by Karen Doodeman

NASFM celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Retail Design Awards program on March 22, announcing 26 Outstanding Merits, 13 Grand Prizes, 13 Special Merits for Outstanding Store Fixtures, one overall Fixture of the Year (new award this year) and an overall Store of the Year.

The association recognized two fixturing projects in its newest awards program offspring, the Focused Fixture Awards, a category judged solely on the quality and innovation of the fixturing, regardless of overall store design. The Fixture of the Year award, also new this year, was presented to the Outstanding Store Fixture rated highest among all Special Merit winners. Retailers, designers, and fixture manufacturers were on hand for the awards ceremony, which took place in Chicago in conjunction with GlobalShop.

"Simplify. Keep the assortment of fixture types small so you can buy in quantity," says Ken Poston, vice president of planning and construction for Saks Inc.

Winners were selected from projects completed between January and December 2000. Canadian entries fared well, capturing 21% of the awards. International entries from Hong Kong, Australia, and South Africa also took home crystal awards. The remaining 28 projects were located in the to U.S., with Las Vegas and the Northeast leading the way.

Display & Design Ideas was the Presenting Sponsor of the awards program and will publish a comprehensive magazine supplement in May featuring the winning projects. This issue of NASFM Magazine spotlights fixturing design. A complete list of Retail Design Award winners and photos is available online.

Fixturing Design Trends

This year's winners successfully integrated technology, service, and comfort into well-branded store designs. The judges saw a renewed interest in colors and authentic materials, and continued application of curves and luminescence. The five biggest trends in fixturing spotted among the award-winning projects were:

� Integrated Technology

Although the use of technology has grown over the past five years, this year the emphasis was on incorporating technology into the overall design concept and ensuring that it supported the brand and involved the customer by offering a "real service." The Athlete's Foot for Her store and Skechers aptly demonstrate how exciting technology can be when it permeates the overall store design and provides benefits above and beyond the boundaries of a physical store.

� Luminescence

Shimmery, reflective materials continue to be the rage. Stainless and brushed steels, like those found in Dickson CyberExpress and Candies Concept Shop, and mirrored surfaces, like those found in Bergdorf Goodman's Fine Jewelry Department, maintain their popularity with consumers and designers alike. Specialty lighting, used in conjunction with unique surfaces like the frosted glass in H2O+, adds a mesmerizing iridescence to many new stores.

� Flexibility

With product lines switching rapidly in response to the changing needs of customers, the demand for flexibility in fixturing is growing. In the SUE Store, the structural frame and trusswork enable easy repositioning of shelving and restocking of merchandise. BGS' oversized table display and Canyon Ranch's display tower both demonstrate fixtures that accommodate various quantities and types of merchandise easily and effectively. Eagle Creek Travel Gear is an example of an entire fixturing system dedicated to flexible merchandising.

� Authentic Naturalism

Winning fixtures were frequently asked to support nostalgic themes, such as "America's Market" in Sentry Foods and Warner Brothers' memorabilia in the WB Stage 16 Restaurant. Home and comfort are popular trends in stores such as Electronic Interiors and Pottery Barn Kids. Authentic materials were used in many stores to recapture the flavor of suggested regions or themes. Consider Canyon Ranch's southwestern desert ambiance, Pusateri's Gourmet Market's European charm, and BVG's artist's motif aptly detailed into every fixture. Evidently, the more real it feels, the better.

� Fixtures on Stage

As the trend shifts toward greater use of color in overall store design, fixtures are stepping forward. More and more fixtures are being asked to convey brand and/or theme, enhance customer accessibility and service, and support changing merchandise promotions. Although many fixtures are still neutral in color, their subtle integration into the overall message of the store is what sells product and image.

Karen Doodeman is NASFM's director of retail marketing.