Last Thursday I attended the 2025 Product Runway event put on by the Northern Pacific Chapter (NPC) of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Product Runway is not just a fundraiser (albeit that is a very important aspect) and not just an excuse to strut your stuff clad in top quality carpet, upholstery, or tile - it is also the type of program which celebrates creativity and material in the fields of architecture and interiors - highlighting the technical prowess across industrious firms in the Northern Pacific Chapter of IIDA.

Product Runway has a long history in IIDA circles and it is well known across its community. If you read my piece last year about Refract Seattle, you know that one of my personal bonnet-bees is bringing industry events and happenings such as this to broader communities in order to argue: yes, Seattle IS fun - stuff is happening. The IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter has about 500 members, somewhat small considering it encompasses Washington, Idaho, Alaska, British Columbia, and Alberta - however, this event was anything but small. Hosted at Fremont Studios, the stage alone was immaculately presented with massive projections and professional “fashion week-esque” lighting. More than once, I noticed a smartly dressed patron walking away from the bar with a handful of stacked cups and a bottle of re-corked wine sticking from their bag… it was a nice touch.

This year, nine firms participated: JPC Architects, NBBJ, LMN, Perkins & Will, HOK, Burgess Design, DLR Group, ZGF, and Grayscale Design Studio. The selected teammates from each firm only have themselves to rely on in order to produce the garments - no hired help! Additionally, they have to model their creation themselves which I imagine in some instances results in a high stakes game of rock, paper, scissors.

These nine firms were randomly partnered with the following manufacturers, respectively: AHF, Arizona Tile, Steelcase Represented by One Workplace, Davis Represented by Kayser Wesner, Haworth Partnered with PeopleSpace, Daltile, Mohawk Group, Bernhardt Represented by Matter Contract, and Carnegie Fabrics Represented by Aria Design Collective

The 2025 firm participants were all Seattle-based or from Seattle offices, which is typically the make up for this chapter's production of Product Runway, but Megan Onley, IIDA, NCIDQ, the Chapter President-Elect, would love to see that change. She hopes that architecture and interior firms from Boise, Spokane or any other city-center in the represented states will sign up to walk the runway in 2027. Cross state/city participation generates a stronger industry connection and will only help grow the advocacy that IIDA puts front and center in their mission.

While Product Runway is a glamorous event, bringing together communities of interior designers, architecture firms, and manufacturers, it is also a microcosm of potential; imagining what is possible when these interests align. IIDA’s advocacy is a large component of their organization. At the state level, IIDA advocates for regulations and professional standards with the intention to protect safety, welfare, and the health of denizens of the built environment; both public and private. Interior Designers are a large component of the development of and design of all aspects of the built environment and with more uniform certification requirements and registration, IIDA hopes to elevate the standards and civic and human responsibilities of this practice. 

One way that this event, Product Runway, aligns with IIDA’s advocacy is by showcasing a vast representation of the materials that designers of all categorizations engage with and specify for projects. From sustainable carpet to recycled upholstery, the chemicals, health impacts, longevity, and industrious nature of these materials showcases the benefits to standardization of practice and licensing for Interior Designers. Matt Thompson, current Northern Pacific Chapter President, is a strong proponent of this work and echoes IIDA’s formal advocacy statement: IIDA advocates for Interior Design regulation at the state level to establish and maintain professional standards that protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public in code regulated spaces.

Thompson is especially excited about this moment in their advocacy efforts, ”Each of the states in our chapter are deep in process moving policy and legislation forward which makes this a very exciting time for us. We are always advocating, but this is the first time that all three of our states have been in lockstep and in deep advocacy, this makes the [2025 Product Runway] event feel even more important” By the end of 2026, Thompson and Onley are hopeful that there will be interior design legislation on the books in all three states of the NPC. 

When achieved, commercial interior design regulation will benefit the interior design industry by finally establishing professional standards to protect the general public when engaging with the built environment of which interior design is a major component. A way for industry members to voluntarily register and gain certification would bring more uniformity to the profession, further define the roles and responsibilities of an interior designer, and generally amplify excellence and recognition in the field. To keep up with IIDA’s advocacy and if you are interested, to become a member, please learn more here: IIDA: Northern Pacific Chapter
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Who Took Home the Wins:
Concept to Creation: Awarded to the team that best showcased ideas and concepts into their look - NBBJ +Arizona Tile
Revolutionized use of Materials: Awarded to the entry that most strategically showcases an industry material - HOK + Haworth/Peoplespace
Strut your stuff: Awarded to the look that had the best walk. The model for the team that took their time to show off the garment - DLR Group + Mohawk Group
Show Stopper: Awarded to the team with the highest overall scoring. With this look you can hear the silence before the applause - LMN + Steelcase/One Workplace
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About Cheryl Durst: MC and Interior Design Hall of Fame Leadership Awardee
From the IIDA NPC Website: As the Executive Vice President and CEO of the International Interior Design Association, Cheryl is committed to achieving broad recognition for the value of design and its significant role in society. She has been referred to by Interior Design magazine as “an ambassador for innovation and expansion, and a visionary strategist.” Cheryl was inducted into the prestigious Interior Design Hall of Fame in 2016 as the recipient of its first-ever Leadership Award. She is the first African American woman to be inducted into the industry's Hall of Fame. Cheryl never walks away from meeting someone without gleaning a bit of their story — a talent she currently employs on her podcast, The Skill Set, which focuses on the intangible skills that make us good at what we do.

2025 Judges Tables: From the IIDA NPC Website

Stella Bok brings over 17 years of experience in luxury hospitality design. She is currently the Director of Interior Design for the Luxury Brands at Marriott International.
Beth Katz, Principal of KatzDesignGroup, is a recipient of AZRE’s Most Influential Women in Arizona and NEWH’s Top ID in 2022 and 2024. Her firm, KatzDesignGroup, is a full-service design firm focusing on restaurant interiors, casino and hotel design, healthcare interiors, and tenant workplace improvements. 
‍Aaron Olsen is the Senior Design Manager of Store Design at Nordstrom, where he leads and develops a team of designers shaping physical retail across interior design, fixture design, and art curation. 
‍Kate Buska is a seasoned brand strategist and hospitality industry leader with a passion for storytelling that drives business results. As Co-founder and Vice President of Brand Development at Practice Hospitality, she oversees public relations, marketing, and creative strategy across the company’s portfolio of lifestyle hotels.
‍Henri Muyengango is is the Regional Director of Design Strategies with IHG Properties and An accomplished and energetic interior designer with a strong history of achievements in hospitality design.
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Upcoming Events in Seattle:
DFS Designer’s Guide to Digital Presence - Workshop Tue, Jun 03 
Hosted by objekts