Where: Chicago W Hotel City Center

URL: http://www.exhibitoronline.com

What: This design conference is held by exhibitor magazine, but don’t get the impression that this conference will be about schlocky exhibit displays that you might see at any trade show. Gravity Free brings together a huge array of design talent to ask and answer the big picture questions.

“GRAVITY FREE is inspiration. It’s a “why” conference, not a “how to” conference. The speakers are the change-agents of the world. In the past we’ve invited to speak such important designers and thinkers as Tucker Viemeister (Oxo Goodgrips kitchen tools); Ron Pompei (Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie stores); Chip Conley (boutique hotels like The Phoenix in San Francisco, based on psychographics of magazines like Rolling Stone); Homaro Cantu (leader of the molecular gastronomy revolution and inventor of the edible menu); Freddy Justen (innovative communications storytelling at international trade fairs); Aldo Cibic (co-founder of the Memphis Design movement in Milan); Deborah Sussman (legendary 1984 Olympics graphic designer) to name just a few.”