PAVE Global is pleased to announce the winners of the 29th Annual International Student Design Competition, sponsored by Ulta Beauty. This prestigious competition drew entries from 107 educational institutions across 28 countries, representing one of the most diverse pools of participants in the competition's history. The challenge tasked students to evolve the in-store customer experience to exceed Gen-Z expectations of what it means to discover at Ulta Beauty.
Congratulations to the Top 3 Finalists. Each winning submission will be awarded $5,000 (shared between collaborators for team entries), with an additional $1,000 granted to their respective schools:
Abdul Qadir and Zoha Uppal - COMSATS University Islamabad
Annalise Phillips - Middle Tennessee State University
Gemma Cullen and Payton Dooley - Appalachian State University
Additionally, Honorable Mention recognition goes to:
Lena Janiszewski and Nayira Tchiroyan - California State University, Long Beach
Top 3 Finalist | Project by Annalise Phillips - Middle Tennessee State University
"Ulta Beauty has been so impressed with the caliber of the student design submissions. The talent on display, both in strategic thinking and design expression, will inspire our brand and retail design thinking. And as a brand, it's invaluable to see the fresh perspective on our experience, from one of our most valued consumer groups, no less. It was a daunting task to select the winners from such well-considered work," said Paul Loux, Vice President of Store Design & Experience, Ulta Beauty.
The Top 3 Finalists will be honored at the upcoming PAVE Gala in New York City, where they will be recognized for their outstanding achievements alongside industry leaders.
Top 3 Finalist | Project by Gemma Cullen and Payton Dooley - Appalachian State University
PAVE Global extends its deepest gratitude to Ulta Beauty for their generous sponsorship and continued commitment to nurturing the next generation of retail design talent. Their support has been instrumental in making this competition possible and providing valuable opportunities for emerging designers.
The competition, which promotes "real-world" design experience, was open to both undergraduate and graduate-level students globally, representing institutions from North America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. Through a rigorous blind, multi-stage review process, entries were evaluated by an esteemed panel of judges from across the retail design industry.
Top 3 Finalist | Project by Abdul Qadir and Zoha Uppal - COMSATS University Islamabad
PAVE Global would like to thank our distinguished judges for their dedication and expertise:
Cindi Kato, Arcadis
Duncan Clifford, Ulta Beauty
Emily Peckhart, Ulta Beauty
Kevin Vuong, Capri Holdings
MaryAlice Hughes, Ulta Beauty
Meg Wason, Ulta Beauty
Michael Daddario, Ulta Beauty
Nathan Pence, Ulta Beauty
Paul Loux, Ulta Beauty
Rebekah Sigfrids, Bank of America
Simone Petronio, Ulta Beauty
Tomomi Marzan, The Bicester Collection
For more information about PAVE Global and future competitions, please visit www.paveglobal.org.
Honorable Mention | Project by Lena Janiszewski and Nayira Tchiroyan - California State University, Long Beach
About Ulta Beauty
At Ulta Beauty, the possibilities are beautiful. Ulta Beauty is the largest U.S. beauty retailer and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin care products, hair care products and salon services. In 1990, the Company reinvented the beauty retail experience by offering a new way to shop for beauty – bringing together All Things Beauty, All in One Place®. Today, Ulta Beauty operates 1,374 retail stores across 50 states and also distributes its products through its website, which includes a collection of tips, tutorials, and social content. For more information, visit https://www.ulta.com.
About PAVE Global
Founded in 1992 as The Planning and Visual Education Partnership, PAVE Global is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, with all proceeds benefitting PAVE’s educational programs. The organization enables young talent to build successful careers designing and creating consumer environments. Our vision is to cultivate relationships with students, educators, and the design industry through financial assistance, top-industry thinking, inspiration, and mentorship.
For more information, please visit www.paveglobal.org.