DesignerCon 2021 Returns to Anaheim with Style!

DesignerCon 2021 Returns to Anaheim with Style and bursts with creativity unlike any other show currently returning to convention centers.

I’m no stranger to pop culture conventions, specifically comic-cons and gaming expos. There’s no shortage of artistic talent at any of them, but when it comes to a show like DesignerCon, it’s truly something else. After a year exiled to the realm of online-only shows, DesignerCon 2021 returned to the Anaheim Convention Center in full force and fully in person. With an endless array of artists working in a variety of mediums, there was always something new to discover, no matter how many times you walked down the same aisles. From art prints and sculptures to puppets and hand crafted rugs, even a few comic book inspired pieces, DesignerCon 2021 is always unlike any other convention I go to in an average year.

Of course, this year, as well as the previous one, has not been an “average year”. Stepping back into the convention center for the first time in almost two years, it was a little unnerving. Even though the aisles were wider and it didn’t seem as packed as in previous years, I wasn’t used to being around so many people after such a long time. But required masks and a verified vaccination status didn’t stop me from enjoying the experience. Established collectibles and design companies like Mondo, Super 7, Tokidoki, and Mighty Jaxx were surrounded by row after row of independent artists and vendors showing off (and of course selling!) their latest designs in the form of t-shirts, statues, pins, custom action figures, and enough exclusive, high end art prints to cover every wall you’ve got in your home. Iconic designer Shag was there to show off and sign exclusive Disneyland Enchanted Tiki Masks. The Boom Bap Kids put on a hiphop puppet show unlike anything you’ve seen before. And even before you stepped into the main hall, you could walk among an exclusive collection of one-of-a-kind custom styled rugs scattered around the lobby, featuring images of everything from cryptocurrency to anime and a few things I’m still decipher.

But when it comes to something like DesignerCon, words just won’t cut it. This con is a “show don’t tell” kind of event. Here’s a few images from our exploration of DesignerCon 2021, hopefully the first of many annual in person events as we crawl out of our pandemic hideaways and re-enter our hopefully more stylish world outside.