6 minute read
Barking Mad
Pramland’s John Barker is looking forward to Harrogate and this month he illustrates why.
Life is full of a number of certainties, birth, taxes and death being the most obvious. For us nursery trade people we can add the Harrogate nursery show too.
After the best Harrogate I have ever attended last year, I have to admit that my expectations are very high. Last year saw the return of many brands that have been absent for far too long and it had an amazing effect on the show. Not only did we all get to visit those brands that have always been committed to showing in Harrogate like BabyStyle and Bebecar, but we also saw a host of returning brands that have been absent for the last few shows, or simply choose not to show every year. In addition, we saw a fantastic influx of new brands too – all of which culminated in a jam-packed show for us all to experience. I attended for two days, and boy was it a mad rush! I wish I had taken a little more time out of the store so that I could have spent a little longer in Harrogate. I failed to see and speak to everyone that I wanted to visit and this year I won’t be making the same mistake.
This year I’ll be taking the full weekend to take in the sights and sounds. It means I can visit more stands and spend longer with them when I do. With an appointment diary already bursting I’m super excited to see what Harrogate 2022 has to offer, and that brings me nicely on to my annual forecasting article where I chat about what I’m hoping to see over the course of the show.
A common theme this year for me will be the fact that many brands have announced or launched many of their new products before the show. A prime example being iCandy and Venicci, both of which obviously didn’t want to sit on their new products until mid-October. It’s an odd thing to do given how close the show is but at least it leaves a little more time for socialising.
I’ll start with the house brand of the Harrogate show. A brand that is so tightly connected with the show it’s hard to imagine them not being there – I am talking of course about the brilliant guys and gals from BabyStyle. A brand dedicated to helping us independents, it only seems right that they are many stores first port of call at the show.
john@pramland.co.uk
What will 2022 bring from BabyStyle? Given the recent purge of Oyster 3 colours and hugely successful launch of the most recent additions it’s safe to say we can expect to see some more new fabrics in the range. Fingers crossed we’ll get some news on Oyster 3 Max – a product teased a fare while ago at Cologne and one that’s been a little quiet since.
Another product I hope to see is the Halo from last year, a clever multifunctional product that there is a market for. Similarly, to Oyster I would imagine we’ll see some new Prestige colours given the reducing range of availability. Finally, over on Egg, I can’t see anything new being announced. With three new colours already introduced and the Egg 2 only a couple of years old I’m guessing it will be business as usual for Egg. . but Andy and his team do like to surprise us all!
A new brand for 2022, Mini Uno is set to return again and they are promising lots of newness. It’s a brand that has hit many of our shopfloors not just running but sprinting full pelt! Their range of strollers, travel systems and home items are of a consistently high quality and all set at brilliantly, customer friendly prices. If you are not a stockist already I can highly recommend a visit to see them. The touchfold stroller is one of the best selling strollers we’ve ever had!
Another brand I’m looking forward to visiting is Venicci – but not just because Katie is one of my favourite people ever! Their big release for 2022, the Tinum Ulpline will be old news by the time we hit the halls of Harrogate but I’m hoping to see some samples of their next new range. I am of course talking about their furniture. Furniture continues to sell well for us and it’s always nice to have a new range to get excited about, especially if they can deliver on the quality at the prices they are proposing.
Maxi-Cosi and Mamas & Papas are back once more and I’m guessing that they will be showing a few pieces here and there but I’m not expecting anything major given the product launches from earlier in the year.
One brand I am expecting to see big changes from is Ickle Bubba. I’ve heard whispers of an almost full range refresh and it will be interesting to see what they will be showing and how it will fit in to the market. A brand that the consumer is very much aware of, Ickle Bubba have certainly carved a niche in the market for themselves over the years and it’s fast become a brand many of the customers that visit our store expect to see.
I didn’t manage to get to the
Cosatto open days this year, so I am looking forward to seeing the full 2022 range in all its glory. Likewise, the Bebecar stand will be on my list of must see stands. It’s always nice to see Cassie and the rest of team at Bebecar and find out what crazy fabric they have planned for us next!
Given the extra time I have available this year I fully intend to have a little trundle around. Last year my back-toback diary didn’t allow for any time to see the smaller brands or stands. This year I will address that as I’ve left a nice block of space in the diary to see if I can find the next big thing!
It’s not just the brands, oh no! There are you people too! It’s always a pleasure to spend time with you chatting and comparing notes. For me, and many of you too I’m sure, this is the highlight of the weekend. I’ve said it before, being an independent store can be a little lonely so to have such a lovely and friendly group of stores out there it’s amazing. No matter if it’s a chance meeting in a hall or spending the evening drinking and partying it’s always a pleasure to see you all. So, when you’re head down running from hall to hall, trying not to be late for your next appointment and you see a scruffy looking metalhead wondering around aimlessly. . .do stop and say hello!
See you all in Harrogate!
