Retail Design Experience immerses student in industry

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The images included in this article reflect moments from Jenny’s experience at EuroShop and throughout the euro a go go programme, highlighting the scale, innovation, and global perspective she encountered.

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Jenny Bae Huggon, a fourth-year Interior Design student at Sheridan College, deepened her interest in a retail design career after a European experience awarded by PAVE Global and euro a go go. Winner of the Retail Design Experience Award 2026, Huggon spent nearly a week attending EuroShop and touring retail with industry veterans.

A judge of the competition, Mardi Najafi, principal, chief creative officer, and retail and hospitality practice lead of SDI Design, paired Huggon with retail designers for time on the show floor, at dinner, and on cultural and retail visits throughout the trip. “Imagine a fourth-year student [going] across the pond to the world’s largest trade fair for retail and sitting across from, and walking the floor with, C-suite professionals,” he said. The trip allowed Huggon to pick the brains of people with 20 or more years of industry experience. 

“It’s design education meets real-world experience,” said Deborah Toffoli, managing director of euro a go go. “We’re all about bringing the industry together for a cutting-edge experience. We always want to shape the next generation of retail leaders and help support the industry and inspire them.”

For Huggon, the experience offered a head start on a career path initially inspired by college faculty. Early in her studies, Professor Raymond Dunning infected her with his passion for retail, and she relished completing a retail project. So when a field placement advisor apprised her of the competition, Huggon jumped at the chance to apply, she said. The effort paid off in spades, as Huggon shared recently.

Tell us about the experience.

I got to be immersed fully with the industry. There's theoretical learning in the classroom, but nothing beats being in person to experience everything — a trade show, the stores, the architecture — and to walk next to top designers in this industry and have a conversation about everything that you're seeing, doing, touching. 

What impressed you at the show?

Size. I've never attended a trade show this big. That factor alone was an oh-my-goodness moment. Also, the innovation in the use of materials was incredible. One company recycled plants and flowers into an acoustic solution. That was really neat. And Hera Lighting had pot lights that integrated occupancy counts using thermal sensors. That was a smart use of technology.

What impressed you in the tours?

A makeup store marketed to Gen Z. The whole store was made to encourage people to take selfies, pictures, and post. They were embracing what everyone's doing anyway.

How did the trip contribute to your understanding of the field?

My most valuable takeaways were in casual conversations with the euro a go go team. They have so much experience and insight in this industry, so to sit down over dinner or drinks and talk about something that we're all passionate about was really beneficial.

For example, how contracts work and how you need to protect yourself as a designer. That's not something that we’re taught, but it's important once you graduate. You can Google sample contract clauses, but to have an expert in the field answer questions and openly talk about the scope of things that everyone should be aware of, that was helpful.

How did the experience confirm your impressions of retail design?

It confirmed for me that retail stores are becoming more experiential and focused on storytelling. It confirmed that it's the job of a designer to convey a good narrative through design and immersive experiences. A lot of booths and store brands focused on giving visitors an immersive experiential experience. Some booths had sounds, smells, and texture, and they wanted everybody to get an experience. You remember your senses the most, so that’s a clever way that retail design is heading.

What did you discover that surprised you?

How tight-knit the industry is. Everybody kind of knew each other. It highlights the collaborative nature of design. The more I learn about this industry, the more I learn how important collaboration is so you need to get yourself out there.

How did the mentoring help you?

I'm grateful for being introduced to people. I formed relationships that I would never have had the chance to at this stage. One person offered to mentor me. I have a Zoom meeting with him coming up, and he wants to walk me through the basics of starting out in this industry. I’m so appreciative of that.

I have an opportunity to exhibit at a small trade show in Toronto, so I was picking someone else's brain about where to get materials or sponsorships. She listed some people I can connect with, and I did reach out to those people and was able to get sponsorships for this project that I'm working on for the exhibit. That was also hugely helpful. It has opened up doors for me.

Tell us some of your takeaways from this experience.

Keep an open mind across all industries, try to stay innovative in my field, and attend trade shows or networking events in person as opposed to just looking at the industry through a screen or textbook. Consider the user experience through all your senses from the beginning of the project — your senses are going to be your biggest teacher as a designer. Be inspired through travel, through food, through conversations.

It was a unique opportunity for somebody in my shoes. This experience is monumental for somebody starting in the industry.