Creative Retail Awards Reveals 2026 Shortlist And Venue
More than 500 entries have been narrowed to a global shortlist spanning twenty categories, as the Creative Retail Awards prepares to move its 2026 ceremony to The Clapham Grand in London.
The Creative Retail Awards has published its 2026 Shortlist Guide, revealing the projects competing across this year’s programme and confirming that the ceremony will take place at The Clapham Grand in London on Thursday 15 October.
Drawn from more than 500 entries, the Creative Retail Awards 2026 shortlist spans twenty categories and five continents, covering flagship stores, festive windows, pop-ups, hospitality, supermarkets and in-store visual merchandising. Organisers say it is the most international shortlist the Awards have produced to date.
A Global Field
The shortlisted work ranges from Tokyo and New York to Riyadh and Sydney. Projects include Coach’s Winter Forest at the Lotte East Busan Outlet in South Korea and its Tabby Shop pop-up in Sydney; the Armani x Kith pop-up at Topping Rose House in New York; Bulgari’s Diva’s Dream pop-up in Riyadh; RH Paris on the Champs-Élysées; and Twelve at House of Shinsegae Cheongdam in Seoul.
The shortlist also includes a number of British retail projects. Fortnum & Mason is recognised for its Enchanted Christmas display, alongside the window schemes A Perfect Spring Day and Fresh Tea Infusion.
Harrods appears twice, for its fifth-floor Shoe Heaven scheme with Christian Louboutin and Brunello Cucinelli’s Christmas takeover. Selfridges is shortlisted for its Beauty Hall and Disney Christmas Windows, while IKEA’s Oxford Street store features for an LED window façade and immersive live studio.
Breadth Across Retail And Hospitality
The range of shortlisted work extends across retail, hospitality and cultural projects. The Design Museum’s Wes Anderson exhibition appears alongside Pets at Home’s Vets for Pets rollout, while B&Q’s Wandsworth mural with artist Dominika Karc competes in Creative Collaboration against BOSS x Beckham and New Era’s MLB Subway Series.
Sustainability-focused projects include Fortnum & Mason’s Resourceful Nature, Sainsbury’s Ecoform, Diesel’s Denim_Salling and Illium store, and Woolworths South Africa’s sustainable Christmas tree.
View the shortlist brochure below:
A New Home At The Clapham Grand
The 2026 ceremony will move to The Clapham Grand, a Victorian theatre in south London, where the full results will be announced live on Thursday 15 October.
Images are for illustrative purposes only.
“The shortlist speaks for itself. What strikes me most is how much of this work would have been unimaginable five years ago, and how much of it comes from outside the UK. Physical retail is in a far better creative state than the headlines suggest, and this Guide is the proof. As for The Clapham Grand, it’s a wonderful venue, and exactly the sort of place a night like this deserves.”
Antony Behiels SDEA Director and co-organiser of the Awards
Judging Process
Every entry was assessed by an independent panel drawn from across the retail industry. Judges first reviewed the entries individually to narrow each category before meeting in person for a full day to determine the final results category by category.
The process is structured to give judges time to assess submissions individually before reaching final decisions collectively.
Shop Drop Spotlight Award Public Vote
Running alongside the main programme, the Shop Drop Spotlight Award is decided entirely by public vote.
Voting is open now and closes on Friday 4 September, with the winner to be announced live at the ceremony. Unlike the main awards programme, the category is decided by the industry and public rather than the judging panel.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
