Vasia Rigou

Chicago

Contributing Writer at Freelance

Writes about art, cool stuff + badass creatives. Editor @Newcity Publisher + EIC @RainbowedUS Co-Founder + Creative Director @ThePickleStudio

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Articles

Design Top 5: May 2025

4 days ago | design.newcity.com | Vasia Rigou

1 Africa Fashion (Field Museum) Over 180 works showcasing the bold vision of designers shaping global style—from pioneering icons to today’s rising stars. Through June 292 National Public Housing Museum (919 South Ada Street) Discover powerful stories of public housing through restored apartments, artifacts and community-led exhibitions.
Mood: Design Objects

1 week ago | design.newcity.com | Vasia Rigou

Pilar Wiley at Holly Hunt Acid Sunshine III, price on request hollyhunt.com Alvino Bagni at Orange Skin Pi-Dou Vase, price on request orangeskin.com Andrea Branzi at Casati Gallery Green Canaries Glass Basket, price on request casatigallery.com Nendo at Luminaire Shoehorn, $505 luminaire.com Atelier de Verre Anvi at Luminaire Glass Bag, $468 luminaire.com Green Tree at MCA Chicago Store Balloon Bunny, Medium, $29.98 mcachicagostore.org Lucie Kaas at MCA Chicago Store Basquiat Wood Doll, $68...
Architecture in Flux: A “Complete the Sentence” Interview with Chicago Architecture Biennial Artistic Director Florencia Rodriguez

2 weeks ago | design.newcity.com | Vasia Rigou

As the Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB) marks its tenth anniversary, artistic director Florencia Rodriguez reflects on its legacy and looks ahead to its future. With the theme, “Shift: Architecture in Times of Radical Change,” the 2025 edition explores how architecture responds to a world in flux. What does this mean for visitors? A mix of interactive installations, thought-provoking exhibitions and bold ideas that challenge traditional notions of architecture.
Design Top 5: April 2025

1 month ago | design.newcity.com | Vasia Rigou

1 Silver Room Design Lab (900 North Michigan Shops, Third Floor) A bold fusion of art, fashion and design brings experimental curation, dynamic events, and a fresh creative energy to the Gold Coast. Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11am-6pm, Sunday: noon-6pm2 Radical Craft: Arts Education at Hull-House, 1889-1935 (Jane Addams Hull-House Museum) Find out how craft intersects with activism, community and cultural identity in this exploration of radical creativity.
Mood: Throws + Blankets

2 months ago | design.newcity.com | Vasia Rigou

Adri Collection at Holly Hunt Faux Fur Pleated Throw, price on request hollyhunt.com Verpan at Morlen Sinoway Mirror Throw, price on request morlensinoway.com Lands Downunder at Perigold Windowpane Cashmere/Lambswool Throw, $271 perigold.com Røros Tweed at DWR Sara Wright Polmar Toskaft Throw, $325 dwr.com Eastern Accents at Perigold Brooklyn by Barclay Buteras Jadis Onyx Throw, $448 perigold.com Pendleton at Wandawega Camp Store All Purpose Utility blanket, $170 wandawegacampstore.com Blu...
Opinions: Go Ahead, Break the Rules

2 months ago | officeinsight.com | Vasia Rigou

Design is so much more than just aesthetics - it shapes the way we experience the world. And behind many of the most impactful design moments are women who bring leadership, innovation, and bold thinking to the table. To honor Women's History Month this March, IIDA is highlighting insights from some of the industry's most influential women designers, gathered from interviews over the years that capture their experiences, lessons, and advice firsthand.
Newberry Library Curator Jill Gage On Immigrant Printing In Chicago

2 months ago | design.newcity.com | Vasia Rigou

Did you know that Chicago’s print culture is shaped by generations of immigrants whose stories are often hidden in plain sight? “Making an Impression: Immigrant Printing in Chicago,” now at the Newberry Library, brings these stories to life—highlighting how immigrant printers built businesses, created community networks, and preserved cultural traditions through the power of the press.
Certified Design Futurist Program Helps Interior Designers Cultivate Foresight and Strategic Skills

2 months ago | iands.design | Vasia Rigou

It’s no secret that the design industry is evolving fast. From demographic shifts to technological advancements, designers are navigating a world that demands adaptability and, well, foresight. That’s where IIDA’s Certified Design Futurist (CDF) program comes in. The certification course is based on the methods of renowned quantitative futurist Amy Webb, founder and CEO of the Future Today Institute (FTI), which partnered with IIDA to create an innovative curriculum for design professionals.
Bryana Bibbs at the Chicago Cultural Center

2 months ago | art.newcity.com | Vasia Rigou

Grief leaves traces—objects, spaces, and the weight of memory. In her deeply personal solo exhibition, “two hundred and fifty-one days,” Bryana Bibbs transforms the mundane into monuments of loss, navigating the emotional and physical remnants of her grandparents’ last days. The title reflects the time between her grandfather’s passing on December 18, 2023, and her grandmother’s on August 25, 2024—a slow, intimate unraveling of time within their shared home.
February/March 2025

2 months ago | design.newcity.com | Vasia Rigou

1 Making an Impression: Immigrant Printing in Chicago (Newberry Library) Discover how Chicago’s vibrant immigrant communities used print to shape cultural identity and connect generations. Through March 292 Edgar Miller: Anti-Modern, 1917-1967 (DePaul Art Museum) Dive into the visionary world of Edgar Miller, where art, architecture and design come together to define modern creativity.