Lighting Services Inc./ Gene Moore Award

Since 1991, the Lighting Services Inc. (LSI)/Gene Moore Award has recognized the talent, innovation and magic of display window designers. The award, which was named for window designer Gene Moore, lauds superior 3-D art forms that creatively promote a store's image and attract customers. This year Nordstrom, Los Angeles; Birks, Montreal; and Barneys New York, New York City were singled out. LSI president Marvin Gelman, and executive vp Daniel Gelman were the judges in the 1998 contest. Cash awards for this year were: first-place: $2500, second-place: $1500 and third-place: $500.

Jim Call, Shelby Plotkin, Dana Eastman, Stephen-Paul Fackrell and Leonn Kaleikini designed the first-place window for Nordstrom, Los Angeles (Westside Pavilion). Titled “Butterflies,” the display aimed to increase customer awareness of spring merchandise through vibrant windows with beautifully clothed mannequins that are transformed into ethereal butterflies. The display was designed within a 17-ft.-wide-by-5-ft.-deep-by-11-ft.-high closed back winter window.

The display's lighting system includes LSI track lighting with a combination of line voltage 200 Series with 200-watt PAR46 narrow spot lamps; 300 Series with 300-watt PAR56 spot lamps; and low-voltage 30 Series with 25-watt PAR46 pinspot lamps. Added to these lights were a combination of amber, light pumpkin, strawberry and blue filters that illuminated the display window from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

According to the judges, “The beauty of the display is immediately apparent to the viewer due to the dynamic use of warm, analogous colors lighting the mannequin/butterfly in contrast to the cool color filters lighting the background.” The composition is further enhanced by the well positioned top and fill lighting, which created excellent 3-D sculpting of the mannequin and the featured spring apparel.

The second-place winner, “Urban Butterflies” at Birks Jewelers, Montreal, was designed by Lucy-Ann Bouwman. Under the theme “Spring was coming with a modern touch,” Bouwman juxtaposed Mother Nature against man-made materials, showing how the two are interrelated. The display was designed within a 2-ft.-wide-by-1-ft.-deep-by-4-ft.-high closed back window operating 24 hours a day with LSI track lighting and low-voltage 30 Series units with 25-watt PAR46 lamps.

The judges commented that, “The minimalist display is an excellent example of how accent lighting, (in this case) pinspots, can be used to creatively identify only the most important elements of the window, namely the watch and the butterfly.” The striking angles and blended pools of light further bonded the theme elements to create an elegant pictorial statement.

Rico Espinet, Barneys, New York City, designed “Gommes de Garcons Odeur 53,” which received third-place honors. The display was rendered within a 16-ft.-wide-by-7-ft.-deep-by-10-ft.-high closed back window operating 24 hours a day. LSI track lighting was used with a combination of line voltage 200 Series with 200-watt PAR46 medium flood and narrow spot lamps, and low-voltage 30 Series with 25-watt PAR46 pinspot lamps. A combination of louvers, hoods and light-blue and silver-green filters were also used to illuminate the display. The judges noted, “The novel use of mannequins with featured clothing that were very softly illuminated behind the scrim served as an unintrusive background for the brilliantly lit, unisex perfume display.”

The deadline for this year's competition is November 30, 1999. For more information or an entry form, contact LSI at 914-942-2800.