Creative Team
Suzanne Trocme’
Curator & Moderator
London born and educated, Suzanne Trocmé spent many years in New York and Paris and has written on the subjects of art, fashion, music, interiors and architecture for a variety of publications including The New York Times Magazine, Architectural Digest, House & Garden, The Telegraph, Interior Design (European Editor) and Wallpaper* (Editor-at-Large). Apart from her contributions to print journalism, Trocmé began writing books following the birth of her first two sons and is the author of many publications which include Influential Interiors (Clarkson Potter), Retro Home (Rizzoli), Fabric (Mitchell Beazley), The New Moderns (Stewart, Tabori, Chang), Attention to Detail (Stewart, Tabori, Chang) and Cool Homes in Hot Places (HarperCollins).
Trocmé herself has received awards for her journalism and books including the American Fabric and Fiction Award, usually awarded for fiction, for her nonfiction work Influential Interiors. An expert in her chosen world of architecture and design, the author is often called upon to judge competitions. She has also presented radio programs in New York on WBAI and television in the UK with Granada, the BBC and Channel 4 television.
Trocmé in 2014 curated Middle East Revealed, a showcase of Middle Eastern contemporary design during London's Design Festival and a second elaborated exhibition in Milan in 2015 before developing the international and inaugural Dubai Design Week with the Art Dubai Group. In 2017 she co-curated the first Sub Saharan contemporary design exhibition Africa by Design to be held in Africa, which launched in Accra, Ghana on the date of their 60th independence.
Trocmé lives in London with her four sons
Rona Meyuchas Koblenz
Founder & Creative Director
Rona Meyuchas Koblenz, founder of Designers in the Middle is a Multi-disciplinary product designer and creative director. Holds a Master in Industrial Design from the Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan, Rona has over two decades industry experience, after working in Milan she joined Isometrix lighting & design specializing in designing custom made luminaries for projects such as Hotel Puerta America, Yauatcha restaurant, Nobu restaurants, James Turrell art. In 2007 she founded her design studio, and established her design brand ‘Kukka’ their products sold in museums & retail shops, department stores such as La Rinascente, Selfridges, Paul Smith, Conran. Other clients are coming from the hotel, restaurant, hospitality, cultural, retail, Office and Private sectors including; Caesarstone, The Autograph Collection hotel group, BioHouse, Amorim, iMesh, LG. Her democratic approach and honest design are recognizable within Rona’s style and work. Her design studio kukka is underpinned by creative stimulation, specializing in experimenting with materials, manufacturing methods, technology and light. Rona was tutor in Domain De Boisbuchet in 2016, a lecturer in Shenkar institute of art and design, HIT, Plymouth University and often invited to participate in international talks programs such as at the V&A, Design Museum London, Aga Khan centre and the Javits centre. “Rona Meyuchas-Koblenz lets serendipitous stimuli steer kukka’s product design" Frame Magazine 2016