Westweek's Genevieve Morrill and Whitney Sisler
Photo: Courtesy of the Pacific Design Center
Each year in early spring, thousands of design professionals flock to West Hollywood for Westweek, an internationally recognized trade show for the design industry. The Pacific Design Center plays host to this show, which kicked off Tuesday and officially concludes tonight, with some exhibits continuing through tomorrow and various others open to the public through May. In charge are PDC vice president Genevieve Morrill and director of marketing Whitney Sisler. This year marks Morrill’s ninth Westweek, and Sisler’s first.
How did this year's partnership with Architectural Digest come about, and what does it mean for Westweek?
Morrill: It’s our first time working with AD. Charles Cohen, the owner of the PDC, met with Paige Rense, editor in chief of AD, and they decided that it would be a very powerful strategic alliance. The program is the largest and strongest it’s ever been. One feature AD has brought is open auditions: It is the first time that we’ve had an opportunity to bring in new emerging designers who want to showcase their work to AD editors with the hopes of being published. It’s like American Idol for designers.
Sisler: There are some exhibits that have never been shown before—like the Harry Benson exhibit, his first large show in Los Angeles. He is the premier, iconic photographer in many ways but hasn’t really enjoyed the name acclaim in the past. And AD has brought the Oscar greenroom to the PDC and re-created it in its entirety. That’s something nobody gets to see [except] the celebrities, right before they hit the [Oscar stage].Tell me about your collaboration with MOCA.
Morrill: That relationship is eight years old. We had a gallery here on the plaza that was built 1988. That gallery sat dormant for a long time, and when Charles Cohen bought the PDC in 1999, he created [an opportunity for] MOCA to come in and have a satellite gallery that focuses on art, architecture, and design.
Sisler: Our on-site museum is a major partner of Westweek and the PDC. This year, they are hosting an architecture exhibit and selections from their permanent collection. This is the first-ever curated exhibition by Brooke Hodge, MOCA’s vice president of architecture and design.
What are some new features of Westweek 2008?
Sisler: Partnering with AD is one of the biggest features. It has this incredible life that we’re all seeing, and the energy around the building is fantastic. We have more focus on green design, every market has a different theme, and our real theme is Hollywood glamour.
Morrill: We broke ground on the Red building. Last Westweek featured the anticipation of the Red building; this time, the designers will actually drive into the building and see the progress of the construction.
Have you faced any significant challenges or obstacles?
Sisler: I think our biggest challenge, logistically, would be parking. It's more of a challenge because we’re full now—the PDC is 95 percent occupied. The city of West Hollywood has helped us acquire some additional parking spots. Cedars-Sinai [hospital] has provided us additional parking lots. We are providing valet, and we’re going to fit everybody in.
Westweek 2007 included a gallery of eco-friendly ideas from the American Society of Interior Designers. What green initiatives are you featuring this year?
Morrill: Certainly in California, there are little things we can do to change our life, and it can be in design. A.S.I.D. has come back this year to re-create its "Green Gallery" with different partners. Some of the features this year are sustainable bedding, sustainable mattresses, sustainable paint—Benjamin Moore just launched a new green paint line.
How do you choose panelists and exhibitors to showcase for Westweek?
Morrill: Programs have to be significant in terms of caliber of speaker, and have to have a draw for people to attend. Magazines and showrooms present to Whitney. She looks at those programs to see if we have a good flow and balance of topics to our program. Whitney’s really the filter that defines what we end up with. This year is a little different because of the exclusive relationship with AD—they are pulling from their top 100 [AD's editorial selection of top design professionals]. These are top designers who have a draw.
What are some of your favorite events within Westweek?
Morrill: The "Stars of Design" award ceremony. I like it because it’s a really clean event that allows the recipients of the award to speak, talk about what they love about the industry, and show some of their work, within an hour.
What are some of the trends featured at Westweek that might influence events this year?
Morrill: Our theme is Hollywood glamour. It’s all about how to make luxury comfortable. There was a while when design was all about the look, not comfort. It was more about form, and now it’s more about comfort.
Sisler: Eco-friendly design. We hear about it, but once we really see it [applied], like here at Westweek, we [are sure to] see it elsewhere.
How did this year's partnership with Architectural Digest come about, and what does it mean for Westweek?
Morrill: It’s our first time working with AD. Charles Cohen, the owner of the PDC, met with Paige Rense, editor in chief of AD, and they decided that it would be a very powerful strategic alliance. The program is the largest and strongest it’s ever been. One feature AD has brought is open auditions: It is the first time that we’ve had an opportunity to bring in new emerging designers who want to showcase their work to AD editors with the hopes of being published. It’s like American Idol for designers.
Sisler: There are some exhibits that have never been shown before—like the Harry Benson exhibit, his first large show in Los Angeles. He is the premier, iconic photographer in many ways but hasn’t really enjoyed the name acclaim in the past. And AD has brought the Oscar greenroom to the PDC and re-created it in its entirety. That’s something nobody gets to see [except] the celebrities, right before they hit the [Oscar stage].Tell me about your collaboration with MOCA.
Morrill: That relationship is eight years old. We had a gallery here on the plaza that was built 1988. That gallery sat dormant for a long time, and when Charles Cohen bought the PDC in 1999, he created [an opportunity for] MOCA to come in and have a satellite gallery that focuses on art, architecture, and design.
Sisler: Our on-site museum is a major partner of Westweek and the PDC. This year, they are hosting an architecture exhibit and selections from their permanent collection. This is the first-ever curated exhibition by Brooke Hodge, MOCA’s vice president of architecture and design.
What are some new features of Westweek 2008?
Sisler: Partnering with AD is one of the biggest features. It has this incredible life that we’re all seeing, and the energy around the building is fantastic. We have more focus on green design, every market has a different theme, and our real theme is Hollywood glamour.
Morrill: We broke ground on the Red building. Last Westweek featured the anticipation of the Red building; this time, the designers will actually drive into the building and see the progress of the construction.
Have you faced any significant challenges or obstacles?
Sisler: I think our biggest challenge, logistically, would be parking. It's more of a challenge because we’re full now—the PDC is 95 percent occupied. The city of West Hollywood has helped us acquire some additional parking spots. Cedars-Sinai [hospital] has provided us additional parking lots. We are providing valet, and we’re going to fit everybody in.
Westweek 2007 included a gallery of eco-friendly ideas from the American Society of Interior Designers. What green initiatives are you featuring this year?
Morrill: Certainly in California, there are little things we can do to change our life, and it can be in design. A.S.I.D. has come back this year to re-create its "Green Gallery" with different partners. Some of the features this year are sustainable bedding, sustainable mattresses, sustainable paint—Benjamin Moore just launched a new green paint line.
How do you choose panelists and exhibitors to showcase for Westweek?
Morrill: Programs have to be significant in terms of caliber of speaker, and have to have a draw for people to attend. Magazines and showrooms present to Whitney. She looks at those programs to see if we have a good flow and balance of topics to our program. Whitney’s really the filter that defines what we end up with. This year is a little different because of the exclusive relationship with AD—they are pulling from their top 100 [AD's editorial selection of top design professionals]. These are top designers who have a draw.
What are some of your favorite events within Westweek?
Morrill: The "Stars of Design" award ceremony. I like it because it’s a really clean event that allows the recipients of the award to speak, talk about what they love about the industry, and show some of their work, within an hour.
What are some of the trends featured at Westweek that might influence events this year?
Morrill: Our theme is Hollywood glamour. It’s all about how to make luxury comfortable. There was a while when design was all about the look, not comfort. It was more about form, and now it’s more about comfort.
Sisler: Eco-friendly design. We hear about it, but once we really see it [applied], like here at Westweek, we [are sure to] see it elsewhere.
