VM Experience as an interactive special area at EuroShop 2026

Always a feast for the eyes – that’s EuroShop, with its outstanding booth designs and remarkable retail concepts. In 2026, another visual highlight made its debut: visitors were able to experience a new format for modern visual merchandising – the 400-square-meter special area, VM Experience.

“We’re proud of our new special area because it brought together products, inspiration, education, and trade fair visitors into an interactive experiential space. The VM Experience demonstrated how creative design can generate emotion and capture attention,” says Kathrin Brüggemeier, Senior Project Manager Retail & Retail Tech at EuroShop and responsible for the special area.

“Our special thanks go to the strong partners who made this exhibition possible.” These include the Stuttgart School of Color and Design, exhibitor [B] Mannequin – a manufacturer of display figures – sponsor FOTOBODEN™, a specialist in custom-printed vinyl flooring, and sponsor fundus7, a provider of rental furniture.

The special area consisted of three parts: a booth by the School of Advertising Design at the Stuttgart School of Color and Design, framed by two exhibition zones – a catwalk where mannequins and “femmequins” demonstrated the possibilities of fashion staging, and a running track featuring figures dressed in sportswear. “It quickly became clear to us that the space should be divided in two, since fashion and sports are central themes in retail,” explains Simon Zillober, Managing Director at [B] Mannequin.

The idea behind it: as visitors walk along the tartan track or the runway and move among the figures, roles intentionally begin to blur – mannequins become spectators, and trade show guests become models.

“The stand was deliberately designed not as a traditional exhibition, but as an interactive creative space,” Brüggemeier emphasizes. For example, visitors could experiment with shapes and colors at a station at the school’s booth and give free rein to their creativity. “We wanted to invite a lively dialogue that encourages exchange and the courage to pursue creative solutions.”

The goal of the staging was to present visual merchandising as a vibrant experiential world. For Zillober, that’s exactly what matters: trade fairs need “lively, challenging, and engaging focal points.” Especially in an increasingly digital age, in-person interaction can only hold its ground through distinctive experiences.

That the concept worked was also evident from the perspective of the three project partners: the space was heavily used – for photos as well as conversations. The strong reception of the VM Experience was also reflected in the well-attended evening event hosted by the Stuttgart School of Color and Design on the second day of the fair. “We celebrated together,” Zillober recalls, “and I think that’s important in economically challenging times – that a sense of togetherness remains a key element.”

From afar, a burst of color drew attention: at the center of the special area stood the striking booth of the School of Advertising Design at the Stuttgart School of Color and Design. Under the motto “Dare to create,” students designed a vividly colored, labyrinth-like booth architecture that invited visitors to explore and participate.

For the students, the trade show appearance was part of their training: they planned the booth, built and dismantled it, and staffed it throughout the event. Amelie Kuhlmann, a student at the School of Advertising Design and co-responsible for the booth concept, describes the project as a unique experience in which students could “see an entire trade show project through from start to finish.”

The eye-catching design was intended to attract visitors and draw attention to the school’s offerings. “We worked with very large-scale forms and bold colors – we wanted to stand out,” Kuhlmann explains. According to her, the approach also reflects current retail design trends: “After years of tone-on-tone concepts, complementary contrasts and geometric shapes are gaining importance again.”

Staging doesn’t just play a leading role at trade shows. In retail, too, visual merchandising is becoming increasingly important for standing out and creating memorable shopping experiences. “We see our retail clients focusing more on highlights, eye-catching moments, and storytelling,” observes Simon Zillober. Imfeld agrees: “Brand staging is and remains essential. To make a stronger first impression and connect with customers more effectively, storytelling is incredibly valuable.”

Visual merchandising helps create attention-grabbing scenes and inspire through design – ideally turning a store into a kind of social media hotspot. Those who are creative and tap into trends can attract a younger audience. Flexibility is key. That’s why ongoing technical development of mannequins is gaining importance. New fittings and modular systems are making it easier to dress and redecorate figures quickly and flexibly – even without specialized staff, Zillober explains.

Stefan Imfeld adds that customers increasingly want a quick overview, ideally on a purely visual level, without having to study floor plans. Visual merchandising can therefore contribute not only to immersive, sales-driving environments, but also to intuitive wayfinding.

With its VM Experience area, EuroShop sends a clear signal for collaboration and creative ideas in retail – especially in challenging times. Together with international partners, it demonstrates the potential of combining different areas of expertise – and how brick-and-mortar retail can play to its greatest strength: shopping as an emotional, sensory experience.