NEW YORK — The world's leading retail designers and visual merchandisers will gather in New York to preview the newest store design trends, tour the city's new retail concepts and honor promising design students. A.R.E.'s Retail Design Collective takes place Dec. 8-10 at 7W New York, 7W 34th St., and at major showrooms throughout the city. With 36 showrooms and conference sponsors, show management said this year's event is the largest yet.

Special events during Retail Design Collective will include the PAVE Gala, a fund-raiser benefiting retail design students. Also, The Retail Design Institute will sponsor a pre-show tour of Limelight Marketplace, followed by a reception.

Conference sessions focusing on visual merchandising and store design trends will feature leading retailers including Harry Cunningham of Saks Fifth Avenue, Brad Lenz of Liz Claiborne, Diana Bernal of Van Cleef & Arpels Inc., Paul Olszewski of Macy's, Tom Davidson of The Food Emporium,and Lauren Shaw of Louis Vuitton North America. The conferences are presented by show media partners DDI, VMSD and Specialty Insider.