Women in Design: Movers and Shakers

Arlene Hirst -- Interior Design, 1/1/2013 2:41:00 PM

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Spanish-born Patricia Urquiola left her native country to study and work with the famed Italian designer Achille Castiglioni. She went on to work for Maddelena de Padova and then Piero Lissoni where she became head of his design studio. In 2001, she opened her own office and has skyrocketed to fame with her vibrant furniture designs for Driade, B&B Italia, Kartell, Flos and Moroso, the company for which she is design director. Urquiola has created memorable interiors for the Condesa hotel in Mexico City and Madarin Oriental in Barcelona, among others

The Irish-born designer Clodagh started her firm in 1983 and has built a mini empire using cutting-edge materials and feng shui to create ecologically sensitive environments. She easily shifts among hospitality, commercial and residential projects (they include Felissimo Design House, Manhattan offices for Elektra Entertainment Group, the Tokyo offices of Dentsu, and the project that has given a new face to Elizabeth Arden's famed Red Door on Fifth Avenue). She is especially known for her sensitive treatment of spas. She creates products for Ann Sacks, Levolor, Kirsch, HBF, Visual Comfort and Tufenkian. Last, but not least, she does brand identity packaging and graphics, most notably for Awake Cosmetics, a division of Kose, a Japanese cosmetics group.

Kelly Wearstler has been famous ever since she started her business in 1995. Her style is sometimes likened to Hollywood Regency. Wearstler's commercial career took off with her designs for the Avalon Beverly Hills, owned by her husband, Brad Korzen (they met when he hired her to design his house). Wearstler has steadily expanded her brand, designing everything from porcelain for Pickard China to a line of accessories for Bergdorf Goodman (she also designed Bergdorf's BG restaurant). She currently does linens for Sferra, rugs for The Rug Company, and wall treatments for Schumacher Co. She was a judge on Bravo's reality TV series, Top Design and has a line of clothing and a shop to go with it.

Barbara Barry founded her Los Angeles-based firm in 1985 and is celebrated for her refined style, subdued but lush palette, graceful lines and delicate proportions. She is dedicated to detail: every element in her rooms inspires calm and tranquility. She has an A list of celebrity clients and her refined, painterly style has appealed to a host of manufacturers including Baker, Henredon, HBF, McGuire Furniture, Boyd Lighting, Tufenkian, Kravet, Baccarat and more. She also does contract design for Brooks Brothers' New York flagship and for the Avon Center Salon and spa in Trump Tower.

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