Clutter Bravado Ep 53: Building a Design Empire with Integrity feat. Eric Chang

Eric Chang, co-founder of Hellman Chang Furniture, began dreaming of designing furniture at a very young age, so when he hit his big break at 23 and found his early work in-demand by set designers for Sex and the City, Gossip Girl, and by hoteliers and celebrities alike, Chang knew his path toward success was paved. But how could he ensure that path was one of integrity as a furniture designer in an age of rip-offs, corner cutting, and outsourcing?Eric Chang and Laurent Rebuffel discuss the ins and outs of manufacturing in the USA, and how creating hand-crafted furniture in America can change the landscape of both interior design, and expectations for consumers used to low-quality low-price furniture that isn't meant to last. Creating heirloom furnishings to-the-trade is an art, as Chang compares it to fashion, akin to Hermes or Prada, while RH and Crate and Barrel are Banana Republic. Manufacturing true high quality furniture made by hand by craftspeople whose happiness is a major priority is an unfortunately uncommon but highly respected and sought-after business model, and Eric Chang aims to continue to improve upon it week by week, order by order. Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, now settled just outside of Atlanta, GA, Eric Chang and Hellman Chang along with American Manufacturers like Kimberly Denman Inc, are creating a tariff-proof solution to sourcing quality furniture in the USA. This episode was filmed on-location at the Kimberly Denman Showroom in Koreatown, Los Angeles, CADirected by Elyse CizekEdited by Elyse CizekTheme Song: The Poker Player by Anthony VegaWhere to Find Us:⁠⁠⁠Instagram.com/clutterbravado⁠⁠⁠clutterbravado.comFind More about Eric Chang:https://hellman-chang.com/https://ericchangdesign.com/Staircase:https://ericchangdesign.com/work/Z Table:https://hellman-chang.com/collection/z-bedside-table/Locations:https://hellman-chang.com/showrooms-2/