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Calling Car(d)s

By Matthew Kalash -- Gifts and Dec, 2/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

In October 2001, when Su Sazama and her husband Fitz opened their first Fitzsu Society store in Los Angeles, they shared a passion for design and recognition of an unserved niche in the home accessories market. “We wanted to fill a void for smaller, design-driven objects,” says Fitz. With a background in both art and design (Fitz was a gallery operator in Chicago before the couple moved to Los Angeles), they had the right experience to bring their vision of a modern accessories store to life.

Six years later, that vision has been fulfilled, with Fitzsu Society shops in Pasadena and Palm Springs joining the flagship store on Melrose Ave., offering what Los Angeles magazine called “exceptional versions of everyday objects, from pencil sharpeners to housewares, many by well-known international designers” — including sugar spoons by Michael Graves, cheese graters by Alejandro Ruiz, and a water kettle by Frank Gerhy.

In the fall of 2006, Fitzsu hosted its first ever charity design auction — the Fitzsu Grand Prix — at its Melrose Ave. location. The idea arose when Fitz and Su came across the website of Playsam, a Scandinavian designer of executive wooden toys, including toy cars. Given the iconic status of the automobile in Los Angeles (“Cars are the calling card of Angelenos,” write Fitz and Su in the Grand Prix catalog), Playsam's product seemed a perfect fit for the “Society.”

Together, Fitzsu and Playsam hatched a bold plan: to have 33 international designers from the worlds of fashion, art, home decor and architecture put their original interpretations on the Playsam Streamliner Classic Car. On October 16, attendees at Fitzsu's Melrose location, as well as participants joining online from around the world, would be invited to bid on one-of-a-kind designer toys, with all proceeds going to benefit the World Childhood Foundation. Pieces were submitted by designers such as Michael Graves, Ole Jensen, Karim Rashid and Yves Behar. Even world renowned architect Richard Meier, designer of the Getty Center in Los Angeles, participated in the event.

According to Fitz and Su, all the designers involved were enthusiastic about the project. But Fitzsu realized just how excited the participants were when they learned that Sebastian Knorr, an award-winning L.A. architect, had worked on the Playsam Streamliner himself, rather than having an associate finish the project. “This is a guy who builds skyscrapers,” says Fitz, “And he put time aside for this.”

In addition to Playsam, partial sponsorship was provided by Red Bull Racing, Group 22 Graphic Design (which created the catalog), Artecnica and Le Pain Quotidien. When the day arrived, the Fitzsu Society Grand Prix was attended by more than 200 people, with many more joining via the Internet.

All of the one-of-a-kind cars were sold at auction, raising some $20,000 for the World Childhood Foundation, and giving select buyers a piece of unique design.

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