Gift Focus - Mar/Apr 2019 (Issue 112)

Positive finish to Jewellery & Watch 2019 The 2019 edition of Jewellery & Watch closed on a positive note, with exhibitors reporting a positive atmosphere, strong orders, and good-quality visitors. Exhibitors noted good footfall across the five days of the event, including a mix of buyers and independent retailers prepared to do serious business. Alison Hargreaves, director of exhibitor Midhaven, said: “This was our 26 th Spring Fair and probably one of the most positive and enjoyable as exhibitors. We had a great show, with new accounts representing an unprecedented 40 per cent of our orders. Our order numbers were more than double those of last year, our average order value was up and the quality of prospects and customers was up on previous years.” Early feedback also suggests men’s jewellery, pre-owned fine jewellery and watches and fashion-led silver jewellery collections were the most attention-grabbing product categories. During the show, rebooking rates for Jewellery & Watch 2020 are said to have mirrored the up-beat atmosphere and signalled exhibitor confidence in the move to a dedicated area in Hall 1 of the NEC. Jewellery & Watch event director Kirsty Broere said: “We are delighted with the success of Jewellery & Watch 2019 and the positivity we have felt from our exhibitors. We are especially thrilled that so many of them have embraced the Spring Fair 2020 Re-Edit and will be joining us as we make the move to Hall 1. This new location will more firmly align Jewellery & Watch with the surrounding fashion and giftware sectors, allowing for a greater crossover of buyers. It will also make the show more accessible to those stepping off the train or aeroplane at Birmingham International.” Simon Forrester, chief executive of the NAJ, commented: “Jewellery & Watch is a fantastic opportunity to meet and greet existing NAJ members and potential new members. Feedback from visitors and exhibitors across all five days of the event was positive, with many saying the show had exceeded their expectations. As the association at the heart of the UK jewellery trade, we are pleased that Jewellery & Watch’s new owner, ITE Group, is getting behind the show and revitalising its presence with the move to Hall 1. This is an incredibly positive step for Jewellery & Watch and the industry as a whole, and we look forward to 2020.” Broere added: “The 2020 edition of Jewellery & Watch and Spring Fair will focus on issues of sustainability and ethical and responsible sourcing. There are big changes coming in 2020, but we are confident that they will allow us to better reflect the jewellery trade as it stands today.” To find out more, visit jewelleryandwatchbirmingham.com Pure London sees record number of visitors and puts a spotlight on sustainability Pure London, one of the UK’s leading fashion festivals, enjoyed record numbers of visitors during the three-day event at London Olympia and continued its programme of educating on sustainability. Speakers included Katharine Hamnett and Mary Creagh MP, with the content schedule highlighting sustainability and continuing to drive the show’s Power of One movement for change across the industry. Julie Driscoll, UK regional director at ITE Group, said: “This is the best show in many years. We’ve welcomed more visitors than ever before, and there is a palpable energy and excitement here that many of the exhibitors and visitors have commented on. [There was] a fantastic mix of brands – including our Pure Conscious area and the hugely successful and growing Pure Origin manufacturing and sourcing expo – supplemented with high-quality content from leading industry experts and change-makers, such as the United Nations, Pantone, Katharine Hamnett, Professor Caryn Franklin, Tamsin Lejeune from Common Objective and Felicity Hayward, as well as DEFRA and Mary Creagh MP. It has been inspiring, creative and educational, as well as s serious trading event.” Lucy Siegle’s interview with Mary Creagh MP, chair of the environmental audit committee, was lauded as one of the highlights of the show. Creagh commented that she came to realise the true cost of fast fashion from a human perspective after the Rana Plaza disaster. She added that: “The audit into fashion has been a real eye-opener for my colleagues. They can’t believe the carbon and chemical footprint and the stories they’ve heard. We’ve mainstreamed something that wasn’t mainstream. We’re relying on future technology that hasn’t been invented yet, and the clock is ticking – we need to bend the curve of consumption. We’ve had the slow food movement, and I’m trying to get together the slow fashion movement.” Driscoll, commenting on the show’s commitment to sustainability, said: “We aren’t preaching, but if we all do one small thing, then we will make a difference. We want brands to tell their story, let us know their small steps, build communities and enter this dialogue together.” For more information, visit purelondon.com Progressive Greetings Live When: 4 th -5 th June, 2019 Where: Business Design Centre, London Website: progressivegreetingslive.com Exclusively Housewares & Electrical When: 11 th -12 th June, 2019 Where: Business Design Centre, London Website: exclusivelyshows.co.uk Tendence When: 29 th -1 st June/July, 2019 Where: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmBH, Frankfurt Website: tendence.messefrankfurt.com Manchester Furniture Show When: 14 th -16 th July, 2019 Where: Manchester Central Convention Complex Website: manchesterfurnitureshow.com Home & Gift When: 14 th -17 th July, 2019 Where: Harrogate Convention Centre, North Yorkshire Website: homeandgift.co.uk Looking ahead giftfocus 15 news & events