design:retail - April/May 2015 - (Page 8)

editor's note 008 Time Flies When You're Awesome ALISON EMBREY MEDINA EXECUTIVE EDITOR alison.medina@emeraldexpo.com @dretaileditor B Y AGE 30 , Bill Gates was already a billionaire. The first-ever to become one at that age, in fact. Michelangelo finished painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (after a mere four years of dedication) at age 37. When he was only 34, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry, published "The Star Spangled Banner." At age 33, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean alone. And Jane Austen wrote "Pride and Prejudice" (one of my all-time faves) at age 20. A lot can happen before you turn 40. Some of history's greatest accomplishments were achieved by the young and young at heart-whose passion, dedication and eagerness led them to magnitude in their respective time and place. (And, a general overall awesomeness certainly goes a long way, too!) Now, thanks to said awesomeness, their names are forever immortalized in the documents and general public knowledge of history. It's not an easy thing to achieve. In this issue, we launch design:retail's ﬁrst-ever 40 Under 40, a listing of the next generation of superstars that will drive retail's future. Our own "awesome" list, if you will. All of the 40 industry professionals that made our list were nominated by peers-colleagues, clients, vendors, bosses and even a few direct reports-who submitted enough APRIL/MAY 2015 DESIGNRETAILONLINE.COM praise of these outstanding individuals to catch our attention. The list is a mix of retailers, designers, architects, manufacturers, technology experts, entrepreneurs and innovators. The common chord is what each has been able to achieve in the (relatively) short time they have been in the industry, and the impact they have already made. In my time at design:retail, I have had the pleasure of being able to personally notify several people that they have been selected or nominated for an award (Portfolio, Markopoulos, etc.). It always is rewarding to be the bearer of good news, and a part of my role that I cherish. But, I was not expecting the reaction I received by many-if not most-of the 40 Under 40 recipients. The reaction was shock, awe, gratitude, and extreme graciousness and pride. Many of them have never won an award before; never been honored individually outside of a raise or promotion here and there. In my opinion, the young gentlemen and women on this list will be winning awards for years to come, from this magazine and many others. If you are in New York on May 18 (during ICFF), come help us honor this new generation of talent in person at our ﬁrst-ever 40 Under 40 CitySCENE event (RSVP at designretailonline.com/ citysceneNYspring). They really do deserve all the praise (and career accolades) they receive. While we're at it, let's raise a glass to the industry icons also highlighted in this issue. From the legendary Gene Moore to the revered Ralph Pucci, the visual industry is lucky to have been graced by their artistry and dedication. Here's to being awesome. http://www.designretailonline.com/cityscenenyspring http://www.DESIGNRETAILONLINE.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of design:retail - April/May 2015

Editor’s Note
Show Talk
On Trend
We Love This!
Designer Picks
Clicks & Mortar
How’d They Do That?
Postcard
Have You Heard?
Mingle
Shopper Insights
Shopping with Paco
The Lost Archives of Gene Moore
40 Under 40
The Art of the Mannequin
GlobalShop Review
The Maker Movement
Products
Backstory

design:retail - April/May 2015