*Sam Edelman, New York, NY. Image © Garrett Rowland*

During the early years of my design career, companies reacted to financial upswings by rolling out growth strategies. When business boomed, corporations asked for bigger offices, retailers sought larger stores in more prominent locations, and airports looked to accommodate a greater number of passengers. Design firms interpreted upticks in the market and rosy outlooks for economic growth as signs that work was about to start pouring in. Our output directly correlated to the health of the global economy.