Why I Give: Zach Gibbs

For Zach Gibbs, chief customer officer and co-founder of The Shade Store, the business of premium window treatments is “in the blood.” His grandfather founded the precursor of The Shade Store in 1946, when the custom window treatment business was about “selling fabric off the bolt.” Zach Gibbs entered the family business in 2006. Working alongside his two brothers and his cousin, they recognized an opportunity to take what their family had been doing for generations and to rebrand and restructure the business to make high-quality, handcrafted, custom window treatments accessible to everyone. What The Shade Store offers today is a single, nationwide resource for premium custom window treatments and a suite of services, including over 1,300 in-stock materials for drapery, roman shades, roller shades and wovens; trade exclusive benefits, including special pricing; measure and installation; and state-of-the-art motorization options.

What started as an e-commerce business is now supported by 70 showrooms across the nation. In addition to being an innovative businessman, Gibbs is a true fan of interior design, with deep respect for its ability to impact and improve lives. Under the leadership of Gibbs, The Shade Store made a multi-year commitment to the New York School of Interior Design in 2019, underwriting its new “Rising Star” award, which was awarded to Alberto Villalobos for the first time this year. Gibbs shares why he’s chosen to support the New York School of Interior Design.

Why has The Shade Store become a corporate sponsor of NYSID?

The interior design community is a large part of our business, and education is crucial to the continued advancement of interior design. Supporting NYSID’s program allows us to interact with established interior designers and future interior designers, who are really the people who will be driving innovations in the industry. It is designers who determine what materials become stylish, what technologies become standard, and we need to stay connected to a diverse and eclectic talent pool in order to adapt as the industry evolves.

Why did you choose to underwrite the Rising Star award?

Designers bring a level of passion and creativity to their work that inspires companies like ours. We feel it’s important to recognize amazing talents, early on in their careers, to help inspire and motivate the next generation of great designers to set the bar high and continue to “wow” the world with their vision. This award gives us an incredible opportunity to do that.

What have you learned from interior designers?

As the industry has evolved, we’ve listened to our designer customers and have developed our service and production model to meet their needs. For example, our fast lead times (10 days or less) are a direct result of meeting the customers’ expectations. In addition, we know designers work with clients in multiple cities and so our 70 plus showrooms in all major markets allow us to support them regardless of their location.

What do you love about what you do?

Interior design is about adapting to the way people live. This is true even in the world of window treatment. Our part of the industry affects how people sleep, how they work, how they get privacy. It’s humbling and motivating to contribute to the way that someone lives.

Interested in becoming a NYSID supporter? Please contact Joy Cooper, Director of Development, at 212-452-4197 or giving@nysid.edu.

The Most Successful Gala in NYSID’s History

“By having a healthy scholarship fund, NYSID can attract and retain the most outstanding students, regardless of their financial circumstances,” said Ellen Kravet, chair of NYSID’s board, at the College’s annual gala on March 5th. Thanks to all your generosity, NYSID’s scholarship fund received a big boost: this black-tie event was the highest grossing fundraiser in NYSID’s history. It raised more than half a million dollars, money that will enable deserving design students to develop their talents and realize their dreams. Addressing the crowd, Rachel Edelstein ’19 (BFA), the recipient of two Charlotte Moss scholarships, who is employed at Beyer Blinder Belle in Washington, D.C., said, “Charlotte Moss’s generosity in endowing this scholarship made a critical difference to me: it helped reduce my debt and enabled me to buy a laptop. Buying that laptop meant I could work as many hours as it would take to give school my all. And believe me … I gave it my all.”

Integral to the success of the evening was the work of the gala co-chairs: Jill Dienst, Alexa Hampton, David Kleinberg, Susan Nagle, Betsey Ruprecht, Patricia Sovern, and Maria Spears, who delved into their networks to bring new supporters and sponsorships to the table. The gala drew hundreds of NYSID’s friends from across the country, in a parade of finery, to honor three designers whose work is transforming the field. The evening’s honorees were interior designer Jeffrey Bilhuber, who received the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement award; ceramicist and lamp designer Christopher Spitzmiller, who received the inaugural Larry Kravet Design Industry Innovation award; and interior designer Alberto Villalobos ’06 (AAS), who received the inaugural “Rising Star” award, sponsored by The Shade Store. We are grateful to the entire NYSID community for helping reward excellence and foster such incredible talent.