Press Releases
GSN’S NEW SKILL-BASED COMPETITION SERIES, “WINDOW WARRIORS,” WHERE ART MEETS COMMERCE, PREMIERES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15 AT 9 PM ET/PT
Judges Carson Kressley, Tai Beauchamp and Douglas Little Join Host Garcelle Beauvais As Eight Top Visual Merchandising Window Designers Compete for $100,000 and More
September 7, 2016, SANTA MONICA, Calif. — GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, will premiere its new skill-based competition series WINDOW WARRIORS, Tuesday, November 15 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.
The network also revealed today the three judges for the series, including Carson Kressley, the Emmy®-winning television star, style expert, best-selling author and fashion designer known to TV viewers for his appearances on “Dancing With the Stars,” “How To Look Good Naked,” and his breakthrough role as fashion guru on the iconic series “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy” – he will also appear in the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice”; Tai Beauchamp, a former magazine editor turned style influencer, content creator, public speaker, media personality, and entrepreneur, who engages women around the world with her genuine approach to celebrating inner and outer beauty; and Douglas Little, a master in the world of visual merchandising whose work includes some of the most beloved store windows on New York’s 5th Avenue, as well as design work for movies, TV and Broadway. His client list includes Van Cleef & Arpels, Barney’s New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and many more. The judges join host, Garcelle Beauvais (“Hollywood Today Live,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) in determining the country’s top window designer.
In WINDOW WARRIORS, the worlds of art and commerce collide as eight of the country’s most talented window merchandising designers compete to build elaborate displays, earn the approval of the judges and avoid being eliminated. Each week, the remaining contestants are given a new design theme and materials that correlate with one major retail brand. From the festive, to the luxurious, to the shockingly unexpected, these artists must push their creativity to the limits in order to stay in the game and win the $100,000 grand prize. In addition to the cash, the winner will receive a contract to design displays for a premiere mall developer, a career-changing opportunity to design a holiday display at a major department store in New York City and a feature story in a retail design magazine.
The eight contestants whose artistic abilities and design skills will be put to the test include:
Brittany Bush (27, Long Beach, CA) – Young, fearless, and already making waves in the industry, Brittany serves as a Visual Merchandiser in Los Angeles. Educated at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, she has experience in all kinds of mediums, from metal to resin, clay to rubber, wood and vinyl, to cork, glass, cement and brick. Brittany shines in her calculated mix of art and commerce, knowing that ultimately it’s her job to make the customer leave with product in their bag.
Edward Sajovic (32, Cleveland, OH) – Educated in visual display and exhibition design at The Fashion Institute of New York, and visual merchandising and marketing at The Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, Sajovic is a seasoned designer and artist with over 12 years of experience creating displays for high-end, luxury retailers. A self-professed “creative Craft-a-rella extraordinaire,” his tools of choice are glue guns, spray paint and glitter.
Erin O’Brien (41, New York, NY) – A stylist and window artist who has worked as a Window Artist, Prop Stylist and Prop Master for windows on New York’s 5th Avenue, as well as ad campaigns and e-Commerce, Erin is an energetic and experienced Display Artist who loves building windows that feature movement and small touches that make a statement. Her attention to intricate detail leaves the customer looking closer - making them think a little more than usual. Trained by the Visual Image Team at the House of Chanel in Paris, her 20-year fashion industry experience has spanned a variety of major retailers.
Gerardo Mellado (25, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) – Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Gerardo moved to New York to pursue education and a career as an Exhibition Designer at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduation, he was hired as the Visual Coordinator for Armani Exchange, overseeing 200 stores worldwide and now serves as the Visual Procurement Manager for a large department store chain in New York. Gerardo enjoys telling a story through the unexpected - mixing old and new media, textures, and graphics for that “ah-ha” moment.
Shani Coleman (37, New Orleans, LA) - A creative “jack of all trades,” Shani thrives in challenging environments that push her to create designs that are both captivating to the customer and brand relevant. Trained at Syracuse University in Fashion Retailing and Design Operations, she has worked in visual merchandising for a variety of retailers and is known for a fashion forward aesthetic which shines through in all of her work.
Spenser Zalkin (28, Carmel, IN) – With no formal training, Zalkin came into visual merchandising after impressing a department store manager while working at the company’s espresso bar. Formerly Director for Holiday Visual at The Plaza Hotel and now serving as a Visual Stylist for a large department store, he has a vast amount of experience in interior remodels, styling, pop up shops, floor sets, interior design, and fashion shows. He describes his design aesthetic as haberdashery with a twist, relishing in taking unexpected elements and having them interact with the mannequins.
Tara Meagher (26, San Anselmo, CA) – Tara has been focused on a career in visual merchandising since her teens and worked as an intern at Anthropologie while taking classes at a community college. Upon realizing her life’s passion, she left college early and began working full-time for the retailer, quickly moving up through the company to become a Visual Display Coordinator and then a Visual Manager at Free People. She enjoys creating organic compositions and isn’t afraid to incorporate unusual elements, like repurposing old coffee pots to create a unique water fountain display.
Timothy Howe (49, Los Angeles, CA) – A self-taught “visual ninja” with a background in fine art, Timothy can do it all: designing, painting, sewing, drawing, building, sculpting, woodworking and styling. He began his professional career at Anthropologie in Chicago and has worked with a variety of retailers, eventually rising to the position of Visual Director. He enjoys constructing the props and styling his windows, infusing a bit of levity and surprise in his designs whenever possible.
WINDOW WARRIORS comes from Michael Levitt Productions, the team behind GSN’s most-watched original series ever, SKIN WARS. Executive producers include Michael Levitt (“Skin Wars,” “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List,” “Billboard Music Awards”), Jill Goularte and Liz Cook. Award-winning Visual Merchandising icon Paul Olszewski is consulting producer and the equally prolific Douglas Little also serves as a creative consultant for the show, in addition to his judging duties.
About GSN
GSN is the leader in game show entertainment across multimedia. GSN presents original and classic game programming and skill-based competitive entertainment and games via its 80-million subscriber television network, the GSN.com website and its position as one of the leading casual games companies in the world. GSN’s cross-platform content gives game lovers the opportunity to win cash and prizes, through GSN’s popular TV game shows and GSN Games free casual games, mobile and social games, and skill-game tournaments. GSN’s television network is distributed throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada by all major cable operators, satellite providers and telcos. GSN is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and AT&T Entertainment Group. For further information, please visit GSNTV.com.
For additional information and photos for WINDOW WARRIORS, please go to http://corp.gsn.com