Whether it’s the integration of lighting with fixtures and signage, advances in green materials or dramatic mannequin styles, this year saw a bevy of fresh ideas applied to the traditional products palette. Flexibility remains relevant – if not mandatory – as retailers aim to create elements of distinction within their spaces. And don’t forget the appeal of the unexpected by mixing metals with natural materials or using unusual, oversized props to bring a smile to shoppers’ faces. In the end, it’s all about creating the right signature statement for your retail environment. VMSD wraps up the year with a review of some noteworthy new products.

After-mouse.com
www.after-mouse.com  
Among the awe-inspiring technology on display at NRF’s The Big Show was After-mouse.com’s
touchscreen applications for retail and hospitality settings. The units allow users to make product comparisons, see product in 3-D, watch videos and place virtual orders.
VMSD Editors’ Choice

Goldsmith
www.goldsmith-inc.com
Drama reached new heights this year thanks to the popularity of long and lean mannequins. The abstract Sketch Collection from Window Collections by Goldsmith stands 82 in. tall. and comes in 12 figures.
VMSD Editors’ Choice

Galeriile Sabion Artistic Store Fixtures
www.sabion.ro
To create a gallery-like space for jewelry retailer Galeriile Sabion, designers created pedestals of handmade wrought iron and combined metal and glass into fixtures that are works of art. The stainless-steel slabs in the checkerboard floor feature electric currents to provide electricity to the displays without cluttering the store environment.
Store Fixture Award, A.R.E.

Manex France Display
www.manex-usa.com
Appeal to the millennial generation with the Hans Boodt Casual Realistic Female Mannequin. The line resembles women in their mid-twenties with a slim, lean look.
VMSD Editors’ Choice

Christine Taylor Collection
www.christinetaylorcollection.com
Whimsy was just one of the important themes in visual props and decoratives in 2011. These 8-in.-long Lacquer Clothespins offer a fun touch and come with a glossy finish and multiple bright color options.
VMSD Editors’ Choice

Chippenhook
www.chippenhook.com
With the proliferation of iPads in retail environments, this iPad stand is a welcome addition. The unit features interchangeable magnetic side panels and a hidden back panel for electric wiring. Weighted and balanced for stability, the device is secured inside the frame.
VMSD Editors’ Choice

Fleetwood Fixtures
www.fleetwoodfixtures.com
Taking “thinking outside the box” to a new level, Fleetwood’s booth walls were constructed of cargo crates to illustrate the company’s new Cargo line, featuring containerized items from around the world. The company partnered on the booth with Portland Color, which demonstrated its graphics ability with prints on a variety of materials.
VMSD Outstanding Booth Award, GlobalShop

DK Display Corp.
www.dkdisplaycorp.com
We’ll let you decide if it’s a mannequin or a fixture, but the Schlappi “M” Collection is sure to add some visual punch to any retail setting. Features standing and seated versions with interchangeable and modular metal bars, as well as full mannequin and ¾-bust forms.
VMSD Editors’ Choice

Milliken
www.milliken.com
Rinascita recycled leather tiles offer the convenience of tile flooring with a sustainable touch. Features reclaimed and recycled carpet backing and comes in two hand-rubbed finishes.
Silver Winner, Flooring: Resilient, NeoCon

3DPhotoWorks
www.3dphotoworks.com
The company takes signage to a new dimension using a special software program that converts 2-D images into a 3-D, bas-relief graphic. The hybrid product is part photographic, with accurate color and life-like features, and part relief sculpture.
VMSD Editors’ Choice

Hera Lighting
www.heralighting.com
The integration of lighting into fixtures and shelving is bringing light sources closer to the product. QPad-LED is a square, low-profile, surface-mounted LED spotlight that requires no drilling. And it uses only 7.5 watts.
VMSD Editors’ Choice

Acuity Brands
www.acuitybrands.com
Revel OLED lighting system delivers light where and when it’s needed. Each Revel module emits a discreet amount of light, allowing designers to locate individual modules in patterns tailored to their application or environment.
Most Innovative Product of the Year, Lightfair

Visplay
www.visplay.com
The triennial Euroshop trade show highlighted several new green products. The Choices surface support system is made from wood plastic composite (WPC) from renewable raw materials and plastic.
VMSD Editors’ Choice

Tech Lighting
www.techlighting.com
Element 3-in. LED Adjustable Downlight offers high-low lamp positioning, so designers can position the LED closer to the aperture for maximum light output and efficiency, or higher to minimize glare and the flash on the trim.
Best of Category, Downlights, Wallwashers, Accent Lights, Lightfair

3form
www.3-form.com
Versatile and environmentally friendly, ReMix panels can be used for doors, partitions or wall features and are made with pre-consumer recycled content.
Silver Winner, Architectural Products, NeoCon