Hollywood, Fla. (December 17, 2008)—When 23 New York retail design and display showrooms opened their doors for The NADI Show last week, neither pouring rain nor a struggling economy put a damper on retail attendance. Showrooms reported solid traffic and buyer interest, as retailers sought new ideas to entice shoppers to buy.
 
The NADI Show sets a unique stage for retailers, visual merchandisers and designers to see and share new, innovative ideas. The annual showroom event celebrates design excellence and offers multiple opportunities for learning and inspiration.

“The NADI Show has quickly established itself as a one-of-a-kind event, where retailers find inspiration and quality presentations at the world’s best design showrooms,” according to NADI Show Chairman Sal Lenzo of Lifestyle. “We were pleased to see a great turnout this year; it proves the show is meeting retailers’ needs.“

The showroom format has been well received by retailers: “There’s nothing like schlepping in the rain around New York, only to arrive at a beautifully designed, pristine showroom,” said Christine Belich, Vice President Visual Merchandising for Sony. “In the showrooms, we’re greeted by old and new friends who share in the excitement of discovering innovative finds to make our heads come up with new ideas.”

Showrooms reported that retailers came to The NADI Show looking forward to positive change. Richard Rollison, Executive Vice President of Universal Display and Design, said, “The challenging economy has created a critical need to inspire, motivate and entertain shoppers as never before.”

NADI Chairman Brad Somberg, who is CEO of B+N Industries, reported, “This show is the best outlet to experiment and get feedback from a wide range of clients. We can’t wait for next year’s show.”

Show headquarters at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) provided retailers with a place to gather and network, as well as to attend three conference sessions addressing sustainable retailing and design trends, with speakers from Doneger Group, WGSN, Material ConneXion, JCPenney and The Bon Ton.

Other events during the show included the PAVE Gala, a fund-raiser benefiting retail design students; a bus tour of holiday displays; and a student-designed mannequin exhibit at FIT.

Twenty-six leading companies participated in The NADI Show, either through a showroom presentation or as a sponsor of NADI Show events. Participating companies included: Adel Rootstein Mannequins, Alpha Display, Alu, Architectural Systems, B+N Industries, Bernstein Display, Circle Visual, coloredge, DK Display Corp., Elevations, Goldsmith, JP Metal America Inc., Holiday Foliage, Holiday Image, Leo Prager, Lifestyle, Material ConneXion, Mondo Mannequins/Sellutions by Econoco, Patina-V, Ralph Pucci, RHO, SEVEN CONTINENTS, Siegel & Stockman, Trimco, and Universal Display & Design. VM+SD is the show’s media sponsor and publisher of the official NADI Show Guide.

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