Carolin Wolters is the designer of Ulf the Pink Reindeer, Fairytale Fungi, The Paradise Tree, and The Magical Garden.

“Light is life. I contrast color, light and design, taking inspiration from the world around me to create wondrous atmospheres that engage people emotionally. The effect is remarkable all year round, but particularly over the cold, dark months, when I like to harness the power of light to lift moods and make spaces inviting, warm, and sometimes, even magical.”

Carolin studied fashion design at The Academy for Fashion and Design (AMD) in Düsseldorf. She started her career as a designer for Swarovski, then for the fashion label “Manufaktur Herzblut” before joining MK Illumination in their Design, Creation & Concept department. Carolin pursues her passion for design and fashion in her free time, too. She is the designer of a number of fashion collections and is often asked for her creative direction and aesthetic eye for fashion shoots.

Pedro Teixeira is the designer of The Arch of Life.

“I believe that as creatives we are also storytellers: a little piece of ourselves goes into each of our creations, and with it, the story of their making. I use light to tell stories and I like to think that I don’t just create Christmas décor, but rather that I use light and decoration as a vehicle to stimulate people’s imaginations.”

Pedro studied arts and design in Portugal and since 2008 he has been involved in designing festive decoration for shopping centers and malls. He is passionate about not simply creating “products”, but rather about creating “emotion” and this guiding principle informs his approach to design at all times. As part of the design team at MK Illumination, he uses his unique perspective and design expertise to create original festive lighting displays.

Georg Öhler is the designer of Bird Chandelier.

“As a design tool, light probably has the most powerful impact on people’s emotions, regardless of their culture or background. It is to the eye what music is to the ear, surrounding objects, architecture, space and us in ephemeral waves of sensation.”

Georg studied architecture in Innsbruck and Madrid, and worked internationally with furniture, interiors and architecture before founding Georg Oehler Design, London. He represented Austria at Milan Design Week in 2012 and 2016 and since joining MK Illumination as Creative Director, he has been
instrumental in our design-driven approach to festive lighting.

Rachel Greene  is the designer of The Noble Forest Stag.

“A passion for design drives me in everything that I do. I found a little piece of heaven when I discovered the lighting industry, because I love it. For me, there is no better feeling than seeing the sheer joy that beautifully designed lighting and decoration brings to others, and knowing that I was part of creating that experience.”

Rachel began her design career as a knitwear designer with a qualification in Fashion Design, before returning to college where she studied Spatial Design. In 1996, she began working in production at lighting supplier LDJ as an interim role: it turned out to be a perfect fit and she stayed. LDJ became Fuzzwire, which was eventually purchased by MK Illumination and 22 years on, Rachel is still working with lighting and design and she loves every moment of what she does!

Sonja Brandmaier is the designer of The Majestic Lion.

“For me, light is the main medium of expression: it is energy, emotion, poetry, and ultimately, visual symphony. It’s a joy to work with light in the context of sculpture and staging: to experiment and innovate, to challenge and be challenged, to discover and uncover.”

Sonja studied sculpture and glass design before embarking on her studies in stage design at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. She embarked on a career as a stage and costume assistant and for a number of years was responsible for designing original stages and costumes for well-known productions and theater companies worldwide.

She joined MK Illumination’s Design, Creation & Concept department in 2017 where she now builds on her diverse background to design remarkable lighting creations.

Camilla Eriksson is the designer of The Mystic Stag and the Other-worldly Mare.

“Having grown up in the north, where winters are long and dark, I have a deep respect and love of light. It’s vital to me and to humankind. As a designer and an artist, light forms part of my palette and I use it to evoke feelings, tell stories and create immersive worlds.”

After obtaining qualifications in graphic design, illustration and art, Camilla pursued a successful career as an art director, creative director and product designer for several well-known companies before joining MK Illumination Sweden as their concept designer.

She has created immersive lighting experiences for a wide range of clients, including the Mall of Scandinavia, Linköping and Karlstad, amongst others. Throughout her career Camilla has pursued her artistic passions and is often invited to exhibit her work locally.

Steve Worthington is the Vice President of Design at American Christmas. He has worked for national retailers in various creative capacities in Visual Merchandising and Creative Concept for over 14 years, including high profile clients such as Victoria’s Secret, PINK, and Ann Taylor. He has earned degrees and certifications from Ohio State, Columbus State, Columbus College of Art and Design and SVA. His previous roles during his 3 ½ years at American Christmas have included those of Art Director and Creative Director.

Kate Bezhevets is a Design Manager at American Christmas and over the last 8 years she has been involved with the development of many iconic New York displays like Saks, Ferragamo, and Cartier. A graduate of Kuban State University, Kate is passionate about design and takes every opportunity to learn new software and develop her skills. Her extensive Production Management experience and deep knowledge of Production and Manufacturing processes is integral to the implementation of large-scale creative endeavors.