Laura Duphiney is a 3D entertainment designer who formerly worked as a designer and concept artist for the Macy's Parade Studio. Duphiney began her career as a freelance illustrator in 1989, later founding her own company, LD Designs, in 2004.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Laura Duphiney first joined the Macy's Parade Studio team in September of 2008, joining other designers Joel Naprstek and Jennifer Palmer. During her time with Macy's, Duphiney designed a vast array of balloons, floats and other novelties for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and several other large-scale seasonal events, such as the annual spring Flower Show and Santaland.
In 2017, Duphiney was a senior member of the design team for the rebranding of Macy's Holiday Parade into Universal's Holiday Parade Featuring Macy's. In this role, Duphiney created concepts for the procession's elaborate balloons, floats and costumes that would ring in the holiday season.
Duphiney left the Macy's Parade Studio team in July 2020, along with over 4,000 other Macy's employees across the country whom were laid off.
List of Duphiney's Parade Designs[]
Giant Balloons[]
- The Elf on the Shelf by CCA and B, LLC (2012, with Jennifer Palmer)
- Snoopy & Woodstock (7th Version) by Peanuts Worldwide (2013)
- The Wizard of Oz Hot Air Balloon by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc. (2013)
- Paddington by The Weinstein Company (2014)
- Ronald McDonald (4th Version) by McDonald's (2015)
- DINO (2nd Version) by Sinclair Oil Corporation (2015)
- Charlie Brown (2nd Version) by Peanuts Worldwide (2016)
- Goku (1st Version) by Toei Animation Inc. (2018)
Novelty Balloons[]
- Kaikai & Kiki by Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. (2010, with Takashi Murakami)
- Virginia by Macy's (2010)
- Trixie the Bouncing Dog by Macy's (2016)
- Felix the Cat (2nd Version) by DreamWorks Animation (2016)
- Fleck, Bjorn, Jojo and Hugg by Netflix (2018)
- Smokey Bear (2nd Version) by U.S.D.A. Forest Service (2019)
Balloonicles[]
- Kool-Aid Man by Kraft Foods (2010)
- The Aflac Duck (1st Version) by Aflac, Inc. (2011)
- Mother Ginger by Universal Orlando Resort (2016)
- Baby DINOs by Sinclair Oil Corporation (2018)
Trycaloons[]
- Tough Guy and Bulldog (2011, with Joel Naprstek)
- Nutcracker and Mouse King (2012)
Floats[]
- Girl-Powered Spinning Machine by GoldieBlox (2014)
- Beauty of Beijing by the Sino-American Friendship Association (2014)
- At the Ball Game by Cracker Jack (2014)
- The Stone Forest of Kunming, China by Sino-American Friendship Association (2015)
- The Cranberry Cooperative by Ocean Spray (2015)
- Snoopy's Doghouse by Peanuts Worldwide (2015)
- Building A Better World by Girl Scouts of the USA (2016)
- China’s Chengdu - Home of the Giant Panda by Sino-American Friendship Association (2016)
- Deck the Halls by Balsam Hill (2016)
- Everyone's Favorite Bake Shop by Entenmann's (2017)
- Harvest in the Valley by Green Giant (2017)
- Splashing Safari Adventure by Kalahari Resorts and Conventions (2018)
- Rexy in the City by COACH (2019)
- Home Sweet Home by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (2019)
Costumes[]
- Goldfish on Parade Escorts (2012)
- SeaWorld Escorts (2013)
- Sea Anemone Stilt Walkers (2013)
- Dreamseeker Escorts (2013)
- Wooden Puppets (2013)
- At the Ball Game Escorts (2014)
- Cowboy and Cowgirl Stilt Walkers (2015)
- Parade Brigade Clowns (2016)
- King's Hawaiian Escorts (2016)
- Hibiscus Stilt Walkers (2016)
- Jingle Bells (2016)
- Goldie Guard Stilt Walker (2016)
- Macy's Starlets (2019)
- Rexy in the City Escorts (2019)