Oct 7, 2015

Gift for Life and Retail Design Institute partner for holiday pop-up shop

Gift for Life has partnered with the Retail Design Institute of NY to build and operate a holiday pop-up shop in Chelsea this December. Gift and home décor product donations are needed from the industry for the student competition that will determine the store concept and design and for in-store retail sales during the holiday season. All proceeds will benefit DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, Gift for Life’s sole beneficiary.

Through the Retail Design Institute’s Iron Design student competition, six teams of students from top New York design schools will create a holiday pop-up shop featuring products donated by industry suppliers. Working with two professional mentors, each team will have two hours to design, and the winning design will be installed in the Stockman-Siegel Showroom in Chelsea. The Holiday Pop-Up Shop will be open to the public in early December.

“This is an exciting first-ever collaboration with the Retail Design Institute,” said Frank Joens, chair of the Gift for Life board. “It offers our industry a unique way to support the fight against HIV/AIDS, while also promoting store design, which is an essential element of retail success.”

Product donations are being sought from industry manufacturers and sales agencies. The number of items needed varies by price point: 24 items with a retail value of $10-$25 each; 12 with a retail price point of $25-$49; 8 with a retail price point of $50-$75; and six with a retail price point of $75-$100. To donate, contact Steven Williams by Oct. 9, 2015, at swilliams@diffa.org or 646-380-4202. Product donations must be shipped for receipt by Nov. 13.

The Iron Design student competition will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Steelcase in New York City. There will be an Opening Night reception on World AIDS Day, Wednesday, Dec. 1, from 6 to 9 p.m.; and the Holiday Pop-Up Shop will be open to the public from Dec. 2-6, 9 a.m.to 5 p.m., in the Seigel & Stockman Showroom, located at 126 West 25th Street in New York City.

Each year, Gift for Life hosts events throughout the U.S. benefitting DIFFA. The primary mission of Gift for Life and DIFFA is to eradicate the AIDS pandemic in the U.S. Working together, Gift for Life and DIFFA will continue to raise funds for HIV/AIDS service and education programs.