FEATURED EXHIBITOR
Quick Q&A with IsAlbi WHEN AND HOW DID ISALBI START AS A BUSINESS? IsAlbi is the result of Independence Studios and Albi Imports merging in late 2020. The merge took place during the pandemic adding an additional layer of challenges! 18 months on and the business has had many learnings and is now powering on all engines with a new, invigorated team that has exciting plans for the future. WHAT ARE YOUR BEST SELLERS AND MOST POPULAR WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS? With such a wide range of brands and categories, we have best sellers across every segment of the market. Our core categories and ranges continue to cater to our very mixed customer base, and we complement those products with seasonal ranges and fashionable stories. To name just a few: our Jellycat Bashful Bunnies can be found in most family households; the Masterpro range of cookware is a kitchen staple; stylish households that like to entertain will have a set of Andre Verdier cutlery to impress their guests; and many living rooms around the country feature an Amalfi piece whether it be a vase, figurine or statement lamp.
Jellycat: You will find a Jellycat plush toy in most households across Australia & New Zealand. The Jellycat design team thrive on pushing creative boundaries with this brand, so watch out for quirky patisserie items coming to life, whales and gorgeous new books to accompany their ever-so-soft plush toys. Amalfi: Closely researching new trends, colourways and textures the Amalfi homewares stories have been curated with a fresh lens, guided by our new head of homewares, Mamta Johal. With more than 20 years’ experience in design and buying roles working for iconic brands in Australia and the UK, Mamta brings to IsAlbi a broad and diverse background in the retail industry. isGift: The iconic gifting brand is known and loved by retailers and consumer across Australia and New Zealand. Known for fun, quirky and functional gift ranges featuring toys, tech gadgets, educational activities, and health and wellbeing stories. The isGift umbrella brand is expanding into new categories with these initiatives: Maverick, Discovery Zone, The Auto Collection, Altima and The Australian Collection.
ANY FAVOURITE ISALBI PRODUCT OR COLLECTION, AND IS THERE A STORY BEHIND IT? There are several to highlight: Rogue: One of the most exciting areas to watch is our rebrand and launch of our Rogue artificial flowers and plants. Heading up the team is Vanessa Wong, a pioneer of the faux flora category. Vanessa’s vision for Rogue will see this brand evolve creatively into a leading worldclass brand with a completely elevated look and range selection that will no doubt excite our retail customers and consumers.
12 | MELBOURNE GIFT FAIR 2022
CONTENTS | EXHIBITORS |
INDEXES
