Speakers selected are compelling figures whose unique journeys, shaped by challenges, passion and cultural exposure, offer insight and inspiration. By exploring what motivates them and the pivotal moments that define their paths, we aim to illuminate stories that resonate.

Our wild variety of guests includes names like Maurice Vellekoop, Muna Tseng, Jeanne Beker, and countless other trailblazers.  

The events are documented and shared via our social networks with an opportunity for live public attendance. Guests can sign up to attend future events and be part of the buzz via our newsletter.

That question lit the spark that turned into a year-long project leading up to DesignTO 2025. Alongside a handful of multidisciplinary designers, we dove into the possibilities, trying to shake off the muscle memory of how we usually work and to imagine new ways of connecting with each other, our local communities, and the wider design world.

With that in mind, we extended an invitation to ten Canadian artists and designers, some emerging and some established, to explore a theme that was intentionally ambiguous yet conceptually loaded and provocative: “To Hold.”

Together, we asked: What does it mean to hold something physically, emotionally, or conceptually? How does holding transform an object’s essence or a story’s impact?

What emerged was unexpected in the best way, sculptural and clever new forms, and everyday objects reimagined and recontextualized. From Dennis Lin’s delicately suspended mobile to Simon Petepiece’s architectural table framework, to Studio Pararaum’s ceramics that remember a forgotten history, and Verre d’Onge’s impossibly weightless glass relic, each piece offered a unique take on presence, connection, and transformation in its own language.

When the show opened in late January, our studio transformed into a magnetic cultural hub filled with hundreds of guests, creatives, collaborators, friends, and strangers, all gathered in the same space for dialogue, reflection, and celebration within the design community.
The answer to George and Glenn’s initial question was as unexpected as the process. This was not just a show in the end.

For our team, the exhibition underscored the importance of creating space for new perspectives, for quieter voices, for ideas that do not always fit neatly into the day-to-day, and for questions with many answers, reminding us that design is not just about solving problems but staying with the questions and seeing where they take us.

A YP event requires vision, iteration, and craft—the same muscles used in product development, design thinking, or creative strategy.  Hosting a party that is surprising, coherent, and delightful becomes a demonstration of what the company values creatively.
 
Whether it’s large parties or intimate gatherings, our north star is superior hospitality, where people feel cared for.  Meticulous events show employees, friends, and supporters that their experience matters – building loyalty, pride and motivation to create things equally thoughtful.

Community

To inspire change, we must act with direct community support.   

At our New York studio, we partnered with Futures & Options to foster young talent into a professional creative sphere – Bringing fresh ideas and newfound ambition to our day-to-day work ensures both seasoned professionals and new interns feel inspired on both ends.  

Community support extends beyond our studios, as in Toronto, our product team designed trophies for winning participants in The World AIDS Day Ball. This annual event spotlights LGBTQIA+ talent and promotes awareness and education surrounding HIV care.

Social Impact  

As we aim to extend ourselves outwards, we must vow to grow our social impact.   

With a goal to bring more Queer art into the public sphere, we worked alongside the Art Gallery of Ontario to donate and raise funds for the Queer Futures in Photography initiative. This accessible art will share stories, history and general awareness to Queer lives of the past, the effects of HIV and an exploration as to what the future holds.   

We foster growth with organizations as well, supporting Rainbow Railroad and watching its progression from a grass roots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting LGBTQI+ individuals facing persecution into a leading NGO of its kind worldwide.
The exhibition has been produced with the support of the Toronto Metropolitan University Design and Technology Labat The Creative School.

Care  

With community support and social impact, there must come an ethos of care, one of which we are proud to uphold.   

In efforts to extend our care, we have partnered with Casey House, a prominent figure in support of Torontos HIV healthcare as co-chairs of their annual Davids Disco fundraiser. We assisted in fundraising, silent auction donations and the design of the event to fulfill their goal of acquiring a new electronic medical filing system.   

We are also supporting Casey House through RxArt, a non-for-profit organization dedicated to placing contemporary art in healthcare settings to uplift and inspire patients. Using our network of artists, we were able to commission murals for their in-patient rooms to extend care through artwork.   

To further promote wellbeing, we flipped the script on what transitional housing should be while working with Friends of Ruby. Designing and fundraising towards a shelter for LGBTQIA+ youth allowed us to promote care close to our hearts, ensuring a safe fresh start for those in need.