Be Empowered by 35 of the Most Powerful Women in Design

most powerful women in design kelly wearstler farrow & ball joyce park

Women empowering women. At Love Happens, and our publisher KOKET, this is who we are and what we rock! So today, we celebrate 35 of the most powerful women in design. Each an amazingly talented female creative who empowers beauty and style around the world. Read on and be empowered!

35 of the Most Powerful Women in Design

Janet Morais

Founder & CEO

KOKET, DeMorais International, My Object of Desire & Love Happens

USA & Portugal

most powerful women in design Janet Morais founder koket love happens
denise-chair-roxy-chandelier-tabu-cocktail-table-vamp-sofa-koket-projects
Interior by KOKET

Kara Smith

Founder

KES Studio

West Hollywood, CA & New York, NY USA

most powerful women in design Kara Smith, Founder KES Studio, principal sfa design
kes studio kara smith white hallway design with modern ceiling details red apple art
Interior by KES Studio

Karen Howes

Founder & CEO

Taylor Howes

London, UK

most powerful women in design taylor howes karen founder top interior designers
luxury living room design by taylor howes interior design london
Interior by Taylor Howes

Kelly Hoppen

Founder

Kelly Hoppen Interiors

London, UK

Kelly Hoppen most powerful women in design top designers london
Interior by Kelly Hoppen luxury modern living room
Interior by Kelly Hoppen

Kelly Wearstler

Founder & Principal

Kelly Wearstler

West Hollywood, CA USA

Portrait by Joyce Park

most powerful women in design kelly wearstler photo joyce park los angeles
Farrow Ball x Kelly Wearstler, The California Collection: Eight versatile hues mark the eco-friendly British paint company’s first-ever palette crated by a designer.

Kristina O’Neal

Founding Partner

AvroKO + Brand Bureau + AvroKO Hospitality Group

New York, NY USA

powerful women in design kristina oneal avroko
luxury hospitality interior design The Zodiac Room by AvroKo (Photo by Eric Laignel)
The Zodiac Room NYC by AvroKo (Photo by Eric Laignel)

Li Xiang

Founder | Architect

X+Living

Shanghai, China

most powerful women in design X+Living Li Xiang
XLIVING-Shenzhen-Meland-Club
Shenzhen Meland Club designed by X+Living

Lori Morris

Founder

Lori Morris Design

Toronto, Canada

Portrait by Robin Gartner

Lori Morris top toronto interior designers
Interior by Lori Morris (Photo by Brandon Barre)
Interior by Lori Morris (Photo by Brandon Barre)

Margaret McMahon

Senior Vice President and Global Director, Interiors

Wimberly Interiors | WATG

New York, NY USA

most powerful women in design Margaret McMahon Wimberly Interiors WATG
Rosewood Baha Mar, The Bahamas by Wimberly Interiors
Rosewood Baha Mar, The Bahamas by Wimberly Interiors

Michelle Nussbaumer

Founder

Michelle Nussbaumer | Ceylon et Cie

Dallas, TX USA

michelle nusbaummer most powerful women in design

Nina Magon

Founder & CEO

Nina Magon Studio

Houston, TX USA

nina magon most powerful women in design
Interior by Nina Magon contour dining room
Interior by Nina Magon

Osirys Mendez & Sabrina Vela

Co-Founders

Mendez Vela Design

Miami, FL USA

Mendez Vela most powerful women in design miami florida osirys mendez and sabrina vela

Patricia Urquiola

Co-Founder

Studio Urquiola

Milan, Italy

Patricia Urquiola Massimiliano Sticca Cassina19_SCELTA
CASSINA_Trampoline_Patricia-Urquiola_Cassina-Milano_ph_Stefano-De-Monte-1
561 Trampoline Love Bed by Patricia Urquiola for Cassina (Photo by Stefano De Monte)

Rafaela Simoes & Laila Colvin

Co-Founders & Creative Directors

2id Interiors

Hallandale, FL USA

Rafaela Simoes e Laila Colvin 2id Interiors
Interior by 2id Interiors luxury gray living room
Interior by 2id Interiors

Sara Duffy

Principal

Stonehill Taylor

New York, NY USA

Portrait by Blaine Davis

Sara Duffy Stonehill Taylor photo blaine davis
Renaissance New York Chelsea by Stonehill Taylor (Photo by David Mitchell)
Renaissance New York Chelsea by Stonehill Taylor (Photo by David Mitchell)

Shalini Misra

Founder

Shalini Misra

London, UK

Shalini Misra_Photo Benedicte Drummond
luxury dining room by Shalini Misra (Photo by Mel Yates)
Interior by Shalini Misra (Photo by Mel Yates)

Venus Williams

Founder & CEO

V Starr

West Palm Beach. FL USA

most powerful women in design Venus Williams Headshot Vstarr Interiors

Sonya Haffey

Principal

V Starr

West Palm Beach, FL USA

VStarr West Half Residence venus williams interiors
Inspired by the immediate view of Nationals Park, V Starr designed the Grand Slam at West Half, a luxury dual-level penthouse lounge in Washington, DC with subtle references to its namesake sport.

Stéphanie Coutas

Founder & CEO

Stéphanie Coutas

Paris, France

most powerful women in design - Stephanie Coutas, Photo by Francois Coquerel Monaco
Stephanie Coutas Gallery
Stephanie Coutas Gallery

Sybille de Margerie

Founder & Principal Designer

Sybille de Margerie

Paris, France, Florence, Italy & Dubai

Portrait by Ali Mahdavi

most powerful women in design Sybille de Margerie (Photo by Ali Mahdavi)
Living room of Royale Suite Mandarin Oriental Paris by Sybille de Margerie (Photo by George Apostolidis)
Living room of Royale Suite Mandarin Oriental Paris by Sybille de Margerie (Photo by George Apostolidis)

Alexandra Champalimaud

Founder & President

Champalimaud Design

New York, NY USA

most powerful women in design alexandra champalimaud
Matoula Karagiannis Champalimaud Design

Matoula Karagiannis

Principal

Champalimaud Design

New York, NY USA

Kasja Krause

Principal

Champalimaud Design

New York, NY USA

Kasja Krause Champalimaud design
Elisabeth Rogoff Champalimaud design

Elisabeth Rogoff

Principal

Champalimaud Design

New York, NY USA

raffles singapore champalimaud design
Raffles Singapore by Champalimaud Design

Alyssa Kapito

Founder & CEO

Alyssa Kapito Interiors

New York, NY USA

Alyssa Kapito Portrait
Alyssa Kapito, Holiday House 2017, NYC black and white living room
Alyssa Kapito, Holiday House 2017, NYC

Amy Lau

Founder & CEO

Amy Lau Design

New York, NY USA

Portrait by Mark Seliger

Amy Lau_2021 powerful women in interior design
Bridgehampton Getaway designed by Amy Lau (Photo by Thomas Loof)
Bridgehampton Getaway designed by Amy Lau (Photo by Thomas Loof)

Anastasiia Alexandrovna Rusakovich

Founder

Palissandre

St. Petersburg, Russia

Anastasiia Alexandrovna Rusakovich
Interior by Palissandre white and gold luxury living room
Interior by Palissandre

Anouska Hempel, aka Lady Weinberg

Founder & CEO

Anouska Hempel

London, UK

most powerful women in design Anouska Hempel aka Lady Weinberg
Hôtel Monsieur George in Paris by Anouska Hempel
Hôtel Monsieur George in Paris by Anouska Hempel

Beth Campbell

Founder & CEO

Campbell House

Las Vegas, NV USA

beth campbell house las vegas top hospitality designers wilson & associates

Blainey North

Founder & CEO

Blainey North & Associates

London, Sydney, New York

blainey north most powerful women in design australia top interior desingers
staircase Interior by Blainey North
Interior by Blainey North

Carrie Tolman

Principal

Simeone Deary Design Group

Chicago, IL USA

simeone deary design group living room dining room black and white interior
Interior by Simeone Deary Design Group

Charu Gandhi

Founder & Director

Elicyon

London, UK

charu gandhi elicyon
One Casson Square at Southbank Place by Qatari Diar designed by Elicyon (Photo by Patrick Williamson)
One Casson Square at Southbank Place by Qatari Diar designed by Elicyon (Photo by Patrick Williamson)

Cheryl Eisen

Founder & CEO

IMG | Interior Marketing Group

New York, NY USA

cheryl eisen img nyc most powerful women in design
living room design Interior by IMG modern
Interior by IMG

Ellen Sohel

Founder & CEO

XBD Collective

Dubai, UAE & London, UK

most powerful women in design ellen sohel xbd collective dubai interior design
modern dining living room Interior by XBD Collective koket bar stools
Interior by XBD Collective featuring KOKET Nahema Bar Stools

Cheers to all these amazingly talented women and all they do in the world of design!

Words by Anna Beck Bimba
Feature Image: Farrow & Ball x Kelly Wearstler, Portrait by Joyce Park