With more than 700 attendees expected to attend the event, Gala organizers are encouraging prospective attendees to purchase their tickets before they sell out. This much-anticipated event on the 2015 design industry calendar is also a fall season ticket highlight on Chicago’s premiere social events datebook.

The VIP Luxury Gala is the keystone of Design Chicago, being held on October 6 & 7, 2015. Hosted by LuxeHome® and the Design Center at The Mart^TM, Design Chicago is the Midwest’s largest residential design conference and inspirational trade fair. The two-day event welcomes leading interior design, architecture, and luxury custom home building professionals for programming that is both educational and innovative.

Leaders in the luxury design marketplace will gather to celebrate the induction of these four residential design industry icons into the Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame. Honored for their achievements and contributions to design, this year’s recipients are:

• Holly Hunt, CEO HOLLY HUNT – Lifetime Achievement
• Margaret McCurry, Principal, Tigerman McCurry Architects – Architect
• Tom Stringer, Tom Stringer Design Partners – Interior Designer
• Rodger Owen, President, BGD&C – Custom Home Builder

“This year’s inductees are residential design industry icons who have had immense influence on the design landscapes of Chicago, the Midwest, the United States and around the world,” said Katherine Flaherty, vice president, Vornado | Chicago Merchandise Mart. “We are proud to welcome these accomplished individuals into the inaugural Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame.”

Welcoming this year’s Gala attendees is a host committee comprised of more than 50 of the design industry’s movers-and-shakers, representing top luxury building, renovation and interior design brands, interior designer, architectural and building and development firms from greater Chicago and around the globe.

The 2015 Chicago VIP Luxury Gala is generously sponsored by exclusive media sponsor, Luxe Interiors + Design; gold sponsor, Pella Crafted Luxury; and silver sponsors Poggenpohl, Wood-Mode Fine Custom Cabinetry, and Lefroy Brooks and Cooper & Graham.

About LuxeHome
LuxeHome is the world’s largest collection of premier boutiques for home building and renovation located on the first floor of the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. With more than 125,000 square feet of showroom space featured in over 35 boutiques, LuxeHome is host to the finest products for home building and renovation from the most recognized and respected manufacturers worldwide.

LuxeHome offers discerning homeowners and trade professionals one-stop shopping convenience with access to the finest kitchen, bath, tile, lighting, cabinetry, appliances, countertops and much more. LuxeHome displays the widest selection of products to suit all upscale design styles, from modern European to classic American to traditional English. In addition to the extensive lineup of premier brands, each boutique offers knowledgeable designers who are available to assist with all phases of each design project. LuxeHome’s boutiques are open for shopping Monday through Saturday. For more information, visit www.luxehome.com. Follow LuxeHome on Facebook, Houzz, Instagram and Twitter.

Vornado Realty Trust, owner of the Merchandise Mart, based in New York City, is a fully integrated equity real estate investment trust. Vornado’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO. www.vno.com

About the Design Center™ at the Merchandise Mart
The Design Center at The Merchandise Mart, located in Chicago’s historic Merchandise Mart, is home to four floors constituting the world’s largest and finest design center. As a leader in the $65 billion residential home furnishings market, The Design Center offers the largest presentation of high-end, couture, home furnishings worldwide, all under one roof. Encompassing 650,000 square feet, boasting 115 showrooms and featuring more than 2,500 product lines, it is the design professional’s ultimate resource for luxury furniture, fabrics, floor coverings, wall coverings, lighting, antiques and much more. For more information visit, www.designcenter.com.