VMSD | March 29, 2023
VMSD magazine is celebrating the best and brightest young designers in retail design through its annual VMSD Designer Dozen awards. These 12 emerging stars recognized this year come from retail organizations and design firms across the country and internationally, including Timberland, Gensler, Bloomingdale’s and more.
VMSD Managing Editor Carly Hagedon says, “Each year, we’re honored to highlight 12 up-and-coming designers and retailers, age 35 and under, making a difference in their firms as well as the industry at large through their impeccable design chops, mentorship and charitable acts. Our winners this year represent those unafraid to push the envelope; they showcase some of the best rising talent our industry has to offer. We look forward to celebrating our winners more in the upcoming issue and onsite at IRDC 2023 in Minneapolis this October. Congratulations to this year’s recipients!”
VMSD’s 2023 Designer Dozen include:
Whitney Burns, Director of Interior Design, Paragon Solutions
Connor Matz, Visual Director of Windows and Interiors, Saks Fifth Avenue
Suhana Abdul Salam, Studio Lead – Retail, FRDC (Future Research Design Co.)
Matthew Almendarez, Job Captain, Associate, MBH Architects
Alex Romero, Window Stylist, Bloomingdale’s
Colleen Bernhoft (O’Donnell), Senior Designer, Chipman Design Architecture
Alessandro Legnani, Senior Retail Architect, Timberland
Onifur Garcia, Senior Interior Designer, c8studio Design Collective
Alyssa Taylor, Designer, MG2/The Lionesque Group
Elliott Mitchell, Associate, Gensler
Katie Hood, Interior Designer, Bergmeyer
Jowita K. Abbott, Senior Interior Designer, IA Interior Architects