Louis Vuitton Earns A.R.E’s Store of Year Honors

The Association for Retail Environments (A.R.E.) honored 65 projects at its annual awards ceremony, held last week during GlobalShop, at the XS Nightclub at Encore Hotel. The awards recognized 48 projects from around the world, in store design, visual merchandising and fixturing, as well as individual elements.

Taking home top honors was Louis Vuitton Island Maison in Singapore. Designed by leading architects Peter Marino and Moshe Safdie, the project impressed the judges with its scale, visual appeal, and brand integration within the nautical setting.

Also earning recognition was UnSPACE and Grand & Benedicts for My.Suit: Digital Pod and Bench, which was named Fixture of the Year. The Visual Presentation of the Year, presented by VMSD, went to Shremshock, Wonderwall, Mondo Mannequins and Quantum Fine Casework for the Express Runway Tables in the retailer’s King of Prussia store. The top Sustainable Project of the Year was presented to Jump Branding & Design Inc. for its South St. Burger Co. in Toronto’s Bayview Village.

In total, 15 grand prizes, 16 outstanding merits, 22 individual awards for in-store communications, lighting, store fixtures, visual presentations and wall treatments, and 8 sustainability awards were handed out.

Competition judges included: Luiz Andrade, Sony Electronics Inc.; Sherif Ayad, id&design international; Tony Camilletti, Design Fabrications (D|Fab); Anne DiNardo, VMSD magazine; Robert Higgins, Fossil Inc.; and Marc Riera, Nike. Judges for the Sustainability Awards included Chair Lisa Thompson, EcoScapes Sustainability Solutions; John Blattel, EMI Industries; Nancy Everhart, Little; Bob Johnson, b.johnsonDESIGN; Michael Payne, Callison; Jeff Remtema, Progressive AE; Bob Riley, DSA/Phototech; Richard Shelley, Fetzer Architectural Woodwork; Rick Troxel, Roseburg; and Wesley Woelfel, Greneker.

Here are the 2012 winners:

Store of the Year: Louis Vuitton Island Maison

Specialty Store over 25,000 sf: Louis Vuitton Island Maison

Softline Specialty Store Under 3,000 sf: Alexander Wang Flagship Store

Restaurant/Casual Dining: Wilde & Greene Restaurant + Natural Market

Restaurant/Fast Food: Cava Grill

Department Store: El Palacio de Hierro Interlomas

Hardline Specialty Store 7,501 – 25,000 sf: Fixtures Living

Softline Specialty Store 3,001 to 7,500 sf: Frye Flagship Store

Softline Specialty Store up to 3,000 sf: Hi Panda

Service Retailer: ING Direct Café

Pop-up Store: ING Express

Hardline Specialty Store 7,501 – 25,000 sf: Intersport Bründl

Softline Specialty Store 3,001 to 7,500 sf: Juventus Store

Softline Specialty Store 3,001 to 7,500 sf: Lacoste

Specialty Store over 25,000 sf: Next Home and Garden

Softline Specialty Store up to 3,000 sf: Tokkad

Hardline Specialty Store 3,001-7,500 sf: Victorinox

Softline Specialty Store 7,501 – 25,000 sf: Victorinox Flagship Store

Hardline Shop Within a Store: Nixon

Service Retailer: One Bloor Sales Centre

Hardline Specialty Store 3,001-7,500 sf: Patina Flooring Store

Restaurant/Fast Food: Pollo Campero

Specialty Food Retailer: Pusateri’s

Specialty Store over 25,000 sf: REI SoHo

Restaurant/Fine Dining: Scarpetta Dining Pavilion

Hardline Specialty Store up to 3,000 sf: Snaidero USA Showroom: Living + Design

Hardline Specialty Store 3,001-7,500 sf: Sony Leap

Specialty Food Retailer: Starbucks Coffee

Hardline Specialty Store up to 3,000 sf: SUPER by Dr. Nicholas Perricone

Restaurant/Fast Food: TEC Urban Eatery

Softline Specialty Store up to 3,000 sf: Timberland

Pop-up Store: Timberland EarthKeepers
 

Individual Element Awards:

Individual Element: Starbucks Coffee Company: Social Connection

Individual Element: Starbucks Coffee: Artisan Walls

Individual Element: Vineyard Vines: Cashwrap

Individual Element: Wolverine Company Store: Logo Wall

Individual Element: Alexander Wang, Cage Presentation

Individual Element: Apropos: Aluminum Interlocking Circle Screen

Individual Element: Asian Paints Color Store: Color Cloud Facade

Individual Element: Beer Boutique (The): Sculptural Lighting

Individual Element: My.Suit: Digital Pod and Bench

Individual Element: My.Suit: Digital Pod and Bench

Individual Element: C&A Iguatemi: Lighting Brazilian-Style

Individual Element: Express: Runway Tables

Individual Element: Fixtures Living: Integrated Inspiration

Individual Element: Frye Flagship Store: Product Lighting

Individual Element: Ippolita: Fixture Grouping

Individual Element: Fresh: Sensorial Bar and Perimeter Fixturing

Individual Element: Patina Flooring Store: Clear Selection Direction

Individual Element: REI SoHo: Authentically-Themed Walls

Individual Element: REI SoHo: Rugged Communication Details

Individual Element: REI SoHo: Store Lighting

Individual Element: Sleep Number: Communication by the Numbers

Individual Element: Sony Leap: Merchandising Walls

Individual Element: SUPER by Dr. Nicholas Perricone: Merchandising Wall

Sustainability Awards:

Sustainability: South St. Burger Co.

Sustainability: Canadian Tire

Sustainability: Chevron ExtraMile

Sustainability: Fixtures Living

Sustainability: JOY of PUMA: Revolutionizing the Factory Outlet

Sustainability: JOY of PUMA: Revolutionizing the Factory Outlet

Sustainability: Kiehl's Retail Store and Spa 1851

Sustainability: Timberland EarthKeepers