PAVE Announces Student Design Winners

The Planning and Visual Education Partnership (PAVE, Hollywood, Fla.) will award $21,000 in grants to students and $6000 in school awards based on the winning entries of its 2011 Student Design Competition.

Judging took place Nov. 15, 2011, at Sephora's offices in San Francisco. The winners of the 2011 Student Design Competition include:

Visual Merchandising Category:

-First Place: Natasha Melo, FIT/Fashion Institute of Technology

– Second Place: Joanna Chen, University of Cincinnati

– Third Place: Florence Tang, FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising

Store Design Category:

– First Place: Liz Baverman, University of Cincinnati

– Second Place: Kayla Reinbold, University of Cincinnati

– Third Place: Tracey Wright, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

– Honorable Mention: Sarah Hitchcock, University of Nebraska at Lincoln; Lily Parker, University College Falmouth; Rajiv Patel, Art Institute of Atlanta; Diana Stercula, University of Cincinnati; Hope Talley, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; and Carrie Zwisler, Colorado State University

The school awards for students placing in the top three of each category will go to the University of Cincinnati ($3000), FIT/Fashion Institute of Technology ($1000), FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising ($1000) and University of North Carolina at Greensboro ($1000).

“I was incredibly impressed with the caliber of the student submissions in terms of both the thought invested in the strategic framework of their work and the ultimate visualization of each concept,” says Paul Loux, vp, design for Sephora. “It's invigorating and thought-provoking to see the fresh perspective on our brand. It's equally exciting to know that the future of our industry will thrive in the hands of the impressive talents developing at the educational level.”

This year's competition drew a record-breaking 495 entries, including 429 in the overall store design category and 66 in the visual merchandising category.

Judges for the 2011 competition included: Jason Arth, Director, Store Design, Sephora, San Francisco; Barry Bourbon, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Studio Director, Gensler, San Francisco; Christian Davies, Executive Creative Director, Americas, Fitch, Columbus; Barbara Emerson, Vice President, Store Design, Sephora, San Francisco; Denny Gerdeman, CEO, Chute Gerdeman, Columbus; John Giacomazzi, Senior Director, Visual Merchandising, Sephora, San Francisco; Rebecca Huston, Principle, Strategy, Huen, Portland; Paul O. Loux, Vice President, Design, Sephora, San Francisco; Bob Welty, Executive Director, Design & Brand, WD Partners, San Francisco; and Craig Wollen, Principal, Creative Director, Huen, Portland.