Young Designers Talk Empathy And Innovation At 30/30 National Conference

Nearly 60 young designers gathered at THE MART in Chicago for Interior Design‘s 30/30 National Conference November 2-4, 2025. The three-day event, which celebrates designers under the age of 30 who are pushing the industry forward, offers attendees an opportunity to connect with design experts, top manufacturers, and their peers while exploring the many showrooms throughout the storied locale.

With alumni from Interior Design‘s prestigious 30/30 cohort as well as new applicants from additional cities, this year’s conference attendees prove the future of design is most definitely bright—a sentiment echoed by Interior Design Editor-in-Chief Cindy Allen while hosting the NEXT Awards—the grand finale of the 30/30 National Conference—which honor a select group of young designers for their leadership and innovation.

Throughout the conference, attendees were treated to thought-provoking sessions that challenged the group to think big—and small—leaning into the personal. Kicking off the event, AJ Paron, SANDOW Design Group EVP and design futurist, offered a keynote titled “Design Empathy: Building Resiliency with Changing Norms,” during which she stressed the importance of designing for people with various sensory needs—and the life-changing impact that design can have when approached with intention.

Day two began with an energizing talk on “The Architecture of Impact” by Brant Menswar, founder and chief Sheep Black Sheep Foundry, examining decision drivers like core values and authenticity. ThinkLab founder and president, Amanda Schneider, rounded out the day with an engaging workshop for attendees about must-knows for building a design career as well as a special, research-driven session for event partners titled: “Gen Z and How to Best Reach Designers in this New Age.”

But the event offered plenty of time for unstructured conversation, too. Emerging designers explored a lively tabletop showcase featuring innovative products from top brands and took part in 11 guided tours through showrooms at THE MART. Along the way, they built meaningful connections with manufacturers and fellow creatives. The excitement continued at networking gatherings—including 17 sponsor-designer dinners and a special Haworth + Tuohy Chicago-themed progressive dinner—where attendees could relax, mingle, and soak up inspiration, ensuring that with each passing year, the community of 30/30 designers continues to grow.

Highlights from the 30/30 National Conference at THE MART

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A very special thank you to our event partners: Turf, Formica, Stylex, Nichiha, Allsteel, Williams Sonoma, Inc B2B, Patcraft, Rockfon, Momentum Textiles, Artistic Tile, Behr, Arktura, Dedon/Gloster, KI, Interface, Caesarstone, OFS, Tuohy, Mizzeto, Kimball International, Garden on The Wall, Mannington Commercial, Haworth, Nucraft, and RBW.