Ian Gerard

Ian Gerard (he/him) is the co-founder of The Curio (2022-), a fashion events organization with a mission to "bring together and champion the Chicago fashion industry, and to showcase and elevate the best local fashion talent".[1] He was also the co-founder of Gen Art and was the company's CEO (1997-2010).[2] In January 2012, he founded Syndicate-5 until he closed the consultancy in spring 2017 in order to join his long-time client IVY, as its chief partnership officer until fall 2018.[3]

Career

Gerard attended Vassar College after which he attended NYU School of Law. In 1993, he founded Gen Art with his brother, Stefan Gerard.[4]

Gen Art focused on producing fashion shows for emerging designers, film festivals for independent film-makers, exhibitions for visual artists, live music productions and custom programs.[5] During his tenure, the company opened additional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami, and produced over 100 events each year. [6] The company showcased talent including Jennifer Lawrence, Zac Posen, Adrian Grenier, Rooney Mara, Rebecca Taylor, Zoe Saldana and Jeremy Renner[7] as well as visual artists including Gary_Baseman and Dalek (James Marshall). [8]

In May 2010, Gen Art shut temporarily due to the economic ramifications of the great recession.[9] It was sold to Sandow Media and relaunched in January 2011 [10] with Gerard acting as a consultant until his departure in March 2012.[11] In late 2015, Gerard returned briefly as a consultant to Gen Art.[12]

In October 2011, Gerard founded Syndicate-5,[13] a lifestyle consultancy that claims to help align brands with consumers through their arts & entertainment interests. Clients have included Hyatt Hotels.[14] In 2013, he co-founded the music & fashion program called "Sound Waves" program in Montauk.[15] In 2016, Syndicate-5 with Gerard as lead producer helped launch the inaugural "Underground Lauderdale Fashion Weekend" working with Broward County's Tourism Board to feature three days of fashion including industry leaders Rachel Zoe, Nicole Miller and Susan Bartsch.[16]

In the fall of 2017, Gerard joined his client, IVY - The Social University, for whom he had consulted since its launch in the spring of 2013, becoming its Chief Partnership Officer overseeing partnerships, external communications, and its content division, IVY Media.[17] Gerard secured partnerships with brands included The Macallan.[18]

Gerard's most recent venture is with The Curio, co-founding it[19] in January of 2022 with entrepreneur Matt Woodburn and quickly including fashion designer and writer, Maggie Gillette.[1]The organization has produced multiple events in Chicago including their launch party[19], "Fashion Holiday Soiree"[20], "Panel Discussion on Fashion & The Metaverse"[21], and multiple "Fashion Socials"[22]. Their most notable event was "A Celebration of Chicago Style" which was co-hosted by Nigel Barker and Cynthia Rowley, and showcased designs by Maria Pinto[23][24][25].

Accolades

Gerard has been mentioned in various publications including Crains New York Business "40 Under 40" [13] and People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" issue.[26] In 2005, Gerard was personally asked to join Klaus Schwab's "World Economic Forum of Young Global Leaders" [27] in preparation for Schwab's Great Reset and Build Back Better campaigns.

References

  1. 1 2 "Second to None: The Curio's Mission to Rise the Chicago Fashion Scene to the Top | Newcity Design". 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  2. ↑ "40 Under 40". Crain's New York Business. Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  3. ↑ "IVY Expands Beyond Its Seven-Market Experiential Base, Launches IVY Media to Deliver Free, Actionable Lessons to a New Generation of Leaders Worldwide" (Press release). IVY. October 30, 2017 – via PR Newswire.
  4. ↑ "Emerging Markets: No, Not China and India – The Story Behind Gen Art's Emerging Artists and Designers". The Harbus. Harvard Business School. February 7, 2005.]
  5. ↑ About.com
  6. ↑ New York Magazine
  7. ↑ NBC New York
  8. ↑ Arrested Motion
  9. ↑ The New York Times
  10. ↑ The Wall Street Journal
  11. ↑ Media Bistro
  12. ↑ Women's Wear Daily
  13. 1 2 Crain's New York Business, "40 Under 40"
  14. ↑ PR Week
  15. ↑ "Marketers Invade Montauk This Summer (Published 2013)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2022-06-16.
  16. ↑ Fort Lauderdale Daily
  17. ↑ PR Newswire
  18. ↑ MediaPost
  19. 1 2 Giallorenzo, Isa (2022-05-25). "Hats off to the hats". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  20. ↑ "Holiday Fashion Soiree". The Curio. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  21. ↑ Law, Saper (2023-04-12). "Recap of Saper Law's Fashion in the Metaverse Seminar". Saper Law Offices. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  22. ↑ "Chicago Reader print issue of May 4, 2023 (Vol. 52, No. 15) by Chicago Reader - Issuu". issuu.com. 2023-05-03. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  23. ↑ "Cynthia Rowley, Maria Pinto Help Celebrate Chicago Design". Yahoo Life. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  24. ↑ Giallorenzo, Isa (2023-07-21). "Fashion show celebrates Chicago's diverse style". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  25. ↑ Publisher, Candid Candace Jordan, Associate (2023-06-03). "A Celebration of Chicago Style: Runway fashion at its finest". Chicago Star Media. Retrieved 2023-12-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ↑ People, "Simply The Best - Sexiest Man Alive"
  27. ↑ World Economic Forum
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