Red carpet photos from the 2009 Gala

Funds raised at the Gala benefit the AIGA Design Archives at the Denver Art Museum, Worldstudio AIGA Scholarships, initiatives to make the profession more inclusive and diverse, and the Legacy Campaign, an endowment to secure the future of AIGA.

The Waldorf-Astoria in New York City

Dress

The Gala is a formal celebration, black-tie optional. (A dark suit, for example, would be fine.)

Seating

When you arrive at The Waldorf-Astoria, you may check your belongings at the coat check on the second floor. You will then be greeted and directed to the reception table on the third floor where you will be given a seating card. Once you have your card, you may proceed into the reception. At 7:30 p.m., guests will begin moving into the Grand Ballroom. To the extent possible, individuals who have requested to sit together will be accommodated. Leadership, Patron and Benefactor table guests will, of course, be seated together.

Whether you’re there to gaze at the design stars, revel in the generosity or experience the amazing presentations and decor, you’d be hard-pressed to leave the AIGA Design Legends Gala without a new friend, a new thought or a new appreciation for America’s most esteemed design institution.
—Vernon Lockhart, AIGA board member and founder and principal of Art on the Loose, Inc.