YG15 Showcase: Verena Hennig

Shining the spotlight on this year's Young Guns winners

Young Guns 15, arguably the most prestigious portfolio-based competition for creatives under 30, is going out with a bang! This year's winners were unveiled last week, and it's safe to say that this is one of the most eclectically talented classes in Young Guns history. 

Next week is the traditional Young Guns ceremony and party, (you've scored your tickets, right?) and nearly all of this year's winners will be travelling from across the globe, across the country, or across the Williamsburg Bridge to attend. Ahead of the festivities, the One Club for Creativity is highlighting many of the winners you'll be able to meet.

VERENA HENNIG
Creative Director + Designer
Based In: Fuerth, Germany
Originally from: Nuremberg, Germany
verenahennig.com

SEE VERENA'S YG15 PROFILE + WORK

What does winning this award mean to you?

It is a great honor joining the club of Young Guns this year. When I started working as designer a lot of my heroes had won Young Guns, therefore receiving this award is a true milestone for me on my design path so far.

"When I started working as designer a lot of my heroes had won Young Guns, therefore receiving this award is a true milestone for me on my design path so far."

How did you decide what to enter?

The selection I entered were projects I am most proud of; work that represents best my style and way of thinking.

Can you name any past Young Guns winners who you look up to?

Stefan Sagmeister (YG1) and James Victore (YG1) come to my mind right away. Both of them are unique characters, very dedicated to what they do, how and why they do it.

What keeps you going, creatively speaking?

Plain curiosity, about the people and world that surrounds me! Being a designer means being able to work in a very broad kind of way. You can go through the world and spot problems or details which can be solved, improved or reinvented. It is an exhilarating feeling to work in so many different directions. There is always something to be done, you just have to look and observe carefully. Therefore I see my designs as an ongoing personal research and testing ground, which I am very grateful to discover and trying to understand our world in that particular way.

Now that you’re a Young Guns winner, what’s next?

The next big step is relaunching and rebranding my product firm in January. I am bringing on other designers, who share a similar way of thinking and design language. For example, my friend and Young Guns 8 winner Lotta Nieminen is creating a marvelous project for us at the moment. In the future, I also want to extend these collaborations even further, by bringing in other disciplines such as architecture, art and film.

Verena and her fellow winners will be honored at the Young Guns 15 Ceremony + Party, taking place on Thursday, November 16 at Highline Stages in Manhattan's Meatpacking District. 

Young Guns 15 is presented in proud partnership with Shutterstock, Levene/Leavitt and MTV.

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