The Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) has reached out to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) class of 2011 to design the EDPA stand for EuroShop 2011. FIT offers a Masters Degree in Exhibit Design. Concepts were presented by 19 students for consideration. EDPA Gold sponsors Octanorm and Fabric Images agreed to fabricate the winning design, and additional Platinum sponsors donated materials and time to pull the stand design together.
In September, Jeff Provost, EDPA director, and Larry Kulchawik of 3D Exhibits Inc., met with the class to review the RFP that EDPA sent to FIT in late August. The requirements were as follows: Provide strong identity, provide a place to meet and greet, provide a private meeting room, and provide a storage room for storage and catering. Most importantly, the design had to create an environment and a process to communicate the benefits and value of being an EDPA member. After the presentation, the students immediately began on their design concepts with guidance from Brenda Cowen, program chairman, and Robin Drake, program instructor for FIT Exhibit Design staff.
In October, Jon Horn, Creative Director for 3D Exhibits, reviewed each of the student's preliminary designs to be certain they were on track with show regulations and were all "can do" ideas. "I was quite amazed to see how quickly the students grasped the concept, given this was their first time designing an exhibit," says Jon Horn. Three weeks later, the students made their final design presentations to the EDPA organizing committee, including Provost, EDPA president John Rose, Octanorm president Norm Friedrich, and Sam Lugiano of Fabric Images.
The winning design selected was submitted by FIT student Lesli Ann Chiu. The exhibit was then be detailed and manufactured with an EDPA partner in Germany. "As practicing professionals, we are enthusiastic and honored to help the students learn our business. They will soon be the future eyes and ears for our industry,” says Marco Alvarez, president of Fabric Images. EDPA will send Lesli Ann to Dusseldorf to see her creation and to experience the event first hand.
In addition to its work with FIT’s Masters program, EDPA also works closely with Bemidji State University’s undergrad exhibit design program. Scholarship money is set aside each year by the EDPA Foundation and offered to students at both schools to support and grow the industry.
Sixteen EDPA members, including EXHIBITOR, have signed on as “EDPA @ EuroShop” sponsors, and will collectively be represented in the EDPA stand (Hall 9, Stand #G75).
