Aaron Lown

1968 - 2019
We celebrate the life of Aaron Lown. Aaron was a lifelong maker of things, collector of people and an unapologetic aesthete.

Aaron was raised in Bangor, Maine, which instilled in him a lifelong love of the outdoors. He was a graceful skier and talented tennis player, and loved sport shooting, hiking and foraging with his family and friends throughout the Hudson Valley.

He was a celebrated designer, educated at Parson's School of Design and Cranbrook Academy of Art and an adjunct faculty member of MICA Baltimore. He and his wife, fellow designer Elizabeth Grubaugh, were instrumental in establishing the product design department at KIDI Parson's in Kanazawa, Japan. His mediums and interests were nearly anything at hand – interior design, pottery, furniture making, household goods, chicken coops, charcoal, shoes, handbags and personal goods, window displays, lovely objects and functional tools. His work has been displayed at the MoMA and many have benefitted from Aaron's creative perspective and input through his time at IDEO, Material Connexion, Bergdorf Goodman, Calvin Klein and Kate Spade. Following this artistic sojourn he co-founded BUILT in Manhattan, an industry-disrupting bag company specializing in neoprene, sold in over 50 countries. Aaron and Elizabeth were among the urban pioneers revitalizing Newburgh, NY, having founded household goods maker Industrial Craft, and Vuff – a dog-centric maker of innovative lightweight leads and collars that focused on the comfort of the dog, inspired by his good girl, Starlight.

He was a loving husband, father, son and brother. He was an ever-dedicated and frequently mischievous friend. He was a beloved mentor and inspiration to many. He is survived by his wife, partner & best friend Elizabeth Grubaugh, his father & mother, Milton and Naomi Lown, his sisters Jennifer (Mike Powers), Susannah Resnick (Marc Resnick), and his brother David (Rebecca Heitz) as well as his nieces & nephews Abram, Isabella, Alisa and Nico.

Of all the myriad things that Aaron created throughout his storied and remarkable life, he was in awe of and certain that his finest and most impactful creations were his children, daughter Vivian, and son Gus, whom he loves infinitely.

In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted to defray expenses for the children at GoFundMe