2026 Speakers

Keynote Speaker

David Lauren

Friday, January 9 | 11 a.m.

For over 50 years, Ralph Lauren Corporation has defined timeless style and is recognized around the world as an ambassador of American quality, luxury and leadership. As chief branding and innovation officer, David Lauren oversees the company’s brand strength, innovation portfolio, marketing, advertising and public relations, and he’s been instrumental in making Ralph Lauren a leader in the digital and innovation space. David is also president of the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, where he leads the company’s philanthropic efforts and is dedicated to the company’s corporate responsibility strategy and influential community programs. David joined the company in 2000.

Keynote Speaker

Lauren Bush Lauren

Friday, January 9 | 11 a.m.

Lauren Bush Lauren is the founder and CEO of FEED, an impact-driven brand founded upon the belief that food is a universal human right. Every FEED product sold provides school meals to children through direct donations to our on-the-ground partners. She is also the founder and chairman of the FEED Foundation. Since 2007, FEED has helped provide over 128 million school meals to children around the world and here in the U.S.

For her work with FEED, Lauren has received multiple awards, including Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs in 2009 and Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30 in 2010. In 2015, she was named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. Additionally, Lauren serves on the board of directors for the Food Bank for NYC.

Image Credit: Frank Frances

Image Credit: Frank Frances

Keynote Moderator

Alfredo Paredes

Friday, January 9 | 11 a.m.

Renowned designer Alfredo Paredes is the creative director of Alfredo Paredes Studio, which executes residential, hospitality and retail interiors and produces eponymous collections of furniture, textiles and rugs. In March of 2025, Alfredo released his debut monograph, “Alfredo Paredes at Home.” Prior to launching his own practice in 2019, Alfredo was executive vice president and chief creative officer at Ralph Lauren, where he was responsible for bringing Mr. Lauren’s distinctive vision to life. Alfredo is recognized on the ELLE Decor A-List and is regularly featured in Architectural Digest, WSJ. Magazine, Vogue and Galerie, among others.

Image Credit: Michelle Mosqueda

Design Panel

Meyer Davis

Friday, January 9 | 2 p.m.

Meyer Davis is a globally recognized architecture and design studio founded in 1999 by Will Meyer and Gray Davis. Known for balancing bold creativity with timeless refinement, the award-winning firm creates immersive environments across hospitality, residential, retail and workplace sectors. Its portfolio ranges from private homes to luxury hotels and resorts for brands like Four Seasons, Rosewood and Ritz-Carlton, as well as projects with renowned chefs and developers worldwide. In 2024, the studio expanded into the maritime world, collaborating with Italian shipyard Rossinavi on the Seawolf X catamaran. Meyer Davis’s prestigious recognitions include Hospitality Design’s 2025 Design Firm of the Year, Interior Design Hall of Fame inductee, Wallpaper* 400 and the James Beard Foundation.

Image Credit: Michelle Mosqueda

Image Credit: David Urbanke

Image Credit: David Urbanke

Design Panel

GACHOT

Friday, January 9 | 2 p.m.

John Gachot, founder and principal of GACHOT, has spent nearly three decades working as an architect and designer in New York, leading the design and project development of various high-end residential, retail, commercial, and restaurant spaces. His experience spans branding and conceptual design to architectural fruition. Notable clients include Marc Jacobs, for whom he designed a private New York residence, along with Bottega Veneta, Baker Furniture, Boucheron and Gucci stores, in addition to numerous residential projects in Aspen, Seattle, Chicago, and the Caribbean.

Christine Gachot is a principal of GACHOT, a founding member of the Female Design Council, a design ambassador for Neue House, and a board member of the Design Leadership Network. Prior to launching the studio with John, she worked with André Balazs Properties as a partner in the role of Vice President of Design Development. There, she led the design and development of iconic hotels and commercial residential projects including Hotel QT, Sunset Beach, The Standard New York, 40 Mercer Residences and The Chiltern Firehouse. Prior to ABP, Christine was a Senior Designer at Studio Sofield for 10 years and worked on numerous commercial and residential projects, including the Soho and Tribeca Grand Hotels, and Gucci Worldwide. 

Design Panel

Tori Mellott

Friday, January 9 | 2 p.m.

Tori Mellott is the Home and Lifestyle senior director at Tuckernuck. Prior to joining the team earlier this year, Tori held editorial and social positions focusing on interior design and lifestyle at FREDERIC, Traditional Home, Domino, ELLE Decor and House Beautiful. She has also worked in product design for Martha Stewart and television production for “The Nate Berkus Show.” Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tori is an alumna of New York University and lives on the Upper East Side with her 13-year-old twin daughters.

Image Credit: John Labbe

Floral Lecture

Preston Bailey

Saturday, January 10 | 11 a.m.

Recently named one of the best wedding designers in the world by Vogue, Preston Bailey is celebrated globally for his unique ability to transform ordinary spaces into lush floral and theatrical environments. Since opening his eponymous design studio in 1980, Preston’s one-of-a-kind, transformative designs have served as backdrops for some of life’s most memorable moments for his clients, including A-list celebrities and royal families. Preston’s designs transcend events and include art installations, tabletop collections, bedding and glassware. He’s authored seven books, starred in his own TV show and shared his expertise through speaking engagements, college courses, mentorship programs and more. 

Image Credit: John Labbe

Landscape Design Lecture

Charles Stick

Saturday, January 10 | 2 p.m.

Charles J. Stick is a Charlottesville-based landscape architect celebrated for creating classical gardens. Stick attended undergrad at Middlebury College and received his MLA at the University of Virginia School of Architecture. He trained with Dan Kiley and Jaquelin Robertson as a graduate student and later joined international design firm François Goffinet Limited as a senior design architect. In 1994, Stick opened his own office, focusing on residential landscapes that harmonize house and garden. Recipient of the Arthur Ross Award for “Excellence in the Classical Tradition,” Stick’s life and work is documented in Charles J. Stick and His Gardens (Monacelli Press).

Landscape Design Lecture

Ben Page

Saturday, January 10 | 2 p.m.

Ben Page is an award-winning, nationally renowned landscape architect with 40-plus years of experience. Growing up in Tennessee, he gleaned knowledge of the land, natural systems and horticulture during a childhood spent on his grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ farms. Ben specializes in residential landscape architecture and strives to design projects that are richly detailed and incorporate a combination of historical influences with contemporary design. His work has received numerous awards and has been featured in national publications including The New York Times, Garden and Gun, Southern Living, The Washington Post, and House Beautiful. 

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