AVD INSPIRE with Aly Velji – Details, episodes & analysis

This is where creativity gets lit.
Interior designer and creative director Aly Velji invites you into the vibrant, real, and sometimes messy world of artistry, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.

In this AVD Inspire teaser, Aly shares what sparked this passion project, what’s in store for Season One, and why launching this podcast on his birthday (June 24th) means more than ever.

Whether you're in a creative funk, plotting your next big pivot, or just craving real talk with purpose-driven people — this podcast is your new go-to.

Expect intimate convos with Aly’s closest friends and creative muses — artists, makers, and icons who are making bold moves, navigating real-life ups and downs, and sharing the rituals that keep them grounded.

Hit SUBSCRIBE and get ready to be inspired.

Official launch drops June 24th.

Want to know about Interior Designer Aly Velji? Click here to discover his award-winning Calgary design firm.

To launch the AVD INSPIRE Podcast, Aly Velji sits down with none other than Canadian media legend Marilyn Denis — in a heartfelt, full-circle moment that’s as personal as it is powerful.

From her 49-year reign across Canadian radio and television to her timeless wisdom on reinvention, legacy, and self-worth, Marilyn opens up like never before. The two dive into everything from therapy and personal check-ins to career pivots, iconic interviews, and their shared Calgary connection — with a few surprises along the way (Stevie Nicks, Beyoncé, and a very memorable birch tree wallpaper).

Whether you're a longtime fan or just discovering the magic of Marilyn Denis, this warm, funny, and deeply inspiring conversation will leave you feeling like you just had breakfast with your bestie. 

Follow Marilyn Denis

Stay connected and tune in to The Marilyn Denis Show on CHUM 104.5 (iHeartRadio):

• Listen live: https://www.iheartradio.ca/chum
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marilyndenis
• Website: https://www.marilyndenis.ca

Presented in Partnership With:

Bow Valley College

Celebrating 60 years as Calgary's largest downtown post-secondary campus. We are a catalyst for change through our students and graduates.

Learn more about the City Maker campaign: inspire.bowvalleycollege.ca/city-maker

• Website: https://bowvalleycollege.ca
• LinkedIn: Bow Valley College on LinkedIn

• Instagram: @bowvalley

Media Sponsor: Western Living Magazine

A huge thanks to our Media Sponsor, Western Living Magazine!

Get your free subscription at westernliving.ca/subscribe

Follow on Instagram: @westernliving

Follow Aly Velji Designs & the AVD Podcast

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designs_av
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlykhanVeljiDesigns/podcasts
• Website: https://www.alyveljidesigns.com

What is style, really? In this vibrant, heartfelt and hilarious conversation, Aly Velji sits down with legendary stylist and creative force Peter Papapetrou to talk about how fashion, identity, and creativity evolve across decades, cities, and life chapters.

From the basement fashion shows of his youth to styling for The Marilyn Denis Show and working with couture houses like Giambattista Valli, Peter opens up about the hustle and the joy behind his colorful career.

Now splitting his time between Toronto and Miami, Peter shares how marriage, moving abroad, vintage fashion in Amsterdam, and reconnecting with silence reshaped his creative vision—and why he’s finally turning the lens on himself.

In This Episode:

• Peter’s incredible journey including his humble beginnings as a kid to becoming a Canadian style icon

• Fashion vs. Style: The soul of how we show up

• His favourite memories from being on The Marilyn Denis Show

• Vintage shopping in Amsterdam & rediscovering personal style

• What TV taught him about storytelling, humility, and impact

This week on AVD Inspire, I’m sitting down with one of my oldest (and most fabulous) friends — Stanley Sun, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Mason Studio.

Before he was designing hotels, restaurants, exhibitions, and retail spaces around the world, Stanley was deep in the world of neuroscience. That’s right…he almost became a doctor! But thankfully for all of us, he followed his heart (and his talent) straight into the world of design.

In this episode, we’re talking about what it really means to bring your whole self into your creative work — your background, your culture, your quirks, all of it. Stanley opens up about discovering your true identity, working with intention, and how community-building is at the center of everything Mason Studio does.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Stanley went from lab research to luxury interiors
• The connection between science, creativity, and emotion

• The wild story behind talking to industry pros at a spa…in bathing suits
• Embracing culture and queerness as creative superpowers
• Why Mason Studio is more than a design firm — it’s a movement
• The power of space to ground, heal, and connect us.

Presented in Partnership With:

BRIZO® – Fashion Forward. Lifestyle Focused.BRIZO® is a luxury fittings brand for people who understand that fashion isn’t just about the clothes they wear—but their entire lifestyle. The high-end brand has a strong emphasis on refined style, design and trend, with a large variety of finishes and customization options. Full artistic collections that tell a story.

• Get inspired and explore: brizofaucet.ca

• Subscribe for design inspiration: brizofaucet.ca/newsletter

• @brizofaucet | Pinterest | Facebook

Media Sponsor: Western Living Magazine

A huge thank you to our media sponsor, Western Living Magazine.

• Get your free subscription at westernliving.ca/subscribe

• Follow: @westernliving

  
  

Follow Aly Velji Designs & the AVD Podcast:

• Instagram: @designs_av
• YouTube: Aly Velji Designs Podcasts
• Website: alyveljidesigns.com

This week on AVD Inspire, Aly Velji sits down with Jonathan Sotto — Director of Business Development at the Global Creative Design Studio Yabu Pushelberg — for a conversation that’s equal parts style, soul, and show-stopping resilience.

From cold-calling firms straight out of school to now leading business across Asia and the Americas, Jonathan shares the behind-the-scenes story of how grit, good timing, and knowing when to pivot shaped his two-decade journey in the world of design. The two dive into everything from imposter syndrome to the importance of feedback, what it's like to make bold career decisions, and why giving back to yourself matters just as much as giving your all.

Also on the table? RuPaul’s Drag Race, Beyoncé and how childhood experiences totally shape who you are today

Whether you’re in design or just designing your life, this one’s for you.

What We Cover:

• The Beyoncé tee moment and a designer friendship born in Vegas

• Growing up Filipino and dreaming of overcoming stereotypes

• Discovering design through Lego, grid paper, and career pivots

• Cold-calling firms in 2005 — and the hustle before LinkedIn

• Facing rejection and finally landing a job at Yabu Pushelberg

• Leaving a dream job to move abroad and grow personally

• What it means to “promote” design instead of “doing” design

• Navigating imposter syndrome and finding your voice

What happens when you step away from something safe to pursue something soulful? In this inspiring episode of AVD Inspire, Aly Velji sits down with Toronto-based contemporary artist Murray Duncan to talk about creativity, courage, and the choice to start again—this time with purpose.

After years of running his beloved retail store Hardware in Toronto, Canada, Murray followed an inner pull toward art. That leap turned into a career rooted in storytelling, emotion, and deep personal alignment. His work often described as an emotional visual diary—has now been featured in top publications and homes across North America.

From his upcoming paperwork collection to collaborations with leading designers and galleries, Murray shares the mindset shift that made it all possible, and the unexpected joy of building a life that finally feels like home.

In This Episode:

• Murray’s journey from retail entrepreneur to full-time working artist
• How vulnerability became his most powerful creative tool
• Working with designers and architects to tell visual stories through art
• His upcoming paperwork collection and what it represents
• The shift that happened when he started creating from alignment
• Why leaving something good is sometimes the only way to find something great

Connect with Murray Duncan:

• Website: murrayduncanstudio.com
• Instagram: @murray_duncan_studio

SPONSORED BY: Divine FlooringDivine Flooring is a design-forward flooring brand known for curating premium surfaces that elevate spaces with style and soul. From luxury hardwood to innovative vinyl, they partner with designers, builders, and homeowners to craft interiors that leave a lasting impression.

Aly’s own home features Divine Flooring’s “Cosmopolitan Naked” hardwood in a stunning chevron pattern—because real transformation starts from the ground up.

• Explore more at divinefloor.com
• Follow on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/divineflooring/⁠

MEDIA SPONSOR: Western Living Magazine

A huge thanks to our Media Sponsor, Western Living Magazine!Get your free subscription at⁠ westernliving.ca/subscribe⁠

• Follow on Instagram:⁠ @westernliving⁠

Follow Aly Velji Designs & the AVD Podcast

• Instagram: @designs_av
• YouTube: Aly Velji Designs Podcasts
• Website: alyveljidesigns.com

This week on AVD Inspire, Aly sits down with lighting designer and creative entrepreneur Kate MacNeill, founder of Concord Custom Lighting — the all-female Canadian studio known for crafting bespoke light fixtures for luxury residential and high-end hospitality interiors.

In this episode, we dive into:

• How Kate built a women-led lighting design studio from scratch

• The behind-the-scenes process of custom lighting manufacturing

• How to turn a design vision into a functional, code-compliant product

• What it really takes to thrive as a female founder in the design industry

• How to overcome imposter syndrome and trust your creative instincts

Kate opens up about leaving behind a commerce degree and stepping into the world of industrial design, fabrication, and creative business ownership. Her lighting work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House & Home, The Globe and Mail, Dezeen, and The Local Project (Australia) — and we get into the raw, real moments that shaped her journey.

Plus, we chat about our recent commercial design collab, why Canadian-made design matters, and the beauty of building a brand that empowers creativity, collaboration, and craftsmanship.

“Sometimes you just need to take the leap… because the pain of living out of alignment becomes too heavy to carry.”

Connect with Kate MacNeill & Concord Custom Lighting

• Website: thisisconcord.com

• Instagram: @concordlights

Presented in Partnership With Napoleon FireplacesNapoleon Fireplaces, a Canadian owned and operated manufacturer, combines smart design with standout style, offering gas and electric fireplaces in a wide range of sizes, styles, and price points. Built for easy installation and long-term performance, their innovative portfolio gives designers flexible, customizable options for any space, from traditional to contemporary and everything in between.

• Website: napoleon.com

• Instagram: @napoleonfireplace

• Facebook: Napoleon Products

Media Sponsor: Western Living Magazine

A huge thank you to our media sponsor, Western Living Magazine.

• Get your free subscription at westernliving.ca/subscribe

• Follow: @westernliving

Follow Aly Velji Designs & the AVD Podcast:

• Instagram: @designs_av
• YouTube: Aly Velji Designs Podcasts
• Website: alyveljidesigns.com

This week on AVD Inspire, I’m joined by the brilliant and bold Simone Elizabeth Saunders, one of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary textile artists. Her hand-tufted portraits are more than art — they’re powerful statements rooted in Black womanhood, visual storytelling, and ancestral connection.

Simone's rise from a decade-long career in theatre to becoming a globally recognized fiber artist is nothing short of inspiring. Her work has been exhibited in major galleries from Toronto to Miami, featured in Forbes, CBC, and Colossal, and now lives inside her stunning new book, Encompass the Galaxy.

In this heart-to-heart full of vibes and real talk, we talk about:– The transition from performing arts to contemporary textile art– Centering Black identity, feminine strength, and history in visual work– Tufting, punch needle, and the tactile power of fiber-based storytelling– How Simone curated Noir Nouveau for Contemporary Calgary’s LOOK Gala– Trusting your voice (even when the world doesn’t get it yet)– Creative rituals, spiritual practice, and the role of ancestral wisdom in her art– The reality of being a Black female artist navigating today’s art world

Whether you're an artist, a dreamer, or someone seeking creative courage, this episode will remind you that your story is your superpower — and that art is a revolutionary act.

Connect with Simone Elizabeth Saunders

Want more of Simone’s vibrant, powerful world? Follow her here:

• Website: simoneelizabethsaunders.com

• Instagram: @simoneelizabethsaunders

• YouTube: Simone Elizabeth Saunders

  
  

Sponsored by Bow Valley College

Bow Valley College is Calgary's College. In 2025, we are celebrating 60 years of launching professional journeys and providing students with opportunities to advance and evolve their careers. As Calgary's largest downtown post-secondary campus, we are a catalyst for change through our students and graduates.

• Website: bowvalleycollege.ca

• Instagram : @bowvalley

• Linkedin : Bow Valley College on LinkedIn

  
  

Media Sponsor: Western Living Magazine

A huge thank you to our media sponsor, Western Living Magazine.

• Get your free subscription at westernliving.ca/subscribe

• Follow: @westernliving

  
  

Follow Aly Velji Designs & the AVD Podcast

• Instagram: @designs_av

• YouTube: Aly Velji Designs Podcasts

• Website: alyveljidesigns.com

This week on AVD Inspire, I’m joined by the inspiring and grounded TJ Edmondson — President & Owner of Windsor Workshop and Co-Founder of Local Made Market. His story is a masterclass in following your gut, taking the leap, and building a life with your hands, your heart, and a whole lot of sawdust.

TJ’s journey began in the world of management consulting, racking up hotel loyalty points and living out of airport lounges. But when the pandemic hit, he swapped boardrooms for the woodshop, taking over one of North America’s most iconic furniture makers and carrying forward its legacy of handcrafted Windsor chairs.

His work has been featured in Country Living Magazine, House & Home, Style at Home, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Muskoka Life, Parks Canada, and Kabin Magazine — but beyond the press, it’s his commitment to preserving fine woodworking in Canada, mentoring the next generation of makers, and collaborating with other artisans that makes this conversation so special.

In this heart-to-heart filled with craft, community, and real talk, we get into:
– The leap from a secure corporate career to owning a heritage woodworking business
– How TJ found Windsor Workshop (yes, it involves a “business for sale” listing)
– Keeping 300-year-old joinery techniques alive in a modern market
– The realities of manufacturing high-quality furniture in Canada
– Building community among makers and why collaboration beats competition
– Launching Local Made Market and celebrating Canadian craftsmanship
– Balancing tradition with innovation to reach new audiences
– TJ’s personal grounding rituals (spoiler: sawdust and yoga)

Whether you’re a maker, a dreamer, or someone craving the courage to rewrite your story, this episode will remind you that your “one day” can start the moment you decide to build it.

Connect with TJ Edmondson
Want more of TJ’s world of craftsmanship, collaboration, and Canadian-made design? Follow him here:

• Website: windsorworkshop.com | localmademkt.com
• Instagram: @windsor_workshop | @localmademkt
• YouTube: @TheCanadianChairman
• Facebook: The Windsor Workshop Canada | Local Made Market
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjedmondson/

Sponsored by Lux Windows 

Lux Windows and Doors offers a complete line of Canadian crafted windows and doors designed to meet the highest standards of durability, reliability, and aesthetic appeal. We continually strive to manufacture the best windows and doors possible, and service our clients with unparalleled care and commitment to quality. Crafted specifically for your home and style, every window and door bears our hallmark attention to detail.

• Brand Website: luxwindows.com
• Brand LinkedIn: Lux Windows & Glass
• Brand IG: @luxwindows
• Brand YouTube: Lux Windows Channel

Media Sponsor: Western Living Magazine

A huge thank you to our media sponsor, Western Living Magazine.

• Get your free subscription at westernliving.ca/subscribe

• Follow: @westernliving

  
  

Follow Aly Velji Designs & the AVD Podcast

• Instagram: @designs_av

• YouTube: Aly Velji Designs Podcasts

• Website: alyveljidesigns.com

This week on AVD Inspire, I’m joined by the brilliant Laura Noriega — Founder and Creative Director of TRIBUTO, a design brand that celebrates Mexico’s cultural heritage through timeless, handmade objects.

Laura’s story is all about leaving, returning, and rediscovering her creative roots. She studied and worked in Barcelona, Milan, and even Kyoto — chasing inspiration all over the world. But when she returned to Guadalajara, she found her true calling: reconnecting with her culture and championing the artisans who keep traditional craft alive.

Together with her sister, Laura built TRIBUTO into a brand that’s as much about people and poetry as it is about products. But what really lights Laura up is community, collaboration, and proving that craft is not a thing of the past — it’s the future.

In this episode, we talk about:

– Laura’s journey from studying abroad to returning home to Guadalajara

– How her friend’s simple drawing shifted the entire course of her life

– Founding TRIBUTO with her sister and why family makes the best creative partners

– Why Mexico’s artisans and workshops are having a global design moment

– The challenges (and beauty) of weaving tradition into contemporary design

– Measuring real impact and what it means to uplift communities through craft

– Guadalajara’s rise as a design destination (and why you need to visit!)

– Laura’s rituals that keep her grounded...literally!

About Laura Noriega

Laura Noriega is a Mexican designer, thinker, and collaborator with a background in Product Design and Interior Architecture. She is the Founder and Creative Director of TRIBUTO, the brand she launched with her sister to design and produce handmade objects rooted in cultural heritage and traditional local production.

Her work has been celebrated globally — from Architectural Digest México’s AD100 Creative Gurus to PHAIDON’s Designed for Life: The World’s Best Product Designers and Salone Satellite: 20 Years of Creativity. Beyond beautiful objects, Laura is passionate about teaching, leading workshops, and creating processes that spark dialogue between contemporary design and traditional craftsmanship.

Connect with Laura & TRIBUTO

Want more of Laura’s world of culture, craft, and creative collaboration? Follow her here:

• Website: tributo.mx

• Instagram: @tributomx | @laura_noriega

• Facebook: TRIBUTO