The International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) kicked into high gear in New York at the Javits Center this week, continuing through May 22. One of the premier events in contemporary design, this massive show boasts more than 500 exhibitors from 30 countries. For design-lovers, it's a big deal.

In fact, the ICFF has become such an important event that it has over recent years spawned several satellites, which this year included Model Citizens and the American Design Club (the latter held at 45 Great Jones Street), both of which were started three years ago as an alternative to the ICFF, which many designers found prohibitively expensive. Below, ARTINFO takes a look at some of the highlights of these cool alternative fairs.

View Slideshow: See Innovative Objects From New York's Up-and-Coming Design Fairs

Model Citizens

Model Citizens, which was held May 13-15 at the Chelsea Art Museum, has grown to include 90 designers, hailing from Holland to DUMBO. Model founder Mika Braakman hopes to bottle the energy of promising younger leaders in the field. In no particular order, here are some of our faves from the 2011 edition.

Brooklyn-based John D'Aponte stood out with the way his works that literally weave history into their designs, recycling vintage textiles into bags and luggage, while industrial designer Emily Rothschild (whose work has been displayed at Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum), displayed intriguing winged jewelry and flip-book necklaces. Boston-based artist and designer Debra Folz manufactures contemporary furniture and table-top accessories. Her "Whole Story Photo Albums" are a hybrid of traditional bookbinding and contemporary engineering, allowing them to stand independently but also expand. And Brooklyn-based designer Niels Cosman showcased his handcrafted furnishings, including "CYMK Cabinets" with highly decorative doors composed of 200 hand-cut and kiln-fused glass hexagons (he is an alumni and adjunct at RISD's glass department).

Most inspiring of all at the 2011 Model Citizens, however, were Mike Seto and David Kim of Click Boom Pow, whose holistic design approach focuses on user experience and cultural impact. Their "NRM Project (New Role Models)" are benches that have been painted by a select group of artists — including the great Milton Glaser — and then installed throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. The idea is to give New Yorkers a place to sit and reflect this summer, thereby inspiring others to donate good design.

Wanted Design Fair

Just a few blocks from the ICFF is another new independent, The Wanted Design Fair, which held court at Chelsea's La.Venue space from the 13th to the 16th. Sprawled out over most of the first floor of building, this hardly looked like an independent art fair, resembling instead a well-styled showroom (with a bar). Founders Claire Pijoulat and Odile Hainaut brought their French sensibility and 29 established designers together to create a stunning event. From lighting designers like Les Heritiers, francois brument and Triode, to furniture makers Tabisso  and Olivier Dolle, the French genius was well represented.

Also making a splash was the dramatic lighting of David Trubridge, whose "SEED System" packs flat and then expands to all sizes (including floor-to-ceiling upon request). The modular furnishings of New York architect Ali Tayar was on hand via New York-based design group Lerival, who represent Tayar and other architects who make furniture. Finally the WHYTE Label by Joe Doucet was a clear stand-out, offering a new collection of bespoke furniture and objects that pushed the boundaries of concept and craftsmanship.

The Brokenoff Brokenoff Exhibition

So-called "conceptual design" continues to be a potent force — and a few of the participants at WANTED, including Doucet, have also worked to create the Brokenoff Brokenoff exhibition, currently at Gallery R'Pure on 3 East 19th Street, as a tribute to their friend, designer Tobias Wong (the show runs through May 17). Blurring the boundary between conceptual art and design, Wong's work questioned the value system of objects and pretensions of designers with satirical wit. Wong launched onto the scene in 2001 with "This is a Lamp" — a functional lamp that appropriated the form of a Philippe Starck chair. Ten years later Wong was gone, an apparent suicide.

To kick off the show, Doucet and other celebrated New York designers such as Brad Ascalon, Stephen Burks, Josee Lepage, Frederick McSwain, Marc Thorpe, Dror Benshetrit, Todd Bracher, and David Weeks spoke on a round-table about their exhibition, which features tributes by the various figures exploring Wong's legacy. They shared their favorite Tobi moments with the crowd, offering rare insight into the personality of the young designer. The group had been working together with Wong in 2010 to create an exhibition of their own just weeks before Wong's tragic death.

"When we started meeting and talking about this exhibition we weren't sure what the outcome would be," said Thorpe. "Now we know — this is the point, this is the outcome." Doucet added: "He wanted us to get uncomfortable." Half the proceeds of the Brokenoff Brokenoff show go to NYC Children's Art Fund.