Opinel in France and Japan’s Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store have been named the global honorees in the 2026 gia Top Window Awards
The winners were announced by the International Housewares Association (IHA) during a presentation on AI and visual merchandising trends, led by gia expert jurors Wolfgang Gruschwitz and Denise Foley.
Opinel received the award in the small company category, with the jury praising its use of movement and dimension to create depth and visual interest.
In the large company category, Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store was recognised for its window displays, which impressed the jury with their consistent use of colour and theme, effective lighting, symmetry and balance. The judges also highlighted the craftsmanship and flow of the displays.
The 2026 competition attracted entries from 13 countries, reflecting the creativity and investment retailers continue to bring to visual merchandising.
“The most recent gia Top Window Awards competition had entries from 13 countries, and it is incredibly encouraging to see the creativity and passion that retailers are placing into their window displays,” said Derek Miller, IHA president and CEO.
Both global honourees will be invited to The Inspired Home Show 2027 in Chicago, where they will be recognised at an awards dinner on 9 March alongside other gia winners.
The gia Top Window Awards is part of the wider gia programme, established by IHA and The Inspired Home Show in 2000 to encourage innovation and excellence in home and housewares retailing. The programme has recognised more than 600 retail award winners across 60 countries and six continents.
The Inspired Home Show will take place at Chicago’s McCormick Place from 9–11 March 2027, marking its final edition in Chicago before moving to AmericasMart Atlanta in 2028.
