design:retail - May/June 2020 - 44

MEGAN POLITO
Architecture Coordinator
Crate & Barrel, CB2, Hudson|Grace
AGE 31

Polito is described as a transformative force within store design. She honed her skills early in her career
in store planning positions with Sears and Kmart. Now as architecture coordinator for Crate & Barrel,
CB2, Hudson|Grace, she supports the concept design, design development, design coordination and
construction admininstration phases of the built environment for any of the company's brand locations.
She brings a fresh perspective and future-forward attitude to every project, such as her work on the CB2
headquarters and Crate & Barrel Photo Studio. Her exceptional coordination and execution abilities have led to her involvement with
furniture and fixture development. Polito's vision has been invaluable to the maturation of the brand's current direction. Her work is
considered to be a cornerstone for evolutionary projects, such as The Table at Crate. In addition to the design and furniture development
for this new in-store restaurant and bar concept, she worked with a wide range of internal influencers and external manufacturers to
craft what has become a new sub-brand for the company. Polito has been part of bringing a whole new lexicon of design to the company.
What motivates me: The vision-being able to see past what something is today for what it could be in the future.
Biggest hurdle I've overcome: Learning to ask for help.
Latest obsession: Spotify quarantined playlists.

JALPA PATEL
Interior Architect
ZenGenius Inc.
AGE 33

Patel is a leader with a vision and a
voice, the determination needed to
accomplish anything and a true team
collaborator who strives for design
excellence. Her more than 10 years
of experience as a multidisciplinary
designer includes a diverse portfolio
of visual merchandising, fixture design
and point-of-purchase displays in
grocery stores, as well as store design,
pop-up shops, airport retail and
experiential spaces. She has created
award-winning and notable immersive
retail experiences working with brands
such as Fujifilm, Aramark, Nutella,
Pringles, Scotts and Aquatalia. Her retail design work has included projects
across the globe in North America,
India, Singapore, Dubai and Italy. Patel
is passionate about retail, design, craft,
cultural influences and sustainable design solutions. She is a creative thinker,
innovator and leader who shines in the
retail world due to her keen sense of
design, ability to listen and interpret
client feedback, attention to detail,
unmatched creativity and dedication
to simply doing great work.
Biggest fear: Losing my memory.
Pet peeve: People who use redundant
hashtags on Instagram, like #me #human
#girl #selfie.
Dream job: A celebrity judge in a dance
competition reality show. I love dancing!

JOY PORCELLI
Associate Director, Visual Merchandising &
Store Communications
Ashley Stewart Inc.
AGE 38

Porcelli fell in love with visual
merchandising at age 16 while
working in retail at the Limited
Too. Her passion led her to the
Fashion Institute of Technology
where she studied fashion merchandising management-a solid
educational foundation that has supported her more than 15-year
career in visual merchandising. Porcelli has facilitated new store
openings and the production of floorset directives for Liz Claiborne
Inc.'s outlet division and held corporate visual roles with The
Children's Place and Walmart. She is a tenacious self-starter who
adapts quickly to the brand she is working for by looking through
the lens of the customer, finding innovative solutions to improve
sales and customer experience. This is evidenced in her work
over the last seven years with Ashley Stewart, where she serves as
associate director, visual merchandising and store communications. Porcelli has played a key role in supporting the company's
re-emergence from a bankrupt retailer into a vivacious lifestyle and
fashion brand for women. She led the charge in designing a new
prototype store, fixture package and mannequins, along with training in the field. The prototype has been successfully rolled out to
three locations and is anticipated to continue growing in 2020.
The best advice I ever received: " Don't focus on the pretty leaves; focus
on the roots. "
Latest obsession: Babe Rosé with bubbles.
My happy place: Behind the piano.

JONNY RIGBY
Senior Creative Director
Fusion
AGE 36

Rigby has more than 20 years of extensive experience in the retail environment
and has offered best-in-class experiences to multiple brands in more than 35
countries around the world. He has been part of more than 250 in-person global
store openings, often introducing brands into new and emerging markets. Rigby's
retail career started as a sales associate for French Connection in the
United Kingdom, and the years that followed included roles with Ted Baker,
Tommy Hilfiger, HALSTON and Puma. He has sourced props, designed in-store
elements, created visual merchandising guidelines, spearheaded global new store
openings, trained teams, reinvented brands, designed windows and developed
entire visual merchandising strategies. Now, Rigby is the senior creative director for Fusion, a leading provider of custom
mannequin and visual merchandising solutions. This year, he has played a key role in the design and launch of the
EMPOWER Collection, a collection of inclusive-sized mannequins for the athletic fashion space. He is extremely excited to
be a part of bringing the " Gen We " movement to life through gender-neutral, adaptive and diverse body mannequins. Rigby
believes every single person should feel represented when they walk into their favorite store.
My happy place: On my surfboard at sunset, looking out to the horizon.
Pet peeve: Industries failing to make sustainable and regenerative choices.

ASHLEY RANDOLPH
Senior 3-D Designer
FITCH
AGE 31

Randolph is an accomplished environments designer
with a reputation for excellence and vision. She has a propensity for big ideas and thrives where the rational meets
the irrational-in the gray area where function sparks
emotion. She has been an integral part of the FITCH
creative studio, and the clients and teams she works with
hold her in high esteem for her creative problem-solving,
positive attitude and absolute commitment to getting
projects done well. Randolph challenges convention
and questions everything, resulting in unexpected and
delightful solutions. Her creative genius has benefitted
clients such as Mars, T-Mobile, Ford, Lego, 7-Eleven,
Lowe's, Denny's, Tim Hortons, Walgreens and Cub Foods.
Her portfolio includes award-winning work, such as
the T-Mobile Signature Store in Las Vegas. She currently
is co-leading the creative work on the firm's growing
M&M'S account. Randolph understands the complexities
and nuances of retail design and is ambitious to learn.
She crafts enduring brand experiences with an emphasis
on simplicity and purpose in storytelling-incredible,
experiential environments that change people's way of
thinking.
My first job was: Ice cream cone wizard at the local
Dairy Hut.
What motivates me: My family.
COVID-19 guilty pleasure: Evening walks (with or
without wine).

FAVORITE HOBBY:
FORMATION SKYDIVING.

44
36-47_drm_0620_40U40-rev_1-21.indd 7

1/4/21 12:24 PM

design:retail - May/June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of design:retail - May/June 2020