Gift Focus - Nov/Dec 2019 (Issue 116)

13 NEWS & EVENTS BLE ANNOUNCES FASHION THEME FOR 2020 The organisers of Brand Licensing Europe have announced that fashion will be the sole theme for 2020. This year’s event achieved record visitor numbers once again with a rise of 3 per cent to 8,062, with exhibiting companies also increased, from 264 to 268. Next year’s event, which returns to ExCeL London on 6 th - 8 th October, 2020, will live and breathe fashion licensing: apparel, footwear, accessories and beauty. Ambitious early stage plans include a live catwalk, with dramatic themed shows beamed onto every digital screen throughout the venue. “BLE has become famous for its themes and we’re so excited about next year’s show, we’ve been planning it for months. What I love about fashion in licensing is how inclusive it is. It’s accessible to every BLE exhibitor and its appeal is universal. It’s relevant to every demographic and is gender, race, age and generation neutral,” commented Informa Markets VP licensing Anna Knight. “One of the reasons we moved BLE to ExCeL was the potential it offered to create a more experiential show. We proved that this year with our activations and Fresh off the Runway showcase.” BLE 2019’s activations included Beyond the Book (publishing), Arcade (gaming and eSports) and Heritage X Interiors. Knight continued, “They were a huge hit with visitors – interactive, inspirational, bold and beautiful. It was a real testament to the impact creative, successful licensing programmes can have at retail.” For further information, visit brandlicensingeurope.com Jewellery & Watch has announced plans to host a forward- thinking sourcing scheme, Spring FORWARD, facilitated by the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ), designed to connect UK- made brands and makers with department store buyers. The application-only programme will put homegrown jewellery design talent directly in the path of department store buyers at Jewellery & Watch 2020 thanks to a dedicated exhibition space and on-site appointments. This will be backed up by 12-months of assistance from the NAJ directly following the show. Jewellery & Watch event director, Kirsty Broere, says, “We know that British department stores have a strong desire to source UK-made products and tell these stories to their customers. Many stores are choosing to work with brands and businesses in their local area, or city, to inspire customers with homegrown and local product they can relate to. We’re excited to collaborate with the NAJ on this fantastic project and make great business connections for our visitors and exhibitors. Individuals and brands chosen for the scheme will benefit from prime exhibition space at the show, allowing them to meet the full breadth of visitors and conduct pre- arranged meetings with buyers.” Interested parties are encouraged to send an email to Kirsty.Broere@hyve.group or call +44 (0)20 3545 9795 for more information and to register their interest. Applicants must agree to join the process of becoming an NAJ member and a ‘Created in the UK’ licensee in order to qualify. Contact Lindsey.Straughton@naj.co.uk or telephone +44 (0)7771 664 824 for more details. The deadline is Monday 18 th November, 2019. Jewellery & Watch introduces Spring FORWARD Good business reported at highly successful Scotland’s Trade Fair Autumn In such turbulent times it was business as usual and smiles all around at Scotland’s Trade Fair Autumn, with visitor numbers up by 3 per cent and a high order count. Following an excellent tourist season in Scotland, with high numbers of foreign tourists, shops were in a positive mood to re-order, seek out 2020 ranges and re-stock their shelves. The energy around the hall and the constant buzz over the two days lifted spirits as buyers sought out new products, re-ordered stock and renewed friendships. Exhibitors were heartened by the quality of the buyers with few time wasters, which led to a buzzing atmosphere. This was enhanced by the ‘Just a Card’ campaign, which came and handed out stickers and badges to visitors to re-enforce this clever social media campaign ( which aims to encourage people to buy from small businesses) in a bid to encourage footfall into shops, as well as talking to visitors at the show drinks on the Sunday evening. The Autumn Show, which took place from 21 st – 22 nd September, was a hotbed of inspiration with a new Craft Gallery showcasing companies such as The Crafty Kit Company, Humblewood, Milomade and Swifty Bell Designs. In the Launch Gallery the new exhibitors attracted orders and interest as retailers sought out genuinely new products. Fiona Ritchie from Scottish skin care company Siabann said, “This show has been great for us with many orders from existing customers. After many years of exhibiting here it’s so encouraging to be still getting new orders and stockists.” Show director Mark Saunders said, “This year we introduced new initiatives, such as free tea and coffee after 3.30pm and a drinks party, to make the visitor experience that much more enjoyable and give our buyers a good day out. This was certainly achieved and we’re delighted with the positive atmosphere and quality of the buyers.” For further information, visit scotlandstradefairs.co.uk 