1. 32 AUSTINMONTHLY.COM / AUGUST 2015
PHOTOCFEDIT
A-LIST
MUSIC
A A-LIST
CREATIVES
A
EYEON
THEPRIZEBy making stylish trophies,
Eva Schone comes in first
BY CLARISA RAMIREZ
PORTRAIT BY JESSICA PAGES
With the help of
local craftspeople,
Schone creates
elegant trophies,
awards and plaques
that look effortless
in their simplicity.
E
va Schone is a sentimental-
ist. The living room of the
40-year-old designer’s Brent-
wood duplex is filled with the
type of plants her family owned while she
was growing up in East Germany. That
same feeling of love and acknowledgment
is evident in the products of her company,
Trophyology,aboutiquedesignfirmspecial-
izinginsophisticated,high-qualitytrophies,
plaques and gifts.
Trained as an architect at the University
of South Florida’s School of Architecture
and Community Design, Schone started
her business after seeing a need in the
market and—frankly—receiving one too
many chintzy awards. “I was proud of the
recognition,butIneverfeltIwantedtoshow
any of them,” she explains. So she set out to
create heirloom-quality awards that reflect
the same kind of excellence as that of the
trophy recipients. In 2011, while traveling
around Europe, she designed her first col-
lection. Upon her return to Austin, where
shehasbeenlivingsince’06,shewenttothe
American Institute of Architects chapter
and presented the Emerging Professional
Awardshehadoncereceivedandaprototype
for a redesigned version. The organization
responded: “How do we order?”
Since then, Schone has collaborated with
several local and national organizations,
including Austin Energy Green Building,
don’t come cheap, with trophies ranging in
price from $275 to $575. But even a statio-
nery box displays a handiwork that comes
fromtheheartandexpressesgratitudeand
appreciation. In fact, when asked who her
dream client would be, Schone gets a little
misty.“Ihaveasweetspotforallofthepeo-
ple who made the Berlin Wall fall down,”
she says. “That was such a big deal, and I
don’t want to forget that. I’m very grateful
for the people who helped.” AM
Corgan, Hanger, Inc. and Savant. In May,
business-to-business magazine Counselor
listed her as a successful entrepreneur and
trailblazer in its annual 2015 “Hot 25.”
Trophyology’s custom designs can
take several weeks to complete. Schone
approaches them as architecture projects,
creating 10 to 20 models before handing off
her drawings to her contractors, who make
thepiecesusingNorthAmericanhardwoods
and locally sourced materials. The results
32 AUSTINMONTHLY.COM / AUGUST 2015
TROPHYPHOTOSBYRACHELKAY-APPLEBOXIMAGING.COM.