29,363 Miles in 93 Days

Trade Show Blog

Katina Rigall, Designer

Katina Rigall, Designer

As of today, May 18, I have flown almost 30K miles in the last three months! This is definitely a personal record, and I am pretty sure I have “time zone whiplash.” I goggled it and no results, so apparently I’m the first one to coin that term.

I enjoy creating new concepts! It’s what I live for to be honest. All the trips I’ve taken as a representative of Classic Exhibits in 2014 have reinforced that passion:  from Dusseldorf for EuroShop in February, to Vegas for EXHIBITOR in March, and now NYC for the FIT Exhibition Design thesis presentations.

Can we talk about EuroShop for a second? How inspiring were the shapes, patterns, and designs that we saw there! It was amazing to see it in person, and I hope the pics I posted to our blog gave you the feeling you were walking the show halls right next to me. Several of you mentioned you felt that way when I saw you at EXHIBITOR, and it was a sincere honor to hear that feedback.

EuroShop Photos and Videos:

EuroShop_Day_4 (81)What stood out to me most from our EuroShop trip was the extreme contrast between the innovative designs at the show, and the Gothic cathedral in Cologne which Mel and I visited on our day off (we climbed all 533 steps to the top). Lest you think I don’t appreciate historical design, let me state for the record that I fell in love with art history so much I actually minored in it in college. I studied abroad multiple times and was lucky to study art and architecture and visit many cathedrals throughout Europe, and they are truly works of functional and beautiful art. From there I could have easily followed a career in teaching, curating, or even designing museum exhibitions…and really enjoyed it. But I’m so glad I did not go down that road, because what I do as an Exhibit Designer is focused on the future not the past. It’s about pushing limits, creating new trends, coming up with crazy ideas that might not have been possible to construct in the past, and using new technologies to make them a physical reality!

We’re so privileged that you, our distributors, put confidence in our Classic Design Department to help your clients push their booth spaces to ever advancing levels of design innovation. Mark my words, someday design students will have required reading about the important contributions of exhibit designers to the advancement of design as a whole!

Fashion Institute of Technology

Speaking of design studies, on Friday May 16, I was a guest judge for the Capstone event at my alma mater, FIT in New York City. It’s the only master’s degree program specifically for Exhibition Design. Capstone is a great event, very well attended each year by leaders in our industry, where the current crop of students present their thesis projects in preparation to graduate and join us in the working world. The program has come a long way since I graduated in 2007, and it’s very much because of the amazing director Brenda Cowan. I could write a whole blog about what her mentoring has meant to me.

The student work was worth the trip across country! I’m so amazed at the level of creativity, the conceptualizing ability of the students. Exhibition design is so interdisciplinary, involving graphic/industrial/interior design, in addition to all the research and planning that go into a project, AND the final presentation is a work of art itself! It brought me back to the days of two hours of sleep each night for weeks on end. It’s an intense program, but these students can be proud of what they’ve accomplished.

Congratulations to each one. Being an exhibit designer is something to be excited about. And not only that, it’s important work. We can look forward to many good things from these newly minted exhibit designers!

Katina Rigall
katina@classicexhibits.com

Filter by Category

Filter by Year

Recent Posts

Six Reasons to Blog in 202X

With the proliferation of video, blogging may seem quaint, even old fashion. And yet, we continue to post blogs 4-6 times per month. So, I asked Kris Asleson, the chief strategist at Flyrise (our SEO partner), why blogging is still important.

The Complete Guide to Trade Show Services (Offsite & Onsite)

Onsite trade show services include all services available at the show site. Contractors typically provide these services for show management. Turnkey services are particularly valuable for first-time exhibitors, companies with limited internal resources, or those participating in numerous shows where efficiency and consistency are paramount.

What You Should Know about Trade Show Exhibit Budgeting

Companies should define a workable exhibit marketing budget, one that includes all related costs. However, the line between marketing expenses and exhibit marketing expenses can be somewhat fuzzy. You will want to create a well-defined budget that separates them.

The Top 10 Design Mistakes of Trade Show Graphics

You decided on your new trade show display . . . but you’re not done yet. Now, it’s time to design the graphics. You want AMAZING!. Below are 10 tips to consider when designing your next trade show graphics.

If Puppies Ran Trade Shows and Events

The following are 11 reasons why our lives would be better if puppies ran trade shows and events. To the ferret, goldfish, and lizard owners, you’re on your own.

If Kittens Ran Trade Shows and Events

If kittens ran trade shows and events, experience would be respected, every booth would have toys, two hours naps would be mandatory, and everyone would be cute and adorable. And we would all trust our instincts.

Baseball Terms for the Trade Show Industry

Baseball season is upon us once again. That means it’s time to refresh yourself with our BASEBALL TERMS – CLASSIC STYLE! Whichever team you root for please keep in mind these three non-bendable rules:

“I’ll Know It When I See It” — Every Designer’s Nightmare

For Exhibit and Graphic Designers, delivering a design that meets all the client’s needs — functionally, aesthetically, and fiscally — is the ultimate goal. But . . . that doesn’t mean the process is always flawless. Here are a few “Design Red Flags” from a Designer’s perspective which can delay the process (and increase your design fees).

What You Should Know as a New Exhibit Buyer

For the sake of simplicity, let’s assume that exhibit marketing is a new experience. Exhibit marketing is certainly not rocket science. You don’t need a marketing degree to be successful at exhibit marketing. However, it helps to get advice so you make the right decisions.

10 Tips for Designing Large Format Graphics for Trade Shows

Most designers rarely design a layout larger than a corporate booklet or perhaps a 20″ x 30″ poster. Designing for large format, like trade show graphics, is actually quite simple once you know the basic steps. All it takes is a leap of faith… and trust in my advice.

Trade Shows and the Desire to Change

Are trade shows are relevant? Is there a future for industry trade shows? Are companies willing to spend their valuable marketing dollars building a temporary structure just to attract new customers or meet with existing ones?

A Trade Show Exhibitor Walks into a Bar

A Trade Show Exhibitor walks into a bar and says to the bartender, “I’ve never been in a bar before, but a friend suggested I try the 20 x 20 Booth Space.” “That’s a very popular drink,” says the bartender, “especially with my regular customers.

Buying a Trade Show Exhibit? Ten “Must Ask” Questions

It’s common to express remorse after a big ticket purchase. Typically when the purchase is infrequent, such as a home, car, or expensive equipment. Buying a trade show exhibit is that type of purchase, especially an inline or island exhibit for a large trade show. .