Continuing its luxury ascent in 2020, JennAir stamps its defiant "J" across the country, beginning at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas. The RISE™ and NOIR™ design expressions will be on display for the very first time at KBIS, along with coveted statement pieces, custom cooktops and columns. Anchored by the debut of the JennAir pop-up showroom experience, known as JAXBOX, and its Defiant by Design programming, the brand encourages KBIS and IBS attendees to escape convention to discover the design process behind its revolutionary products.

Show attendees hungry for progress are invited to join JennAir throughout the week for curated Defiant by Design tours every morning and talks with industry rebels every afternoon. Tours will immerse guests in the brand's signature Bound By Nothing™ ethos and highlight the highly coveted statement pieces —  Leather Cuts, Burlesque Refrigeration and the Smoke and Brass Range — along with custom cooktops, columns and the RISE and NOIR design expressions. Each afternoon, the moderated talks will feature industry rebels and JennAir leaders discussing the importance of leading the path to progress in the kitchen through showroom transformation, design process and product material sourcing. Featured JennAir speakers include Senior Brand and Product Marketing Director Jon Hall, Global Design Studio Leader Michael Seeley and Senior Designer Manager Jessica McConnell.

"For the modern luxury consumer, experience is everything. As we make our mark on Las Vegas, we continue to spotlight JennAir offerings in utterly unexpected ways, upholding the promise we made to luxury audiences to deliver the customization they crave," said Dan Clements, global director of JennAir advanced design. "Our design team defies the notion of traditional luxury, taking global trends in fashion and art and incorporating the colors, textures and materials into appliance design. Embracing our ethos, we are disrupting the category and pushing the new modern luxe consumer to reimagine a limitless world of design."

Amidst a sea of stagnation, JennAir emerged in 2018 refusing to conform to the age-old standards of luxury. Upending its approach to product design and execution, the brand embarked on its journey toward progress.

REVEALING RISE and NOIR
The JennAir internal design team broke from appliance category norms to explore new and unexpected sources of design inspiration to serve the new modern luxe consumer. This began with the brand's two design expressions, RISE and NOIR, which effectively positioned JennAir as the industry's first luxury appliance brand to launch two new design expressions across full matching suites. Modern luxe consumers curate homes like they do their lives, prioritizing personal choice, bespoke experiences and expression of self; they seek to separate themselves from the old expectations of luxury. Catering to these desires, the RISE and NOIR design expressions served as a launch pad for designers to curate designs for new luxury kitchens.

"Examining diverse industries and trends empowered our design team to draw unique inspiration for everything from the custom reverse-knurling on the RISE™ handle, inspired by ornate jewelry, to the delicate laced etching of the NOIR™ handle, inspired by the artful mystery and texture of timeless painting techniques," said JennAir Global Design Studio Leader Michael Seeley. "The obsessive craftsmanship and elegance behind RISE and NOIR design expressions not only allow consumers to connect visually with the products, but draw them in emotionally, beckoning them to engage through touch and exploration."

SHOWCASING STATEMENT PIECES
But the progress didn't stop there. With a new approach to design, modeled after fashion houses' approaches to seasonal collections, the brand launched its statement pieces. Laser-focused on defying the status quo, JennAir brought new life to the category, studying rebellious figures and stories across disciplines and periods, past and present, to identify inspirational muses.

"Through their rebel stories, Cuts and industry-exclusive products like Burlesque and Smoke and Brass came to life," said JennAir Senior Design Manager Jessica McConnell. "The inspiration for these products range from the paintings of Dutch Masters to the artisan craftsmanship of high-end furniture. As a result of such diverse muses — found across art, history, world travel, fashion, and more — and obsessive artisan collaboration, JennAir® products connect appliances and owners on a transformative, emotional level and serve as art in the home."

All products are on display at KBIS for the first time and can be found at JAXBOX in the International Builders Show (IBS) Village outside the Las Vegas Convention Center from Jan. 21 through Jan. 23 as a part of the brand's Defiant by Design experience. Join JennAir for an exclusive look behind the JennAir design process with daily designer tours and talks. Attendees seeking priority access are invited to sign up here.