Melbourne retailer Make Designed Objects and Brisbane based Dreamfarm have scooped three awards at the Global Innovation Awards (gia) in Chicago on the weekend.
After a two-year absence, the gia Awards were back in physical format, once again held during The Inspired Home Show (5-7 March) at the Radisson Blu in the windy city.
Make Designed Objects won the coveted gia Digital Commerce Award for Excellence in Online Retailing after being named Giftguide Retailer of the Year in 2021 and winning a trip to Chicago to represent Australia at the gia Awards this month.
It has been quite the ride, says owner Pat Coppel.
“Winning the gia Award for digital excellence is an absolute thrill and a fantastic endorsement of the huge amount of work by everyone at Make over the last 19 years,” he enthuses.
“Building a successful digital business and a loyal following takes time and to be recognised for what’s been achieved is incredibly gratifying.”
The Martin M. Pegler Award for Excellence in Visual Merchandising was awarded to HomeTown by Praxis Home Retail Limited of India, while the five Global Honourees for Retail Excellence include Paul French Gallery (Argentina), Westwing Brasil (Brasil), La Maison Pernoise (France), hengstyle HENG LEONG HANG CO (Taiwan) and Butler’s Pantry (USA).
At the gala dinner, which was also livestreamed, the gia Awards for Excellence in Product Design were announced as well, with Dreamfarm scooping two awards.
The quirky kitchenware brand won an award for its Spina (spin and strain colander) in the kitchenware category and in the kitchen hand tools + cutlery category its Brizzle (scoop drizzle basting brush) was awarded the top prize.
For chief operating officer, Cate McDermott, the win was great recognition for Dreamfarm’s hard work and also a nice distraction from the current floods, with the company’s Brisbane headquarters being submerged in 1 metre of river water.
“We can’t help but laugh that while we’re mucking in and cleaning up our warehouse after the recent floods in Brisbane, we’re also cleaning up at the gia awards in Chicago,” she says.
“It’s incredibly special to be chosen as gia winners again, but we’re especially proud to be the only brand to be taking home awards in two categories.
“We were of course particularly chuffed to be sharing centre stage with one of our first retailers, and still one of our biggest supporters, Pat from Make Designed Objects. It was a big night for the Aussies and we’re thrilled for Pat and his team on their big win too.”
Derek Miller, International Housewares Association (IHA) president and CEO says that the world-renowned gia program is the premier awards event in the industry, honouring excellence in both housewares retail and product design.
“Congratulations to these Global Honourees of the 2022 IHA Global Innovation Awards for Excellence in Product Design, they represent the cutting-edge innovation and creativity that is driving the housewares industry today.”
The gia program was created by IHA and The Inspired Home Show (formerly the International Home + Housewares Show) to foster innovation and excellence in home and housewares retailing throughout the world. Since the launch of gia in 2000, there have been close to 500 gia retail award winners, from 50 countries on six continents.
