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An American magazine and media brand that connects the world to the ideas, resources, and initiatives that move design forward.
GRAY’s passion is empowering designers. Not only does design make things look and function better, but good design solves problems. Design affects our mental well-being, physical health, and the environment. And there is something to telling everyone we know about it.
GRAY touts design across our platforms. We profile designers, feature their works, and call out the changemakers. We organize events that bring the design community together to share insight and resources. We provide speaking platforms to ignite dialogue and collaboration, and we hold one epic design competition to honor the sheer talent and grit of designers who strive for excellence in everything they do.
And we wish we could do more.
Our ability to continue this work is dependent on financial support. We believe it takes a village to achieve our goals, and we invite you to join us in this mission. Do business with GRAY by advertising with us, becoming a patron sponsor, sponsoring our events, come to our events.
By supporting GRAY, you become part of something that is making a positive impact on the world of design.
—Shawn Williams, founder + publisher
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origin story
ORIGIN STORY
GRAY magazine launched in 2011 to fill the void left by shuttered design publications during the economic recession. It focused exclusively on the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. and Canada until expanding internationally in January 2020. When COVID-19 hit, we made a hard shift to digital to offer real-time connections. We live-streamed chats with designers around the world on everyday topics and launched an online expo to share the latest works. In print, we doubled down on content, featuring as much inspiring and innovative content as we could. Supply chain issues throughout the pandemic years made it tricky to navigate consistent print production but our patient readers and advertisers kept us going. In 2024, we emerged with a rebrand and a fresh take on what a digital magazine can offer. >>
In the Design Lounge is a podcast hosted by Brandon Gaston that we developed during the pandemic lockdowns in 2020. The first season, recorded via video conferencing, featured roundtable discussions with designers and industry pros on maintaining business under duress. Since then, topics have become lighter, casual conversations about latest works and initiatives, and every now and then are recorded in-person with our guests or in front of live audiences. We kicked off season 5 in May 2024 with guests Franck Genser, Alicia Cheung-Lictenstein, Paolo Ferrari, Massimo Buster Minale, and many others. >>
We launched GRAY Awards in 2017 to recognize design excellence and celebrate our creative community in a uniquely GRAY way. Winners are first announced at the party held in our hometown of Seattle, where we dote on them with showers of confetti and jubilation. In 2020, when an in-person party was prohibited, we presented winners via video and held a watch party. The GRAY Band of Designers wrote and composed an original song, judges recorded the announcement of winners, and finalists recorded winning reaction videos. In total, designers in 24 different countries participated in the making of the video that year. Judging panels have included design legends such as Ingo Maurer, Deborah Berke, Tom Dixon, Philippe Starck, Stephen Burks, and many others who have generously lent us their time and expertise. The 8th annual GRAY Awards kicks off with a call for entries in June 2024 and winners will be announced in March 2025. >>
©Barbie Hull Photography
It was always part of the vision to produce a symposium and finally, in 2023, we launched Destination DesignCon. We’d use this platform to lead thoughtful dialog on design and futurism in the built environment, gather like-minded creatives and changemakers, and put a spotlight on the incredible design scenes in local communities. The 2023 event was held in Victoria, British Columbia, which prompted the launch of their first annual design festival, Design Victoria. We chose this city because we found it’s design core and city initiatives to be an unsung hero and emerging global leader. For 2025, we’re headed to sunny Palm Springs, California. Stay tuned for details. >>
GRAY has been a media partner for the inspiring home tours put on by Modern Architecture +
Design Society (MA+DS) for the past decade. We finally got together this year to co-curate our first collaboration of interior design-focused tours. Visiting residential and commercial spaces, the 2024 tours take us to Washington D.C, Houston, Seattle, San Francisco, and Portland. We’re working with some really outstanding designers, including OSMOSE, ZGF, SkB Architects, Skylab, Rainey Richardson, studioMET, Charlie Hellstern, Studio Heimat, and many others. Where would you like to see us go next ... New York City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Chicago? Send your pitch to info[@]graymag.com.
OSMOSE ©The Morrisons
about publisher
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
Shawn Williams
Founder and publisher of GRAY magazine and the creative director of the creative consultancy Studio G.
Shawn Williams is a design connoisseur and visionary leader who turned her passion into her life’s work. As a high school student, she conceptualized the commercial arts program focused on graphic arts, photography, and printing that continues to be offered by the Auburn school district 30-some years later. This passion for design led to her pursuit of education at the Art Institute of Seattle. She apprenticed at Heckler Associates where she contributed to work on high-profile brands such as Starbucks and New Balance shoes. After a career art directing regional publications, in 2011 she launched GRAY, an American magazine based in the Pacific Northwest. She is the publisher, editor-in-chief, and creative director of the brand producing the award-winning magazine, podcast, and key design events.
contact
CONTACT US
Collaborations and partnerships
Contact us at info@graymag.com
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Print and online submissions
We cover architecture, interior design, landscape design, product design, and fashion design with features on residential, commercial, and hospitality spaces, profiles, and hot-button topics related to the design industry. We prioritize stories that have not already saturated media channels -- we're looking for fresh and original.
To be considered for editorial, pitches should clearly describe why the story is unique and include info about the designer/s and a detailed list of credits. Send with a curated selection of images that you have the rights to use and to extend usage to GRAY magazine.
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Send to editors@graymag.com
GRAY Awards submissions
Submit your project to this international design competition.
Details at graymag.com/awards
Sales and marketing
For advertising and sponsor inquiries or marketing and creative consultancy,
contact Shawn Williams at shawn@graymag.com.
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