Cultural Narratives: The Storytelling Power of Design

Cultural Narratives: The Storytelling Power of Design

Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Tickets: $15 (includes access to all current exhibitions) 

In partnership with Designlines Magazine and inspired by the BSM exhibition Dressed to Impress: Footwear and Consumerism in the 1980s, we invite you to join us for a unique panel discussion exploring how footwear and interior design serve as cultural artifacts that tell insightful stories about the 1980s. Moderated by Joseph Cicerone, Editor-in-Chief, Designlines Magazine, and including a dynamic panel of industry experts, this thoughtful discussion will examine how design, inspired by key cultural and social movements throughout the 1980s, continues to influence ideas, structural/social dynamics, and consumer sentiments to this day. 

Agenda

6:30 pm – Doors open
7:00 pm – Panel Discussion with Q&A 
8:00 pm – Reception with the panelists 
9:00 pm – Doors close

Panel Speakers

Sean Brown, Multidisciplinary Creative & Cultural Archivist
From founding elevated sportswear label NEEDS&WANTS, becoming a Juno Award nominee for Best Album Artwork of the Year, and hosting a solo art show at various Canadian locations including the ROM, to launching Curves, the hugely successful home goods brand, founding Sq Ft magazine, and leading a branding agency whose client list includes names like Rimowa, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Gucci, Sean aims to reimage the future of product development and design informed by a broad referential vocabulary, underpinned by a desire to show equal reverence to non-traditional and institutionally acknowledged artifacts of importance. 

Kevin Chan, Partner & Co-Founder, NIVEK REMAS
Alongside partner Samer Shaath, Kevin leads design direction with NIVEK REMAS for numerous international luxury projects including hospitality, residential, and retail. A leader in meaningful and cultivated design, Kevin's design process takes clients closer to the final product, enabling true visual representation of the concept. NIVAK REMAS continues to pave the way with their award-winning and globally celebrated design. 

Annie Chou, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Arc & Co. Design Collective
Part of the team that designed the Dressed to Impress: Footwear and Consumerism in the 1980s exhibition, Annie has been a vanguard in brand experience planning and strategy for the last 20 years. With a passion for designing a better world, Annie advocates for a design industry aligned with the contemporary zeitgeist that focuses on transformative leadership, and academic research with interests spanning the arts, humanities, cognitive neuroscience, semiotics, and social studies.

Joseph Cicerone, Editor-in-Chief, Designlines Magazine
With a sharp focus on innovation and style, Joseph drives the editorial vision of Toronto’s leading voice in contemporary design. He curates engaging content highlighting the best in local interior design and architecture. Through his leadership, Designlines continues to shape conversations around design excellence, championing the city’s most creative minds and setting new standards for what defines exceptional design in Toronto.

Daniel Mossayabi, Founder & CEO, Inked Out Kicks 
A self-taught artist, Daniel's work with Inked Out Kicks includes sneaker customization, sneaker restoration, special events, activations, and workshops. With a refined attention to detail, a love for drawing, and an obsession with sneakers, Daniel has worked with clients ranging from The Government of Canada, Puma, MLSE, Adidas, Xbox, Linkedin, and Pinterest. He treats each customized shoe as his own emphasizing quality above everything. 

Please present your e-ticket at the front desk upon arrival. Refunds are permitted within 3 business days. Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions.