Look Again, And Again

THE WAIT IS FINALLY over – the 2026 “Look Book” issue is here, featuring some of the latest and greatest new retail products from across the industry, from mannequins and forms to lighting to materials to fixtures and furniture. All these product sections are complemented by our annual Holiday Windows Recap, penned by our former Managing Editor Olivia Taylor, which features this year’s Gene Moore Window Award, chosen by a panel of retail industry experts or, as we like to call them, “Window Wizards.” We received so many breathtaking submissions for this year’s recap, from global destinations like Ecuador, Ukraine, Mexico City and, of course, storied retail capitals like Los Angeles and New York City. See these eye-catching displays beginning on pg. 14.

Beyond the physical issue, visit vmsd.com to read our 2026 Trends Forecast written by longtime contributing writer and former VMSD Editor Janet Groeber. This in-depth report looks at all the new trends and strategies retailers and designers are employing in the coming year to capture customer attention.

And speaking of “new,” we’re so thrilled to announce the next location for our International Retail Design Conference (IRDC): Las Vegas! Taking place Oct. 7-8, 2026, at Planet Hollywood, our 26th annual conference will feature the usual hands-on workshops, interactive sessions and thoughtful trends reports – but this year, there will be an even larger focus on the notion of experience, and I personally believe Vegas is a wonderful backdrop for this. Between attractions like The Sphere and immersive shopping environments like Area 15, Vegas will be an ideal location while considering what “experience” really means to the end user. (As in year’s past, the Shop! Ideation Conference & Retail Challenge will co-locate with IRDC and take place Oct. 5-6.)

Beyond IRDC, we have so many exciting things happening in the first half of this year: EuroShop 2026 in Düsseldorf this February 22-26, the Shop! MarketPlace trade show and conference in New Orleans (May 6-7), and more post-event coverage focusing on the 2025 Markopoulos Award, NRF “Retail’s Big Show,” and more. As always, stay tuned to vmsd.com and irdconline.com for all latest happenings, show announcements and project coverage. Wishing you and yours an impeccable New Year!