Last week, DLN Members and Partners gathered at LEGENDS in Los Angeles to celebrate California: The Golden State of Design. The three-day event series showcased informative conversations with several of the country’s leading architects and designers. In honor of LEGENDS, the DLN hosted an exclusive cocktail party at the San Vicente Bungalows, an Appleton Partners-designed social club surrounded by California pepper and espalier kumquat trees, with interior environments referencing midcentury West Hollywood glamour.
Michael Boodro moderated a LEGENDS session with DLN Members Andrea Michaelson, Michele Trout, and Marc Appleton to explore the theme, “Seeing is Believing: Why Travel Still Matters.” Panel guests revealed their favorite global shopping resources and travel destinations—from ancient sites and historic houses to lush gardens and natural wonders—and explained how encountering new places informs their work. To see their recommendations, check out the “Seeing is Believing” collection in the DLN’s newly revamped Insiders Guide.
For designers interested in launching their own product lines, DLN Members Nina Magon and Laurie Salmore joined Erinn Valencich, Mat Sanders, and moderator Jennifer Quail of aspire design and home for an illuminating discussion on licensing. DLN Members Madeline Stuart, Adam Hunter, and Suzanne Tucker, along with Kevin Isbell, provided frank, insightful perspectives on how to handle challenging client requests at Marc Phillips. Lindsey Shook of California Home+Design led DLN Member Serena Dugan as well as Alison Pickart, Ariel Kaye, and Katy Polsby in a conversation about their success on the California design scene.
“This year’s LEGENDS was a terrific example of the design community coming together against the odds, despite uncertainty due to Covid and packed schedules,” says Michael Diaz-Griffith, Executive Director & COO of the DLN. “On a personal level, I loved getting to know our West Coast members, and at each event I attend I am struck anew by the warmth, supportiveness, and talent of our community. I look forward to returning soon and also to seeing everybody in Rome!”