Genevive Trousdale jump started her career working at the firms of Michael Berman, Suzanne Rheinstein, and Timothy Corrigan before founding her own firm, Circa Genevieve. After branching out on her own, Trousdale noticed a change taking place in the industry: Clients were becoming more familiar with product. There was growing pressure to present clients high level design with an element of surprise. Who and where could she turn to find the industry support and resources she needed to keep up with this shifting tide? Turns out she wasn’t the only designer noticing the trend. As a result, Trousdale launched Circaphiles in 2020, which connects and empowers professionals in the design industry by providing educational resources, networking opportunities, and access to unique sources, vetted by peers designing at a high level. Click play on the video below to watch our conversation and learn how you can get involved as a designer or a vendor:
Student Circaphile memberships bridge the gap between design school and studio life
Another primary goal of founding Circaphiles was to bridge the gap between design school and studio life. The entry level student membership gives students enrolled in an accredited design program the same access to resources and mentorship as the Key Holder members. Circaphiles is not there to teach students how to design – that’s what they are getting in school. It’s everything else: systems and bookkeeping, pricing and client relations, sourcing and business expansion.
Circaphiles designers are collaborators not competitors
Circaphiles has been pivotal in dispelling the illusion of competition between designers. “There is always enough work to go around for everyone,” Trousdale says, “It is important for designers to work in collaboration with one another.” With a focus on fostering creativity and innovation, Circaphiles is designed to support and empower. At the highest level of membership, in addition to being vetted for quality of projects, and if the work has been published, a major qualifying factor for Key Suite membership is a shared spirit of sharing resources and asking for feedback in return. Learn more about the invite-only Key Suite membership by watching the video below:
More about Circaphiles
Circaphiles is a private trade-only platform created by renowned interior designer, Genevieve Trousdale. The platform serves as a community for students and elite industry experts alike, providing them with educational resources, networking opportunities, and access to vetted sources. Trousdale aims to connect professionals in the design industry and create an online space for sharing knowledge, collaborating, and continuing education. The Circaphiles online platform is a space where designers can exchange ideas, find inspiration, and access valuable, unique resources with three membership tiers: student, keyholder, and key suite. Click here to learn more.
