Greetings Retail Design Institute Southwest + Pacific Chapter!

Southwest + Pacific
15 hours ago
4 min read

Summertime, yay! Shorts and sandals are here, more time at the beach, and World Cup season just concluded. Hope you're all able to make the most out of the season, it's a great time of year for special events, summer concerts, barbecues and picnics.

We at the Retail Design Institute love it for all the outdoor shopping at open air markets and outdoor retail centers across Southern California.It's been a bit of a quiet year so far, event-wise (we had a few cancellations) but the second half of the year is gearing up to be a busy one. See our next lunch and learn below and we're currently working on a Pasadena block-walk and our next Beverly Hills event so stay tuned.

Did you know the Southwest + Pacific Chapter includes Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Hawaii? It's true! If you know any innovative store experiences, retail companies or consultants in any of these areas please let us know! We'd love to spotlight them in this series... southwestpacific@retaildesigninstitute.org.

Register Now!

Whalefilm Lunch and Learn, Thursday August 27 12:00-2:00PM

This Summer join the Retail Design Institute Southwest + Pacific Chapter for an exclusive shop tour and complimentary lunch at Whalefilm, a leading experiential design and fabrication studio. Explore how immersive retail environments come to life as you tour the facility and gain insight into the design, engineering, fabrication and installation process behind world-class activations.

This is an educational event and is free to all members and non-members. Parking available.

Olive Young in California

South Korea’s leading beauty and wellness retailer, Olive Young, has officially entered the US market, and they started right here in Southern California.

With the opening of its first two locations in Pasadena and Los Angeles Westfield Century City, the beginning of an ambitious expansion across the state is underway. Known for introducing shoppers to trending Korean beauty brands and innovative skincare online, the expansion into physical retail marks a major milestone. Both Olive Young grand openings drew massive crowds with customers lined up to experience hundreds of brands, personalized skin analysis and interactive product discovery first hand.

Each store is approximately 8,000 square feet in area and features thousands of products from top K-beauty brands. Shoppers can explore category-specific zones and test products before purchasing.

Following the launch of the first two California stores, Olive Young has plans to continue growing its US footprint with additional locations already on the horizon. The expansion reflects the surging demand for Korean beauty products and reinforces California’s status as a key market for international beauty brands.

Welcome! Colorado Chapter!

The Retail Design Institute is excited to announce the formation of a new regional chapter for Colorado! Our Southwest + Pacific Chapter assisted in the formation of this chapter as this used to be part of our region. Now we get to see the area, with so much exciting retail growth, come into its own with its very own Chapter and we're so happy.

Click on the link for introductions of their new Chapter President, Bonnie Russo and Vice President, Mallory Wharton. Colorado is a vibrant and evolving retail market, with continued investment from national brands, expanding mixed-use developments, and growing communities throughout the region.

Congratulations!

Retail Design Institute 55th International Retail Design Competition - Call for Entries

The 55th Annual Retail Design Institute International Design Competition entry deadline has extended to July 31. Eligible projects must have been completed between January 1 and December 31, 2025, and may represent a wide range of retail formats, including department stores, specialty retail environments, restaurants, kiosks, and pop-up concepts.

Entries are open to professionals across the retail ecosystem, including contract design firms, in-house retail design teams, general contractors, allied trades, fixture manufacturers, and material suppliers from around the world.

The submission deadline is now July 31, 2026, please see more information HERE.

New Board Member Spotlight!

The Retail Design Institute Southwest + Pacific Chapter welcomes its newest board member, Monica Mancera! Monica is our Membership Chair and is helping us support our members and grow the Chapter.

Mónica Mancera is a trained architect with over a decade of experience shaping brand environments across North America, Europe, and Asia. Having lived in Mexico City and Argentina, she brings a culturally attuned, globally informed perspective to her work—understanding that retail is as much about context and story as it is about space.

Her portfolio spans flagship stores, luxury retail environments, and complex multi-market rollout programs for brands including Lululemon, Starbucks, REI, Maison Margiela, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Loro Piana.

As a LEED-accredited professional, Mónica views sustainability as a creative opportunity rather than a constraint—championing thoughtful solutions that elevate brand experience while delivering meaningful, long-term environmental impact.

Glad to have Monica on the board, thanks!

Come join us!

Retail Design Institute Southwest + Pacific Chapter is a fun place to connect, network, learn and have a good time. Be part of a global non-profit networking organization dedicated to the advancement of retail and retail design. The Retail Design Institute is a collaborative community where ideas, knowledge and a passion for design are shared at local levels.

RDI members enjoy a variety of benefits such as priority access to events, networking and educational seminars, access to member-only areas of the website, job postings, emerging retail trend information and access to other Chapter events.

Come join us by clicking HERE!