On July 13th Design Wright Studios participated in a beautiful event – the Aspen Gala – held to benefit the brainchild of the amazing Amanda Boxtel, Bridging Bionics. We designed and furnished one of the VIP lounges that circled the ballroom of the historic Hotel Jerome.
We supplied Ralph Lauren Home sofas, chairs, a lamp, and purple ottomans; Design Wright Studios Private Collection patterned ottomans; a rug by Artisan Rug Gallery; a coffee table by Perennials Social; and standing lamps by Niermann Weeks and Visual Comfort. 
Amanda Boxtel, a 2018 CNN Hero, founded Bridging Bionics to help people who have suffered from catastrophic injury or disease to regain some mobility via the use of robotic technology. Amanda herself was paralyzed after a skiing accident in 1992, yet she is unstoppable in her belief that she can participate fully in her life. She has been inspired by advances in bionics, a form of technology that mimics biology in the engineering of prosthetics, such as replacement arms and legs.
Customized exoskeletons made from 3-D printers are one of the technologies that can allow people to walk again, but the robotics and intense physical therapies that make this possible cost way more than most people can manage. That’s where Bridging Bionics comes in. And that’s how we found ourselves participating in the Gala in Aspen.
As is typical of the quirky community of Aspen, attendees at the Gala were a diverse and generous crew of party-goers. There were ladies in glamorous gowns, guide dogs in their vests, and children wearing bow-ties.
Fashion ranged from mountain casual to bell bottoms to haute couture. Everyone took to the dance floor, some in their wheelchairs. There were acrobats, aerialists, a fire dancer, and demonstrations of the incredible exoskeletons that restore mobility – all astonishing.
The live auction generously raised much-needed funds that will help support children, women, and men whose lives will be improved by the very best of technology. In our beautiful state of Colorado, we hope to see as many people as possible live their lives with no limits. If you hit the slopes near Aspen this winter, you’ll probably see Amanda skiing. And smiling. Thank you, Bridging Bionics.
