This year's “Best of Show” Award went to Marshall Field's for its sole-ful “Les Shoes” window displays, which promoted the opening of the Chicago flagship's renovated shoe department last summer. Five other entrants dazzled their way into first place slots, while another 12 received Awards of Merit.
VM SD's annual International Visual Competition celebrates the fleeting images of retail merchandising. Though the displays and windows created by visual teams are often short-lived, the contest recognizes their laudable efforts on behalf of retailers'bottom lines. Designers from as far as Japan, Africa and Canada clambered to have their creative endeavors distinguished.
On April 24, a panel comprised of visual merchandisers and designers congregated at FRCH Worldwide's Cincinnati office to judge entries: Nancy Brueneman, visual merchandiser, Sears (Cincinnati store); James Frederick, director of visual merchandising, FRCH; Brent Hodge, visual merchandiser, ArHaus (Cincinnati); Nadine King, senior designer, Federated Department Stores (Cincinnati); and Richard Westendorf, creative director, Landor Associates (Cincinnati office). They peppered the process with comments and insights, describing noteworthy displays as “rich,” “cohesive” and “non-traditional.” Westendorf encapsulated the winners'strategies when he observed, “They took a concept and exploded it.”
Best of Show and First Place Winner: Windows
Les Shoes, Marshall Field's, Chicago
First Place Winners
- In-Store Apparel Presentation
- Women's Active adi-Shop, Nordstrom, Dallas Galleria
-
- In-Store Home Goods Presentation
- The Wedding List, Boston
-
- In-Store, Storewide Promotions
- “Summer 2000” Displays, Seibu Department Store, Tokyo
-
- Community Outreach/Social Causes/Arts Promotion
- “The Mask Project,” Cherry Creek Shopping Center, Denver
-
- Collateral
- and
- In-Store Accessories/Beauty and Shoes Presentation
- Club Libby Lu, Woodfield Mall, Chicago
Award of Merit Winners
- Windows
- “The Angel of Audubon,” Deluxe San Mateo, San Mateo, Calif.
- Spring Fashion Campaign, Tobu Department Store, Tokyo
- Wish Fulfillment,”Marshall Field's State Street, Chicago
-
- In-Store Apparel Presentation
- West Marine, Richmond, Calif.
- Nike Kids Apparel and Accessories Displays, VF Playwear, Greensboro, N.C.
-
- In-Store Home Goods Presentation
- Pottery Barn Kids, South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, Calif.
-
- In-Store Accessories/Beauty and Shoes Presentation
- Mania by Georgio Armani, Marshall Field's State Street, Chicago
-
- In-Store, Storewide Promotions
- “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,” Marshall Field's State Street, Chicago
-
- Community Outreach/Social Causes/Arts Promotion
- Steppenwolf 25th Anniversary, Marshall Field's State Street, Chicago
-
- Trade Show Displays
- eBank, Columbus, Ohio
-
- Retail Center-Wide Promotions
- 10th Anniversary, Cherry Creek Shopping Center, Denver
- “Once Upon a Time,” The Somerset Collection, Troy, Mich.