Each year in January, more than 200 lighting manufacturers from all over the globe gather at Dallas Market Center for Lightovation. Formerly known as the Dallas International Lighting Market, it’s the largest lighting showcase in the industry – and the world.
Global Appeal
Along with thousands of other industry professionals, Mahlander’s Rosie Kindt and Jason Miersma attended the market with shopping – and our customers – in mind. The exhibit hall is filled with innovative product lines and an enormous, comprehensive array of lighting, including fixed, portable and trend lighting for both commercial and residential applications. Of course, Mahlander’s buyers returned with tons of fresh ideas for our clients.
Kindt, longtime Lighting Sales Manager for our Sioux Falls showroom, noted that the show once again had a global feel, which was a change from the past two years when COVID restrictions kept many non-domestic vendors from attending the event. But this year, exhibitors from all 50 states and more than 85 countries were on hand to showcase their wares, making it that much more fun.
Rosie and Jason were able to finally meet one of the representatives, Bernardo, from a family-owned Brazilian company, Accord Lighting, that was added to Mahlander’s lineup almost two years ago. Their fixtures are unique because they are made largely of wood and are quite striking. Networking with vendors and distributors is an important part of keeping up with industry developments and ensuring our showroom remains up to date.
One of our main distributors, Deininger Lighting (out of Minnesota) was on hand as well. Their Manufacturer Representative, Rick Eller, shared some thoughts.
“I was really impressed overall,” Eller said. “This was my second market and compared to last June, I thought the offerings overall were much more on on-trend. It was also nice to see more faces and attendance up so much.”
Not only did Eller enjoy seeing the people at the event, but he was also pleased with the new pieces coming out from many of the vendors.
“I thought Kichler had some wonderful pieces at market. I loved the incorporation of the champagne bronze finish into their chandeliers and pendants. Their preview of the April launch was much more modern and chic compared to what they released last year, and I think that fits the need of our customers much better in our territory,” he said with a nod to the Midwest territory his company serves.
Finishes & Favorites
Finishes are always notable each season, so no surprise that new tones are being used by some of the mainstay manufacturers. Kindt noted an emphasis on gold finishes, either on their own or paired with black. Black also made a strong solo appearance. White made more of a showing as a finish color this year.
With so many styles, textures, configurations, and finishes, how does one choose a favorite? It’s hard to narrow it down to just one, Eller says.
“My favorite piece from January market was either the Phix or the Gala, which will both be available in April. Kichler also showed their dedication to size and is re-releasing a number of their popular fixtures in larger sizes – including the Abbotswell, Jestin, and the Erzo,” he says, adding that the new sizes will be about 1.5 times bigger than the pictures shown above. (Thanks for the sneak peek, Rick!) So, there are some grand fixtures to look forward to from Kichler. And some beauties from other vendors as well …
Other well-known manufacturers also created wonderful displays for the event, including Varaluz, a manufacturer of truly unique fixtures, and Quorum International, whose lines include Cyan Design decor items and the more contemporary Oxygen lighting. Stunning showrooms and displays are a hallmark of Lightovation, and these vendors didn’t disappoint.
Wide Variety
Kindt also noted there were fabulous new looks at all price points, which is wonderful when purchasing for a market where customers have a wide range of needs. Ensuring there is something for projects of all sizes (and budgets!) is an important aspect of stocking a retail showroom. Many of Mahlander’s tried-and-true vendors (Capital, Crystorama, Hinkley, and Feiss/Visual Comfort) were all well-represented with stellar displays, she said. (However, she was so busy, she couldn’t get many photos!)
Mahlander’s staff has been busy placing orders since returning from Dallas, and new items will be arriving in the showroom in late spring. You won’t want to miss all the new styles; watch for updates!
