2025 Lecture Series

Keynote Lecture

Cultivating the
Character of Home

 A keynote conversation moderated by India Hicks with Brooke Shields and her longtime collaborator and friend, British designer David Flint Wood 

Actress, model, author, entrepreneur and design enthusiast Brooke Shields invites you into her stunning homes as she shares an inside look into her passion for home renovation and design with her longtime collaborator and friend, British designer David Flint Wood. Their joint projects have been featured in countless design publications, and David’s brilliant work is revered around the world, as is his role as founder of Idle Assembly Rum. Their conversation will be moderated by humanitarian, designer and author India Hicks. Brooke will be signing her latest book, “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old,” immediately following the lecture. 

Image Credit: India Hicks: James Harvey Kelly

Designing Music City Lecture

Cultivating the Way We Live

Designing a home with heart with Sheryl Crow and Lauren Akins, alongside their friend and designer April Tomlin, moderated by Kelleigh Bannen  

Take a peek inside the beautiful and livable homes of Sheryl Crow, nine-time Grammy award winner/singer-songwriter, mother and activist, and Lauren Akins, mother, author, philanthropist and wife of country music superstar Thomas Rhett. Joining the Music City residents and dynamic creatives on stage for the conversation is their shared friend and interior designer April Tomlin, founder of April Tomlin Interiors and a staple in the Nashville design community.  

Image Credits: Sheryl Crow: Victoria Will; Lauren Akins: Grayson Gregory; April Tomlin: Joseph Bradshaw

Floral Lecture

Cultivating a Beautiful Life

The art of living with nature featuring British floral designers Shane Connolly and Willow Crossley, moderated by FLOWER Magazine Editor-in-Chief Margot Shaw 

In the first half of an exciting and interactive two-part lecture, FLOWER Magazine Editor-in-Chief Margot Shaw will moderate a discussion about the work philosophies, accomplishments and past projects of two of Great Britain’s leading florists: Shane Connolly, ambassador for sustainable floristry who is perhaps best known for his public work for the British Royal Family, and Willow Crossley, author, designer, stylist, entrepreneur and influencer who is often dubbed “U.K.’s Queen of Flowers.” In the second half, Shane and Willow will share their creative insights for how a unique vessel can inform and inspire your at-home floral arrangements during an on-stage demonstration utilizing borrowed containers they’ve hand-selected from the Show Floor while answering audience questions. Following the lecture, Shane Connolly will be signing his book, “A Year in Flowers,” and Willow Crossley will be signing her books, “Inspire: The Art of Living with Nature” and “The Wild Journal.” 

Image Credits: Willow Crossley: Moeez Ali; Margot Shaw: Cary Norton

Design Lecture

Cultivating Timeless Design

Classic interiors rooted in tradition with British design icons Veere Grenney and Rita Konig, led by FREDERIC Editor-in-Chief and Schumacher Creative Director Dara Caponigro 

What makes design personal yet timeless? Two of London’s most admired interior designers, Veere Grenney, whose fabric and interior designs are sought after around the world, and Rita Konig, House & Garden U.K.’s 2024 Interior Designer of the Year, will examine this age-old question in a captivating conversation moderated by FREDERIC Editor-in-Chief and Schumacher Creative Director Dara Caponigro. Share in an engaging discussion about what it means to create a beautiful and functional space that reflects individual taste and stands the test of time, illustrated by stunning visuals of Veere’s and Rita’s past projects and personal homes. Following the lecture, Veere Grenney will be signing his latest book, “Seeking Beauty,” Rita Konig will be signing her book, “Domestic Bliss,” and Dara Caponigro will be signing her book, “FREDERIC: The Last Word in Chic.” 

Image Credits: Rita Konig: Eric Piasecki; Dara Caponigro: Cary Norton