Gift Focus - Jan/Feb 2018 (Issue 105)

22 giftfocus get in the know... What trends do you think will emerge for personalised gifts in 2018? Fun characters, such as unicorns and mermaids are on course to remain popular next year. However, new trends seen in general gifting, including alpacas and llamas, which bring Peruvian, funky-folk designs with them, will be breaking through. These designs will include bright colours and knitted patterns, which are perfect for a range of recipients. Themes of woodland, adventure and exploring will also remain popular in 2018, and we are aiming to further develop our range into children’s designs, including input from some of our licensed collections. What else can we expect from PMC in 2018? Personalised books have been a huge success for us, so we’ll continue to expand our range of books, including designs from our Rachael Hale licence. The high street continues to push traditional boundaries, which is creating a surge in demand for gifts that offer practicality. To cater to this, we will continue to expand our range of contemporary homeware, bringing personalisation to an exciting selection of products, which will fit within all homes. A further area that we’ll be focusing on in 2018 is jewellery. As fashions change quickly it’s important that our personalised jewellery designs go beyond what is available on the high street. Cara Beech New Product Manager, Personalised Memento Company personalisedmemento.co.uk Fruit fragrances are certainly fashionable, which is illustrated by both the Baylis & Harding and Di Paloma bath and body and candle ranges from our new partners. The Signature collection from Baylis & Harding features scents such as Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit and Midnight Fig & Pomegranate, while Di Paloma is offering products which include Black Cherry Almond and White Grape with Aloe. This natural theme is also taken up in the WoodWick Artisan range with candles such as Ebony Woods and Honey Tabac. The vessels that make up this particular collection are very attractive and buyers realise that these are decorative artworks in themselves as well as being the holders of candles with stunning new fragrances. Village Candle features limited editions which are also synonymous with the Great Outdoors. Urban Nights has scents of fresh sage, patchouli and a touch of vanilla, while Forest Hike comprises rainforest moss, juniper and dark timber. And Woods of Windsor’s English Heritage Home Fragrance Collection, inspired by three of English Heritage’s historic English landmarks, also goes back to nature with its luxury scented candles – Tudor Rose, Citrus& Basil, and Sea Spray & Freesia – as does its Gardeners Range of bath and body products. Look out too for the 2018 Baylis & Harding feminine offer next year. It’ll have lots of fizz, reflecting the continuing popularity of prosecco and the renaissance of gin – and feature plenty of pink and rosé. Because of the preponderance of fragranced candles and bath and body product in the marketplace it’s important to distinguish it through packaging: all our ranges have managed to achieve this through sympathetic and subtle design which reflects the product. Tom Sykes Director, Xystos xystostrade.co.uk The Colour of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s colour experts at the Pantone Colour Institute comb the world looking for new colour influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles, and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and effects that impact colour, relevant social media platforms and even up-coming sporting events that capture worldwide attention. It has been announced that PANTONE 18-3838, Ultra Violet, is the Pantone® Color of the Year for 2018. A dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade, PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us towards the future. “From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection, intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come,” comments Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Colour Institute. Enigmatic purples have also long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance. Musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality. Shades of Ultra Violet are increasingly used in packaging and graphic design by forward-looking brands in the CPG, luxury, and beauty worlds as well as by personalities and artists seeking to stand out. Leatrice Eiseman Executive Director, Pantone Colour Institute pantone.com