Gift Focus - Mar/Apr 2019 (Issue 112)

HOMI, Fiera Milano’s lifestyle trade fair, ended its 11 th edition having welcomed more than 80,000 operators frommore than 90 countries, principally from Russia, Spain, Switzerland, China, France and Japan. The best performance was achieved by Russia, with 605 operators present, an increase of 60 per cent. The U.S. doubled the number of buyers at the show, reaching a total of 240 presences, followed by Germany and Japan, whose presences increased 40 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively, compared to 2018. The show also saw operators from Bahrain, Norway, Taiwan and Uzbekistan for the first time. HOMI solidified its position as a business platform that focuses on the quality of contacts made, and the 2019 edition benefited from a more international atmosphere, owing to a partnership with ICE (the Italian Trade Agency), which supports the incoming buyer scheme that increasingly aims to satisfy the needs of the companies in attendance. This edition took a dynamic approach to interactions, a spirit mirrored and embraced by Milan, which has grown in the last decade to become an experimental workshop of ideas and an international hub of opportunities and business. Looking to the social media engagement the show produced, figures show a rising interest in the event from followers, with an engagement of 58,000 interactions during the four-day event. Furthering the show’s spirit of innovation and a desire to support the needs of the market, HOMI announced a development that will start to take shape in September this 2019. This includes the launch of HOMI Fashion & Jewels, a biannual event dedicated to the world of costume jewellery and fashion accessories, and HOMI Outdoor, a yearly event that will dedicate itself to the outdoors and a stunning home and decoration offering. The re-edit was announced on the first day January’s show, where the organisers discussed the “three souls” of HOMI and how they would be better served in the new formats. More information on this development can be found in our On With The Show section. The lifestyle edition of HOMI will be packed into a single major event, returning in January 2020. Innovative souls We look back at January’s edition of HOMI and the exciting developments announced at the show NEXT TIME Show HOMI Fashion & Jewels, HOMI Outdoor Venue Fiera Milano, Milan Dates 13 th -16 th September, 2019 Website homimilano.com For more information or to register your interest, visit homimilano.com giftfocus 93 HOMI review