The Design Exchange is excited to announce the inaugural EMERGING DESIGNER COMPETITION, an amazing national competition that seeks to provide an unparalleled opportunity for emerging Canadian designers to gain recognition and exposure, while celebrating the immense and diverse design talent in Canada!

JURY

The Emerging Designer Competition jury is comprised of design and business heavy weights and will be judged in two stages.

TIER 2

Douglas Coupland (Novelist, Visual Artist and Designer)

A Canadian novelist, visual artist and designer, Douglas is unafraid to embrace a range of creative outlets to express his ideas. He has published 13 novels, a collection of short stories, seven nonfiction books, and a number of dramatic works and screenplays for film and television. He has also designed several works of public art throughout Canada. In 1998 he designed a furniture line produced by Pure Design, and in 2010 he collaborated with Roots Canada on a fashion collection consisting of clothing, furniture, art, sculpture, retail spaces, and an installation in the Colette boutique in Paris.

Heather Reisman (Indigo Book + Music)

Heather Reisman is the founder, Chair and CEO of Indigo Books & Music Inc., Canada’s largest book, gift and specialty toy retailer, and co-founder of Kobo, a leading global eReading company. For much of her life, Heather has had a true passion for the world of design – engaging both professionally and personally with leading interior and graphic designers and architects whenever the opportunity has been present.

Marcel Wanders (Marcel Wanders Studio NL)

Marcel Wanders is a product and interior designer who drew international recognition for his Knotted Chair produced by Droog Design in 1996. His work is ubiquitous; he designs for leading international companies such as Flos, Alessi, Puma, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, MAC Cosmetics, Cappellini, B&B Italia, Moroso and Target. Wanders also designs for architectural projects, such as the Kameha Grand hotel in Bonn, the Mondrian South Beach hotel in Miami, the Villa Moda store in Bahrain and the Andaz Amsterdam. In addition to running his studio, Wanders is co-founder and Artistic Director of the successful design label Moooi (2001).

TIER 1

John Tong (+tongtong)

John has won numerous design awards and earned international recognition. His work has been featured in publications and books and has exhibited at the Venice Biennale, MOMA, CAA in Montreal, Design Exchange and The Interior Design Show. He is on the advisory board for Institute without Boundaries and on the board of directors for The Toronto Theatre Centre. Prior to establishing +tongtong, John was designer and co founding principal of the design firm 3rd Uncle design inc. from 1993 to 2012.

Omer Arbel (Bocci/Omer Arbel Office)

Arbel leads OAO (Omer Arbel Offce), a multidisciplinary design practice active within the traditionally defined fields of building, industrial design, craft, invention and materials research. The office is structured to explore the possibilities inherent in blurring the boundaries between these fields. Notable works include a celebrated house called 23.2 and, with Corrine Hunt, the design of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Medals.

Arbel acts as Creative Director for the Design and Manufacturing company Bocci. Bocci’s focus is to develop open ended manufacturing procedures derived from material properties and fabrication methodology, resulting in different form in each iteration of the procedure.

Both companies have achieved near instant critical and commercial success, and position Arbel as a young voice within the international design community.

Patty Johnson (Patty Johnson Design)

Patty Johnson is a Canadian designer who is interested in the interchange between research, design, commerce and culture. She collaborates with start-ups, manufacturers, governments, and other designers in creating unique design programs and product collections. Although based in Toronto, she has expanded her studio to combine the strengths of complimentary groups to build new linkages, new cultures and new ideas.

Philippe Meunier (Sid Lee)

As co-founder and Creative Chief of Sid Lee, Philippe oversees all the creative output for major international clients including adidas, Cirque du Soleil and Red Bull. His diverse role also involves recruiting fresh talent from schools around the world. These experiences inspired Philippe to set up The Bootcamp—a multidisciplinary, creative experience where recruits spend 10 days immersed in all things creative.

Sunny Fong (VAWK)

In 2004, Fong launched his label VAWK, based on the phonetic spelling of a Sanskrit word meaning ‘of divine creativity,’ with the intent to create a luxury women’s wear line exclusively hand crafted in Canada. His ability to conceptualize ideas, emotions and stories on paper and translate them into a collection was met with praise for its exquisite tailoring, strong silhouettes and the intricacy of detailing throughout the line showcasing in fashion shows. Currently selling in The Room, at The Bay, VAWK continues to impress with its exquisite detail as a hand crafted Canadian luxury brand.

For more information please contact the competition coordinator at 416.216.2138 or education@dx.org