Rachel

Meyer

Rachel was born and raised in Illinois in a family of engineers and educators. Industrial design sits at the intersection of her strengths: strategic problem solving, creativity, and empathy. She is especially passionate about translating digital accessibility "off the screen" to better serve visually impaired users. Her internship at the Bernard Group introduced her to opportunities in retail merchandising, and her capstone project brings these experiences together, combining industry insight with a focus on making accessibility more tactile.

Portfolio Website

Sophomore Year: The Ringhaven is a transforming jewelry display designed for traveling vendors. It was inspired by the time-consuming setup and breakdown processes many jewelry sellers face, often requiring them to manually arrange each product. This project explores how thoughtful design can streamline that workflow while supporting brand identity and elevating product presentation.

Junior Year: The Retrodash draws inspiration from the dashboard of the Porsche 356, simplifying the complexity of modern accessibility features. It replaces digital interfaces with intuitive, tactile touchpoints that provide multimodal feedback and confirmation. The project asks how we might support individuals experiencing vision loss with a stylish, approachable product that offers a low barrier to entry.

Senior Year Capstone: Color Revolution is a brand overhaul of Haus Labs by Lady Gaga, initially inspired by content creator Mollie Burke, who highlights accessibility gaps in the cosmetics industry. The project explores a tactile identification system for cosmetic packaging and considers how it could extend to in-store retail displays and product assortments. It ultimately asks how digital accessibility can be translated into the physical retail experience and beyond.