Bryony Taylor-Edwards, head of

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buying in the fair season

Bryony Taylor-Edwards, head of brand and gift, home, food, and toy buyer at Yarnton Home and Garden in Oxfordshire, shares her trend predictions and reveals some of the gifts she’s looking forward to seeing at the spring trade shows

Fair season is upon us, and with it comes all the excitement and anticipation of the year ahead. Every buyer will have been thinking through and percolating their plans ahead of the season: reflecting on what flew in 2022 and anticipating the big hitters for 2023.

Taking a temperature check on the public mood and wider trends is an essential part of a buyer’s job, ahead of donning comfy trainers and hitting the aisles of the trade shows.

How does one do this? Well, part research, and part intuition. To prepare for the fairs and the subsequent spend, I must be clear on what influences will be at play this year.

First, I turn to the world of fashion. In my experience, fashion leads and the rest of the categories follow. Fashion in 2023 will see a continuation of lilac in deeper hues and newness in yellow, baby blue and pink.

There will be statement ruffles, tassels and feathers. Being bold and fearless with texture is big this year. We’re also seeing crafting coming into play, with crochet and laser cutting features in our clothes.

After fashion, I turn to the Pantone Color Institute’s Pantone Colour of the Year. This one annual colour always comes with a rich narrative set to inspire, and this year does not disappoint.

For 2023, the colour in question is PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta. It’s a natural pink/red which meets blue, and it’s bold and beautiful. I’m brimming with excitement at the thought of how this colour may play out in our clothes and homes.

Pantone has hit the spot with the public mood, declaring the colour as ‘powerful and empowering… it revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint’.

This colour is speaking my language. For me it represents a celebration of life, an urgency to be our bold and courageous selves, while remaining deeply grounded in nature and the earth.

But what does this tell us about gifting? And how will it influence my buy? Below are my trend predictions and some of the gifts I’m looking forward to seeing, touching and, in some cases, smelling, to reflect this.

“In my experience, fashion leads and the rest of the categories follow”

Demanding more from our homes

As hybrid working becomes normalised, our homes are now multi-dimensional work/rest spaces. To balance the increased use of technology at home, people are looking to consciously create peaceful spaces at home that become a post-work retreat. Designated ‘rest’ areas are now a thing, and I for one am tempted.

End of day rituals such as candle lighting, scent burning, and bathing are all focus areas for me - alongside bringing green into the home in the form of plants, botanical scents and interior design.

Email: Bryony@yarntonhomegarden.co.uk Visit: www.yarntonhomegarden.co.uk; www.instagram.com/yarntonhomegarden; www.linkedin.com/in/bryonytayloredwards

Time together

While Covid isolated us physically, it forced us into hyper digital connectivity. Post-Covid, we are seeing a trend towards wanting to spend quality time together at home, and share experiences out and about.

We have seen this play out at Yarnton Home and Garden this year, with our café outperforming other departments and our in-person events fully booked.

I will be stocking up on all the things that help people create these shared joyful experiences at home, from foodie gift experiences to summer games. I will also make sure that all the annual celebrations are covered, including the King’s Coronation. I will be calling on the likes of Talking Tables, Meri Meri and Abrams & Chronicle Books to deliver this.

Wellbeing goes up a notch

Oh yes, this trend is not going anywhere. In fact, my guess is it will be amplified this year with people seeking personalised wellbeing experiences and giving the gift of wellbeing.

I’m looking forward to stopping by Clarity Blend at Top Drawer and looking at its personalised skincare kits and aromatherapy blends. And for a bit of fun, I will peek at Horosoaps who have a bar of soap tailored to every zodiac sign. With the

PHOTO: Press Loft

Capricorn one promising to deliver anxietyreducing notes of ylang ylang and patchouli, you can count me in on this craze.

Showing we care

The trend towards showing we care will continue in all areas. This may be caring for each other, the planet, our community or ourselves. Giving our pound a purpose is more important than ever. This could articulate itself in supporting local, small, organic and sustainable products.

I will continue to source gifts that are local to the area. For instance, I will pop by the Cotswold Spa bathing company to check out its vegan, natural bath range. I will also be looking for products that care for the planet as well as our minds. I’m excited to visit Earthsong Seeds who personalise seed gardens. Perhaps you are seeking a Garden of Happiness or Digestive Tea Garden?

Is there anything else I’m on the hunt for? Yes: lines that shout acceptance, loud and proud. I expect to see empowering statements adorning stationery, candles, and more, as we move into an era where diversity and difference is celebrated for all the joy it brings.