https://www.instagram.com/lukemalaney/Yuxuan Huanghttps://www.yuxuan-huang.com/https://www.instagram.com/yuxuan_huang__/Slash Objectshttps://slashobjects.com/https://www.instagram.com/slashobjects/Emily Thurman Designhttps://www.emilythurman.studio/https://www.instagram.com/emthurman/

In this episode of Design Discord, Alyssa Gerasimoff and Fernando Mastrangelo dive into the evolving landscape of design fairs, with a focus on the growing scene in Mexico. They discuss the distinct visual language of Mexican designers, notable voices shaping the region’s creative culture, and their own experiences engaging with design in Mexico. The conversation expands to the broader challenges of participating in fairs—from financial barriers and market dynamics to questions of exclusivity and access. They also explore the contrast between selling in cities like Los Angeles and New York, the intersection of design and luxury fashion, and the growing influence of private equity in the art and design world. Throughout, they return to a core question: what would a new kind of independent design fair—centered on transparency, sustainability, and American designers—actually look like?

Mentioned Designers:Joyful Objects Yes!https://www.joyjoy.mx/https://www.instagram.com/joyful_objects_yes/Design VAhttps://www.instagram.com/designart_va/https://www.design-va.com/Héctor Esrawehttps://hectoresrawe.com/https://www.instagram.com/hectoresrawe/Brian Thoreenhttps://www.brianthoreen.com/https://www.instagram.com/brian_thoreen/Fernando Lapossehttps://www.fernandolaposse.com/https://www.instagram.com/fernandolaposse/Mark Grattanhttps://markgrattan.com/https://www.instagram.com/markgrattan/Kenny Scharfhttps://kennyscharf.com/https://www.instagram.com/kennyscharf/Arturo Riverahttp://www.arturorivera-pintor.com/https://www.instagram.com/arturorivera_pintor/Marco Legorretahttps://www.legorreta.mx/https://www.instagram.com/legorretalegorreta/Luis Barragánhttps://www.casaluisbarragan.org/https://www.instagram.com/luisbarragan/Jiri Krejcirikhttps://jirikrejcirik.com/https://www.instagram.com/jiri_krejcirik/Jonald Duddhttps://jonalddudd.com/https://www.instagram.com/jonalddudd/Michelle Jiaxin Huanghttps://www.instagram.com/michjxh/Didi NG Winghttps://dd-ng.com/https://www.instagram.com/dd_ng/Soo Joo Studiohttps://www.soojoo-studio.com/https://www.instagram.com/soo_joo_studio/Matthieu Lehanneurhttps://www.lehanneur.com/https://www.instagram.com/matthieulehanneur/Vincenzo De Cotiishttps://www.vincenzodecotiis.com/https://www.instagram.com/vincenzodecotiis/

In this kickoff episode of Design Discord, hosts Alyssa Gerasimoff and Fernando Mastrangelo sit down to talk about their own paths in design and why they feel this podcast and transparent conversation about the industry need to exist.

Fernando and Alyssa reflect on the challenges emerging designers face today—from visibility in the market to the realities of fabrication—and the need for more open, honest dialogue around what it really takes to build a creative practice.

Along the way, they introduce a range of topics the podcast will continue to explore, including the role of design fairs, the ceramics market, what makes a product evergreen, and how designers can navigate a saturated, often copycat-driven industry. They also touch on branding, social media, and the ongoing balancing act between business and creativity. This episode sets the stage for the candid, in-depth conversations to come.

Watch on Youtube to see all images of mentioned designers.

Mentioned Designers:Katie Stouthttps://www.katiestout.com/https://www.instagram.com/ummmsmile/Misha Kahnhttps://www.mishakahn.com/https://www.instagram.com/mishakahn/Eny Lee Parkerhttps://www.enyleeparker.com/https://www.instagram.com/enyleeparker/Slash Objectshttps://slashobjects.com/https://www.instagram.com/slashobjects/Henry Kimhttps://henrykkim.com/https://www.instagram.com/hyunuko/Devin Wildehttps://www.devinwilde.com/https://www.instagram.com/devinwilde/Steffany Tran / Vy Voihttps://www.vyvoi.com/https://www.instagram.com/vyvoistudio/Max Lambhttps://maxlamb.org/https://www.instagram.com/maxlamb/Not Work Relatedhttps://notworkrelated.co/https://www.instagram.com/notworkrelated/Allied Makerhttps://www.alliedmaker.com/https://www.instagram.com/alliedmaker/Lindsey Adelmanhttps://www.lindseyadelman.com/https://www.instagram.com/lindseyadelman/Apparatus Lightinghttps://apparatusstudio.com/https://www.instagram.com/apparatusstudio/Matthew Barneyhttps://www.matthewbarney.com/https://www.instagram.com/matthewbarney/Faye Toogoodhttps://t-o-o-g-o-o-d.com/https://www.instagram.com/fayetoogood/