LAB Talks: A Design Duo in Conversation
About this Event
What do interiors and fashion have in common? Both are designed for the parts of ourselves we hold closest. Whether it's a soft landing spot or the easy, cotton dress you'll always reach for, interior designer Anne McDonald and fashion designer Michelle LeBlanc understand the intersection between their two crafts better than most.
When Anne McDonald popped into MILLE on 48th and Grand years ago, she had no idea how close she and owner Michelle LeBlanc would become. A fast friendship was formed, and in the years that followed, the two shared an office space in Minneapolis. As both businesses grew, Anne designed MILLE's new headquarters, their new flagship retail space, and Michelle's family home. What began as a chance encounter quickly evolved into a lasting creative partnership and friendship between two entrepreneurs, designers, mothers, and creatives.
Moderated by Emma Geary, LAB's Brand + Editorial Manager and the Editor-in-Chief of , this LAB Talk will explore the relationship between interiors, fashion, and the distinct sense of place that is created when two multi-hyphenate creatives unite, building a community that stretches far beyond their craft.
As always, this event is FREE and open to all.
Event Schedule:
Doors Open and Check-In: 9 am-9:30
Grab a free cup of coffee and say hello to others before the panel begins!
Panel: 9:30-10:15 am
The panel begins with an introduction from LAB's owner & creative director, Mollie Windmiller. Then, we’ll dive into the conversation with Emma Geary as our moderator.
Connect with fellow attendees + panelists: 10:15-11:00am
Meet Our Panel
Meet Anne McDonald
Anne McDonald Design (AMD) is a Minneapolis-based interior design studio creating warm, liveable spaces throughout the country. Founder and principal Anne McDonald draws on her nature-filled Mississippi River Valley upbringing as a builder’s daughter and her Master of Fine Arts degree in eco-architecture to balance form and function in every project, which she leads from start to finish.
McDonald’s perspective is informed, too, by her first interior design job working for an historic paint colorist. She masterfully curates rich, satisfying palettes, whether the space calls for monochromatic neutrals or jewel tones. Bringing in texture and patina to both historic and contemporary homes, she meticulously sources vintage and antique pieces that celebrate and honor original features, and creates timelessness in new homes.
Keenly sensitive to her surroundings, McDonald digs into the details that make a room special, focusing on materiality and craft, scale and flow, lighting and color. Her Midwestern sensibility fosters warmth and approachability in all her projects; realized through classic design principles and a focus on architecture as the foundation.
A member of The Expert Top 40 every year since its inception and one of Architectural Digest’s New American Voices of 2024, McDonald’s spaces have been published in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, and more.
Meet Michelle LeBlanc
Michelle is the founder of MILLE, a clothing line designed slowly, worn often, and made to be handed down. What began as a boutique on 48th and Grand, curated with Michelle's impeccable eye, has evolved into an in-house clothing line carried at 70+ retailers nationwide, including Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Shopbop, and more. An Austin native turned Minneapolis transplant, Michelle is one of the Twin Cities' most celebrated retail mavens, whose work is inspired by the women she's always loved dressing. Visit MILLE's flagship store at Galleria Edina.
Meet Emma Geary
Emma is a Chicago-based writer who tells the stories of beautiful things and the people creating them. She's the resident word girl at LAB and , serving as the Brand + Editorial Manager and Editor-in-Chief, respectively. With an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Hamline University, her work elevates and amplifies the region's vibrant community of artisans, designers, and entrepreneurs. After hours, find her staring at the sun on her daily walk along Lake Michigan.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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