Gifts Today June 2019

Supporting your industry for 29 years Month: May/June 2019 Issue: 6

Volume: 30

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Gifts Today AD - 2019 2.indd 1

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Contents

Regulars 5 6 8 10 13

May/June 2019

p 52

Message from the editor News Licensing news Exhibition news Giftware Association news

Cover story 14

Steiff The maker of the world’s very first teddy bear is still as relevant as ever today. We discover how it all started with a little felt elephant…

Retail 32

Flying Tiger Copenhagen Described as a ‘posh Poundland’ by its fans, and ‘Woolies on acid’ by its founder, the quirky high street retailer Flying Tiger Copenhagen draws customers to its 70+ UK stores with its mix of great design, low prices and buy-itbefore-it’s gone ethos

42 Trade Talk

Gifts Today team

Leading figures talk social media, upcoming shows and summer gift trends

p 14

44 Retailers’ Panel Caroline Boydell, owner of the two Hugs & Kisses card and gift shops in Wolverhampton, shares the story of her business. And members of our panel talk shows, till-side treats and plans for 2019

Editor Sally Norton sally@lemapublishing.co.uk

Advertisement Manager Mark Horsnell markh@lemapublishing.co.uk

Special features

Layout/Design Rick Vickers rickv@lemapublishing.co.uk

16

A sneak peek at what’s in store at this year’s show. We catch up with some key exhibitors to learn what they’ll be unveiling at the show

p 16

Managing Director

Home & Gift preview

35 Toys, games & puzzles

Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

With parents wishing their children would ditch gadgets in favour of traditional toys, and a growing number of adults playing board games and doing jigsaws, it’s a great time to invest in low-tech toys, games and puzzles

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

46 InStyle

Chairman

Jewellery and fashion accessory trends, products and must-buys in this exciting sector

Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

p 46

52

Zandra Rhodes We chat to iconic designer Dame Zandra Rhodes about her special range of licensed cards and stationery with Museums & Galleries

54 New products

Opinion Lema Publishing Ltd

PUBLISHING

1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930

34 Ross Hewitt’s social media 36 Insights People 59 Julie Dodsworth

The industry’s favourite show just got better!

4 7

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For more information and to register today visit homeandgift.co.uk/Gifts

Message from the Editor www.gifts-today.co.uk Instagram: @giftstodaysally

p16

This will be Louise Morris’s second year at the helm as show director, and she promises the show will be taken to ‘the next level this year’. As well as a host of new products from lots of our favourite companies – showcased in this issue - everyone’s looking forward to seeing the newly refurbished Majestic hotel that p32 sits in the heart of the design points.

Of course, Home and Gift is a very special for us here at Lema Publishing as we produce the Daily News at the show – the glossy publication that hits the hotel breakfast tables on the first three days. Visitors can also pick up this must-read on the shuttle buses and at the entrances.

Putting together this

The views of the contributors expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher. Comments, letters and criticism are welcome.

paper gives us the opportunity to see Home & Gift from a slightly different angle, as we race around getting stories and meeting the people behind the brands. If you’d like to advertise in the Daily News and be featured on its pages, please do email me on: sally@lemapublishing.co.uk or Mark Horsnell on markh@lemapublishing.co.uk. Preparations have started for the paper and we’d love to hear from you.

This month we take a closer look at Flying Tiger Copenhagen, the quirky high street retailer that has more than 70 UK stores. They’re famous for creating affordable, well designed gifts and perhaps this is p35 why the founder company Lennart Lajboschitz says, ‘everyone feels like a millionaire in a Tiger shop.’

You can read the piece on page 32.

A highlight for me this month was my interview with fashion icon Dame Zandra Rhodes, who has just struck a licensing deal with Museums & Galleries to produce a fabulous range of cards, stationery and wrap. After all, how often do you get the chance to chat to someone who has dressed the likes of Liz Taylor, Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury? You can read the piece on page 52.

And then, of course, there’s our cover stars Steiff, the heritage brand that invented the teddy bear back in 1902. We tell the story of founder Margarete Steiff who was an incredible entrepreneur and prepared to take a risk against the odds, yet stay true to her original ideal that ‘for children only the best will do’. You can read more on page 14. We also take a closer look at toys, games and puzzles for gift shops, starting on page 35.

Independent retailers are at the forefront of this issue, and so they should be – they’re the lifeblood of our industry and their opinions are incredibly important to us at Gifts Today. Our Retailers’ Panel – free to join! – is growing in members, and this month we introduce three new members Caroline Boydell from Hugs & Kisses

“

Home and Gift is a very special for us here at Lema Publishing as we produce the Daily News at the show

“

P

utting the May/June edition of Gifts Today together has really made me feel as though summer’s just around the corner.

A big reason for this, I think, is that we look ahead to the fabulous Harrogate Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival in July with our special ‘sneak peek’ feature. There’s always lots of talk about the wonderful atmosphere, but there really is a lot of business done, too! As retailer Dougal Philip, owner of New Hopetoun Gardens, says of what he buys at the show: ‘Taking new lines into store in July and August allows us to see which are the real winners and we then have plenty of time to build stocks of them for Christmas.’

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in Wolverhampton, Joanne Williams from Joco Interiors in Nuneaton and Ryan Shoebridge from House of Cards in East Sussex. Do read about their businesses on page 44, and drop me an email if you’d like to be involved.

So much to read in this issue, including news, views, product and our regular InStyle jewellery and fashion accessories pages. And remember you can stay in touch by signing up on our website for our regular newsflash service, by following us on Instagram @GiftsTodaySally or by connecting on our new Gifts Today LinkedIn page. We love hearing from you.

NEWS

Enesco names 2019 charity Gift company Enesco have named Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice, as their local charity.

Employees will be holding raffles and bake sales in-house, and taking part in sporting events like The Colour Run. They’ll also have the opportunity to volunteer at Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw during normal working hours, as part of Enesco’s corporate social responsibility programme.

‘We’re really pleased to be able to support such a worthy cause that is close to many of our hearts,’ says Enesco HR manager Claire Binnie.

Remarkable gift retailers Vend and the British Independent Retail Association (Bira) have announced a campaign called ‘Remarkable Retailers’, that underlines 14 outstanding contributions to local high streets and champions their innovative approach to retail – and three come from the giftware sector.

They are Carnaby Street-based arts and souvenir outlet, We Built This City, St Albans-based giftware store and craft workshop Cositas and Berkhamsted-based pop-up and interiors concept business Soden Style.

Handpicked from a long list of over 1000 independent retailers, Vend and Bira selected the winners for their stand-out approach to retail – whether that be a unique approach to the customer experience, their products or the way that they use technology.

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: ‘The UK’s high streets are a vital part of the local communities they service, and it’s independent retailers who ensure that they remain places full of personality.’

Queen’s Award for Rex London The company has been recognised with the Queen’s Award for International Trade following six years of outstanding continuous growth in overseas sales Starting in 1981 as a simple market stall in London’s Portobello market, Rex now employs just over 70 people and has become a major international wholesaler of home and giftware, offering a range of more than 2500 products to retailers worldwide.

Rex London’s successful year on year expansion is in large part due to export, which has risen 250% since 2012. Sales Director Nigel Biggs highlights the importance of staying connected with international customers, attributing Rex London’s successes to this outward facing strategy: ‘We take a global outlook when it comes to trade; our websites are fully translated into French and German, we attend multiple international tradeshows each year and have recently established a physical presence in the Netherlands and Belgium, from which we sell direct to local retailers.’

New face at Widdop The company welcomes Graeme Smith as a new territory manager to the Home Counties region. He joins the company with thirteen years’ experience working in a number of different sales and account management roles within the gift and toy industry.

Graeme replaces Dave Webb, a well-known face within the Home Counties territory, who retires from Widdop and Co at the end of April after 17 years of extraordinary service.

Jeremy Corner is Export Champion

Get online with Rachel Ellen Designed to better showcase their bright, eye-catching products, the new site makes it easier for customers to navigate through products and place orders.

Visit: rachelellen.co.uk

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The Blue Eyed Sun MD and GA Chairman has been recognised as an Export Champion by the Department for International Trade (DIT). Jeremy Corner, is amongst CEOs, managers and directors from a group of South East exporting businesses, or organisations that support exporting, that have been recognised.

He’s one of 21 Export Champions selected for their inspirational approach to growing their businesses through exporting or for championing exporting in the South East. Champions will encourage companies in their region to start exporting, offer practical advice on how to turn exporting ambitions into a reality and share their experiences of how DIT helped them break into new markets.

There are now 250 Export Champions across England, and the Department’s ambition is to expand the programme to 1000+ Champions by April 2020

licensing news

Chelsea’s Choice from Moorcroft/ RHS collab The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced the launch of a limited-edition vase from their licensing partner Moorcroft, a renowned producer of heritage art pottery. The new vase is called Chelsea’s Choice and celebrates the extraordinary snow-white hydrangea that was awarded ‘Plant of the Year’ at last year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It will launch at this year’s show (21-25 May).

‘With its inaugural use of a brand-new vase shape and the inspiration gained from an RHS award-winning plant, this is a vase design that sets the bar high – and effortlessly meets it,’ says Cathy Snow, RHS licensing manager.

Frida’s at home with House of Disaster The quirky brand has partnered with the Frida Kahlo Corporation to launch a range of accessories.

Disaster are designers and manufacturers of exclusive collections developed in house and then sold through selected retailers in the UK and overseas, and Frida Kahlo joins their other brands including The Beatles, Moomin Characters and Jan Constantine.

‘House of Disaster is one of the first UK licensees to launch a Frida Kahlo fashion accessories range!’ says Maria Strid from Barcelona-based Art Ask Agency, who brokered the deal. ‘Adorable designs and very desirable products!’

Park LIFE Bulldog Licensing has added to the licensing programme for the LIFE brand, with Park Agencies signing a new deal to produce apparel.

LIFE is an exceptional brand that combines the instantly recognisable LIFE logo – made famous by the legendary LIFE magazine – with pictures from the treasured photographic library. LIFE magazine photojournalists captured some of the 20th century’s most defining events, celebrities, historic figures, and nature.

The new agreement will see Park Agencies tap into this rich resource of imagery to produce an apparel and nightwear range for both children and adults alike.

8 gifts today

Monster deal for Rocket The independent licensing company ny Rocket Licensing has announced the signing of three new licences for the Godzilla brand, ahead of the new blockbuster film, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, this May. The agreements cover apparel and home textiles, comprising a range of adults’ and kids’ daywear from Park Agencies, nightwear and underwear from TDP Aykroyds and home textiles from Tesco.

Rob Wijeratna, joint MD of Rocket, says: ‘Godzilla is as big – in every sense – as ever!’

A Moomin world at John Lewis The Moomin plush licensee secured a hot spot in the flagship Oxford Street store for a month-long event that ran the whole of April. Coinciding with the launch of the new animated series Moominvalley, the event took place in a large in-store Moomin area in the toy department. The event was supported by POS material, free stickers and special appearances by Moomin costume characters.

V&A collaborates with Signare The British lifestyle brand presents a new collection of its signature tapestry handbags and fashion accessories for SS19, produced under licence from the V&A. Taking inspiration from the museum’s archive, the new collection features the distinctive ‘Almond Blossom and Swallow’ wallpaper pattern designed by Walter Crane (1845–1915), a leading figure of the Aesthetic Movement and first President of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society.

Established in Denmark April 1987, IC Lauvring has grown into one of the most respected Nordic brands trading in the trendy and inspiring home and garden arena.

With an office in China strictly in charge of quality control, our customers benefit from exciting and unique trendy items at reasonable prices, and with 4,000 stock items we always deliver on time!

It is now time to bring our inspiration to the UK and Ireland so we are seeking well connected commercial agents to assist us in this task.

Working with our newly appointed Country Manager, Simon Pykett we would like to hear from commercial agents who: • Are professional and performance driven • Have an eye for design and an appreciation of quality • Are well connected with buyers and decision makers within the home fashion and garden centre retail arena.

• Are ready to show their customers an amazing new 2019 Christmas collection!

• Are full of ideas, energy and are fun to work with If this is you or you are a retailer who would like to speak with us then please make contact with Simon today.

IC Lauvring Simon Pykett

Country Manager Mob: 07967 209156 Email: spp@iclauvring.dk

Web: www.iclauvring.dk

exhibition news

Stationery Awards’ winners named New hall concept at Tendence ‘We are pleased that the new hall concept has been so well received and that we’ve been able to attract so many new, first-class exhibitors to our well established trade fair,’ says Philipp Ferger, group show director Tendence.

‘It shows that it was the right decision to replan Tendence and that we’ve got a good understanding of the needs of the industry’

Tendence 2019 runs from 29 June to 1 July.

Hall 8 – Style City For the first time, the idea of a concept store will fill an entire hall. Visitors can discover five lifestyle worlds – Modern, Earth, Urban, Cosy and Adventure – offering inspiration in many different ways.

Hall 9 – Moment Market An ideal place for trade visitors looking for gifts and decorative products for all sorts of occasions.

Hall 11 – Sunshine State Where volume buyers can meet exhibitors who specialise in indoor and outdoor home accessories.

Hall 12 – Design City Ranging from traditional to modern, Design City covers all products in the premium segment. tendence.messefrankfurt.com

Top Drawer checks its Pulse Top Drawer is set to unveil the newly co-located Pulse at their September show, taking place at Olympia London from 8-10 September 2019. This co-location with Top Drawer means that visitors will have an opportunity like no other to explore the very best of commercially-ready emerging brands, as well as the best and biggest names in designled lifestyle products - all under one roof.

Top Drawer Show Director, Alejandra Campos says: ‘Top Drawer has always been at the forefront of industry trends, making Pulse the perfect complement to our existing offering.

By transitioning Pulse’s cutting-edge content and ethos of unseen, original design into the Top Drawer setting, our visitors will now have unrivalled access to the very best in designled lifestyle products.’

10 gifts today

The 2019 winners were revealed at the Stationery Show London that ran 30 April to 1 May. Tim Willoughby, director of show organisers Ocean Media, said: ‘We had 377 entries this year, a huge number, for our judges to work through, and a testament to the resilience of the stationery sector in the face of tough times for retail.’

Several suppliers had a good awards evening, picking up a couple of wins each – Quadrille won both the Diaries, Organisers, Calendars and Licensed Stationery categories, whilst ExaClair’s new gift wrap range

by Clairefontaine also collected two awards, including the Judges’ Choice. LaunchPad winner, Makers Cabinet (formerly Brahman Design) won the Desk Accessories category.

The Stationery Designer of the Year Award was won by Laura Jackson, of Laura Jackson Design. Five new retailer categories were added to the Stationery Awards this year for the first time. It was a great evening for Sidonie Warren, co-founder of Papersmiths, who picked up two category awards.

Greetings to PG Live 2019 The two-day show, 4-5 June, gives major buyers, independent retailers and international distributors the perfect opportunity to bolster their greetings card offering for the coming year.

Expect 230+ established publishers, renowned artists and up-andcoming designers from around the globe. Big names include UKG, Hallmark, Paperlink, Wendy JonesBlackett and ICG. Other leading names include Paper Salad, The Art File, Woodmansterne, Belly Button Designs, Carte Blanche, Five Dollar Shake and Danilo.

PG Live also offers fabulous free refreshments, a complimentary lunch (sponsored by Louise Tiler and Tache who have teamed up to celebrate their fifth anniversaries) and a free drinks party after the show on Tuesday. progressivegreetingslive.com

New direction for Autumn Fair The season’s key marketplace for home and gift retail, is set to launch its new direction for 2019 and beyond this September at the Birmingham NEC.

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ith plenty of new and bellwether exhibitors showcasing exclusive products, and new theatres and areas debuting for 2019, Autumn Fair will offer unrivalled sourcing and deal-making opportunities for retail’s boldest buyers.

More than 22,000 visitors, and 1300 exhibitors are expected to descend on the NEC for the show, representing the industry’s best opportunity for last minute stocking-up before the all-important Golden Quarter sales period and beyond for key buying points in 2020.

For 2019, Autumn Fair will occupy a new venue within the NEC, moving to the Atrium as part of a re-edited offering designed specifically to facilitate connections between suppliers and retailers, and make it as easy as possible for visitors to get to grips with the products that will drive profits.

Across 11 carefully curated show sectors, visitors will be able to explore the latest products driving sales throughout the busy Christmas period and on into key selling periods for 2020. All gifting categories have been brought together into one spectacular Gift sector, in turn creating the UK’s largest gathering of gift inspiration under one roof.

Likewise, the 2019 re-edit will bring together the show’s home and interiors sectors, creating an all-new sourcing and exhibiting destination for UK and international buyers and suppliers respectively.

The new show sectors are: Beauty & Wellbeing, Gift (General), Gift (Contemporary Edit), Greetings & Stationery, Everyday, Fashion, The Summerhouse, Living, Accents & Décor, Retail Solution, Play & Tech and Sourcing. autumnfair.com

gifts today 11

exhibition news

BCTF 2019 Award winners

275+ brands at Exclusively There’s an outstanding housewares show lined up for 2019 Exclusively Housewares and Exclusively Electrical with 32 fantastic new exhibitors bringing the show total to 149 exhibitors. It’s a great show for housewares, tabletop and small domestic appliance brands.

The incredible new line up of 26 new exhibitors in Exclusively Housewares includes Candlelight, Captivate Brands, Casa & Casa, De Buyer, Dexam, Eko, Snips. H&L Russel, Mapa Spontex, Mepal, Nogent, Orthex, Kitchen Craft, Royal Doulton, SMB Group, UP Global Sourcing Holdings and Valerie Graham.

‘This year we have some very exciting introductions to the show from both the UK and Europe,’ says Lindsey Hoyle, sales director, Exclusively Shows. ‘Buyers on a mission to seek newness will not be disappointed; from in store experiences to clever gadgets and more environmentally conscious product than we have ever seen before, the show will be a fantastic start to range planning and buying for the fourth quarter and into 2020.’ Exclusively 2019 runs 11-12 June at the Business Design Centre, London. exclusivelyshows.co.uk

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The winners of the BCTF Awards 2019 were revealed at a ceremony held on 8 April at the Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate, where the very best designermakers presented their latest collections to the trade.

Winners were as follows: Form & Function Award sponsored by The Platform Gallery: Joint winners – Ellen Monaghan, Helen Eastham Studio, Kevin Hutson, Sarah Saunders Ceramics, Rebecca Perry Ceramics and Cinda Clark Design.

BCTF Award for Excellence sponsored by the Pyramid Gallery: Winner – Melina Xenaki Ceramics; Highly Commended – Ugly Jewellery and DW Glass Best Newcomer Award sponsored by the Heart Gallery: Winner – Faye Hall Design; Highly Commended – Betsy & Els. Post Newcomer Award sponsored by ACID: Winner – Sandra Vick The Giftware Association Award for Excellence: Winner – Rachel Thornton The NAJ Award for Excellence: Winner - Francesca Marcenaro Greeting Card Award sponsored by Greetings Today magazine: Winner – Citrus Bunn; Just Because – Betsy & Els; Highly Commended – Claire Baxter Fine Art; Commended – The Three Foxes and Jill Ray Landscapes Wow Factor Award sponsored by DesignGap/ArtGap: exhibitors selected Kate Toms as the winner from a short list of three, which also included Melina Xenaki Ceramics and Jack McGonicle Ceramics.

‘BCTF is a real celebration of all things British and handmade, and our award winners represent that brilliantly and I am delighted to congratulate them all for their well-deserved accolades,’ says organiser, Margeret Bunn. bctf.co.uk

Pets at Glee The value of the UK pet market is set to hit £7 billion by 2021, and the Pets at Glee sector is set to guide buyers across all sectors to maximise their success in this area.

This year’s Pets at Glee promises to guide buyers across all sectors to more innovative products than ever before, including pet foods, supplements, toys and accessories.

With the pet sector comprising a diverse range of retail outlets, from pet superstores and supermarkets to DIY multiples, vets, garden centres, mail-order catalogues, independent pet stores and websites, Pets at Glee will host a dedicated networking space for pet care industry representatives to meet other industry professionals and see the latest trends and innovation.

‘An unprecedented level of premium and artisan products has launched over the past five years, projecting luxury pet goods into the mainstream market,’ says Glee Event Director, Matthew Mein. ‘Owners are increasingly mirroring human styling and healthcare trends for their pets, which they want to feel cared for, comfortable and mentally stimulated.’ Glee runs at the NEC, Birmingham, from 10-12 September. gleebirmingham.com

GA news Latest developments from The Giftware Association, the trade association serving the gift and home industry since 1947.

Celebrating iconic style.

Head to the AGM After a busy start to the year, the Giftware Association is holding its AGM on 18 June at The Nottinghamshire Golf Course. They’ll use the event to celebrate the industry they serve and also discuss the changes to the home and giftware world from innovators in pioneering new techniques for a more eco-friendly business, health and wellbeing in the workplace and also the state of the high street.

Current Speakers are High Street Expert Michael Weedon from BIRA, supplier Evan Lewis from VENT for Change (pictured), consultant Hollie Whittles and Jess Baker discussing the personal values in the work place, plus more to be added on the day.

Museums & Galleries are thrilled to announce an exclusive collaboration with Dame Zandra Rhodes, one of the world’s most recognisable, distinguished and exciting fashion designers. This new signature range celebrates her fiftieth year in fashion and a lifetime of bold prints, vivid colour and irrepressible style.

Celebrate at Home & Gift

Launching at PG Live, the Zandra Rhodes Collection features 12 stunning greetings cards with special finishes, notecards, notebooks and journals, gift bags, gift wrap, tissue paper, bookmarks and more. The result is a unique destination range, designed to help stylish retailers stand out from the crowd.

The Giftware Association invites members to a special event at the July show, where they have hired the Gino D’Acampo restaurant, which is a short walk from the Harrogate Covention Centre, to celebrate the Home & Gift world and their members who are exhibiting at the show. There’s a dinner and roof top drinks at the venue on Sunday 14 July, running from 7pm to 11pm.

Event news The GA hosted several fascinating seminars in April and May, covering social media, customer experience and advice on how to pitch to retailers.

Featured speakers included social media training from Louise Welsby from Buy From and how to stay future fit from independent retail advisor Henri Davies. ga-uk.org

www.ga-uk.org

See the full range at PG Live 4th–5th June: STAND 218 Don’t miss Zandra Rhodes launching her new range in person at PG LIVE – WED 5TH JUNE 10:30–11:30am

E: sales@mgml.co.uk

museumsgalleries.co.uk

Tel: 01373 462165

www.museumsgalleries.co.uk Home of the finest arts brands gifts today 13

Cover story - Steiff

The story of Steiff

The German company that invented the world’s very first teddy bear is still as relevant as ever today. Editor Sally Norton caught up with Steiff’s Leyla Maniera to discover the incredible story of founder Margarete Steiff and how it all started with a little felt elephant…

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hink of teddy bears and you think of Steiff.

With an amazing heritage and reputation for quality, the company’s as forward-looking as ever. When a customer buys a modern Steiff piece, they’re still buying into the company’s incredible history and attention to detail. We asked Leyla Maniera, a former teddy bear specialist from Christie’s, about the past and present of the company – as well as its exciting plans for the future.

PAST

Leyla, can you tell us about founder Margarete Steiff?

Born in 1847, Margarete was a lady who devoted her entire life to children. Margarete believed that ‘for children, only the best is good enough’ - our guiding principle today. She contracted polio when she was just 18 months old, which left both her legs paralysed and her right arm severely weakened. These disabilities meant that she was to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.

She began dressmaking in 1866 and by 1877 she had opened a dressmaking shop where she sold felt garments she had designed and sewn herself.

Her new business, the Felt Mail Order Co., was an immediate success and soon she was able to employ a few people to help her. As travel to European fashion shows and trade fairs was difficult for her, Margarete relied upon magazines like Modenwelt to keep up with all the developments within the fashion industry.

How and when did she come to create the world’s first soft toy?

In a copy of Modenwelt in early 1880, she came across a pattern for an elephant. To aid her in 14 gifts today

her dressmaking she made a little felt elephant pincushion – stuffed with soft fleece, it became the world’s first soft toy.

And how did Margarete’s toys come to become so popular?

Margarete gifted these little elephants to friends and family throughout the village. She was encouraged to consider opening her very own felt store and, so, that very same year in 1880 Margarete Steiff GmbH was founded.

Margarete soon began producing other felt animals including dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and pigs. Demand for these wonderful new toys swept throughout Giengen and the quantities soon became too great for the little felt store to house and so in 1892 the company produced its first catalogue.

And how did the world’s first teddy bear come to be born?

Margarete’s nephew Richard joined her company in 1897, representing Steiff at the Leipzig Toy Fair and given the role of developing new toy lines. His passion and admiration for real bears fuelled him with the determination to design a soft toy bear that would be attractive and appealing to children.

Richard began by introducing a bear character to the Steiff range of animal skittles and from this he began developing new ideas. It was the real bear’s natural movement that fascinated him, and one he wanted to replicate in his toys. Along the way, he created a Dancing Bear on a rotating metal plate, a Circus Bear on a wooden wheeled base and a range of pull-along bears that were positioned on all fours and set on cast iron wheels.

However, Richard was still not satisfied and wanted to give his bears natural, life-like movement. He

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turned the bear upright onto its bottom and added string joints to make its arms, legs and head move – and so the teddy bear was born. Richard’s first ‘teddy’ design was registered in 1902.

Richard continued to develop his bear and, by 1905, his bear had reached perfection with the introduction of disc jointing, a method so successful that it is still used to this very day. Richard’s ‘perfected’ bear received unparalleled popularity and in 1907 alone Steiff produced 975,000 bears, all by hand, to meet with this huge demand.

PRESENT

What do you think makes the Steiff Teddy Bear so special today?

Quality and tradition. When you buy a Steiff, you are buying into nearly 140 years of history and tradition.

Whether you purchase a traditionally made teddy bear as a collectable or a soft toy for a newborn, Steiff aspire to make only the very best.

themed characters that are more affordably priced and yet soft and playful, whilst still retaining the high quality you associate with Steiff.

In keeping with our unique history, Steiff have a strong licensed range of toys. Steiff were the first company to make Mickey Mouse for Walt Disney and Peter Rabbit for Beatrix Potter, so not surprisingly these are prominent in demand. And then of course there is Paddington Bear who has been the number one best seller in recent years.

FUTURE

And, finally, what plans does Steiff have for the future?

In 2020, Steiff will celebrate its 140th anniversary, the oldest toy company in the world. Our goal remains to bring wonderful teddy bears and soft toys that children of today will fall in love with as generations have before them. At all times, to do so remembering Margarete’s motto that ‘for children, only the best is good enough’.

How can a consumer tell a soft toy or teddy bear is made by Steiff?

That is very easy. It’s the trademark, the button in the ear or ‘knopf im ohr’ to give it its German name. Every article leaving Steiff since November 1904 has always had a Steiff eartag and button.

How important is it that Steiff as a company is always forward looking?

Essential! Today the company embraces its history, and in doing so embraces innovation, imagination and perfection. Steiff has always prided itself on its ability to make naturalistic looking animals. In recent years, Steiff has also embraced the more ‘fantasy element’ in soft toys that has taken the appeal of Steiff into new areas.

Leading the charge has been our range of Soft Cuddly Friends, fantasy gifts today 15

Home & Gift

Your place in the sun Open for four days in beautiful Harrogate and set across four marquees and seven halls, the Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival is a great place to do business in the summer months

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ith nearly 60 years under its belt, Home & Gift is a great way to kick off the autumn/ winter buying season.

Set in the beautiful and easily accessible spa town of Harrogate, Home & Gift’s a great place to do business in the summer months. The Majestic Hotel has been undergoing a major renovation and the new Double Tree by Hilton, sitting in the heart of the design points, will be unveiled, along with an improved show layout.

‘There are many reasons that Home & Gift has long been the industry’s favourite event, and this year we’re taking all of those elements to the next level - creating an unforgettable buying experience for both our visitors and our exhibitors,’ says show director Louise Morris. ‘From the brand selection, product offering an and improved layout, to new onsite n networking and meeting tools, a h hosted buying programme and th the inspirational ShopTalk line-up, e everything has been crafted to help b buyers and suppliers make valuable, m meaningful connections.’

More big names M H H&G provides fantastic buying opportunities and allows you to o ssee the latest launches first. Key exhibitors are brought together to e showcase brand new product lines, helping your store stay ahead of the competition this Christmas and beyond.

With over 800 brands to choose from, set across four marquees and seven halls, H&G is the largest showroom in the North. With an 16 gifts today

ever-expanding line-up of brands from household favourites to emerging designers, H&G Buyers’ Festival provides the perfect location to discover next season’s best sellers.

Helping retailers to find those must-have best sellers for the new season, Home and Gift is the place to discover even more fresh names and industry-leading favourites within the exciting line-up of exhibitors. Gift brands include Alexander Thurlow, Apples to Pears, Ashleigh & Burwood, Hill Interiors, Heathcote & Ivory, Wild Things Gifts, Mad Beauty, Gibsons Games, Global Luxury Brands, Half Moon Bay, Heart of the Country, House of Marbles, Julie Dodsworth, KMI Brands, Melt, Premier Decorations, Sea Gems, Talking Tables and many, many more.

Dates for the diary Harrogate Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival 2019 runs from Sunday 14 July to Wednesday 17 July Sunday

14 July:

9am to 6pm

Monday

15 July:

9am – 6pm

Tuesday

16 July:

9am – 6pm

Wednesday

17 July:

9am – 4pm

homeandgift.co.uk

‘There are many reasons that Home & Gift has long been the industry’s favourite event, and this year we’re taking all of those elements to the next level - creating an unforgettable buying experience for both our visitors and our exhibitors’ Show sectors The show aims to cater for every gift business within its eight show sectors – including three new categories.

Design-Led Gift: Premium design-driven giftware.

Gift: Everyday gifts, from collectables and traditional to quirky and unique.

Home & Interiors: The best in modern and traditional home décor.

Design Now (NEW): Exclusive UK brands and new names to browse.

Craft (NEW): Celebrating craftsmanship and new designers.

Jewellery & Fashion: Design-led fashion accessories for all tastes.

Greetings & Stationery: High quality and extensive collection to discover.

Taste (NEW): Indulge yourself with mouth-watering gifts and tasty treats.

events and one-to-one meetings. It’s now even easier to connect with brands prior and during the show.

New online buying and networking tools will allow you to set up meetings, star your favourite brands and make invaluable connections to help you get the most out of your visit to Home & Gift. You can sign up on the show website under the ‘Visit’ category – click ‘use our network tools’.

Loved by retailers ‘We’ll be attending Harrogate Home & Gift for three days. With lovely venues and food for evening treats, we

ShopTalk New for 2019 and based in Hall Q, ShopTalk presents a diverse line-up of industry-leading speakers across the worlds of retail, design and much more. The programme is made up of lively panel sessions, engaging keynote speakers and interactive workshops, and runs throughout the day from Sunday 14 July to Tuesday 16 July.

really enjoy exploring new and old exhibitors’ displays. As well as discovering gifts for immediate customer temptations, this is the show that sets our Christmas gift range. Taking new lines into store in July and August allows us to see which are the real winners and we then have plenty of time to build stocks of them for Christmas.’

Dougal Philip, New Hopetoun Gardens, Broxburn

Meaningful meetings

‘I’ll be attending Harrogate. I’ve always been lucky in the past finding wee hidden gems of product there. It’s

The show is the perfect place to meet like-minded professionals, so don’t miss the opportunity to make the right connections for your business with onsite

also great to catch up with suppliers and fellow stockists.’

Karen Greig, Destined For Home, Edinburgh gifts today 17

Home & Gift

In full bloom Heathcote & Ivory Hall A, stand A13 Heathcote & Ivory have partnered up with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and are showcasing their first three collections in collaboration with the iconic British organisation at the Harrogate Home & Gift Fair 2019.

Founded over 200 years ago and a world leader in its commitment to gardening and gardens, the RHS champions horticulture to bring people together, enhance lives and increase wellbeing. It does this through the inspirational RHS flower shows and gardens, scientific research and community outreach programmes.

Heathcote & Ivory are specialists in luxury bath and body products and renowned for creating beautiful collections with wonderful ingredients. They bring the botanical heritage of the RHS alive with the recently launched Flower Bloom Daisy Garland and Tender Palm collections and brand new Flower Bloom Trellis collection of fragranced bath and body products launching in A/W19.

Featuring botanical extracts and signature fragrances, the vegan-friendly RHS collections are free from parabens and sulphates.

Call: 020 7483 8383 Email: info@heathcote-ivory.com Visit: heathcote-ivory.com

Making a Splosh!

Xystos Hall Q, stand C17 Flame and fragrance company Xystos always has the capacity to surprise and will use the Harrogate show to unveil a raft of new products as it looks to build on the success of own-brand candle range Cello and Splosh’s sentiment-driven gifts and homewares.

Two of the country’s best-known bath and body brands – Di Palomo and Baylis & Harding – add to its high-quality diverse offering, which also includes pampering products from the ever-popular Naked Bee and the stunning Himalayan Glow natural salt lamps.

Call: 0191 499 1570 Email: sales@xystos.co.uk Visit: xystostrade.co.uk

18 gifts today

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Over 2500 brand new gifts 10,000+ lines to choose from Only £100 minimum order ‘Little & Often’ Ordering System FREE next day delivery Award winning customer service

BUYERS’ FESTIVAL -8/<

Hall Q, Stand E18

ANNIVERSARY

Cutie Clip Frames

Equilibrium® Handpainted Collection

Sunny by Sue Stemless Glasses

Leonardo Botanical Mugs

Modern Gloss Anniversary Frames

Equilibrium® Charming Bookmarks

Animal Money Boxes

OPEN YOUR ON-LINE ACCOUNT TODAY AT

www.joedavies.co.uk Joe Davies 149 Broadstone Rd, Reddish, Stockport SK5 7GA

Equilibrium® Woven Bags

Natural Life Pictures

Tel: 0161 975 6300 email: sales@joedavies.co.uk k www.joedavies.co.uk j d i k *LIWV 7RGD\ IE 0D\ -XQH +RPH *LIW LQGG

Home & Gift

What a gift!

KMI Brands DP2-7 For the eighth year running, KMI Brands will once again be attending the Harrogate Home & Gift Festival. Positioned within the design-led gifting hall, KMI will be showcasing a selection of innovative and award winning gifting ideas across the Ted Baker and Orla Kiely global lifestyle brands.

Orla Kiely’s latest seasonal wash bag collection features her iconic and colourful Stem print, one of the most recognisable motifs of 21st century fashion, along with two striking new designs; Scallop Flower and Dove. Orla’s popular home fragrance range celebrates her distinctive love of colour, print and nature and will be presented at the Home & Gift Festival alongside three new candle and diffuser gifts.

This year Ted Baker’s stylish Residence home fragrance collection has also been expanded to include a brand new miniature candle gift, ideal for Christmas 2019. Ted’s fragrance offering includes gifts for men and women as well as the Ted’s Grooming Room line.

KMI Brands design, develop and market award-winning brands with a reputation in innovating quality, performance-led products.

This is underpinned by long standing, best in class partnerships with global retailers, distributors and suppliers. KMI unites and develops the beauty market for leading high street brands under licence as well as its own portfolio of brands. Their portfolio of brands covers multiple categories from fragrance, cosmetics and skincare, to grooming, gifting and home fragrance.

Call: 020 8614 4700 Email: info@kmibrands.com Visit: kmibrands.com

Fashion-forward style Valerie Graham Ltd DP1 – A99

The company distributes the Ecology brand of homewares as well as the Ipuro brand of wellbeing and Swig hydration.

Ecology

One of the fastest growing lifestyle & homewares brands today in Australia and around the world, Ecology ranges include Canvas white bone china, mottled porcelain, patterned stoneware, vases, vessels, mugs and wooden boards.

Ipuro

Ipuro blends exquisite fragrances with a highly-aesthetic product. Subtle fragrances with minimalist designs – Ipuro Classics fit into every home environment.

Swig

For the 2019 autumn/winter collection, Swig have unveiled new bold crimson and green colours in their hydration range, together with striking two-tone colourways of purple with yellow base, navy with orange base and orange with purple base.

Call: 020 8200 5100 Email: sales@vgltd.co.uk

20 gifts today

Home & Gift

A touch of luxury Global Luxury Brands Hall A, stand A20 A return to Harrogate always livens the spirit and this year is no exception. Even after over 30 years Harrogate and Home & Gift holds a special place in the calendar for Global Luxury Brands. The show gives a great opportunity to meet new customers, showcase new products and to meet existing partners in a wonderful setting. For 2019, the company are delighted to have a much larger stand giving them the space to show more of the ranges theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re delighted to work with.

This year GLB were appointed as exclusive agents for Goebel and, after a visit to the factory, Janet and Simon came back totally enthused about the extensive range that they offer. At Spring Fair they showed a small selection from the Britto range, as well as a tiny portion of the outstanding Christmas collection and had a strong reaction to both, which has turned into excellent sales. In 2019, they look forward to showing more of both these ranges as well as established favourites like Artis Orbis and Rosina Wachtmeister.

The De Rosa range continues to find new fans and with interest in the limited edition range of prestige pieces being particularly strong this year, they will have some more of these superb pieces on show, including the stunning gold Chinese Dragon.

There will be new launches in all categories adding to the appeal of this hand-crafted range.

The master sculptor at Cmielow, Lubomir Tomaszewski, passed away at the end of 2018 but his legacy of art and craft lives on in many of the sculptures hand made and hand painted in Poland today. The permanent exhibition of his designs at the V&A is testament to the level of his importance to the history of ceramic design. The range today covers a huge range of subject matter and GLB will be adding more to the UK stocked selection at Home & Gift.

Herend is one of the most important names in the world of European ceramics and the range today still includes over 1600 tableware patterns and numerous figurines. GLB have a constantly changing range of UK-stocked pieces that gives them the opportunity to provide a level of service not normally associated with such a hand-made range. New launches will be on show along with key best sellers.

Call: 01538 807780 Email: srw@glb.uk.com Visit: globalluxurybrands.co.uk 22 gifts today

Home & Gift

It takes a Village…

Village Candle Hall A, stand A3 Village Candle is excited and honoured to be part of the Home & Gift Harrogate Show 2019 this July. This is a first for the Village Brand, who in January 2019, launched their direct to market model here in the UK, with an updated look jar and brand new passionate team. They have a prime location stand within Hall A and look forward to welcoming customers.

The show provides a great opportunity to spend time with their customers in such a relaxed atmosphere. They are so excited to be featuring and showcasing their Village Brand at the show, where they will be launching their new ranges for autumn/winter and Christmas.

It is a key opportunity for buyers from across the UK to view their full range for the season ahead and place orders. They will also have their updated fixtures, which really pull their collections together and help showcase this simply stunning range.

Due to the success of their Fantasy & Presence range that launched in spring/ summer 19, buyers will also be able to view this range in full, as it continues into the second half. As we approach the season of gift giving, Village have you covered! Whether it’s their new petite size jar range, or their soybased Presence range, you will find the perfect gift. So why not come along, say ‘hi’, and let them welcome you into their Village.

Call: 01243780501 Email: enquiry@villagecandle.com Visit: villagecandle.co.uk 24 gifts today

come and see us, we’ll be creating a buzz HARROGATE HOME & GIF T 1 4 - 1 7 J U LY – H A L L B STA N D 74 AUTUMN FAIR, BIRMINGHAM NEC 1-4 SEPTEMBER – HALL 7 STAND D50

Introducing new products and exciting colourways for our bestselling designs embellished with Swarovski® crystals It’s our 35th anniversary and we have lots to celebrate: come and join us for a drink and some nibbles. We’d love to show you our dazzlng gift ideas Look out for our exclusive show-only offers

the booth ‘I have known Wild Things beautiful products for several years. They are magical timeless gifts suitable for any age. The products are well lit and displayed and catch our customers’ eyes.’

Tania Simpson – General Manager, Johnsons Garden Centre, Boston

sales@wildthingsgifts.com t. 01392 211268 wildthingsgifts.com

PHONE OR EMAIL NOW TO CLAIM YOUR FREE STAND WHEN YOU SPEND A MINIMUM OF £ 1,1 9 5

Home & Gift

So creative Richard Lang Hall A, stand A19

Nice weather for ducks!

Joe Davies Hall Q, stand E18 Ducks are always popular spring characters and a popular choice in the figurine market.

The successful David’s Ducks range from Joe Davies has been extended with more sizes and the addition of a cute mother and baby duck.

These adorable duck ornaments have been painted with pretty pastel polka dots and have matching Wellington boots and umbrellas. They make a perfect accessory for any home as a shelf sitter to add some countryside charm and of course make a beautiful gift for that special someone.

This cute collection is just one of the many animal-themed ranges from Joe Davies.

Everything is available to order in modest quantities with minimum orders of just £100 and free nationwide delivery.

Call: 0161 975 6300 Email sales@joedavies.co.uk Visit: joedavies.co.uk

The year has kicked off to a flying start with customers loving Lang’s spring/summer 2019 ranges and with the majority of their product being designed in-house by their talented creative team in Derbyshire.

You can be sure to find unique product lines at Langs.

Looking forward to the Harrogate Home & Gift Fair in July, they’ve been busy creating 24 exciting new ranges for autumn/winter 2019.

Fans of their exclusively painted, rural artwork will love their new Country Ducks, Farming Life and Painterly Animals collections. Their Barking Mad and Pretty Cat ranges have been hugely successful so they have developed new Scruffy Dogs, Cool Cat and Feline Posh collections as well as adding in an adorable Guinea Pigs story.

For a more classical look, they have a beautiful Poppies range that combines hand painted poppy artwork with natural finishes and also a new Robin collection that includes some Remembrance pieces.

Lang’s friends and family pieces are always popular so they’re excited to showcase their elegant Family Tree and pretty Positivi-Tea friendship ranges alongside some additions to their Celebrations offer.

Home Décor looks are becoming increasingly sought-after so their simple and easy Moon & Stars range and their Floral Home collection with pretty 3D flowers are bound to be a hit.

Their best-selling bee range has also been given a makeover. The new Luxe Bee collection combines plush velvet with beautiful embroideries and cute pompom trims.

Additionally, they also have new Moon Gazing Hare, Buddha, Wizards, Sophisticated Gin, Rum Bar, Mystic Cat and Peacock ranges as well as new range of Funny Plaques and a new Irish offer so there really is something for everyone. You can also visit their showroom, shop online or make an appointment with one of their agents.

Call: 01332 340927 Email: sales@richardlang.co.uk Visit: richardlang.co.uk

26 gifts today

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Home & Gift

Catch the sun Wild Things Gifts Ltd Hall B, stand 74 It’s showtime again and Wild Things is looking forward to meeting customers old and new in Harrogate. The Devon-based company produce and design stunning suncatchers here in the UK, and most of their designs use Swarovski crystals to create a truly dazzling display. This year is extra special as they are celebrating their 35th anniversary with a bigger, brighter exhibition space.

Their products are popular with all age groups and make perfect gifts and impulse purchases and come in a variety of price points. The bestselling Crystal Fantasy range comes in two sizes. The mirrored metal motifs - accented with Swarovski crystals and come in three themes: nature - including marine, birds, pets and wildlife, plus fantasy with angels, fairies and unicorns.

Many designs come with a choice of colourways, and new styles and colours get added frequently.

The incredibly popular Heart of Hearts design is a perfect Valentine’s or Mother’s Day present, or as an extra special gift. Handmade using jewellery quality Swarovski crystals. Visit the stand to see the design in its new confetti theme that makes an ideal wedding gift.

Wild Things also offer handmade glass and jewellery products plus the best-selling guardian angels range available as suncatchers and pins.

Customers to the show stand can claim exclusive discounts on counter-top displays featuring specific ranges – or carry the whole spectrum in an illuminated display booth. Various options will be on display at the show. Make sure you visit and join them for a celebratory drink and a browse, and they’ll be delighted to show you their products that can really bring increased revenue to your business.

Email: sales@wildthingsgifts.com Visit: wildthingsgifts.com

28 gifts today

A burst of confetti!

Wild Things Gifts is ready for the wedding season with its pastelthemed confetti colourway. Swarovski crystals in soft pink, purple, yellow, blue and green hues add a touch of romance to the ever-popular Heart of Hearts design and the Angel Wing Heart Crystal Fantasy.

These delicate hues, which still cast beautiful colours when caught in the sunlight, make a perfect gift or a dazzling way to add some colour to a wedding venue. The Heart of Hearts design is also available in rose and chakra colourways; as well as confetti, you can order the Angel Wing Heart in two different sizes in rose, purple and chakra.

GIFTS

LIMITED EDITIONS

BEAUTIFUL HOMES

creative solutions for tabletop, gifts and accessories.

Come and see us at Home & Gift 2019. Hall A, Stand A20 or contact us for more details on our exciting new product introductions and existing collections from our exclusive portfolio of luxury brands Email: info@glb.uk.com Telephone: 01538 807 780 www.globalluxurybrands.co.uk

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Home & Gift

Vegan-friendly Heaven Scent Hall Q stand Q-E87 Heaven Scent have always produced Vegan Friendly candles since they began making candles back in the 90s. Then it was very niche word used by what people called ‘alternatives’ (whom Heaven Scent are happy to say were their customers).

Twenty years later at their last trade show, they noticed a marked change with nearly every customer asking ethical questions about their products. In particular, lots asked about their vegan-friendly products, and wanted to talk about sustainability and plastic-free alternatives. They are glad to say that, as a company, they have been ahead of the curve and are able to meet the demands of the new emerging ‘conscious’ buyer.

By autumn, a new Vegan range will be available which will consist of candles, reed diffusers and soaps that will have the word ‘Vegan’ branded on them.

They are currently developing a ‘shampoo bar’ that will address the issues for many customers seeking a ‘plastic free’ alternative. In the future they hope to address the issues of plastic packaging in their body products.

Visit: heavenscent.co.uk

High concept Culinary Concepts Hall M, stand M18 A Culinary Christmas Over the past three years, the Culinary Concepts’ Christmas collection has gone from strength-to-strength and 2019 has seen the launch of their biggest ever collection to date.

From exquisite hanging decorations and baubles to cheerful garlands, their luxurious decorations have all been beautifully designed and crafted, with vintage styling, etched glass and elaborately beaded decorations all taking centre stage this year. They’ve also extended their festive collections to feature stylishly enamelled stars, hearts and reindeer, intricately etched glass jars and perfume bottles plus a whole new range of glass and jewel studded tea light holders to add a warming glow to the wintry evenings.

With further additions to the ever-popular Stag range including majestic candle stands, punch bowls and hurricanes, you’re sure to find everything you’ll need to create a truly magical display this festive season.

Getting in the Swing Culinary Concepts are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and what better way to mark the occasion than with some spectacular new products for 2019?

One of their favourite collections to date is the new Swing collection.

Inspired by the big American bands of the 30s and 40s, their collection of musical themed pieces takes upcycling to the next level. Cleverly designed to jazz up any interior, they’ve transformed a whole host of recycled instruments into statement lights, lamps and side tables. From the impressive ‘Rosolino’ Trombone Floor Lamp to the innovative ‘DeFranco’ Clarinet Table Lamp, the Swing Collection is an orchestral delight and an imaginative way to illuminate any space.

With further additions to the hugely popular Octopus and Stag ranges, new vases and lighting, plus luxurious chairs, feature rugs and barware, this brand really is not to be missed.

Visit: culinaryconceptsliving.com 30 gifts today

Manor House Home Fragrance Ltd

T 01359 250720 www.manorhousehomefragrance.co.uk

Retail Interview

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright Described as a ‘posh Poundland’ by its fans, and ‘Woolies on acid’ by its founder, the quirky high street retailer Flying Tiger Copenhagen draws customers to its 70+ UK stores with a mix of great design, low prices and buy-it-before-it’s gone ethos.

Editor Sally Norton caught up with Jon Edwards, owner and director of Tiger Midlands Ltd, to discover more

P

op into your local branch of Flying Tiger Copenhagen to buy a quick gift and there’s a fair chance you’ll emerge later with a shopping bag bulging with everything from stationery to DIY tools, kitchen utensils to craft kits.

Tiger customers often go in store to buy something specific and come out with a load of lovely stuff they didn’t even know they needed.

The ‘Tiger’ concept has been around for decades, with the first bricks and mortar store opening in Copenhagen in 1988. Now there are 863 stores across three continents and 30 countries employing more than 5800 people – and the company’s continuing to grow. The first UK Tiger store launched in the UK in Basingstoke back in 2005 and there are plans to roll out more. Jon Edwards explains how the UK Tiger concept came to the UK, the attraction of a fun shopping experience in these Insta-addled times, and the company’s plans for the future.

Lennart Lajboschitz 32 gifts today

Jon, what’s the story behind Flying Tiger Copenhagen?

Tiger was originally started by husband and wife Lennart and Suze Lajboschitz in Copenhagen in 1988. They were all about creating well-designed products that bring people together, and that’s still very much in the DNA of the company today. It’s the idea that a ball is just a ball until you play with it with your family and it becomes a meaningful memory.

Every product we design – whether it’s a bag of spices, a pencil, or a chocolate bar – has a lot of thought and love put into it. There’s personality in all our products.

What’s your role at the company?

Flying Tiger Copenhagen is quite different to many other companies, with the concept originally rolled out through a series of joint ventures. It’s effectively a partnership between ourselves and a local company called Tiger Midlands Ltd that’s half owned by myself and part owned by Zebra A/S which was the owner of the Tiger concept.

I’m an engineer by profession and I also love to paint, and I think this is why I was drawn to the brand

– the colours and design. Something special goes on when you look in a Tiger shop – you just don’t find the same assortment anywhere else.

Who’s the typical ‘Tiger’ customer?

There isn’t one! You can be as comfortable with Tiger whether you’re 90 or nine – it’s all about the great design, product and connection.

What’s your product mix?

We offer quite an eccentric assortment, from fake poo at one end of the spectrum to Chinese porcelain at the other. We organise ourselves into what we call ‘houses’ – kitchen, stationery, games, food and so on. Besides a core assortment within each house, we introduce an average of 250-300 new lines every month. We start each eac month with a campaign themed around, say, Valentine’s, and then aro we refresh that assortment again two tw weeks later. The assortment is always alw changing. Average spend is around £7, more at Christmas. ar While around 70% of our products are priced under £5, it’s not about a

customers tend to be those explorers who like to shop, to be inspired and discover new things. As our founder says, everyone feels like a millionaire in a Tiger shop.

Plans to boost your online presence?

We’re still trying to work out the best way of how we can recreate the store experience, colour and excitement online. It may be that we look at offering the bigger items online, the ones that aren’t easy to carry out of store. Whatever we do, it’ll be 18 months to two years, Watch this space.

price – it’s about value. It’s about high quality, great design and personality. About 10% of our products are in the higher price points. At the moment we offer a great rack on wheels for around £18, and we’ve had handmade Indian blankets for £45.

the past we’ve worked on a Conceptual Photography Book with Yoko Ono, as well as with designers David Shrigley and Misaki Kawai. When it comes to collaborations, we’re about the design, the role, the function and what it brings.

How important would you say your in-house design team is?

Having in-house designers massively helps because it gives us the ability to always think globally, and allows us to take inspiration from different areas. For instance, we’ve created a really nice range of colourful Japanese porcelain that you won’t see in other shops but has worked really well for us.

At the moment we’ve got a lovely range of Scandi-inspired kitchen wooden utensils that use FSC-sourced wood and have won three international awards for us. Unbelievably they’re under £2 each and are already on our bestsellers list. They’re a classic everyday item with the ‘Tiger twist’.

What about licensing collaborations?

We have a slightly different approach to licensing than lots of other companies. Yes, we do it, but we don’t tend to go for straightforward celebrity endorsement. We tend to work with artists because we like them and what they’re trying to. In

‘Everyone feels like a millionaire in a Tiger shop’ Where does inspiration come from?

We’re not big on trade shows, though some team members will visit to see what’s going on. We tend to do our own thing, constantly looking at items to see if they would work in the Tiger universe with a slight twist.

Within the company we all work in a very collaborative way as well, with internal design competitions and lots of opportunities for people to put ideas forward.

Tiger was rolled out in a partnership way, and so cooperation is very much in our DNA. We explore, we’re playful and have a sense of humour.

What was the biggest challenge of 2018?

Uncertainty around Brexit has certainly had an impact in terms of store rollout. We have a UK warehouse currently in the UK that serves our stores in northern Europe, and we’ll have to look whether that’s the best place for it. If it does move, that will mean longer lead times and more complex supply chains.

It’s a tough retail market at the moment. We have that toxic combination of rise in transport, energy and staffing costs, plus consumers who generally don’t have huge amounts more money to spend. Brexit brings uncertainty and whatever view you have, we just need to know now where we’re going and where we’re heading. We just need to know so we can make a plan and get on with it.

Plans for 2019 and further?

We had a great 2018 and now we need to decide how best to build on that. We’re always working on the assortments and product innovation. Sustainable materials are definitely going to be big and we have some good stuff rolling down the line.

Bestselling gift categories?

To be honest we don’t do gifts per se outside Christmas but, of course, most of our assortment can be given as a gift.

We offer nice ribbon, tissue paper and things like pretty tins and we know customers use them to wrap gifts or put together nice gift sets. Lots of Tiger gifts today 33

Social Media - Ross Hewitt

Time to get F.I.T. When it comes to building muscle online, check out Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

‘G

et FIT’, says the largely inactive marketing geek who spends around 10 hours a day hunched over a laptop. Oh, the hypocritical irony of it all. Okay, I was getting all shorthand on you…I mean get Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for your social media marketing.

F is for Facebook

Ross Hewitt, Managing Director of Secret Pie and author of ‘Savvy Social Media’. Ross began his digital marketing career in 1998 when social networking was something you only did in a pub. He set up Secret Pie in 2010 and has been helping clients get found and loved online ever since. www.secretpie.co.uk | Ross@secretpie.co.uk | 01904 410027 | Twitter: @Secret_Pie

34 gifts today

Facebook remains a very important platform for targeted marketing and advertising in the UK. It is also a very powerful customer service tool when used correctly and monitored closely. Your prospective and existing customers are on Facebook, in their hundreds, thousands and millions.

Over 35 million people log in regularly in the UK to see videos of cats or things their tenuous acquaintances are eating or have eaten. That’s over half of the population!

To put that into parochial terms, if you own a gift store in Bristol then around 270,000 people on your doorstep log into Facebook frequently. If you are based in the Birmingham area, then it’s over half a million people. If you are national, then it’s…erm…over 35 million peeps!

Not all of them need a gift today but they all know plenty of people with birthdays coming up and around Christmas time they are all in the market for your products.

You should be on there as a business with a proper business page and doing what you can to regularly promote your wares and brand to that substantial chunk of people.

Facebook has advertising services that let you target people by location, gender, age and a huge range of interests (randomly, such as baking, candles, Game of

Thrones and thousands more). As a quick example if you run a gift store in Brighton and have a supply of Game of Thrones cake moulds or cookie cutters then you can target Facebook users within 20km of Brighton that have interests in Game of Thrones and baking and you have a potential reach of thousands of relevant prospects during a very topical time of the year…run the figures through the Facebook ads tool if you don’t believe me. You can run a test campaign to

“

Your prospective and existing customers are on Facebook, in their hundreds, thousands and millions

”

such a group of prospects yourself very, very cheaply…give £20 a whirl and see if the results are worth spending more.

I is for Instagram If you want to be thinking about the very near future and how social media uptake and behaviour may twist or change then I would recommend embracing Instagram if you haven’t done so already. Research from the States within the last couple of years has convincingly shown a surge of enthusiasm and uptake for Instagram among teenagers and millennials. This is echoed by UK youngsters too and research over here suggests they are staying off Facebook because their parents are on it!

At the start of 2016 there were around 400 million users of Instagram.

In less than three years from then the platform broke through the one billion milestone. Instagram is gathering a real head of steam and is being loved by young folk, and those youngsters will be your customers through the forthcoming years so start curating your own Instagram page soon if you aren’t already. They will expect you to have one. It is image and video based, and there is no part of the gift industry that does not lend itself well to images and videos and it is not difficult to use.

Don’t miss the boat!

T is for Twitter Well, okay, it’s not everybody’s cup of tea but it’s very easy to use and an instant way to share updates and photos. It integrates easily with websites so you can squirt news straight onto your webpages from your mobile phone and it has become an established channel for consumers to ask direct questions to brands and retailers. The right answer in a timely manner can bring customers to you as it can lead to very public displays of great customer service and that has real value in the modern consumer’s mind.

User numbers in the UK are sketchy for Twitter, but they are believed to be somewhere around the 12.5 to 13 million mark, which is still a decent chunk of the UK population. Once again, your customers and prospects are on there and in volume so go find them and follow them. They will already expect you to be available through Twitter.

So, it is Facebook for its genuine marketing power and massive in-situ audience; Instagram for the sharing of lovely images whilst waiting for the existing ultra-fans to get older, and Twitter for the instant broadcast capabilities and customer service opportunities. Maybe you agree or disagree; do let me know. Not right

Toys, games & puzzles

Back to the future With research revealing that parents wish their children would ditch gadgets gets in favour of traditional toys, and a growing number of adults playing board ard games and doing jigsaws, it’s a great time to invest in low-tech toys, games and puzzles

B

oard games, art kits and yo-yos were among the top toys adults believe children should experience while growing up, according to a recent study. A poll of 200 adults by very. co.uk revealed that grown-ups believe these toys are crucial in a child’s development and education.

Commenting on the poll, child development expert Anita Cleare says: ‘Play is essential for children’s development – it’s how they build their brains, learn about the universe and develop creativity, problem solving and social skills.’

‘Nostalgic toys, games and puzzles are perfect for gift shops as they appeal to all ages and never go out of fashion. Timeless classics at pocket-money prices make great pickups and will make a real impact in store displays’ Data from Kids Insights is in tune with the poll’s finding, revealing that parents are driving two conflicting key trends: they are comfortable with robotic and tech toys, but they also want their children to cut down on screen time and play with educational toys.

There’s further good news for gift shops who want to boost their offering of traditional toys, with research from NPD Group revealing that 2018’s top games included: Dobble, Rubik’s Cube from John Adams Leisure, Ravensburger’s GraviTrax Starter Set, Scrabble and Uno Originals from Mattel – and an amazing five inclusions from three different versions of Monopoly to Trivial Pursuit.

‘Nostalgic toys, games and puzzles are perfect for gift shops as they appeal to all ages and never go out of fashion,’ says Lauren Woodsford, trade marketing and online manager at House of Marbles. ‘Timeless classics at pocket-money prices make great pickups and will make a real impact in store displays.’

What’s more it seems that the ‘kidult’ trend is continuing to grow with Board Game clubs growing within the UK, both in terms of numbers and the quality of experience they offer to gamers.

Back in the home, while adults enjoy the family experience board games can bring, there’s also a growing trend for adults playing with other adults – or just their significant other. Indeed, a Baylor University study discovered that couples who played board games together interacted more, communicated more and ultimately produced more of the ‘hugging hormone’ oxytocin. Perhaps date night board game sessions are set to become a trend!

When it comes to jigsaws, Jumbo Games are leading they way in adult puzzles, having already released 60 brand new adult puzzles across their ranges in January alone. Indeed their Wasgij Christmas 15 ‘Santa’s Unexpected Delivery!’ was the UK’s Number one Adult Puzzle item in 2018 according to NPD 2018 data.

So, if you’re looking to attract both adults and p on children into store, it mayy be time to stock up traditional toys for all ages.

Did you know?

Couples playing board games together release ‘love hormones’!

Retailers say…

‘When we took over nearly 11 years ago, Mantons carried a large range of jigsaw puzzles and we have carried this on. Most of our jigsaws are Gibson’s and we also stock their games.

They’re really popular.’

Chris Beards, Mantons Card & Toy Store, Isle of Man ‘We have tried various brands over the years and at the moment have focused on House of Marbles who are great value for money and have a lovely traditional range that appeals to the grandparents amongst our customers.’

Dougal Philip, New Hopetoun Garden Centre, Broxburn, Scotland gifts today 35

Consumer Insights

Despite everything you might hear about videogames and tablets dominating kids’ free time, the latest data from the Insights People shows that toys and games are still very much a mainstay of their week, especially among the younger generation

Is 2019 the year of the multimedia board game?

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esides sleeping and going to school, toys and games are the most popular activity among three to six year-olds, clocking up 11.5 hours per week – or 599 hours a year – and one category of this market that fared particularly well during the last quarter was board games. Their popularity generally increased, perhaps thanks in part to the festive season and colder weather meaning families spent more time together indoors. Data from last year also showed board games’ popularity peaked over Christmas, so a surge in the winter months is nothing new.

Classic games showed they are unlikely to fade away any time soon, with the latest Kids Insights data showing girls aged three to 12 named dominos and Monopoly as their two favourite games in Christmas 2018, while 29% of boys aged 16 to 18 said they sat down for a game of chess.

However, while classic board games will always have a place in the market, manufacturers have realised they need to evolve their approach if they are to successfully compete with the likes of Fortnite and mobile gaming for kids’ attention.

So what’s changing?

The growth of smart speakers such as Amazon’s Echo has resulted in Generation Speak, who are embracing the ability to issue commands to – and even have conversations with 36 gifts today

– AI-powered devices. The potential of these devices is only just starting to be explored, and board games is one market they look set to disrupt in the coming months. They have the ability to blend the online and offline world in a unique way, and brands are embracing that by designing new board games built around using voice as a key feature.

One of the first set to hit the market is When in Rome, a travel trivia boardgame from Sensible Object that incorporates Alexa as a tour guide to offer a multiplayer, multimedia experience. It is the first in a new line of products from Sensible Object called Voice Originals that are designed with the smart speaker in mind, and if the products prove popular – and When in Rome is a 2019 Toy of the Year awards finalist – then other manufacturers could well follow suit.

Screens are important While Generation Speak may become the ‘next big thing’ for the board games market, there are other ways for physical games to embrace the digital world. The World of YoHo is a pirate-themed game that sees smartphones become game pieces, which they move around the game board to interact with other players.

While it is still early days for app and voice-assisted board games, as more choice becomes available to consumers, prices come down and smart

speakers establish a presence in more households, it won’t be long before a digital element becomes the norm for new products entering the market.

For a complimentary report and a

Boys (3-12) Boardgame Ghost Stories Yahtzee Dominoes Connect Four Beat the Parents Articulate Monopoly Snakes & Ladders Logo Board Game Moopoly Empire

% Play 37% 34% 33% 32% 30% 29% 29% 28% 28% 28%

demonstration of the award-winning portal visit: kidsinsights.co.uk/ giftstoday or call +44 (0) 330 159 6631.

Girls (3-12) Boardgame Dominoes Connect Four Guess Who Monopoly Snakes & Ladders Ghost Stories Yahtzee Articulate Twister Game of Life

% Play 37% 34% 34% 34% 33% 33% 31% 30% 30% 30%

Understand your audience

The Insights People is the leading provider of market intelligence on all things kids, parents and families; providing clients with access to the most comprehensive and dynamic insights on their attitudes, behaviours and consumption.

In the last 18 months they have been honoured and delighted to work with many leading brands, including: Crayola, Disney, Hasbro, Keycraft Global, Sambro, Vivid and Warner Bros.

Surveying more than 400 UK kids a week (21,300 per year) and 200 parents (10,000 per year) they produce four insight-led reports across the Kids’ ecosystem and a further four across the parenting environment, every 12 weeks. Additionally, they are expanding globally now survey an additional 1600 different children in six countries across the US and Europe. kidsinsights.co.uk/giftstoday

Toys, games & puzzles

Vintage-style fun House of Marbles Make sure you head to House of Marbles at Home and Gift if you’re looking for a special selection of nostalgic toys, games and puzzles for the whole family. From traditional toys to perplexing puzzles there’s plenty to choose from.

The company has just launched an exciting collection of family games in vintage-style packaging including their fantastic Flip the Frog game. In this fun version of the well-loved Tiddlywinks game, players race to get the highest score by flipping frogs onto the three-level lily pad! Taking a classic game to the next level, it comes in a beautifully illustrated gift box and has a very attractive retail price of just £8.99.

If you want to stock a high quality selection of games that appeal to all generations you won’t want to miss their fun-packed Hickory Dickory Dock and Humpty Dumpty Tiddlywinks either. Each has been designed to sit attractively alongside the other making a real impact in store displays.

House of Marbles also offer a unique range of pocket money classics and novelties along with a low carriage paid starting from only £150 making it the perfect time to refresh your range.

Call: 01626 835358 Email: uk@houseofmarbles.com Visit: houseofmarbles.com/tradeuk

So grown up!

Jumbo Games Jumbo’s strategy to focus on ensuring they are leading the way in Adult Puzzles is supported by the continued growth the category is seeing at retail and with consumer popularity.

Having already released 60 brand new Adult Puzzles in January, across their popular Wasgij, Falcon de luxe, Jan van Haasteren and Premium Puzzle Collection, Jumbo have just launched a further 15 new puzzles in April and already have another 15+ lined up for June.

Jumbo’s leading puzzle brand, Wasgij, continues to be a favourite amongst puzzlers and remains the UK’s Number One Adult Puzzle Brand! To ensure this growth and consumer loyalty continues to drive sales, Jumbo are launching three new 1000-piece in June; Original 32 The Big Weigh In!, The Toy Shop! and the puzzle that you need to look for is this year’s Wasgij Christmas 15 Santa’s Unexpected Delivery! that will again include a free 1000-piece for added consumer value and why it was the UK’s Number 1 selling Adult Puzzle item in 2018 (NPD FY 2018 value & units).

To continue driving strong growth for their traditional inspired Falcon de luxe puzzle brand, Jumbo have released 20 new puzzles from 500-1500-pieces this year, covering popular themes of cottages, nostalgia, transport, scenery and animals. Some of the new releases they urge you to look for include; Baking with Mother, The Haberdasher’s Shoppe, Farmer’s Market, in 1000-piece formats and the 4x1000-piece box set titled Your Favourite Shops that features the beautiful interiors to a bakers, florists, antiques and sweat shop.

Jumbo are not stopping there and, for June, they are bringing out a further 10 new puzzles including the brand new Santa’s Special Delivery Christmas 1000-piece puzzle, that includes a free 1000-piece in the box as an added value gift for puzzlers.

Looking ahead at Disney’s highly anticipated movie releases, Jumbo will be releasing four new 1000-piece puzzles for Aladdin, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid’s 30th Anniversary, featuring classic artwork from the much-loved and original animations. These new additions add to Jumbo’s current range of puzzles for Dumbo, Snow White, Bambi and Mickey’s y 90th Anniversary.

In Jumbo’s pre-school portfolio, they have developed a brand new range of games that have been produced using 100% fully recycled materials, such as plastics and cardboard, to meet the growing demand from consumer for more eco-friendly product.

There are four games in the range; Catch the Mouse, Colour Chameleon, Honey Yummy and Peek-A-Boo. Already producing all their puzzles on 100% recycled cardboard (for decades), this is a next step in a bigger project for the manufacturer and they will be continuing to invest in their sustainability initiative that’s being driven by their social conscience.

Call: 01707 289289 Email: uk.saleshotline@jumbo.eu Visit: jumbo.eu 38 gifts today

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Toys, games & puzzles

100 years of family games Gibsons Gibsons, the independent, family-owned British jigsaw puzzle and games company have a very special year as they will be celebrating their centenary; they have been trading as a British, family business for 100 years. This spring they are releasing an array of new products that will make ideal gifts.

L’Attaque was the first of the ‘big four’ military-themed games for Gibsons back in the early 20th century and Gibsons have just relaunched this game to celebrate their centenary on 15 May. The box artwork has been carefully recreated to mimic an original version of the game, and inside the box are the original rules (as well as the modern version!) as a memento from the captivating and historic game from Gibsons’ archives.

Gibsons have released a brand-new collection of designled jigsaw puzzles that have been manufactured right here in the UK. There are six 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles available in the White Logo range, all of which have been specifically selected for their striking designs and unconventional scenes.

Following the trend of mindfulness and the nation’s desire to spend less time looking at a screen, Gibsons’ White Logo jigsaws are perfect for the new wave of puzzlers who are looking for more innovative and contemporary designs rather than typical, traditional puzzle scenes. The puzzles don’t conform to the conventional jigsaw illustrations, with designs such as Avocado Park, which is filled to the brim with everyone’s favourite little fruit and the crazy Carnival jigsaw, created by Hackney-based artist Rob Pybus.

Call: 020 8661 8866 Email: sales@gibsonsgames.co.uk Visit: gibsonsgames.co.uk

Playtime University Games / Paul Lamond Games Firm favourites and best sellers Charades for Kids, T Rex, What’s Up, Don’t Say It, Googly Eyes and Yes No! will all be on show at Harrogate along with many of the new 2019 lines including the awardwinning World of David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny board game that launched in February.

On show will also be many of the new autumn/winter lines for children including the disgustingly brilliant new Horrible Histories board game and Dinosaurs Galore, the colourful new board game from the World of Dinosaur Roar. There will also be the fantastic new educational games based on three of Roald Dahl’s much-loved characters. Matilda’s Splendid Spelling, Charlie’s Marvellous Maths and The BFG’s Whizzpopping Words, each contain three fun, educational games designed to aid both Key Stage 1 and 2 and encourage learning through play.

For the family, the hilariously quirky new trivia games ‘Are You Dumber than a Box of Rocks?’ and Tip of the Tongue are sure to catch buyers’ attention along with firm family favourites Perudo, Stupid Deaths, Pointless and Smart Ass that all make great gifts for adults.

Paul Lamond will also have their high quality range of jigsaw puzzles on display, catering for the youngest of puzzlers with their book-led 24 piece Floor Puzzles through to the vast 4000 piece Educa jigsaws, perfect for those puzzlers who enjoy a serious challenge!

Games and puzzles specialists, University Games & Paul Lamond Games, will have such a bonanza of both new and evergreen lines on display at the Harrogate Home and Gift Show this year that retailers will be spoilt for choice. You can find them at Harrogate Home & Gift, DP1-C67.

Call: 020 7254 0100 Visit: paul-lamond.com 40 gifts today

It’s a classic!

Rainbow Designs Rainbow’s wooden toys, games and puzzles are winners with babies and toddlers. Wooden toys are a timeless addition to the nursery and, when coupled with classic characters, they make the perfect gift for little ones.

Rainbow Designs, the Home of Classic Characters, offers retailers a stunning range of high quality wooden toys, games and puzzles in some of their most renowned classic character ranges.

Rainbow’s fun and educational Peg Puzzles make beautiful gifts for preschoolers. The wooden Peg Puzzles, that are available in the Peter Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You and The Very Hungry Caterpillar designs, feature beautiful illustrations from the classic properties, encourage number and shape recognition as well as helping to hone fine motor skills.

Little ones will also adore Rainbow’s Wooden Dominoes in the Peter Rabbit Nursery range and the Very Hungry Caterpillar collection. These traditional toys will encourage key developmental skills, such as turn-taking and colour recognition, and feature illustrations from the original storybooks. Both sets of dominoes are presented in an illustrated wooden box for safekeeping.

The Peter Rabbit Nursery collection also stars the Peter Rabbit Pull Along Toy which features a soft plush Peter Rabbit on four wooden wheels, with a pull cord for babies and toddlers to lead him around by. For fans of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the bright and colourful Very Hungry Caterpillar Wooden Pull Along Toy, which is beautifully crafted from wood with a sturdy cord handle, makes the perfect play companion.

Call: 01329 227300 Visit: rainbowdesigns.co.uk

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Trade talk Leading figures talk social media, upcoming shows and summer gift trends

Jonny Greves Director Lesser & Pavey Big gift trends this summer?

Outdoor activities will be high on the agenda for the consumer and the new Lesser & Pavey range of metal drinking flasks are perfect for sporty and busy days out exploring.

Also, socialising with friends and family is big and our new range of Let’s Party is perfect. Solutions to the problem of men’s gifts come in the form of our new range of A5 hard backed notebooks covering a host of sporting activities.

Gifts Today loves to hear your views.

Lauren Woodsford Trade marketing and online manager House of Marbles Upcoming shows?

We’re looking forward to attending the Home & Gift show in Harrogate, it’s a wonderful setting to showcase our mid-year launches and meet with all our customers. This will be followed by the very busy Autumn Fair at the NEC in September.

How important is social media for growing your business?

We really see the value of having a strong presence on social media now, as it’s a great platform to engage with our customers on a more personal level and keep them updated with our latest ranges and news. You can be really creative with your marketing on social networking platforms like Twitter, and they have a far more organic reach meaning they’re a fantastic way of attracting new customers.

Upcoming shows?

Our next major show will be Autumn Fair. Our Open Showroom event takes place throughout June and July.

How important is social media?

Very. We use it to build a rapport with customers, release new ranges, and share news.

Any special plans/launches for 2019?

Bees are becoming endangered, and our Busy Bee range is something we would really like to make buyers aware of. It’s beautifully illustrated with delicate colouring, capturing the native bee as it flies around nature.

Monique Scott MD, Groovy UK Big gift trends this summer?

If we have a summer like last year I imagine it will be inflatables and outdoor games and experiences. If we don’t, it will be games and streaming. Licensed movies are massive at the moment with Avengers: Endgame having the No.1 box office opening of all time.

Across the world, Endgame claimed opening-weekend records in more than 40 markets, as well as single-day records in nearly 30 markets.

What’s exciting about the gift industry today?

People are open to seeing new things and that makes it great to create new products. The online shopping experience enables companies to showcase as many new products they choose, therefore it’s much easier for consumers to find interesting products from around the globe.

How important is social media for growing your business?

Social media is the people’s voice, so you don’t have to rely on what a brand is telling you to think but rather what the fans say, or consumers that tweet or post reviews. Controversially Lush have taken down their social media sites with their Instagram account of 568,000 followers, so we will see if their new approach ‘to work directly with their consumer communities’ works on not.

Any special plans/launches for 2019?

We’ve just landed Friends so a robe and slippers will be out just in time for Christmas. It has all of us original fans as well as a completely new fan base. It’s fantastic when something carries over generations.

42 gifts today

Paul Hooker Commercial director Joe Davies Big gift trends this summer?

Craft sentiment items for the home are starting to trend for the summer, our scrabble frames, clip frames and wood enamel plaques are all doing very well. Countryside themes are also trending, anything featuring bees in particular; we have seen a great take up on Leonardo Farmyard, Bree Merryn and Bug Art ceramics.

How important is social media for growing your business?

What’s exciting about the gift industry today?

Social media is still a fledgling part of our marketing activity, but certainly growing in importance.

As always our industry excels at innovation that always makes for an exciting environment. We are about to leave for the Far East and have no idea what to expect – but an open mind is essential.

Any special plans/launches for 2019 you’d like to shout about?

Upcoming shows?

As a business Joe Davies is now working full steam towards Harrogate Home & Gift where we will launch over 2500 brand new lines. There is no better show timing wise to launch the main autumn/winter collection.

We are very excited by the take up on our brand new Snoozies pairables offer, where for the first time ever our best-selling seasonal line is available in over 30 designs to reorder by design in minimums of just six pairs. Preorders are really up there. We are also enjoying very much celebrating being 100 years old and have a number of activities planned throughout the rest of the year.

Cara Beech

Lisa Stone

New Product Manager Personalised Memento Company

Big gift trends this summer?

Big gift trends this summer?

The luxurious side of travel is set to be a big hit this summer and we have increased our lines of accessories including luggage tags and travel document holders, all with personalised touches.

How important is social media for growing your business?

We don’t directly advertise to the end customer, however it is a useful tool to engage with our traders. It is an invaluable and instant marketing tool for our customers, allowing direct marketing with more flexibility and control over what they display. Being able to advertise quickly and adapt to current trends but keeping the cost low is also a massive upside to social media. We encourage our customers to advertise through these channels, especially with savvy shoppers making purchases on the move through Instagram with new Instagram shopping.

Any special plans for 2019?

Our brand new website is currently being rolled out, and we are excited for people to see it and engage with us as a company.

Commercial Director KMI Brands I am expecting to see a continued theme of personalisation. Brands are more and more innovative in the ways they are able to bring this in to gifting for the customer. Being able to pick and mix the content of your gift for a full personalised experience.

Future trends retailers should look out for?

Retailers are already looking out for brands to improve packaging, reduce single use plastic and ensure a greater level of recyclability.

Upcoming shows?

Harrogate will be the last show we exhibit at this year, but the teams will be visiting Autumn Fair and Top Drawer later this year and then focusing on which ones will be relevant for us as we move in to 2020.

Any special plans/launches for 2019 you’d like to shout about?

Look out for our new gifting from Ted Baker in our Residence (Home Fragrance) collection as well as three new gifts from Orla Kiely to support her continued success in home fragrance. We will also be bringing a little touch of beauty to our Ted Baker fragrance gifting, offering a stunning fragrance with a gorgeous choice of lip glosses.

gifts today 43

Retailers’ Panel

Gifts Today Retailers’ Panel Key gift shop owners around the UK talk summer shows, what sells well and the stories behind their stores

Hugs & Kisses Caroline Boydell, owner of the two Hugs & Kisses card and gift shops in Wolverhampton, is a new member of Gift Today’s Retailers’ Panel and shares the story of her business.

What’s the story behind Hugs & Kisses?

I have two card & gift shops in Wolverhampton, one in the beautiful village of Tettenhall and the other just three miles away in Merry Hill. Both shops stock certain card and gift ranges but also stock different ones too. Tettenhall has more expensive lines and Merry Hill some cheaper product all based on the area. I specialise in cards, gifts and jewellery.

Before opening the Merry Hill shop in 2000, I worked as a card and a gift rep and then an agent for about 15 years, for Andrew Brownsword Ltd and then Carte Blanche. My only daughter Katie had just left school and said she wanted to do what I did. Clearly at 16 she was way too young to do this, so I opened the shop really to give her experience in the greeting card industry. It wasn’t long before I realised that retail was in fact what I loved and finally came off the road to do it full time. Katie is still involved in the business with me today.

Do you have a website?

I have a new website selling cards, gifts and Heaven Skincare. I also import costume jewellery that’s sold in my shops and online.

Will you be attending any summer shows?

‘In a small village it is so important to keep finding new products to keep your regular customers interested’

I will be going to Harrogate Home & Gift as I do every year. This is my favourite show of the year as not only is it a great show to source new suppliers but it is also a very social show too! I regularly meet up with other retailers and we go out for dinner and share our thoughts on the show and suppliers. Often I find this networking so, so helpful and is often the best part of the show.

I also attend the Autumn Fair for last minute gifts for Christmas. It’s close to Wolverhampton, so it’s really easy to just jump on the train. The best show for greetings cards is PG Live, as there are so many fabulous card companies under

one roof and with a free lunch too! I’m also planning to attend Top Drawer as this is a great source of design led gifts and cards, too.

In a small village it is so important to keep finding new products to keep your regular customers interested.

We have generally the same people through the door every week, meaning we need to keep the stock changing – attending the trade fairs is a must.

What sells well?

Jewellery does well for us, as do loose Belgian chocolates which we do really well with and have a fridge full of. We buy them from House of Sarunds who offer chocolates from various Belgian chocolatiers. I don’t buy their pre-packaged chocolate, as the margin on that is different.

When it comes to till side treats, little bags of chocolates already made up with pretty satin ribbon sell for £3.99 and do well. I also keep a Joma bracelet stand on the counter, Girl’s Best Friend pens from Joe Davies and keyrings/bag charms from PoM.

Plans for 2019 It’s going to be a busy year for us this year as I am getting married in August!

However before this I am having one of the shops repainted and my main aim this year is to finish developing my website. Next year will be the big celebration when we will have been in business for 20 years. Lots to celebrate!

44 gifts today

Ryan Shoebridge House of Cards, Battle, East Sussex The story behind your shop?

I took over the business as an on-going concern six years ago and have adapted it slightly while sticking to the mainstay of being a specialist card shop

What sells well?

Indulgence jewellery has been a good range for me; it sells well as a gift and all comes nicely presented in a box. I also sell a range of food items alongside my Belgian Chocolate counter - loose Turkish Delight and liquorice are big sellers and lots of customers tell us they don’t often see them anywhere else. I have a little range of glittery sparkle pens which are always on my till side and have proved a good seller with ladies who like them for their handbags.

Joanne Williams Joco Interiors, Nuneaton The story behind your shop?

Joco was set up in April 2015. I had worked in business administration management for many years, but I had a passion for home interiors and gifts, and I had wanted for over 20 years to set up and run a gift shop. It wasn’t until I was divorced and had an opportunity to follow my dream that I took the plunge.

Footfall was poor and after two years I had to make the decision to either close or move to a new location. In May 2017 I moved and opened a much larger shop in Nuneaton town centre. Since that day I haven’t looked back.

I’ve gone from working alone, to having four employees. We have been nominees, finalists and winners of numerous awards. Just in the last few weeks we have been announced as finalists in five more awards, which is fantastic for the whole team.

Will you be attending any summer shows I’m hoping to attend Harrogate Home & Gift to find new exclusive suppliers that will complement the ranges I already stock.

What ‘till side treats’ do well for you?

We have a large range of pick up gifts from hand creams and nail sets, bath fizzers and hand sanitizers, but also seasonal pick-up items such as mini rabbits in the run up to Easter and lots of keyrings to suit all ages and tastes.

Karen Greig Destined For Home, Edinburgh What ‘till side treats’ do well for your business?

Lip Balms always go down a treat – perfect size and price. We also sell colourful leather keyrings and local chocolate. At Christmas I started doing locally-made Chocolate Bars & Honey Sets which went down really well.

Plans for 2019?

Edinburgh City Council has voted to go ahead with the Tram Project again, meaning my street will be closed to vehicle access for three years.

I honestly don’t know how we will survive for so long, so I’ve taken a big step to try and maintain a business through this horrendous time by becoming area distributor (Scotland) for 1894 Sign Co. The bespoke signs sell really well in my shop so I am going to introduce them to Scotland.

JOIN OUR RETAILERS’ PANEL! Fancy having your say about the gift industry?

Want to share news about your business?

Just drop editor Sally Norton an email at sally@lemapublishing.co.uk.

Look forward to hearing from you! gifts today 45

instyle

Retailers say...

Trend

‘Our customers love Joma Jewellery and their ‘A Littles’ range does well for us,’ says Caroline Boydell from the Hugs & Kisses card and gift shops in Wolverhampton.

‘D&X offer a fabulous huge range of costume jewellery with a brilliant margin, which is what we need in times as tough as these.’

LOUNGE IN LUXURY Snuggle up with supersoft, stylish bedtime fashion finds.

Stock up on silky robes and luxurious accessories your customers will love.

One Hundred Stars

‘Equilibrium is our main seller, but we also stock Byzantium,’ says Joanne Williams from Joco Interiors, Nuneaton. ‘Both ranges are loved by our customers and they’re amazing quality with affordable prices.’

The company produces beautiful screen-printed scarves, kimonos and gowns.

The Magnolia Purple Gown makes a style statement. onehundredstars.co.uk

Pretty You London Slip on the Anya Slider, complete with faux fur band and pearl-embellished bow. prettyyoulondon.co.uk

M r L i f e s tyle’s ba After MR. reta successful lau ck! urns fo nch at

A Gift From The Gods Head to bed in this pink satin PJ short set. agiftfromthegods.com

3 of the best: till side treats

From a little bit of wrist candy to a snazzy bag charm, these are some of the most best pick-me-up designs around

r the s Top D issu men’s fea. A brilliant plahow’s Septembrawer in Janu ary, is perfecshion accesso ce to discover er r tly place ies, this the grow edition th in thde to make the m ost of mensw Recen reveals tt research fromear market. h intel growth e market outpM erforme in wome to incre nswear in 20 d ase by 11 % by 2017 and is set topdraw 22. er.co.uk

Miss Milly

byEloise London

A new addition, these keyrings come as flamingos, toucans and more.

Black hair tie with Jaguar Bling Charm.

missmilly.co.uk

byeloiselondon.com

Joma Jewellery New bracelets join the ‘A Little’ collection for summer fun. jomajewellery.com

E V E RY

S U M M E R

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instyle

Retailers say...

‘We stock Joma Jewellery and Katie Loxton, and put a lot of work into promoting these brands,’ says Chris Beards, Mantons cards in Isle of Man. ‘Customers know we carry a large range instore and come to us on a regular basis.’

‘The accessories that work really well for us are handbags and scarves,’ says Dougal Philip, New Hopetoun Garden Centre in Edinburgh.

‘For scarves, Joe Davies offer a great selection of entry points under £10.’

Go big or go home!

Statement earrings continue to be the order of the day.

Insta-ready, they’re a great way to add a bit of bling to a look. Check out the new poppy earrings from Alexander Thurlow, which complement their everexpanding range. alexanderthurlow.com And these Large Circle Earrings from My Doris offer customers are very on-trend. mydoris.co.uk

H o t l i c ence!

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Summer lovin’ When it comes to summer style, it’s the little things that really make a difference to a look. Try these for style…

Henryka The British company launches its Fruits collection for SS19, featuring lemon, lime and orange designs set with amber.

henryka.co.uk Katie Loxton The Callie beach bag glistens with metallic thread.

katieloxton.com Miss Milly The company’s Floria Collection features tropical colour mixes this season with lime green, turquoise mixing with fuschia pink and citrus orange.

missmilly.co.uk

Get Social Walking stick specialists Classic Canes is enjoying a resurgence of interest in formal canes for smart events such as weddings and the races. New introductions include high quality fabric-wrapped canes in floral prints for ladies and formal canes with contemporary handles such as skulls, crystals and eagles for gentlemen. classiccanes.co.uk

Please contact us for a trade catalogue. www.classiccanes.co.uk

SIMPLY GORGEOUS

JEWELLERY AND ACCESSORIES

HOME & GIFT Stand DP3-8

Buy online at missmilly.co.uk or call: 01905 622 509

instyle

Child’s play!

Get a Groovy UK lunch pack for the Mr Man or Little Miss in your life. groovyuk.com

Kids can try the stacking trend with these rings from Rex London. rexlondon.com

British blooms Alex Thurlow’s British flower jewellery range has been a huge success, selling out as soon as it arrives. They’ve now added to the range – pick yourself a bunch on their stand at Harrogate Home & Gift, Hall C, stand 24, alexanderthurlow.com

Get organised in style This Diplodocus Dinosaur Accessory Hanger from Lisa Angel is a great way to display jewellery. lisaangel.co.uk

Dates for the diary Head to the Old Truman Brewery, London, on 2425 July for the next edition of Jacket Required. jacket-required.com The next edition of Moda runs 4-6 August at the NEC, Birmingham. moda-co.uk

‘There are some really exciting developments in the pipeline for both shows,’ says new event director Adam Gough.

20

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instyle

Zandra’s still pretty in pink From Freddie Mercury to Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor to Lauren Bacall, Dame Zandra Rhodes has dressed them all over an incredible 50-year career in fashion. With some of the British designer’s most iconic designs set to appear on a special range of licensed cards and stationery with Museums & Galleries, Editor Sally Norton caught up with Zandra herself to talk design, colour - and why she can’t wait to use her new M&G notebooks.

B

y the time I catch up with Zandra at nine o clock one weekday morning, she’s already been in her London studio for an hour and a half. The legendary fashion designer might be turning 80 next year, but there’s no sign of this self-proclaimed workaholic slowing down.

Dame Zandra Rhodes is a fascinating designer, creating her first clothing collections back in the Sixties when, after graduating from The Royal College of Art, she found that no-one was willing to use her colourful fabric designs – ‘they regarded them as too extreme,’ she laughs. ‘I didn’t know how to be not me, so I ended up making my own clothes out of them.’

Over her career she has created a whole collection of iconic ‘motif’ designs – some of the most famous of which can now be found on the new Zandra Rhodes signature cards and gift stationery range

by Museums & Galleries, set to launch exclusively at PG Live on 4-5 June, stand 218.

The collection includes some of Zandra’s favourite designs and includes Lipsticks, Cactus, My Neon Man and Starwarz. ‘They all bring back wonderful memories for me and they’re such a part of my history,’ she says. ‘This is my 50th year in business, and it’s really great to think that some of my designs can be enjoyed by so many people and yet still remain personal to me.

‘I’ve always thought Museums & Galleries have done a fabulous job with the other fashion designers and I’d see their products around in such surprising places, always looking so pretty. And now I’m thrilled to be working with them. My work has a graphic quality and that means it translates really well onto cards and gift wrap and so on.’

Dame Zandra describes herself as ‘not a computer-ite’ and still works by sketching ideas onto rice paper with Pentel felt pens.

‘It’s more immediate, instant,’ she says. ‘And then you have your ideas in concrete form.’

She can’t wait to use the M&G notebooks in particular. ‘I’m a real notebook person myself,’ she says. ‘And if it’s an extra special one like this, it means you’re going to write extra special notes in it!’ Zandra says she sends cards ‘when I can get my act together,’

and hopes her colourful designs will ‘bring joy into people’s everyday lives.

‘I would say that I design very happy things and perhaps that’s why I love colour so much. Some people might think that living in neutral environment is going to be more peaceful, but I find my colourful apartment very peaceful!’

Zandra picks out the Lipstick design as a particular favourite, recalling spotting a beautiful lipstick in a beauty hall and making a sketch of it. ‘There’s something lovely about a lipstick, isn’t there?’ she says.

‘I also love the Cactus design and it always reminds me of Lauren Bacall wearing one of my Cactus dresses.’

It’s the first time Zandra’s work has been licensed on paper products and her vivid and unique prints completely lend themselves to it. Zandra will be at PG Live on the second day to showcase her new range with Museums & Galleries, and she should be easy to spot thanks to her trademark pink bob.

‘I’m lucky here in my studio that I have people with all sorts of brightly coloured hair, some even have rainbows,’ she says.

‘In that way, I suppose, I’m just an ordinary little pink-haired old lady!

NEW website

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KitchenWare INTERNATIONAL

From the latest news and product launches to interviews, trends, features and show previews, keep up to date with whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening in the kitchenware industry with Sign up to our regular our brand-new website â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on newsletter! desktop and mobile.

PLUS

New Products Great gifts

Personalised Memento Company (PMC) Check out some of the latest launches from this leading company.

Personalised Godparent range Ensure a Godparent knows just how special they are with one of PMC’s new personalised Godparent gifts. The subtle toned colour palette fits in perfectly with current trends. With three great gifts to choose from in this design, and a full range of other religious gift options to choose from, PMC’s personalised gift range keeps going from strength to strength.

Personalised Dinosaur range With bright colours, its cool dinosaur character and personalised with any child’s name, the design is already proving a popular hit, with a fantastic variety of gifts in the range. PMC’s children’s gifts have proven popular year on year, and with new designs always being launched, it’s a great time to start working with PMC.

Personalised Moon & Stars Jewellery The Personalised Memento Company’s precious metal jewellery range has proven a continuing hit since its launch late last year. With so many delicate and stylish pieces to choose from, each personalised to add that special touch, they make the perfect gift all year round. sales@personalisedmemento.co.uk Visit: personalisedmemento.co.uk

Busy bees

Lesser & Pavey Bees are becoming endangered and so, at this time of year, Lesser and Pavey want to shout about a new range that encompasses fine chinaware and homewares accessories.

The Busy Bee range is something Lesser and Pavey invite buyers to become excited about as it’s beautifully illustrated with delicate colouring, capturing a busy bee as it flies around nature.

The range offers homewares accessories in the form of tea, coffee, sugar canisters; fine china mugs in a number of shapes, sizes and packs; lunch bag, shopper bag, glass cutting board; ‘tea for one’ butter dish and jug as well as trays of various sizes. The range also includes a Busy Bee cushion, reading glasses case, penny purse, clutch bag, travel mug and luggage tag.

Call: 01322 279225 Email: sales@leonardo.co.uk Visit: leonardo.co.uk

54 gifts today

UK SALES AGENTS OPPORTUNITIES Location: Across the UK Following a highly successful launch Spring Fair 2019, The Vintage Garden Room is looking for highly motivated and experienced sales agents across the UK. The candidates must have experience in the high-end gift market to sell to existing and generate new customers for the brand. Experience of both high street Gift Independents and Garden Centres is preferred.

The Vintage Garden Room offers: o Highly competitive commission o Marketing and Press support o Multiply trade show support o Regional exclusivity For further information or to apply for this position please email the UK Managing Director UK Managing Director: Tim Stainton, tim.stainton@thevintagegardenroom.co.uk The Vintage Garden Room Ltd, The Maltings House, 66 High Street, Stoke Goldington MK16

www.thevintagegardenroom.co.uk Closing Date: 01/06/2019

dailynews Get the gloss!

dailynews

Advertise in The Daily News, the official paper for the Home & Gift Welcome to Don’t miss inside Buyers’ Festival in Home & Gift!

Harrogate from 14-17 July 2019. It’s produced Head to the Retail Hub by the team at Lema Publishing, and has fresh content every day live from the show.

Handed out free to Spot the ball!

Home and gifts beat retail blues visitors – including entrances, hotels and park-and-rides - it’s also sent digitally to the Clarion database of 55,000. It’s a great place to get noticed.

For editorial, email Gifts Today editor Sally Norton on sally@lemapublishing.co.uk.

To guarantee editorial in this glossy publication, it pays to advertise! Email Mark Horsnell on markh@lemapublishing.co.uk or call 01442 289930.

Sunday 15 July 2018

The official paper for Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival Harrogate

MUST VISIT…

• New sec tors • Spotlight on greetings and station ery • Top trends

Caroline Gardner

Caroline’s quirky yet sophisticated designs are brought to life in her wonderful gift lines including accessories and stationery along with wrap, bags, cards and Christmas. Check out her new jewellery boxes on DP1-A37 — small and compact, they can be used both home and away.

The new seminar programme opens today.

We promise you will find some absolute gems

Show director Louise Morris shares what’s in store at this year’s show

A warm welcome to Home and Gift 2018! We are thrilled that you have joined us for the Buyers’ Festival and are excited to offer you even more buying opportunities than ever before.

Take the time to explore the entire show, discovering our biggest range of home and interiors suppliers, the next new wave of design-led gift brands and talented makers, plus must-have fashion accessories and unseen food and drink gifts — this really is a show like no other.

With over 800 brands to choose from, set across four marquees and nine halls, we’re the largest showroom in the North. I recommend you browse the whole show as you won’t want to miss a single thing from our fabulous line-up of exhibitors.

We promise you will find some absolute gems, guaranteed to be your next best sellers. Finalise your autumn and winter buying while enjoying the perfect summer setting at Home and Gift.

Optimistic outlook and promise of exciting buying opportunities at Home & Gift sees trade rise above retail woes

Natural Partners Art

The home of high quality fine art greeting cards and prints featuring original artworks.

Natural Partners Art work with more than 50 established and emerging artists and photographers. GS-25

The home and gift trade remains staunchly buoyant in the face of rising business rates, high street closures and the continuing impact of Brexit uncertainty. In a show of strength despite these pressing issues, 58 per cent of home and gift retailers responding to a recent Daily News survey said their business was doing at least as well or, in many cases, better than this time last year.

Though gift retail was widely deemed “challenging”, gift retailers share a hugely positive outlook for the year ahead, with more than two thirds (72 per cent) of respondents saying they’re optimistic for the second half of the year.

The opportunities surrounding Christmas, and the “inspiring, well-curated” treasure trove of products here at Home & Gift Buyers’

Festival are both spurring retailers on. In fact, 94 per cent said they would recommend the premier summer buying event to others in the industry, with one retailer saying it’s the best place to “keep up to date with the new products and overall feeling of the market”.

Others look forward to heading to Home & Gift each year for its empowering qualities, giving visitors a vast sense of choice and buying power with some of the leading suppliers and distributors. “Niche suppliers, independent suppliers and a selection of British product,” draw others, while the show’s signature mix of “varied products” “ease of navigation” and “relaxing way to do business” make Home & Gift a must-visit for thousands of visitors descending on Harrogate over the coming days.

The Daily News is brought to you by Gifts Today and Greetings Today Instagram: @GiftsTodaySally @greetingstoday Enjoy your visit and share your experience with us #HomeAndGift2018

Designed with your business in mind, Retail Hub runs today, Monday and Tuesday. It’s a great opportunity to get advice from big names across the industry such as Matthew Hopkins, The Great British Exchange, Dan Jeffrey from Bettys, Victoria Turner of the Harrogate Girl, and many more…

To celebrate today’s final we have hidden an official World Cup football inside this issue of the Daily News. The first person to find it and email sally@lemapublishing.co.uk will win a bottle of Champagne!

Want to watch the final?

Turn the page for details...

New Products It’s a date Emma Ball

Following years of success with Emma Ball’s award-winning Cornwall calendar and high demand of her regional products, Emma has now expanded her calendars onto over 12 different counties.

Hitting the shelves in June 2019, these A4 calendars are printed on a heavy weight 300gsm matte board, and are presented in a cello bag.

Retailing at £8, these designs will be exclusive for the 2020 calendar period, with limited numbers of stock available. Designs featured include Devon, Scotland, Norfolk, Yorkshire, The Lake District, Northumberland and Kent, with other designs included, so please get in touch to see if your county is available.

Emma’s Coastal Calendar, now in its 13th year, is still as popular as ever retailing still at £10.

Measuring 30x40cm, also printed on a lovely matte board, this quirky calendar features many of Emma’s coastal watercolours. There is plenty of room to write on – including lots of spaces for notes. Stock sold out much quicker than planned in 2018, so get in touch early to make sure you don’t miss out and to receive more information about any of Emma’s designs.

Call: 0115 9858081 Email: sales@emmaball.co.uk Visit: emmaball.co.uk

Brighten your day Groovy UK

Harry Potter is one of the most iconic franchises to come into being in the last twenty years, with millions of fans worldwide, across all ages and continues to grow.

Brighten your day with Groovy’s instantly recognisable Harry Potter Kawaii character mood and string lights. These stylish decorations are great for those all-important Harry Potter-themed bedrooms, game nights or party time! A great gift for any geek in the Harry Potter fandom, kids, tweens, teens, and adults. Perfect for stocking stuffers, birthday presents or even an incentive gift for passing exams or just for being fabulous.

This is truly the ideal lighting solution for any Potter fan, this light is bound to cast a spell on you (pun intended).

Head into the garden Joe Davies

Bring some sunshine to your space this spring with the brand new Flower Garden range from Joe Davies. Faux blooms to brighten up any room in the house.

This stunning range of artificial flowers crafted from fabric will make an everlasting display in store or the home. The flowers include a single rose, tulip, hydrangea and peony.

There is even a French style cream metal pail to display the flowers in free with purchases of 24 stems. Exquisitely realistic these pretty stems will fill the home with joy and look incredible on a table or in a bedroom. Ideal to sell within home décor and to give as a beautiful gift that lasts forever.

This stunning collection is just one of many from Joe Davies. Everything available to order in modest quantities with minimum orders of just £100 and free nationwide delivery.

Call: 0161 975 6300,

Call: 0844 372 7820

Email sales@joedavies.co.uk

Email: hello@groovyuk.com

Visit: joedavies.co.uk

Visit: groovyuk.com

56 gifts today

New Products

Style statement Miss Milly

Bold new scarves from Miss Milly can also be worn as wraps and small sarongs.

Jazz up a dull work suit, refresh a favourite wedding outfit or add extra sunshine to swimwear.

Give your customers the perfect reason to keep buying this popular line throughout the year. Lots of colour to choose from online as well as pastel designs or the best-selling sparkle scarf. The scarves are softly made with either 100% viscose or a viscose-cotton mix and are mostly sized at 180cm x 85cm.

Definitely gin o’clock

Call: 01905 622509

Berni Parker

Email: hello@missmilly.co.uk

It’s all new with Wine and Gin O’Clock on the gifts front from Berni Parker Designs. They have added to their giftware collection releasing their own set of wine and gin glasses – the Wine O’Clock collection has four new glasses with images taken from some of Berni’s bestselling designs in her Ladies drinking collection, and there are two new gin bowl glasses in the Gin O’Clock range.

The glasses are each decorated with jewel colours and glitter, have a printed gift tag and come in a printed presentation box. They can be bought in singles or multiples and are in stock and available now.

Visit: missmilly.co.uk

Call: 01299 406098 Visit: berniparkerdesigns.com

To the Manor born Manor House

Manor House’s products are produced by hand in Suffolk, England, to a very high quality. Manor House work with many leading retailers to produce private label collections incorporating clients’ thoughts and ideas, fragrances and branding to offer bespoke and unique one-off collections.

This year’s collections encompass pot pourris, scented botanical candles and boxed candles in glass, room fragrances, diffusers and refills, drawer liners and sachets along with a beautiful collection of hand woven Suffolk silk bags and mini cushions for fragrancing clothes and wardrobes.

Manor House are sowing their Christmas Collections, and the popular Scented Pine Cones are selling extremely well. They specialise in Private Label work for many high-end clients and can use your own branding, ribbons and fragrances to make a stunning and unique product.

Call: 01359 250720 Visit: manorhousehomefragrance.co.uk

gifts today 57

New Products

Fabulous Filias!

Filias Agencies Ltd has three fabulous brands in its portfolio and sales teams covering all areas.

Read on to discover more….

Eightmood

Eightmood takes global interior trends and refines them into eight different design concepts. Known for the prints they create in their in-house design studio, they’re the perfect place to be inspired and set the mood.

Eightmood is one of the largest growing Scandinavian interior design brands, making it the ideal partner for interior retailers of all sizes. Turn to Eightmood and their shop-in-a-shop retail concept to increase sales and fill your store with constant inspiration. It’s all about Scandinavian quality and design at attractive prices, and it’s all in elegant packaging.

Email: simon.pykett@8mood.com Visit: eightmood.com

Bloomingville

Originally founded by Betina Stampe in 2000, Danish company Bloomingville is known for its extensive collection of liveable, fashionable designs. The company releases four main collections every year, as well as two mini collections, various in-season ranges and a gorgeous Christmas collection. Despite its massive popularity and growth, the company’s ethos has stayed the same – fashionable products, great quality, reasonable prices and a high level service.

Email: spy@bloomingville.com Visit: bloomingville.com

IC Lauvring A/S

Originally founded in 1987, Danish company IC Lauvring A/S offers a wide range of ontrend homeware and design products, with new launches throughout the year.

Known for keeping up with trends, colours and new designs are perfect for style-conscious consumers. Their ranges are stocked in leading retail shops in Scandinavia and Germany, and they have a showroom in Denmark, where many customers visit them every day.

Email: spp@iclauvring.dk Visit: iclauvring.dk

58 gifts today

Julie Dodsworth

‘Selling is not a dirty word!

“

Why is it that some people literally recoil when you say you’re in sales? I say it’s time us sales people gain the recognition we deserve!

Many of us deny we are ever sold to, but I would argue we are all sold to many times a day often without even noticing

O

ver the 30 years that my husband Simon and I have worked together, our job roles have continuously evolved and adapted to the needs of our growing business.

This means, of course, that we’ve had to play to our strengths and not always the tasks we choose.

As an artisan, you can imagine, I’m never happier than working all day long in the workshops. However, this alone didn’t bring in the work we needed to grow and so over time my workload changed to being almost entirely out on the road. In short, I became our one and only sales lady!

I always found quite strange that if I were ever asked my job at say a network event - and I said I was in sales – some people would recoil. I discovered that ‘sales’ was a ‘no no’ word. Other business people I met at

”

these events would often claim their product ‘was so good it sold itself ’ or that they were ‘much happier simply working in the business and leaving growth to chance.’

The truth is, many of us deny we are ever sold to, but I would argue we are all sold to many many times a day often without even noticing. The electric when we flick the switch, our coffee on the way to work, the petrol we put in the car someone has sold that to us in one way or another.

And so my plea today is for us to recognise the work of all the good sales folk out there. My definition of a good sales person is like an excellent football referee - the game goes along without anyone really noticing them.

In my opinion, sales really is an incredibly difficult job; one where you have to have the timing of ballet dancer, the thick skin of a rhinoceros, the patience of Job and

the persistence of a needy toddler in a toyshop!

If I had to say what my number one golden rule of selling is, it would be to listen. And then to listen a little bit more. This is because it’s only by listening that we can usually resolve the need of the buyer.

On our stands at trade shows, I use the very same principle. Listening to what the buyers are looking for in the very first moment guides us to how we can help - or who we think may be able to help if we can’t.

A good example of this concerns a lady I met at the recent Spring Fair. She had a butterfly farm and I established within seconds that she was simply looking for gift products with butterfly prints. I explained we didn’t have any of those, but pointed her in the direction of those at the Fair who did. Amazingly, the same lady came back later that afternoon, thanked me profusely and promptly took some of our Honey Bee range anyway!

So back to those early days on the road. I felt lucky because the work I wrote into the order books was always appreciated by my team, and my reward was seeing our plant display business grow. Each sale grew my confidence of who I should target, taking our business from local to national, serving the top blue chip clients of the day.

In my heart I know the very best projects are the ones we’ve nurtured from ‘cold’ and strived to win. So here’s to reps, agents and one-andonly sales heroes everywhere. And am I proud to have been in sales? My goodness, absolutely!

Julie Dodsworth is a British artisan whose lifelong business in her plant and display company gave birth to her homeware business in more recent years.

Gifts Today has invited Julie to share with us her inspirations, the great ideas of others she meets along the way and what she feels has been amazing advice in business.

gifts today 59

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