In recognition of the Institute’s recently judged International Student Store Design Competition, the brief was centered on the creation of High End Accessory Store Designs, featuring students from California State Long Beach & the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.
The event provided local students the opportunity to demonstrate their creative talent and showcase their innovative competition entries to local retail design firms. Each student was partnered with a mentor from the Industry and given one of five brands to work with: Oliver Peoples, Tiffany & Co, Cartier, Christian Louboutin and Tous.
“What I love about this event most, is how energized everyone is!” commented James Farnell, President of the Institute’s Southern California Chapter. “Through this event, the students are given an amazing stage on which to perform, with an audience of leading industry experts and exposure to many other members of the local retail design community. Our professional members equally enjoy the opportunity - to get out of their studios and work alongside emerging Southern Californian design talent in a competitive, raw environment. It’s a win-win formula!”
During the course of the afternoon each team created store concepts and a presentation board against the backdrop of the raw manufacturing facility that hosted the event. As guests arrived for the evening event and took the opportunity to network on the red carpet, each student presented their work to a panel of industry experts.
Guests included professionals and faculty from H&M, Westfield, Disney, Forever 21, Little, Quicksilver, Callison, Pacific Fixture Co, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, California State University Long Beach, Hekman Company and several others.
The successful finalists were then asked to develop their designs into models for a final presentation as members and friends of the Institute were invited to join an educational tour of the facilities’ new technologies and energy efficient systems.
Congratulations to winning team Rocio Vasquez (CSULB) and Philip Otto (Callison) whose award was designed, fabricated and later fabricated during the course of the very same evening!
Check out the event photos here.
Check out the event photos here.
Students
Rocio Vasquez – CSULB
Nicole Robinson – CSULB
Deanna Pech – CSULB
Britt Lang – FIDM
Megan Moussamih – FIDM
Mentors
Josh Breeden, Designers/Project Architect, Gensler
Philip Otto, Director, Callison
Amanda Thevenot, Sr. Designer Store Concepts, BCBG
Hethe Breuer, Design Director, Kellwood
Michelle Tomlinson, Tomlinson Consulting
Judges
Jude Elledge, Creative Director, Trend Habitat
Christine Nakaoka, Director of Creative Services, Forever 21
Susanne Andrey, Owner- Founder, Infuse Ideas
Sponsors
NicoNat Manufacturing
Infuse Ideas
Signage by Victory Display
Credits
Photography - Kelly Nguyen
Special thanks also to board members Susanne Andrey, Mimi Yacobucci and Jenny Diaz for co-ordinating the event with Kelly Nguyen, Michelle Curry and Hedi Carrigan of the RDI nextGEN Team; and for the additional support from the staff at NicoNat Manufacturing. You made the evening a huge success!
Students who wish to join the institute or enter next year should register their interest with Jenny Diaz
For more details on our previous events visit us here or for general inquiries please contact caswpres@retaildesigninstitute.org
