From the Editor

From the Editor
“An Awe-Inspiring Collection of Exemplary Brilliance”

By Alison Embrey Medina, Executive Editor
September 01, 2009

One of my favorite book titles of all time—“A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” by Dave Eggers—spoke volumes to me at the bookstore in which I purchased it. I did not read the back cover, but picked up the paperback from its display table, pondered over the audacity of such a “holier than thou” title approach, and instinctively knew it was the book I had come into the store to purchase. It was one of those instinct-over-analysis types of moments.

To my delight, I came to discover that the book’s contents equally matched its audacious title. It was a book filled with page after page of gut-wrenching, real-life passion and happenstance. And it has resonated with me since.

Eggers’ book popped into mind as we pulled together the pages of the issue you hold in your hands. Internally, I’ve dubbed our September issue “An Awe-Inspiring Collection of Exemplary Brilliance”—not in recognition of anything DDI has done, but in the body of works we have been able to include on the pages of just a single issue.

In this month’s issue, DDI presents our Portfolio Awards winners of 2009—a collection of what our readers believe to be the most influential and admired people, projects and retailers of the past year. The consummate collection, as we present to you beginning on page 21, reflects not what this magazine staff believes to be “An Awe-Inspiring Collection of Exemplary Brilliance,” but what the readers of DDI have said is so. (Of course, there’s not a single awardee that I don’t personally think is absolutely worthy of the title—but my opinion is moot here.)

I would be remiss in saying the awardees we have compiled are the only people and projects of the year that have impacted the design world. I am inspired on a daily basis by the industry people I interact with and the retail projects I am exposed to. Our industry is one of constant reinvention, and never-ending resonance with the consumer and everyday life. I am proud to congratulate not only the winners featured in this issue, but also those who have contributed to the conglomerate of all retail design accomplishments we have seen in the past year. Keep up the good great awe-inspiring work that you do.

Alison Embrey Medina
Executive Editor
aembrey@ddimagazine.com