Risdon’s Designing Dreams

The design competition for employees’ kids brings families and talents together.

By Janet Herlihy Editor

When Risdon-AMS established its Design­ing Dreams competition five years ago, it wanted to find a way to get the children of its employees more interested and involved in the company.

This year, with more than 150 entries representing over 10 percent of its 1,200 employees, Risdon has succeeded beyond its original goals.

The competition is open to every child, grandchild, nephew or niece—pre-Kindergarten through college—of a Risdon-AMS employee. Three executives from major cosmetic companies judged the competition, which is divided into three categories: pre-k through 3rd grade; 4th through 8th grade and 9th grade through college. The judges for the 2001 contest were: Barbara Spakowski, vice president global packaging, Clinique, Estée Lauder; Gisele Candito, assistant vice president package development and technical liaison, L’Oréal USA; and Karen Byrne, director of package engineering, Unilever Cosmetics Inter­national.

The entries ranged from painstakingly hand-drawn crayon illustrations to surprisingly sophisticated computer generated presentations. All had approached the challenge of designing a package for a cosmetic or personal care product with imagination and creativity.

“It’s our way of encouraging the children to think creatively, learn from experience just what kind of work their parents are engaged in and, above all, have fun,” said Steve Pearlman, president of Risdon-AMS.
A first, second and third place prize of a complete home computer system, a Sony PlayStation video game system and a CD/AM-FM player were awarded in each age category.

The winners for pre-K through 3rd grade were: 1st, Kelsey Vuksanovich for Keychain Lipstick; 2nd, Dacoda Haylock for Bouquet of Bangles; and 3rd, Chad Fagan for Spray Gel Comb.

In 4th through 8th grade, the winners were: 1st, Mallory Diaz for Face It Girl; 2nd, Melanie Sanches for Egyp­tian Gold Mascara; and 3rd, Leah Fagan for The Lip Cone.

Among 9th grade through college entries, the winners were: 1st, Chris­tine Gabani for Credit Card Cosmetics; 2nd, Katie Mott for Lucky Lips lipstick; and 3rd, Pablo Torres for Beautiful Time (makeup kit watch).

The judging took place at a reception in New York City. The winners were announced and prizes awarded at the Risdon-AMS annual company picnic in August.