Women in Design: Movers and Shakers
Spanish-born
Patricia Urquiola
left her native country to study and work with the famed Italian designer Achille Castiglioni. She went on to work for
Maddelena de Padova
and then
Piero Lissoni
where she became head of his design studio. In 2001, she opened her own office and has skyrocketed to fame with her vibrant furniture designs for
Driade
,
B&B Italia
,
Kartell
,
Flos
and
Moroso
, the company for which she is design director. Urquiola has created memorable interiors for the
Condesa
hotel in Mexico City and
Madarin Oriental
in Barcelona, among others
The Irish-born designer
Clodagh
started her firm in 1983 and has built a mini empire using cutting-edge materials and
feng shui
to create ecologically sensitive environments. She easily shifts among hospitality, commercial and residential projects (they include
Felissimo Design House
, Manhattan offices for
Elektra Entertainment Group
, the Tokyo offices of
Dentsu
, and the project that has given a new face to
Elizabeth Arden’s famed Red Door
on Fifth Avenue). She is especially known for her sensitive treatment of spas. She creates products for
Ann Sacks
,
Levolor
,
Kirsch
,
HBF
,
Visual Comfort
and
Tufenkian
. Last, but not least, she does brand identity packaging and graphics, most notably for
Awake Cosmetics
, a division of
Kose
, a Japanese cosmetics group.
Kelly Wearstler
has been famous ever since she started her business in 1995. Her style is sometimes likened to Hollywood Regency. Wearstler’s commercial career took off with her designs for the
Avalon Beverly Hills
, owned by her husband, Brad Korzen (they met when he hired her to design his house). Wearstler has steadily expanded her brand, designing everything from porcelain for
Pickard China
to a line of accessories for
Bergdorf Goodman
(she also designed Bergdorf’s BG restaurant). She currently does linens for
Sferra
, rugs for
The Rug Company
, and wall treatments for
Schumacher Co.
She was a judge on Bravo’s reality TV series,
Top Design
and has a line of clothing and a shop to go with it.
Barbara Barry
founded her Los Angeles-based firm in 1985 and is celebrated for her refined style, subdued but lush palette, graceful lines and delicate proportions. She is dedicated to detail: every element in her rooms inspires calm and tranquility. She has an A list of celebrity clients and her refined, painterly style has appealed to a host of manufacturers including
Baker
,
Henredon
,
HBF
,
McGuire Furniture
,
Boyd Lighting
,
Tufenkian
,
Kravet
,
Baccarat
and more. She also does contract design for
Brooks Brothers
‘ New York flagship and for the Avon Center Salon and spa in
Trump Tower
.