• by Tony Silber , Staff Writer, April 21, 2022

Three marquee Hearst media brands -- Elle Decor, House Beautiful and Veranda -- are hosting a virtual summit on Friday coinciding with Earth Day that seeks to create equity in design through education for future generations and working designers. 

The brands, known as the Hearst Design Collection, are presenting "Design U: the Future of Eco-conscious Living" in conjunction with parent company Hearst Corporation. The event is set for April 22 at 12:00 p.m. EDT.

Design U. is a Hearst Design Collection educational platform that also serves as a resource for inspiration and community. The inaugural summit took place last year and brought together design experts and editors to discuss the pervasive impact of design on the world for an audience of students, design-business owners, and design enthusiasts.

Hearst has a variety of university and college partners, including the USC Roski School of Art & Design, the University of Michigan Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning, the Savannah College of Art & Design, and Parsons School of Design. Professors and other experts from those institutions will join relevant panel discussions.

This year’s edition of Design U features 11 sessions and more than 20 speakers, as well as six sponsors. Headlining speakers include Cassie Flynn, head of climate strategies and policies at the United Nations Development Programme; the actress Kate Hudson; the jewelry company Oscar Massin’s CEO, Frédéric de Narp; the filmmakers and explorers Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau; and Anushka Salinas, president and COO of Rent the Runway.

Interested attendees can register for the livestream at http://hdcdesignu.com/.