display competition.

The Front Street department store entered the annual competition run by Visual Merchandising and Store Design magazine, a US publication. And it topped 160 other entrants from countries including the USA, UK, Japan, India and Italy.

Prestigious stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue, London's Harvey Nichols, Bloomingdales, Lord and Taylor, Woodward and Lowthrop, J.C. Penney and Marshall Fields, competed with the Bermuda store.

The store's managing director, Mr. Peter Cooper said: "Displays are an important facet of merchandising and therefore we feel strongly about creating impressive displays.

"I like it when merchandise is sold as a result of a window display. It's always a sign of a good display if the merchandise sells out and the last item has to be taken off the display.'' A.S. Cooper & Sons placed in second and third position for its entries in the China and Crystal section and Bridal section respectively.

The store's design team is headed by Display Director Mr. Richard Fell. He trained at a UK interior design company and joined Trimingham's in 1975. He has been in his present position at Cooper's for almost two years.

"The display theme at Cooper's is changed once a month and often coordinates with the season. The merchandise is changed more frequently,'' said Mr. Fell.

Judges assessed the displays on specific criteria: composition, innovation, technique and lighting.

Mr. Fell's design assistants are Ms Gorette Clementino and Ms Sheena Sampson.

The display slides that were sent to the magazine for judging were taken by Ms Ann Spurling.

Meanwhile, Trimingham Brothers won the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce's competition for the most outstanding store front during the City of Hamilton's 200th anniversary celebrations.

Trimingham's display director Mrs. Judy Rollin said a quarry and old dockside scene were chosen to decorate the windows.