Pratt Institute, a global leader in higher education, welcomed luminaries of the packaging, design and fashion industries to its Art of Packaging Gala, which celebrates excellence in packaging design. The gala was held June 18th at a private club in Manhattan and raised funds for the Marc Rosen Scholarship Fund for Packaging by Design at Pratt Institute, the world’s only scholarship for master’s degree-level students looking to pursue careers in cosmetics and packaging design.
The event was hosted by model and actress Carol Alt, and marks the 30th anniversary of the scholarship. In 2015, the fund established two full tuition scholarships focused on beauty packaging and design, the only one of its kind among higher education design institutions. To date, more than $4 million has been raised to fund scholarships and awards to more than 120 Pratt students, many of whom have become industry leaders. Jaynne Keyes, Appointee to the New York State Council on the Arts also presented Marc Rosen with a special proclamation of commendation from the Governor of New York for Marc’s continuing efforts to promote and enrich the NY culture and art communities.
Jane Lauder, Global Brand President at Clinique, was presented with the Art of Packaging Award by Estee Lauder Executive Group President John Demsey, for her outstanding commitment to package design. The Art of Packaging Award is presented annually to a beauty industry company or individual that has excelled in the art form of package design.
Jane Lauder/Clinique joins previous recipients including Aramis & Designer Fragrances, Estée Lauder, Avon, Bath & Body Works, Calvin Klein, Coty Inc., Coty Prestige, Dior Beauty, Interparfums, Lancôme, M·A·C, Mary Kay Inc., P&G Prestige, Procter & Gamble, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Shiseido, and others.
Additional special guests at the Art of Packaging Award Gala included Shining Sung, American Representative of the Chi Mei Museum of Taiwan; Pratt Institute President Frances Bronet; Philippe Delouvrier, Trustee at Connelly Foundation, and his wife, Carole Delouvrier; President and CEO at The Catholic Foundation of Long Island, Mark Ackerman; Susan Gutfreund, philanthropist and interior decorator, author, publisher and media executive; Randy Jones, and his wife, Connie Jones, and many others.
Marc Rosen’s cosmetics and fragrance packaging design course at Pratt Institute has attracted hundreds of students from around the world. The department that houses it, Graduate Communications Design, is part of Pratt Institute’s School of Design and was ranked as one of the top graduate graphic design programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report and collegecrunch.org.
This masters-level program comprises a broad-based curriculum in new product and package development, with courses in packaging design, brand development, visual communications, digital technology, marketing and structural packaging. The final stage of the program is the thesis, which, over two semesters, gives students an opportunity to develop an extensive and innovative project. The Graduate Communications and Package Design Department is chaired by Santiago Piedrafita.
The Hampton Designer Showhouse, the showcase for America’s premier design talent, kicked off with a Kickoff Party on Tuesday, June 18 at the Theodore Alexander showroom in New York City. Now in its 19th year, the Showhouse will open with a Gala Preview Cocktail Party on Saturday, July 20. Jamie Drake and Alexa Hampton are the Honorary Design Co-Chairmen.
Proceeds will benefit Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Southampton, NY. Traditional Home magazine is the Presenting Sponsor, Saunders & Associates is the Exclusive Real Estate Sponsor, PURIST is the Regional Magazine Sponsor, and Kohler Co. and Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove are the Design Sponsor.
The Showhouse will feature top interior designers and decorative artists from the Hamptons, New York City and nationwide. This year’s Showhouse takes place in magnificent Hampton home in Southampton, New York that have been generously donated by Paramount Custom Homes. The Showhouse Boutiques will be provided by Susan’s Jewelry.
The Hampton Designer Showhouse opens with a Gala Preview Cocktail Party at the Showhouse on Saturday, July 20 from 6:00pm – 8:30pm and will be open to the public Sunday, July 21 through Labor Day, Monday, September 2. Showhouse hours will be as follows: Monday through Sunday, 11:00am – 5:00pm (last admission 30 minutes before closing). Children six and under, infants, strollers and pets are not admitted in the Showhouse. Admission to the Showhouse is $40 and includes the Showhouse Journal. Gala tickets are $225 each.
For more information on the Showhouse and to purchase tickets, visit www.hamptondesignershowhouse.com
On June 18, The Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC) celebrated New York City nature at their annual fundraiser. With 200 guests at India House in lower Manhattan, the organization also honored the retirement of their co-founder Bram Gunther from his 29-year career at NYC Parks. Mr. Gunther was toasted by Mitchell Silver (NYC Parks Commissioner), Sarah Charlop-Powers (Natural Areas Conservancy executive director and co-founder), and Adrian Benepe (board chair). Honorary co-chairs for the event were Andrew Wallach, Peggy Yannas, and Ross Haberman, and recently elected board members Clark Mitchell, Marcia Bystryn, and Veronica White also attended.
Ms. Charlop-Powers spoke about the importance of the NAC’s work in the face of increasing threats from climate change and species extinction. To fulfill their mission to restore and conserve New York City’s 20,000 acres of forests and coastal areas, the Natural Areas Conservancy provides pro bono consulting to non-profits to manage their forests (including the Riverside Park Conservancy, New York Botanical Garden, Wildlife Conservation Society, and others), trains CUNY students in conservation, and develops tools to help forests adapt to climate change.
To share (and learn) practices from other cities, the NAC recently released a report on wild urban forests across the U.S. and will host 12 American cities at a workshop this October. The NAC also celebrated this year’s progress on their long-term management framework for NYC’s 7,300 acres of forests.
More information about the organization’s work and their upcoming events in parks is available at naturalareasnyc.org, and their map of New York City’s parkland forests and wetlands is also online.
The organization will host an event this fall featuring women leaders in conservation.
Photographs by Kevin Lau for Business of Home (Showhouse); Barry Williams/AnnieWatt.com (NAC).
