UP CLOSE
DESIGNERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
BY REBECCA JOHNSON
In this DesignPhiladelphia issue, UP CLOSE highlights three extremely talented women designers here in Philly. There are so many women who deserve to fill up these pages and many other “lists” of Philly women designers — but I chose these three women because their work inspires me and challenges me to learn more. Shannon Maldonado’s work challenges me to question how spaces can inherently make people feel more included. Her projects (and her YOWIE shop) always have something I didn’t expect or haven’t seen before – it’s super intriguing. Valentina Miller’s work taught me how interactive designers can really DESIGN experiences for people…she doesn’t just use fancy technology to bring other’s work to digital life — it’s deeply rooted in the design process and discipline. Julia Michalski’s work is simply striking. Like most great modern design, her work is deceptively simple, yet alluring. Her work immediately prompted me to google her and learn more about what she has done. Julia has been recognized and honored for her work — but I am glad to include her in this feature because her work is exceptional and she is a local furniture designer that folks should know about.
Shannon Maldonado YOWIE Shannon Maldonado is the founder and owner
idea of building on the legacy of past people of color generations, making the space both inclusive and aspirational.” The Dye House in Providence, Rhode Island, is another project featuring Shannon’s interior design and creative direction. A boutique hotel and event space, this project is reminiscent of her work at The Deacon in South Philadelphia, yet her unique take on “New England Prep” and the incorporation of lots of local Providence artists and makers makes the project another stunner. 20 FALL 2021 | context | AIA Philadelphia
PHOTOS: CARO RAMIREZ (PORTRAIT), HIEDI’S BRIDGE (ROOM), BRE FURLONG (CHAIR)
Dye House, Providence, Rhode Island.
of YOWIE, a home and lifestyle brand and shop which focuses on curating small collections from friends, independent artists and designers. Shannon is a designer, with experience working in New York for Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, to name a few, before she moved back to her hometown and set up shop at 716 S. 4th Street in Queen Village. In recent years, she has successfully completed several interior design projects in Philadelphia, New York City, and Providence. As her YOWIE brand expands into different products and services, she continues to deliver her exquisite taste Ethel’s Club, Brooklyn, NY. in every project she touches. Her two most recent projects demonstrate her design acumen and her curatorial eye. An interior design project shown here, Ethel’s Club in Brooklyn, NY, is a social and wellness club for people of color. The YOWIE website describes the project design process, “Throughout the design process, she wanted to call upon the
