Lighting Services Inc./ Gene Moore Awards

A forest scene, a Christmas carnival and a fantasy zoo exhibit were three winning themes in the annual Lighting Services Inc./Gene Moore Lighting Awards. Top honors in the contest went to Nordstrom visual manager Cindy Giese and her team for the “Fall 2001” fashion window display they created at the specialty retailer's store in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Lighting Services Inc (LSI), the Stony Point, N.Y., designer and manufacturer of lighting equipment, created the awards program to recognize the artistry of those who produce display windows.

The competition, named in honor of Moore, the former longtime vp for window display at Tiffany & Co., recognizes the creative use of LSI's products to establish store image and motivate sales.

The Nordstrom entry featured a forest backdrop and wooden flooring. The focal point of the display was a duo of mannequins clothed in fall fashions. The scene was illuminated by LSI's 300 Series (PAR56) and 36 Series (PAR36) fixtures, combined with gold-color filters. Said one of the judges: “The key, accent and fill lighting, along with the clever use of perspective, were all done with a master's touch.”

The “Christmas Carnival” display at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, Calif., garnered second-place honors. Designed by the store's display group, the holiday promotion featured LSI's 290 Series (PAR38), 200 Series (PAR46), 30 Series (PAR46) and 35 Series (PAR36) fixtures, complemented by light amber, light pink and pale lavender color filters. Judges commented that the use of multicolored accent lighting, combined with lighting from a chandelier, provided “the illusion of a music box bursting with life.”

Third place went to “Expect the Exotic” at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. The Saks store's visual crew created a “fantasy zoo” exhibit populated with mannequins wearing leopardskin-patterned clothing. The window was illuminated by LSI's 200 Series (PAR46) and 30 Series (PAR46) fixtures, combined with deep amber, strawberry, light pink and medium pink filters and hoods. Judges said the use of multiple color filters, along with light beams set at striking angles, created “a wonderful, exotic menagerie.”

The deadline for the 2002 competition is Nov. 30, 2002. It is open to any designer or display professional who has created a window (after March 1, 2001) using LSI fixtures. For more information and entry forms, call 800-999-9574 or log on to www.lightingservicesinc.com.

Photos: Courtesy of Lighting Services Inc., Stony Point, N.Y.