Evan Petragnani is an experiential designer for Tinsel Experiential Design. He's based in New York. A quote from his nomination: "He is a hungry young professional that constantly pushes himself to do and learn more. He never settles for just the job as written on paper."
How he spends his days: "In the events world, there really is no typical workday. Daily challenges, new methods of design, and problem-solving situations are what keep my day to day in the industry interesting. When I’m designing client projects, I spend my workday doing anything from creative brainstorming to creating renders, going on site visits, getting to know my clients, and building relationships with a network of amazing creatives. I try to be as hands-on as possible, which is why you’ll always find me helping out or styling on site for my projects. Outside of client work, I spend most of my time researching what's new in the design world and what's happening within the industry.
Searching for and finding inspiration is my favorite part of being a designer. It always feels rewarding to hold onto a specific concept, material palette, or idea I have been inspired by and wait for the right project to come along—one that I can properly apply it to. Finding that connection between a source of inspiration and the right project is always an exciting and fulfilling moment."
Impact he wants to have on the industry: "There’s definitely a lot of work to do within the industry, whether that’s through a social, political, or environmental lens. I’m always looking for new ways to create more impactful design conversations, stay up to date on sustainable practices, and create safe and inclusive event environments for anyone.
As much as I find inspiration from the leaders of the experiential and fashion design industries, I’m continuously fascinated by the aesthetics, techniques, and concepts of new, young designers. If I could only have one impact on the industry, it would definitely be to create a better space and platform for young designers to develop and take ownership of their creative ideas and power. Inspiring and kick-starting the careers of these next-generation designers is integral to the future of the industry."
Career goals: "I’d like to continue my design career path by pushing the boundaries of the experiential world. It’s an interesting time in the industry with new tech advances, and I’m excited to see how they can be implemented in future work.
I see myself working toward a creative director position that allows me to remain tied to the conceptual phase and design process—that’s very important to me. It’d be a dream to design experiential runway environments for luxury fashion brands."
Advice for his peers: "Find your fun, weird, personal niche of the design world and stick with it. Don’t be afraid to use your creativity for something that hasn’t been done before, or may be misunderstood by a larger crowd. Know your worth, and use your creativity for something that makes you feel fulfilled."
How he spends his free time: "I spend my free time trying to travel and see concerts as much as possible. I’ll always love living in the city, but I try to escape Brooklyn on the weekends to go on hikes or day trips with friends. I feel most at peace and inspired when I’m in nature. If I’m in the city, I’m usually at home working on my art, trying new recipes in the kitchen, or planting flowers on my balcony with my dog, Donatella."
