Gift Focus - Mar/Apr 2019 (Issue 112)

6 giftfocus Catch up on all the latest in our news roundup industry news TRIO OF NEW APPOINTMENTS ACROSS ITE GROUP’S FASHION PORTFOLIO The ITE Group’s fashion portfolio, which includes Pure London, Pure Origin, Scoop, Jacket Required and MODA, has announced a host of new appointments and promotions. Julie Driscoll, newly appointed UK regional director at ITE Group, said: “I am delighted to announce that Martin Arnold will be joining us as the new portfolio director for the fashion portfolio. Martin is an industry figurehead and will lead the portfolio into the next stage of growth. He will take up the post in March and will be reporting to me in my new role as the UK regional director. I am also pleased to announce the promotion of Shirin Akhtar to head of marketing. Shirin has worked tirelessly to grow Pure London and Pure Origin, and her experience will be greatly valued across the other shows.” Martin Arnold is the commercial director for fashion retail and jewellery at EMAP, incorporating Drapers and Retail Jeweller , and works across award-winning brands and industry leading events, including Drapers Awards, Drapers Digital Festival and the UK Jewellery Awards. In her new role of UK regional director, Julie Driscoll will be responsible for ITE Group’s portfolio of UK trade events, including Pure London, Jacket Required, Scoop, MODA and the Spring and Autumn Fairs, featuring more than 6,500 exhibitors and bringing together more than 100,000 buyers. Julie was previously managing director of the ITE fashion portfolio and began her role as UK regional director at the beginning of January. Julie commented on her new role: “I feel honoured to be guiding these established retail events through an exciting time for the industry. My aim is to deliver a higher return on investment for our exhibitors and an unrivalled return on time for buyers. It is our role to provide the best platforms to showcase great design and innovation, as well as nurture the brands and retailers of the future to ensure continued business success.” KITCHENCRAFT ANNOUNCES NEW BRAND STRUCTURE KitchenCraft’s new brand structure was unveiled at Spring Fair and Ambiente, with new brands such as Chef’n, Rabbit, London Pottery and Maxwell & Williams presented under the KitchenCraft name. In addition, Creative Tops and the brands it currently manages, including La Cafetière, Mikasa, Katie Alice and V&A, will now also come under the KitchenCraft umbrella. Creative Tops was retired as a trading name and will now be used as a brand name. This move is designed to help re-focus Creative Tops on its strengths in surface pattern design across table mats, coasters, small tabletop collections and gifts. “We felt it was important not to lose the individual strengths that each of the brands we now manage has but instead to reinvigorate them and give them a point and focus and form an integral but clear part of our overall strategy,” said Matthew Canwell, managing director. “In addition, we aim to simplify ordering processes for our retail customers going forward, and having one main trading name was an essential part of that process.” KitchenCraft exhibited at both Spring Fair and Ambiente in early 2019, with two stands at each show – one focused on cook products and one focused on dining products. “The shows formed an essential part of our launch process, showcasing our new product development program and making it easy for our customers to see, understand and become excited by what the next year has to offer,” Canwell added. “We have our largest launch ever this year across both the cook and dine categories and mindful of a tough retail climate, we feel there is a great commercial balance behind them all.” POSH PAWS NAMED AS UK AND IRELAND DISTRIBUTOR FOR NICI Posh Paws International recently confirmed that it is to become the exclusive distributor for Nici in the UK and Ireland. The announcement comes as the company looks to grow its presence in the UK gift market, and takes effect from February 2019. As part of the deal, Posh Paws will distribute a vast array of luxury plush products and other accessories, such as stationery, nursery gifts and bedroom accessories, from across many different Nici collections. The Posh Paws Nici range will showcase the high quality always attributed to the Nici brand and will complement the entire Posh Paws portfolio. Sally Fielding, sales director at Posh Paws, said: “We are delighted to be distributing the Nici range here in the UK and in Ireland and can’t wait to showcase the collection. Nici is known for its high-quality products, and we couldn’t think of a better band to now be a part of the Posh Paws lineup. This new deal is just one more step in further establishing our company in the gifting market.” Martin Arnold Julie Driscoll