Retailers, designers, and industry suppliers gathered at PAVE’s 13th Annual Gala at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City to celebrate and show their support for the future of the retail design industry. The Gala event drew a crowd of over 470 influential retailers, designers, and industry suppliers from companies including Macy’s, Godiva, Target, Sony Electronics Inc., Shopko, Chute Gerdeman Retail, Bergmeyer Associates, Gensler, TPG Architecture, FRCH Design Worldwide, J. Crew, Miss Jackson's, and many others. The event raised over $100,000 for PAVE’s educational programs. Eleven students with winning projects in the Student Design Competition and eight educators were able to attend the event through seats donated by industry companies.

Following a cocktail reception, guests were seated for dinner and the awards ceremony. During the awards presentation, PAVE recognized the winners of this year’s PAVE Student Design Competition, sponsored by Macy’s, awarding $22,000 in grants to students and schools. For a complete list of student and school recipients, click here (link: . The PAVE 2009 Helping Hand Fund grant of $15,000 was awarded to the University of Memphis to develop a retail lighting lab.

Other awards presented at the Gala included:

DDI Winning Windows Awards for the top holiday store windows in New York, presented by DDI
Platinum Award – Bergdorf Goodman
Gold Award – Macy’s Herald Square
Silver Award – Bloomingdale’s

Rising Star Award, presented by PAVE
PAVE presented the second annual Rising Star Award to Travis Burnham, senior manger of creative services for J. Crew. For complete Rising Star award details, click here

Excellence in Visual Merchandising and Design awards, honoring retail design excellence in New York City, presented by VMSD
The 2009 winners were Bloomingdale’s, Paul Stuart, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

To view and purchase images from the 2009 PAVE Gala, please click here. Enter PAVE2009 in the white box on the Access Your Event Screen and then select enter. You will then be asked to enter your email address and first name before viewing the images.

Photos by 5th Avenue Digital

Past PAVE Galas

2009 PAVE GALA SPONSORS (as of Nov. 13, 2009)
Flagship Sponsor
Corporate Sponsor, Student Design Competition
Specialty Sponsors
Boutique Sponsors
Adco Signs of NJ Inc.	Godiva Chocolatier Inc.
Architectural Systems Inc.	Goldsmith
A.R.E.	Holiday Image/Holiday Pro
Artitalia Group	JP Metal America Inc.
B&N Industries	Lifestyle/Trimco
BUDGET INTERIORS	Megavision
CGI/Mockshop	Process Displays
coloredge-Retail Visual Group/shasty inc.	Robelan Display
Crown Metal Manufacturing Co.	Shopko
Design Compendium	Sony Electronics Inc.
DK Display	Sparks Custom Retail
Ébénisterie Norclair Inc.	Susan Kinney Ltd. /Bernstein Display
Elevations Inc.	Universal Display & Design USA
EurOptimum Display Corp.	Transit Culture R.A.A.
Fleetwood Fixtures	Van Stry Design
Fusion Specialties Inc.	Vira Manufacturing Inc.

Founded in 1992, The Planning and Visual Education Partnership’s (PAVE) objective is to support students studying in the field of retail design and planning and visual merchandising through its annual Student Design Competition. PAVE also seeks to encourage retail management, store planners, visual merchandisers, architects and manufacturers to interact with and support design students. This is accomplished through projects, seminars, workshops, and the annual fundraising Gala with proceeds dedicated to educational programs and projects benefiting students. PAVE is a 501(c)(3) educational foundation administered by A.R.E.