Gift Focus - Jul/Aug 2018 (Issue 108)

As part of its 2018 show offering, Autumn Fair is launching Global Handicraft, a showcase of artisanal products from across the world. The £3billion UK craft industry is growing by 4.5 per cent per year, and the artisanal trend has become a key feature of the home and gift market globally too. Global Handicraft at Autumn Fair 2018 will see manufacturers feature bespoke ranges, from jewellery to fine ceramics and from exotic textiles to quirky lighting, allowing retailers the opportunity to be the first to stock the rare products. The showcase, which will run for the full length of Autumn Fair at NEC Birmingham from 2 nd – 5 th September, 2018, will also feature live demonstrations by talented craftspeople and seminars for retailers on how to take advantage of the booming handicraft market. Louise Young, the managing director of Spring and Autumn Fair at Ascential Events, said: “With this new section, buyers can get their hands on products that are handmade, inspiring and steeped in culture, and get their orders in ahead of the competition. Global trend forecaster WGSN has been tracking this trend for a long time and also predicts it will become increasingly important across all interiors categories in the seasons to come.” HOMI Milan When: 14 th – 17 th September, 2018 Where: fieramilano, Italy Website: homimilano.com Scotland’s Trade Fair Autumn When: 16 th – 17 th September 2018 Where: SEC, Glasgow Website: scotlandstradefairs.co.uk Brand Licensing Europe When: 9 th – 11 th October 2018 Where: Olympia, London Website: brandlicensing.eu Style Fair When: 17 th – 21 st October Where: BITEC, Thailand Website: stylebangkokfair.com Mega Show Part 1 When: 20 th – 23 rd October 2018 Where: Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Website: mega-show.com Jinhan fair Home & Gifts When: 21 st – 27 th October 2018 Where: Guangzhou, China Website: jinhanfair.com Mega Show Part 2 When: 27 th – 29 th October 2018 Where: Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Website: mega-show.com For further show previews and reports turn to: P65 Home & Gift preview P126 Formex preview P129 HOMI preview P130 Kenfair show review P140 Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair review Looking ahead Autumn Fair caters to artisanal products with new showcase Pure London expands with launch of Pure Kid London’s biggest festival of fashion, Pure London, continues to expand with the launch of Pure Kid, a new edited curation of kids’ fashion, footwear, accessories and maternity collections. Launching in July in response to the fast growth in this sector, Pure Kid will offer a platform for standalone childrenswear brands. The sector will sit alongside womenswear brands that already offer kidswear such as Hatley, 4Funky Flavours, Dekoz and Sugarhill Brighton. Julie Driscoll, managing director of Pure London, says: “The children’s and maternity-wear sector is worth $158 billion dollars globally*, and key trends such as mini-me dressing, influential celebrity parents and an ever-increasing number of blogger parents who curate their kids’ Instagram feeds are driving more style-conscious parents to look for childrenswear that chimes with their own personal aesthetic and values. We are very excited to add Pure Kid to our expanding show, and the collections will also be brought to life on our much-loved catwalk shows.” The next edition of Pure London and Pure Origin takes place at London Olympia from 22 nd – 24 th July, 2018. For more information, visit purelondon.com *Source Euromonitor NEW EXHIBITORS HEADING TO SCOTLAND’S TRADE FAIR AUTUMN For inspirational gifts to stock this Christmas, make sure you attend Scotland’s Trade Fair Autumn, which will be held at the SEC in Glasgow from 16 th – 17 th September, 2018. Brimming with fresh talent, this year’s show has a host of new exhibitors in both the Launch Gallery and the main show. The Launch Gallery is the place for inspirational products, as all exhibitors must be trading for under two years. Ones to look out for in particular are Lumens for its stunning glass Christmas decorations, Botanic Isles’ jewellery, Cascayde’s cushions and gifts for interiors, The Divine Hag’s aromatherapy products, Clarabella Christie’s upcycled interiors and Rama McCrorie’s stationery. In the main show, there is a host of new exhibitors, and more than 170 will be there in total, which includes the Food Section. For further information, visit scotlandstradefairs.co.uk 12 giftfocus on with the show