Gifts & Home October November 2019

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October/November 2019

Recycled, Plastic Free, Handmade & Fair Trade A Beautiful British Designed Eco Friendly Gift

Come and see us at Spring Fair Hall 3 Stand G50 2nd-6th February 2020 NEC Birmingham

The Meg Hawkins Collection combines Tilnar Art’s signature range of recycled food safe aluminium bowls, coasters and dishes with Meg Hawkins stunning wildlife paintings.

They are Fair Trade and hand made by Indian artisans.

The products are cast, then rough polished and enamelled before being beautifully finished with a smooth polish. Every one of these items is individually made to the very highest quality. Each product is not only recycled but is completely recyclable and comes in a superb plastic free presentation box making a perfect eco-friendly gift.

Meg Hawkins is a licensed, award winning British watercolour artist. Meg works from her studio in Shropshire, from where she sells her work all over the world. Now you have the chance to own a Meg Hawkins piece of artwork on a handmade, Fair Trade and Recycled Aluminium bowl, coaster or dish.

COLLECTION

by Tilnar Art

01277 362 815 sales@tilnarart.co.uk www.tilnarart.co.uk

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www.maxpublishing.co.uk The home of market leading trade magazines

EXHIBITIONS

THE HOME OF MARKET LEADING TRADE AWARDS

This Month

Brexit, Brexit, Brexit and now a General Election! It’s all we hear and read about so I’m not going to jump on the bandwagon. I think Aga Gabrysiak, owner of The Greats’ award winning shop Highworth Emporium in Highworth, summed it up perfectly: “I ignore it, and I think that’s what our customers are doing at the moment. It’s business as usual.”

So onto other things, and this time, words to reflect on. Telling it like it is at Autumn Fair was Theo Paphitis who said that the retail industry is in for “seismic change”, branding today’s customers as “promiscuous”, (turn to page 29), while Mary Portas told delegates that department stores need more decision making women in the boardroom! (Turn to pages 25-27).

Staying with retail we’re delighted to be fanfaring The Greats 2020 in this issue (see page 5), so if you are a retailer hold onto the entry form enclosed with this issue and visit our website www.thegreatsawards.co.uk for further details.

Meanwhile, with Christmas around the corner, we asked a cross-section of gift retailers how they’ve been gearing up for the festive season. (Turn to pages 21-23). We also take a look at what’s trending in bath and body (turn to pages 41-45), and discover more about the pet gift market (turn to pages 57-61). Plus, for those retailers thinking ahead, there’s plenty of inspiration in our Valentine’s Day article on pages 49-53.

As this is our last issue before Christmas, a very merry festive season to all of our readers. May the tills ring merrily on high!

Above: LSA International’s managing director Richard Smedley is shown with PG&H’s Sue Marks at the launch of a new licensed collection for the Eden Project, held during London Design Week (See page 7).

Sue Marks, Editor

Inside

37-39 Retailer Face To Face: Bijouled, Harrogate

5-17

News

41-45 Spotlight On... Bath & Body

19

Gift of the Gab

A Jewel Of A Shop Pure & Simple

49-53 Spotlight On... Valentine’s Day

21-23 Feedback: Christmas

All You Need Is Love

Ho! Ho! Ho!

25-27 Retail Face To Face: Mary Portas

57-61 Spotlight On... Pet Gifts Going Animal Crackers

Some ‘Things’ About Mary

29

Retail Face To Face: Theo Paphitis

69

31-33 Retailer Face To Face: Jo Amor, Tiverton Dancing Queen

35

Sounding Off Stayin’ Alive, Stayin’ Alive

Get Ready For Seismic Change

Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP. Tel: 020 7700 6740 Fax: 020 7607 6411 www.progressivegifts.co.uk www.thegreatsawards.co.uk

@Prog_Gifts

70-71 Best Sellers 74

Behind The Counter:

74

Last Word:

Trends

Louise Franco, The Present, Barnet

A Christmas Cracker

Charlotte Reed

Publishers Jacqueline Brown, Warren Lomax and Ian Hyder Subscribe to Progressive Gifts from £60 (UK) to £90 (International).

You can organise this quickly and easily online at our secure site: Max-Subscriptions.net For assistance, please email maxsubscriptions@marketingreinforcem ents.co.uk or call 0207 700 6740.

Sue Marks Editor

Angie Bryant Ian Hyder Advertisement Manager Publishing Director

suem@max-publishing.co.uk

angieb@max-publishing.co.uk

Copyright 2019. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

ISSN 2515-7523 PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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The Luna collection offers opulent textures and luxury materials, combined with sumptuous perfumes for a decadent fragrance experience. A new fragrance for 2019, Velvet Gardenia & Tuberose. Intoxicating and enticing floral notes of tuberose, warmed with vanilla and sweet patchouli, mingling with fresh rose petals and velvety gardenia.

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Industry News

The Victorious Greats The Greats 2020 Celebrates VE Day

Below: We’ve won! A‘great’ moment for last year’s Greats winners.

Bottom left: Beaming smiles from Rachel and Paul Roberts, owners of four Mooch gift shops, who won the Best Newcomer – Midlands, North & Scotland category.

With a closing date of January 31, 2020, The Greats Gift Retailer Awards - which recognise and reward the very best in gift retail - are now open, with gift retailers large and small invited to submit their entries.

To celebrate The Greats milestone18th year, the event, which takes place on May 13, 2020, has moved to the Honourable Artillery Club (HAC) in London’s trendy Shoreditch area, and ties in with VE Day (which is being celebrated five days previously), taking the theme The Victorious Greats.

In addition to rewarding gift retailers, the competition will also be recognising those extra special shop staff who go the extra mile, with gift retailers invited to enter a member of staff in the Retail Employee of the Year category, and to name stand out suppliers in the Best Service to the Independent category. This year also sees a brand new category introduced: Best Marketing Support To The Gift Retailer.

Nominations are also welcome for the Outstanding Achievement Award, which recognises a special someone who has made a major contribution to the gift industry as a whole.

“The Greats is a fantastic opportunity for gift retailers - from the tiniest village shop to the largest multiple - to bang the drum for their achievements over the past year,” enthuses Sue Marks, editor of Progressive Gifts & Home. “Retail remains challenging, but we know that there are some fantastic retailers out there, and we’re looking to reward their excellence, professionalism, innovation and commitment. We’re therefore looking forward to receiving self-nominations as well as nominations highlighting those gift retailers who stand out head and shoulders from the crowd.”

Visit www.thegreatsawards.co.uk which features details on how to enter, together with downloadable entry forms. Entries can also be emailed to suem@max-publishing.co.uk The closing date is January 31, 2020.

For ticket information, contact Clare Hollick at Keystone Communications tel: 01733 294524 e: clare@keystonecomms.co.uk. Tickets can also be purchased at Max-Tickets.net First launched in 2003, The Greats Gift Retailer Awards are owned and organised by Max Publishing and Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide.

The Greats Sponsors 2020 Current sponsors of The Greats 2020 Awards include (in alphabetical order): Candlelight; Gift Republic; GiftsandHome.net; Gisela Graham; Harrogate Christmas & Gift; Joe Davies; Progressive Gifts & Home; Progressive Greetings Live, Spring Fair and Autumn Fair; Wrendale Designs and the Giftware Association.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Angie Bryant on 01993 212994; email: angieb@max-publishing.co.uk

Exclusive Autumn Preview Following on from the successful preview of Candlelight’s own brand at Autumn Fair, the company has been inviting buyers to visit their showroom in South Yorkshire for a preview of the new Candlelight collection.

Among the products being showcased are mugs in the company’s Deco Glam, Bohemian and Milestone collections, as well as new faux plants and a Zaza footstool.

The showroom is open until November 15.

Licensing Awards Winners Revealed Among the winners of The Licensing Awards 2019, which recently took place at London’s Grosvenor House, were: Best Licensed Giftware Range: Mary Poppins Accessories from Difuzed; Best Licensed Home Décor, Tableware Or Housewares Range: Friends Homewares from Pyramid International, and Best Licensed Written, Listening or Learning Range, won by Signature Gifts for its Toy Story Personalised Collection.

Welcoming everyone to the event which was hosted by TV presenter Vernon Kay - Jakki Brown, joint managing director of Max Publishing, which owns and organises The Licensing Awards, commented: “This event is testament to the enormous talent, passion and commitment of our industry.”

Over 1,300 retailers, licensors, licensees and industry attended the Awards which were once again backed by Brand Licensing Europe 2019 (BLE) as headline sponsor, and supported by industry trade body Licensing International.

To see the full list of winners visit www.thelicensingawards.co.uk

Ho, Ho, Ho! Although Christmas 2019 is still on its way, Widdop and Co are thinking ahead, inviting customers to get into the Christmas 2020 spirit with a visit to the company’s Santa’s Workshop that’s overflowing with gifts and decorations Santa’s Workshop is open from December 2 until March 20, 2020, at Widdop And Co’s Greater Manchester showrooms and will also be taking centre stage on the Widdop stand at Harrogate Christmas & Gift (stand B7) from January 12-15, and at Spring Fair (stand 4L10-M11) from February 2-6.

To receive a special ‘golden ticket’, phone 0161 1226 or email sales@widdop.co.uk Above: Gift retailers are invited to visit Widdop And Co’s Santa’s Workshop.

Right: Candlelight’s Deco Glam range of mugs.

FOR THE LATEST NEWS VISIT GiftsandHome.net PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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Be a part of The Greats 2020… victorious celebrations that will truly reward the best gi retailers in the UK

THE GREATS 2020 AWARDS HAVE LAUNCHED!

…there’s fresh new branding …the awards event will take place on Wednesday 13 May …at the wonderful Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of London …and, in keeping with the 75th anniversary of VE Day, The Greats 2020 will take on a victorious theme “My dear friends, this is your hour. This is not victory of a party or of any class. It's a victory of the great British nation as a whole.” – Sir Winston Churchill May 1945

Contact PG&H’s Angie Bryant about becoming a Greats sponsor on angieb@max-publishing.co.uk or 01993 212994 Contact Clare Hollick of Keystone Communications about tickets The Greats awards on clare@keystonecomms.co.uk or 01733 294524 Keep your eyes peeling for entry and nomination forms, coming soon.

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Industry News

Wrendale’s Royal Date Queen’s Award For Enterprise Presented To Wrendale Designs Wrendale Designs’ premises in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, set the scene for the presentation of the company’s Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade, which was presented to the company’s founder and creative director Hannah Dale, and her husband Jack Dale, coowners of the business.

Staff, agents, family, suppliers and customers gathered to hear the Queen’s representative, Toby Dennis, Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, read the official grant of appointment, before presenting Hannah and Jack with a certificate, as well as a glass bowl, to commemorate the prestigious award.

Commenting on such a special day, Hannah said: “It was a lovely opportunity to thank some of the people who have always supported us over the past eight years.

Despite the rain, it was a wonderful occasion, and I think that everyone loved the opportunity to let their hair down and celebrate.”

Wrendale Designs, which made its debut as a greeting card publisher at PG Live in 2012 with quirky animal designs, has seen its portfolio expand to include a wide range of gift and homewares, including tableware, stationery, fashion accessories, tinware and textiles, produced under the company’s own brand as well as through licensing agreements with other brands. They include the Portmeirion Group, with Wrendale’s designs featuring on mugs, tableware and kitchen items as well as a recently launched dinner service.

On a global stage, Wrendale’s export sales have grown more than 400% over the last three years following the brand’s successful launch in the US, Europe and Japan, as well as growing relationships with distributors elsewhere in the world.

LSA ‘Pops Up’ At designjunction As part of designjunction, held in September during London Design Week, LSA International created the Greenhouse - a three day pop-up shop at London’s trendy Coals Drop Yard in Kings Cross. A major feature was Canopy, a new 100% recycled, handmade licensed glass collection, launched in collaboration with the Eden Project.

LSA’s managing director Richard Smedley explained: “Our creative team devised the concept of Canopy, a direct reference to the rainforests and forests, symbolising that we all live under one roof. Within Canopy we created two products concepts - hydration and propagation - which directly speak to the Eden Project’s goals of water conservation and preserving plant life.”

Below: Canopy glassware from LSA at its popup shop, The Greenhouse, at designjunction.

Above: Wrendale Designs’ Hannah and Jack Dale were presented with a certificate, as well as a glass bowl, by the Queen’s representative Toby Dennis, Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire.

‘Offers Of Intent’ Bids Are In For Clintons Following the announcement in September that Clintons – which trades from 334 stores - had been put up for sale by its owners, serious contenders have put in their bids for the business.

While Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA’s) precluded interested parties from openly declaring their intent to acquire the UK’s second largest specialist card retailer, which also sells gifts, bids are understood to have hailed both from expected and unexpected suitors.

Speaking of the potential sell-off of the business, Eddie Shepherd told PG&H: “it will be an open and transparent process that we anticipate being concluded in 12-20 weeks. Right now though, we are progressing to make the most of our Christmas trade.”

Left: The initial bids are in for Clintons

Driving The Silk Road From China To Cornwall Taking the Silk Road from China to Cornwall, Mark Saunders, managing director of Puckator, recently drove 14,000 km in aid of Save The Children.

Explained Mark, who spends an average of four months a year in Puckator’s Xiamen office in China: “I’ve had the idea of driving from Xiamen to Cornwall for a couple of years now. I hoped the trip would be well supported, but momentum really gathered pace along the way, and we smashed the original donation target of £10,000.”

Right: Mark Saunders (back row) outside Puckator’s Xiamen office at the start of the fundraising China to Cornwall road trip.

Maison&Objet Celebrates 25 Years The next edition of Maison&Objet will be celebrating the design-led show’s 25th anniversary, with the exhibition taking place at the Villepointe Exhibition Centre in Paris from January 17-21, 2020. The event will take the theme of regeneration, and will be focusing on reinvention and new consumer habits.

Left: Masion&Objet celebrates the Visit www.maison-objet.com show’s 25th anniversary next year.

A Visit To Coronation Street Emily Coxhead, creator of The Happy News, (with Widdop and Co among the licensees), has been spreading her special breed of happiness on TV and radio.

Emily was filmed on the cobbles of Coronation Street as part of the Granada Reports programme, sharing the story of The Happy News a newspaper she produces, which is filled with positive, uplifting news from around the world.

Following her visit to Coronation Street, Emily was subsequently interviewed by Zoe Ball on her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in the first ever Tuesday Good News Day slot. Zoe linked The Happy News to the news that had broken that day about how people that have a more optimistic attitude live longer. She revealed that she had just paid for a subscription to the newspaper and encouraged others to do the same, saying that it made a great gift. (www.thehappynewspaper.com) Above: Emily Coxhead on the Coronation Street set being filmed for TV’s Granada Reports programme.

FOR THE LATEST NEWS VISIT GiftsandHome.net PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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Explore We bring together every kind of gift product to create special moments from the show floor to your shop floor.

50,000+ visitors 2,500 exhibitors 17 show sectors Get your free ticket: springfair.com

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Industry News

Recognition For Achievement Rex London Receives Queen’s Award For International Trade It was celebrations all round at the end of September when representative deputy lieutenant for the London Borough of Ealing, Richard Kornicki, presented the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade, to Acton based Rex London for the company’s spectacular export growth.

However, the company warned of the impact of a hard/no deal Brexit.

Sales director Nigel Biggs emphasised the importance of staying connected with international customers, attributing Rex Above: Rex London’s sales director Nigel Biggs, accompanied by London’s successes to this outward facing the senior management team, is shown with the prestigious strategy. “Clearly, we are worried that a hard Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Sales. or no-deal Brexit would affect the continued growth of our business, and our ability to expand further into European markets,” he stated. “It’s why we have recently established bases in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium so that we can sell direct to local retailers. This presence will also act a foothold in the EU should the UK leave without a deal, allowing us to avoid additional custom clearances while maintaining prompt delivery to our customers.”

He cautioned that any shift in order processing may have a long-term impact on staffing numbers in the UK operation.

Since 2012, the company’s exports - to over 70 countries worldwide - have soared by more than 250%, accounting for around 55% of total sales last year. More than 60% of those international sales went to the EU - with France, Germany, Spain and Belgium being the key markets.

“We are excited and proud to receive this recognition of our hard work,” Nigel commented. “We take a global outlook, with a particular focus on Europe. Our websites are fully translated into French, German and Spanish, and we participate in several European trade shows each year.”

The event was attended by Rupa Huq, MP for the seat of Ealing Central and Acton.

A Smash Hit It was certainly fun and games during a recent Chris Evans’ Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio, thanks to presenter Rachel Horne, who not only brought Wild & Wolf’s Ridley’s Games Avocado Smash onto the show, but also gave the game a glowing review.

Sam Pinkham, filling in for Chris Evans, was presented with Avocado Smash as a gift by Rachel, and commented on how he loved the avocado-shaped packaging.

The radio show, which draws an average audience of over 1m listeners, subsequently posted about Avocado Smash in an Instagram story. Rachel Horne (16.6k followers) also posted about it.

Adding to the publicity, influencer Zoe Sugg (@Zoella), featured seven games from Ridley’s Games collection in her Day In The Life YouTube video.

Keeping Family Close At Christmas Family Matters is the motto for Christmasworld’s 2020/21 trends which are centred around enjoying things together, and celebrating and sharing happy moments, serving as a counterpart to the digital world.

The January 2020 show will be unveiling three styles and colour schemes to reflect the themes: 'green ritual', 'silken party' and 'happy get-together' which will form the centrepiece in the Trends area, featuring a selection of exhibitors’ products.

Seminars and guided tours take visitors through the different style worlds displayed.

Christmasworld 2020 takes place from January 24-28, 2020, at Messe Frankfurt.

Visit www.christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com Above: Christmasworld’s Happy Get Together trend for 2020.

At Home With Karen Millen Karen Millen, founder of the eponymous fashion brand, has launched a new business venture, Homemonger, with her partner Ben Charnaud.

The online business, which recently went live, offers a wide range of home products, ranging from home accessories to textiles, furniture, lighting and outdoor items inspired by the couple’s travels around the world.

Above: Rachel Horne recently gifted Wild & Wolf’s Ridley’s Avocado Smash to Sam Pinkham on the Chris Evans show.

Focused On Fashion New Parlane Showroom Opens In Leeds Parlane has opened a brand new showroom in Leeds, based over two floors, showcasing Parlane’s 2020 collection of home accessories, along with furniture and lighting.

“The new showroom is bright and airy and, so far, we’ve had a fantastic reaction from customers who agree that the layout makes it easier to buy from, making the experience more enjoyable,” comments Parlane’s head of sales Chris Lewis.

Continues Chris: “The new showroom will provide the same excellent service and warm hospitality but is more convenient for our Above: Among the room sets at Parlane’s newly opened Leeds showroom. customers in the north, being located just off the M1 at junction 45.”

The new showroom is situated at Unit 1-3 Cross Green Way, Cross Green Industrial Park, Leeds LS9 0SE. To visit, contact Parlane’s head office on 01451 812712.

Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) has confirmed that fashion will be the sole theme for 2020 when it returns to London’s ExCeL on October 6-8. The show will focus exclusively on fashion licensing to include apparel, footwear, accessories and beauty. A ‘live’ catwalk, with themed shows, will be beamed onto every digital screen throughout the venue. l This year’s event, which took place at the beginning of October, again achieved record visitor numbers, with a rise of 3% to 8,062.

Exhibiting companies also increased, from 264 to 268.

Above: Fashion will be leading the way at BLE 2020.

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the show

.

2 .

1 1 — O 7. — 2 O 2 S K O LO OD GO People shape the world of business. Ambiente gives structure to the international sector. With an outstanding variety of design and trends, an unparalleled range of products in all areas and expertise around current themes.

Information and tickets: ambiente.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83 info@uk.messefrankfurt.com

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Industry News

Didn’t They Do Well!

Gift Indies Among Britain’s Best Small Shops 2019 Four gift shops were among 25 Best Small Shops in the UK, all in the running to be named Britain’s Best Small Shop 2019, with the winner ‘crowned’ at a prestigious event held at the House of Commons at the beginning of November.

Among them were Greats award winning gift shops Mooch Gifts & Home, which has shops in Stourport on Severn and Bewdley, and Joco Interiors in Nuneaton. Also in the running were independent gift shops For The Love of the North in Whitley Bay and Oliver’s Brighton, which are both celebrating their second year in business. Additionally, Marple Stationers in Marple, was a further shortlisted retailer whose product mix includes gifts as well as stationery.

“This year has been amazing for the business and we were thrilled to be shortlisted,” Joco’s owner Jo Williams told PG&H, while Jon May, co-owner of Mooch said that being in the final was “great PR for Mooch.” He continued: “customers have been coming into our shops to say you really deserve this. To be in the top 25 Best Small Shops final is a great achievement for us.”

The winner of the competition was deli Papadeli in Bristol. Runners up were The Recycled Candle Company and Bookish in Crickhowell.

Highly commended were children’s shop Small Stuff in Sheffield and Cavanagh & Baker, The Island Made Emporium at Shanklin. l In addition to being a finalist in the Britain’s Best Small Shop competition, Joco Interiors has also been shortlisted in the Retailer of the Year category of the Coventry Telegraph Business Awards.

Above: Jo Williams, owner of Joco Interiors, brought her two sons, Cameron and Oliver, with her. On the left is PG&H’s editor Sue Marks.

Left: Mooch’s co-owners John May and Luke Jacks are shown at the event.

Getting A HOLD Kelly Hyatt, founder of Lagom Design, has fulfilled his dream to open HOLD, a design-led lifestyle bricks and mortar store in a top spot on Brighton’s Bond Street in the North Laine.

“With many of the high street giants failing I’ve been told I’m brave opening a shop in the current climate, but I believe passionately in independent retail,” stated Kelly. “It’s so essential for the character of our towns and cities to have a unique feel and vibrancy.”

The Hove-based publishing business has been selling gifts and greeting cards online for some time, but extending this to a physical Above: Inside the new HOLD gift store in Brighton. space enables interaction with customers.

In addition to selling Lagom products, HOLD also stocks design-led goods made by craftspeople and small-batch producers.

“At some 2000sq feet in total it is quite big for our first store, but I don’t see the point in doing half measures,” adds Kelly. “I’m really pleased with it and it’s got off to a great start saleswise,” he confirmed.

Hollywood Comes To Wolverhampton

What A S’Well Partnership BBC Earth And S’well have launched an exclusive, co-branded natural world collection at John Lewis & Partners that celebrates the wonders of the natural world. It features an exclusive, co-branded re-usable bottle collection inspired by the BBC’s natural history programming.

The partnership launched at the end of October with a range of four S’well bottles featuring a rare display of the Northern Lights over New Hampshire’s Chocorua Lake; Emperor penguins; Australia’s green turtle and iconic imagery from BBC Earth.

BBC Earth and S’well will continue to expand on their partnership into 2020 with future collaborations inspired by BBC natural history content.

Below: Four S’Well bottles have been created in partnership with BBC Earth.

Jewellery & Watch To Relocate As part of the complete re-edit of Spring Fair, which will see all product categories and show sectors move to new locations, Jewellery & Watch will be relocated to the front of Hall 1, just off the main Piazza of the NEC. It will allow for the integration of Jewellery & Watch with the fashion sector exhibitors, as well as easy access to Greetings & Stationery in Hall 2, Gifts in Halls 3 and 4, and Retail Solutions in Hall 5.

Jewellery & Watch 2020 will present four main product sectors: Jewellery Services & Solutions; Fashion, Silver and Semi-Precious; Designer Brands; and Fine Jewellery.

Spring Fair/Jewellery & Watch takes place from February 2-6, 2020 at the NEC. Visit www.springfair.com Below: Visitors are shown browsing at last year’s Jewellery & Watch.

Wolverhampton’s The Shop In The Square gift outlet recently had a flying visit from Hollywood actress Beanie Feldstein, whose movie credits include a starring role in the comedy film Booksmart. With a lead role in a new film, How To Build A Girl, Beanie flew to the UK to perfect a Black Country accent.

“No-one picked it up at all,” the Shop in the Square’s manager Charlotte Clark told The Times. “A couple of times she revealed who she was but at other times she just let customers leave thinking she was a Wolverhampton girl.”

The movie is based on a semi-autobiographical novel written by Times columnist Caitlin Moran.

Shop in the Square first opened its doors in 2013 as a pop up shop, with funding from Left: The Shop in The Square in Wolverhampton. the Portas Pilot and High Street Innovation Funds.

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Industry News

What Was ‘In’ And What Was ‘Out’ John Lewis & Partners’ Consumer Trends Report Reveals The Trends In its eagerly anticipated annual report, ‘How We Shop, Live And Look’, John Lewis & Partners highlighted some of the key trends that the retailer has seen over the past 12 months.

They included consumers waging war on plastic waste; decluttering their homes and embracing mindfulness, with LEGO for adults high on the list of purchases. Also trending were animal print - with sales of leopard print up 333% - as well as easy care succulents for the home. Out of favour however, were clutch bags, with the department store removing them from their own brand womenswear accessories range.

The retailer confirmed that the ‘war on plastic’ has Above: A recent John Lewis & Partners been a major sales influence. Sales of reusable bottles have report revealed the products on the ‘up’ continued to grow, increasing by 15% over the past 12 months as well as on the ‘down’.

Also highlighted were everyday essentials such as travel mugs and lunch boxes, with customers multi-purchasing re-usable water bottles suitable for gym bags, commutes, desks and handbags. A further trend has been home bars which have become a big trend, according to the report.

Looking ahead to 2020, the report highlighted that the ‘crystal craze’ will be going mainstream, with crystals to suit different moods embedded in scented candles.

A First For Toy Fair In recognition of the growing number of video teams, YouTubers and bloggers attending Toy Fair, the show will be holding an Influencer Day on Wednesday January 22, 2020.

The day will include new scheduled content for attendees, including exhibitor tours run by show organisers the British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA).

Influencers will be identified with a special badge to make it easier for exhibitors to identify them.

The show takes place from January 21-23 at London’s Olympia, with registration now open. Visit www.toyfair.co.uk

Excellence In Housewares Awards 2019: Winners Revealed Trophies were proudly waved in the air when the winners of The Excellence in Housewares Awards were announced at the beginning of October.

Among the retailers who took home a ‘gong’ were: Morleys Group, winner of the Excellence in Retail Display category: Multiple or Department Store; Dobbies Garden Centres, winner of the Excellence in Non-Specialist Multiple Retailing; Jarrold Department Store, winner of the Best Department Store: Independent, and Elys of Wimbledon, winner of the Best Department Store: Multiple Branch or Group Member.

Organised by Progressive Housewares magazine (the sister magazine to Progressive Gifts & Home) in conjunction with Bira, and owned by Max Publishing, the Awards took place at the Royal Lancaster London where nearly 400 housewares movers and shakers celebrated into the early hours.

Above: Thrilled to bits! The winners of the Excellence In Housewares Awards wave their trophies in the air.

Fashion Forward At a special awards event, held on the first evening of Autumn Fair, the winners of the Fashion Accessory of the Year Awards were announced by The Giftware Association.

The category winners were: Fashion Accessory: Sock Academy for its United Oddsocks Donuts range; Fashion Jewellery: 8 Pines’ Tea Time collection; Fashion Handbag: Chelsea Noir Handbags for Chelsea; Small Leather Goods: Mala Leather’s Mason leather purse, and Luggage & Travel: Rock Luggage’s Rock Vintage suitcase.

The event was jointly organised by the Giftware Association and headline sponsor Autumn Fair.

Right: Sarah Ward, ceo of The Giftware Association, is shown with Chris Workman (left), PR and marketing manager, and Luke Palmer, the Fashion Accessory Awards’ event organiser.

Bira Direct Launches Rebate Scheme Buying group Bira Direct has announced a new rebate scheme which gives members the opportunity to receive a 1% rebate on their spend up to December 2019.

To qualify for the rebate members must have increased their spend between October and December 2019 when compared to the same period in 2018.

Left: Bira Direct has introduced a new rebate scheme.

Wear It Pink Day In support of Wear It Pink 2019 on October 18, Stoneglow Candles’ staff and management threw their inhibitions to one side to fundraise for Breast Cancer Now. Explained Stoneglow’s commercial director Louise Dooley: “The staff and managers all got involved, to include our chairman Perry Simmons, who was auctioned off for date with the staff, and was won by facilities manager Richard Brett!”

Continued Louise: “Curtis Simmons, the company’s international account manager, was also game for a date and offered kisses and hugs to the staff for a nominal fee, which went down really well! Plus, we also had a surprise visitor, with the character Poppy popping in for photos. All in all it was a great day with a serious message for the Breast Cancer Now charity.”

Stoneglow also changed the company’s logo to pink on its website and social media pages.

Over £700 was raised by the company through the auction, raffles and a cake sale.

Above: The staff at Stoneglow Candles really got behind the Wear It Pink fundraiser for Breast Cancer Now.

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Industry News

Spreading The Love Thinking Of You Week Goes From Strength To Strength September’s sixth Thinking Of You Week greeting card initiative, organised by the Greeting Card Association (GCA), was a success for gift shops as well as greeting card retailers.

“This year we had support from a wide range of retailers, from gift independents such as Box of Delights, to national retailers that included Scribbler, Funky Pigeon and Clinton Cards,” confirmed the GCA’s ceo Amanda Fergusson.

The initiative - which sets out to encourage people to send cards to show friends and family that they are thinking of them reached over 20,000 people on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

People from across the industry supported the social media campaign with posts and news about events they had run, as well as ideas and promotions they were running in support of the Above: Courtesy of Royal Mail, the week, with over 1,000 likes, shares comments and re-grams.

“The event is building in momentum each year,” stated Amanda. Thinking Of You Week stamp cancelling mark helped to spread the word.

“We were thrilled with the support and engagement from our members this year. Additionally, the Royal Mail supported us again by using a Thinking Of You Week stamp cancelling mark and running a wide reaching social media campaign which our own social media activity linked in to.”

Thinking of You Week has now become an international event, held in both the USA and Australia.

Posh Paws Strengthens Its Foothold In Gifts With licensed plush company Posh Paws looking to grow its presence in the gift and lifestyle sector, the company has bought Ragtales, a range of traditional, soft toys and rag dolls and also added Swarovski to its portfolio, with Posh Paws signing a multi-year global deal to manufacture and supply Swarovski approved plush products.

The new range, which was officially launched at September’s Top Drawer, has been created under the Chic & Love brand aimed at young adult gift givers and fashionistas.

“We see gifts as a natural extension to our toy offer,” Posh Paws managing director Alan Smith told PG&H. “Adding lifestyle properties such as Swarovski to our portfolio is the perfect brand to continue our growth in the gift market.”

PEOPLE p Portmeirion Group has announced that Lawrence Bryan (right), director and chief executive for almost 20 years, has retired from his executive duties. However, Lawrence will continue to bring his wealth of knowledge and experience to the business as a nonexecutive director on the board. p Having worked closely with all parts of Portmeirion Group for the last two and a half years, Mike Raybould (right) has been appointed chief executive.

Mike joined as finance director and has made a significant impact on Portmeirion Group’s strategy and business as the Group continues on its path of growth and evolution into a diversified homewares company.

Chairman Dick Steele commented: “I struggle to find words that are adequate to describe the huge contribution that Lawrence has made to the Group. Without his leadership, commercial expertise, commitment and perspicacity the Group would not be the force that it is in homewares today.”

Above: Posh Paws recently launched a new Swarovski approved plush line under the Chic & Love brand.

A Cracker Of An Idea Furthering their sustainability credentials, John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners have confirmed that this will be the last Christmas that they will sell Christmas crackers with plastic toys inside.

Instead crackers will be filled with toys made from recyclable materials such as metal and paper games, and decorated with techniques such as embossing, rather than plastic glitter. The decision has been made as part of the Partnership’s plans to cut down on single use plastic products.

Right: This is the last year that John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners will be selling Christmas crackers with plastic toys inside.

Live Design At Top Drawer 2020 Design will be at the core of Top Drawer S/S 2020, with the January show featuring a new, inspirational Live Design campaign.

“Passion for design is at the very heart of our DNA and shared by everyone who is part of Top Drawer - from retailers, exhibitors and designers to our curators, speakers and organising team,” commented Top Drawer’s show director Alejandra Campos.

She continued: “The 2020 Live Design campaign captures both the individuality and togetherness of this design community, and celebrates its love and passion for innovation and creativity.”

January’s show will include collaborations with the Design Museum, Heals, Selfridges, Oliver Bonas, UAL and global insight agency Flamingo.

Top Drawer S/S 2020 takes place at London’s Olympia from January 12-14. Visit www.topdrawer.co.uk

p Top Drawer marked the final trade show for Patrick Newton (above), managing director of Two’s Company by Mulhouse. Having spent 30 years as the UK distributor of the American gift company, he has taken the decision to retire, with the parent company currently looking to find a new UK distributor. p Matt Denton (right) is a new face at Widdop and Co, recently appointed as territory manager for the South West of England. He takes over the area from Bob Morgan who will be focusing his efforts on the South of England. Matt has spent 15 years in various sales roles and was previously with Baker and Taylor UK. p Sustainable stationery company VENT for Change has confirmed the appointment of Lucy Heath as retail sales director. Lucy spent 11 years as sales director at Gemma International and previously worked with Santoro and Russ Berrie alongside both British and French retailers.

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Industry News

Climate Crisis Levy Shared Earth’s Jeremy Piercy Takes Action

Below: Girls are shown in a village in Bali. They collect plastic waste every Sunday to prevent it ending up in the sea.

As the climate debate rages on, one gift company has taken action. Spurred on by the strike by schoolchildren earlier this year, as well as by the declaration by Parliament of a Climate Emergency, Shared Earth has arguably become the first in the UK to announce a climate crisis levy on products, as opposed to services.

The 10% levy is being applied to all products imported by air, and to all products made of plastic, such as resin statues from Thailand and suncatchers from Bali. Shared Earth is also working with suppliers to develop alternative, more sustainable materials. In addition, a self-imposed 10% levy will be applied to all travel made by air by Shared Earth staff.

The proceeds from the levy will be used for planting trees, alternative energy and other projects which help to combat the negative effects of global warming.

“We can’t just ignore this problem and continue as we are, using up limited fossil fuels and expecting others to solve this crisis,” explains the company’s manging director Jeremy Piercy. “There are lots of things we can do, both large and small, as individuals and as businesses, all of which will contribute to positive change. Commercially, these can pay off too.”

Shared Earth, founded in 1986, buys from around 100 different producer groups in countries as diverse as Bangladesh, Madagascar and Peru. The company has increased its turnover by an average of 30% each year for the last six years. Sales in its two shops in York and Liverpool have increased by 15% over the same period.

‘Inspirational’ Company Is On A Winning Streak The Somerset Toiletry Company has been recognised in the sixth London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2019’ report, a celebration of the UK’s fastest growing SMEs. More good news was that its Beauty of Bath collection was shortlisted for the Pure Beauty Awards, with the company’s luxury reed diffuser and soap bar selected as a finalist in the Best New Design & Packaging category. l The Somerset Toiletry Company recently celebrated its 20th anniversary by walking 20 miles across the Mendip Hills in a team-building exercise that raised £1,500 for The Happily Ever After Dog Rescue (HEA), a local family-run charity dedicated to rescuing and rehoming animals in need.

Left: Saskina Buoy, co-founder of The Somerset Toiletry Company.

Enesco Launches Dr Seuss Timed perfectly for the Christmas gift market, Enesco has unveiled its new Dr Seuss

by Jim Shore collection, aimed at fans of Dr. Seuss’ literary classics.

The hero pieces in the collection are set to be the Tip Toeing Grinch with Bag of Gifts Over Shoulder and The Cat In The Hat and Friends, say the company.

Good news for Jim Shore fans was that Jim recently returned for a further seven signings across Europe, to include a visit to Spalding in Lincolnshire at the beginning of November. There will also be a trip to Ireland, and a special collectors event at Disneyland in Paris.

Right: Enesco’s The Tip Toeing Grinch with Bag of Gifts Over Shoulder figurine.

Bring On Brazil At Ambiente

NEWS IN BRIEF p In its preliminary results for the year ending June 29, the Dunelm Group showed that it is bucking the retail trend, with its total like-for-like sales increasing by 10.7% with strong growth both in stores (7.7%) and dunelm.com (35.1%).

p Pigement’s The Happy News greeting card collection won the Best Licensed Range at the recent Henries Awards, owned and organised by Max Publishing/Progressive Greetings magazine.

Above: The Happy News’ Emily Coxhead is shown with Pigment’s Sam Wilson and Skeet Print’s director, John Skeet (right) category sponsor.

p Seven new designs have been added to Mclaggan’s Rosie Made A Thing mug collection which first launched in at the beginning of this year. The award winning brand originally launched as a greeting card range in 2015.

Above: Among the new designs in Mclaggan’s Rosie Made A Thing collection.

p Following on from the success of family owned Maud’s Attic, The House in Town and Merchant House Interiors in Ipswich, a fourth gift and home store, Revival 33, has been opened in Ipswich’s St Peters Street by Maud’s Attic founder Wendy Childs’ son Robert Manning. p The winners of this year’s License This! competition - Carrot & Toast and My Little Opera - were announced at Brand Licensing Europe (BLE). The judging panel included The Giftware Association’s ceo Sarah Ward. p Jewellery brand Scream Pretty has expanded internationally, with Scream Pretty Australia launching at the beginning of October.

Above: Scream Pretty ear cuffs.

There will be a new take on design at Ambiente next year. Having phased out its Partner Country initiative after eight years, (the UK took part in 2017), show organisers Messe Frankfurt has revealed that there will be the launch of a new sector - Focus On Design - featuring outstanding products with detailed insights into recent design highlights from a specially selected country.

“In 2020, Ambiente will start with Brazil, a young designer nation that has been developing quite rapidly creating very modernistic design,” explained Yvonne Engelmann, Ambiente’s director of Living and Giving. “Five different Brazilian design studios, each with its own special identity, will be showcasing their creative output.” Ambiente takes place at Messe Frankfurt from 7-11 February, 2020. Visit www.ambiente.messefrankfurt.com Left: Brunno Jahara will be one of five Brazilian design studios showcasing product at Focus On Design, Ambiente.

p ITE Group, organisers of Spring Fair and Autumn Fair organiser, has announced a change of name and a new brand identity, Hyve Group. p Petit Collage’s Alphabet wooden tray puzzle recently scooped gold in the MadeForMums Toy Awards in the Best Sustainable/Eco Toy category. The company is part of Wild & Wolf. Oct 10

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Stepping into Christmas 2020 HARROGATE CHRISTMAS & GIFT

12 - 15 January 2020 - Harrogate Convention Centre www.harrogatefair.com • Tel: 01902 882280 / 880906 Progressive Gifts Advert - Aug19.indd 1 18_GH_Oct Nov 2019.indd 34

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Left: Nic Stone.

Below: What does 2020 hold?

Nic Stone has looked into his crystal ball.

Bottom: At the time of going to press, uncertainty still surrounds Brexit.

GIFT OF THE

GAB

Predictions for

2020

The New Year may be a way off yet, but with so many external factors influencing our lives and our businesses, Nic Stone, owner of The Bottle Kiln in West Hallam, has looked into his crystal ball to make some early predictions about the coming year.

“Gather closer dear readers and I will share a little secret with you. Due to the complexities of publishing, I am writing in the middle of September; the sun is still shining, I have my window open to let in the balmy breeze and have just returned from the Autumn trade shows, which were quiet. Oh, and the ceo of Heal’s has said ‘Flat is the new up.’ Well put. All of this led me to thinking what a strange situation this is: you November people know what happened on October 31, and we pre-October 31 dwellers are still in an agony of speculation and uncertainty. You know how Christmas trade is looking, how many £pounds there now are to the euro and whether our hirsute Prime Minister is still in No.10.

I am way too wise to speculate on all of that, and anyway, could end up miles wide off the point with events being so unpredictable. However, I am certainly still foolish enough to offer some general predictions for next year - and they may certainly be no dafter than anyone else’s.

Who knows, I may even get some right?

Here goes: Prediction No.1: less & less stuff People will continue to want simpler lives. I have mixed feelings about this as I think most of us probably experience some sense, as we open all of those packages on Christmas morning, of what a shame it is that half of it will make a very short

journey from our laps to landfill. But when you hear environmental campaigners calling for an end to London Fashion Week (as happened recently, and again I cannot altogether disagree with them, throwaway fashion is not a good thing), you can’t help feeling that Mother’s Day and Christmas will soon be in the firing line. And then what? We will have to sell fewer things but finer, I suspect. Not easy though.

Prediction 2: some of the trade shows will disappear

Autumn Fair was smaller and yet scarily quiet. The London shows have been quiet for a while. I get that people feel it’s a saving of money to cut back on trips to shows, but actually, the organisers of these events are getting better at the information and the inspiration, and we really need both of these to avoid our shops becoming stale when they need to be fresher than ever.

Prediction 3: the minimum wage will continue to go up Which should be a good thing, but in this environment it will simply mean that further swathes of the services industry will go bust. A well-meaning policy that needs reviewing just at the moment.

Does anyone in business ever talk to anyone in government?

Prediction 4: Brexit will rumble on forever Try as I might I cannot envisage any scenario in which this damned thing will in any way go away. Whatever happens, those who didn’t get their way will blame absolutely everything on those who did. I am a passionate believer that where there is a fairly even split on an issue there needs to be smart moderate people seeking some kind of consensus. Sadly, we don’t seem to have any of these and have to make do with extremists of every colour bashing their heads together while social media pours vitriol onto everyone in public life and then despairs that no-one decent goes into public life. My solution: abolish tabloid newspapers and do away with social media.

Prediction 5: it will all get worse before it gets better Take up yoga! Meditate! Take the long view: like the English Civil War it will one day be the quaint stuff of history books and we will wonder what on earth it was all about.”

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Bringing Joy Every Day ENESCO LIMITED, Brunthill Road, Kingstown, Carlisle, Cumbria, England, CA3 0EN. UK Customer Services: Telephone: 01228 404022 Email: trade@enesco.co.uk Overseas Customer Services: Telephone: +44 1228 404066 Email: eurosales@enesco.co.uk © 2019 Enesco, LLC. © 2019 Jim Shore Designs, Inc. Dr Seuss TM & © 2019 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All Rights Reserved.

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Christmas 2019

Ho! Ho! Ho! With all the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, gift retailers shopped early for Christmas this year, with many placing larger orders than in previous years to ensure that they had plenty of stock.

A cluster of star gift shops reveal how they’ve been approaching Christmas 2019.

Ready And Waiting "We’re looking forward to a busy Christmas this year in our three Liverpool stores,” says Kate Cowie, director at Utility. “Plus, as it's our first Christmas in our new Manchester store, we'll be hoping for a great season there too, as we build our brand in a new city.”

Continues Kate: “All of our AW lines started to arrive in the warehouse in September and went into the stores at the beginning of October so the stores were completely ready with new stock at the beginning of November when our Christmas windows were revealed.

Specific Christmas lines and Christmas cards were introduced at the back end of October.

“We completed most of our orders well ahead of the festive season, concentrating on building strong gifting stories around fashion accessories, which has been a stand out department for us this year.

Suppliers such as Rains, Roka and Lefrik are leading the way on bags and rucksacks. Estella Bartlett, Tutti & Co and Katie Loxton have great lines in women's accessories and we have also introduced a few new suppliers to include Chalk and We Are Thought.”

Adds Kate: “Other suppliers that we are focusing on this quarter, which have performed well throughout the year, are Jellycat, Bookspeed, Kikkerland and NPW where the price point and range is key and the appeal is widespread.”

Other important stories for Utility this winter will be home fragrance, beauty and bathing, and stationery. “We are ensuring that best sellers and new lines sit alongside each other to maximise sales in these specific departments,” underlines Kate.

Below: Utility’s Christmas windows in 2018.

Above: Festive plant baubles from Gift Republic have been a strong seller for Papyrus in the run up to Christmas. (See page 23).

A Balletic Theme

Below: Garson’s Cinderella display.

“This year we have seven full Christmas colourways with an overall theme based around ballets,” explains Sarah Crees, Gift & Christmas buyer at Garsons, which has garden centres in Esher and Titchfield.

“This is highlighted through our in store displays and PoS, with our display teams aiming to surprise our customers each year with their creations.”

Sarah highlights that stock started to arrive from suppliers in July, with products beginning to go out on the shopfloor in early September, and the build and displays completed in mid-October.

“In addition, a 32 page Christmas brochure was sent out at the end of October to our card members, highlighting key gift, toy and Christmas lines, along with promotions and invites to our two shopping evenings in November,” explains Sarah.

She says that the Garsons garden centres try to offer something for everyone throughout the gift, toy and Christmas departments, to include well-loved leading brands, as well as sourcing products that can’t be found on the high street or in department stores from newer or smaller suppliers. “In addition, we have also tried to include more UK made and environmentally-friendly lines and ranges,” adds Sarah.

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Larger Orders At Papyrus in Glasgow, owner Fiona Fabien started her Christmas buying at London’s Top Drawer in January, topping up at other shows throughout the year.

Christmas gift ideas went out on the shelves at the beginning of September.

“It gets people thinking about buying early for Christmas and also helps us to spot the winners,” Fiona points out. “This year, we have put the focus on eco-friendly products to include bath and body and re-usable bottles and lunch boxes, and we have actively sourced recycled products too.”

In all, there are six Christmas windows, all with different themes. “We put our first windows displays out in November, and will refresh half way through December,” she reveals.

One thing that will be differentiating this Christmas from Christmasses past, is that Papyrus will not be opening a pop-up shop. “We’ve been running a 10,000 sq ft pre-Christmas pop up shop in Silverburn for the past six years but didn’t manage to get one this year. It therefore made buying harder, as we only bought for one shop in Byres Road which is 2,000 sq ft. With a smaller amount of space we’ve had to be more discerning.”

As for Brexit, Fiona confirmed that she placed much larger orders in September. “We didn’t want to take the risk that we wouldn’t be able to get additional stock in time,” she explained. “However, the upside has been that, in addition to finding out what was selling well early on, we have had all our stock available from October.”

Christmas 2019

Let It Snow, Let It Snow “With customers starting to ask about the opening of our Christmas room as early as August, we officially opened it on September 28,” confirms Aga Gabrysiak, owner of Highworth Emporium in Highworth. “After three festive seasons here at the shop, the challenge was to make it as different and exciting as the year before, with our customer expectations running high. Focusing on a woodland theme, it features some large pieces from Heaven Sends.”

Aga continues: “We also invested in a snowing machine that creates a snow effect by slowly releasing shredded transparent plastic from the container hung on the ceiling. I’m hoping this will give our Christmas room the ‘wow’ factor,” she enthuses. “This month, we will be putting it into our main windows, so that together with the woodland theme, it will all hopefully look stunning!”

Above: Papyrus in Glasgow will be featuring six different festive themes.

Making Christmas Cosy At Joco in Nuneaton, it’s going to be a cosy, traditional Christmas, says owner Jo Williams. “We’re hoping to create a ‘wow’ factor for passing customers with a cosy Christmas living room scene in one window, featuring a tree decorated with Jim Shore decorations,” she highlights. “The other window will be dedicated to a Disney Christmas theme catering for a large cross-section of our customers. We are also running a Christmas hamper giveaway. Each time a customer spends £20 they will be entered into our free draw, and we will also be holding a charity fundraiser to support one of our local charities.”

Jo adds that this year, she has ordered more stock than she has in the past. “Of course, our customers will be disappointed if we can't restock items which sell out,” she comments. “But in addition, earlier this year we re-located to a new shopping centre with four times the footfall of our previous location. Our store room has been filling up, but we are confident that we have chosen the products that will do well again this year.”

Left: Joco is looking forward to a cosy feel to Christmas.

November also sees the shop hosting a Christmas evening, offering customers10% off Christmas products. “This is the only time we actually have a special Christmas offer, as we don’t offer any special deals until our Christmas sale in January. We will, however, be working very hard on our social media to both attract new customers and to tease existing ones. We’ve found that this works very well for us. Last year we tagged into Visa’s TV adverts to promote ‘shop local’ in our shop, and held a very successful raffle, but we are pushing it further this year with other local shops. The aim is to have one giant raffle, promoting all our businesses and encouraging people to stay and shop in our town.”

Adds Aga: “I believe Christmas will happen regardless of Brexit. Everyone needs some Christmas cheer, so we are all looking forward to Christmas trade and really believe it will be a good one!”

Above: Part of the Christmas room at Highworth Emporium.

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Retail Face To Face: Mary Portas

Some ‘Things’

About Mary Striking, strident and savvy, Mary Portas strode onto the stage at September’s Autumn Fair, looking every inch a woman who, many years ago, took a look at the glass ceiling and decided to noisily punch her way through it.

Irreverent (she’s scathing about the alpha men who dominate retail boardrooms), opinionated (her latest book is entitled Work Like A Woman), and respected (former PM David Cameron asked her to come up with proposals to re-invigorate the high street), she’s anything but afraid to say what she thinks, to shatter boundaries and to lead by example when it comes to both high street retail and her own working environment. PG&H was in the front row.

Take it from PG&H, Mary Portas has got a bit of ‘thing’ (and not in a good way) about ‘alphas’, the men who sit on the boards of Britain’s biggest retail multiples. “Do I mourn the demise of department stores such as Marks & Spencer (newly demoted from the Footsie 100), House of Fraser (which was granted a CVA in 2018) Debenhams (“no soul”) or BHS (“did you ever think it was joyful?”). No, I don’t,” she states emphatically. “The biggest mistake these department stores have made is that their boards predominantly comprise alphas. What they need are women on the board who know what other women want. Take M&S. The board is almost all male. Where is someone who is instinctively feeling what women want?” (Mary herself was on the board of Harvey Nicholls by the age of 30).

“Although 85% of consumers are women,

they are not on the boards of today’s big department stores and therefore they are not the decision makers. Only 10% of boards in the retail sector comprise women.”

She’s emphatic that this outdated model has to change, and that there has to be a new approach, not only in relation to women

Above: Mary in her studio at her eponymous agency Portas.

Below: On stage at Autumn Fair: Mary Portas was interviewed by Ashley Armstrong, retail editor of The Times.

Bottom: According to Mary, ailing M&S is among the major stores that needs more women on the main board.

in the boardroom. “It’s time business took a more modern approach,” she states. “They have to be aware that we are going through a seismic shift.

There has been a toxic clash worldwide, ranging from the MeToo movement to the gender pay gap, and we have come to a stage in retail where we are seeing old legacy retailers collapse because alpha men have spent decades chasing money. In days gone by, you had to fall into specific codes of behaviour, and you had to be good at it. However, the next generation doesn’t want to live in that world. It’s very different today, with the internet the biggest game changer in consumerism.”

She adds that as more people become aware of the planet and practising sustainability, there is, in general, a gentler approach to life. “It’s about people feeling happy both at work and at home, and it’s essential that retailers - and employers - tap into people’s sensitivity. We have seen a whole raft of online pure players who have broken the old rules of retail by connecting to communities of people.” (Communities and sensitivity are other ‘things’ that Mary feels very strongly about).

Using pure players as one of the best examples, Mary stresses that their business Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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Retail Face To Face: Mary Portas model is all about selling the attitude ‘yes you can’, and that it’s that sensitivity and vision that ultimately makes a strong brand.

“The important thing is to build something that has meaning and shows sensitivity. You have to put people at the centre. You have to make them feel part of a community where they all have something in common.

It’s no longer about the alpha businesses we have seen in the past, those that are male dominated with their structure and rules.”

She explains: “I called my latest book Work Like A Woman because the power of women in business is their values - their softer attitude, their kindness and sensitivity. (That word again!). The businesses that adopt this stance will be the ones that succeed in the future. Their approach is the antithesis of The Apprentice - a programme I loathe.” (That’s another ‘thing’ Mary can’t stand - the loud mouthed, belittling, ‘you’re fired!’ approach). “The reality is that this business approach isn’t working,” she underlines.

So do any retailers get the thumbs up from Mary? “Dave Lewis, the current ceo of Tesco, is getting it right,” she emphasises.

“He’s turned the supermarket around. It’s more people-focused both in terms of staff and customers. There’s more energy in store and he’s working hard to create a happier

How Retail Has Changed According to Mary, there have been three main shifts in retail over the past 40 years. l Bling Culture: “In the ‘80s right through to the Noughties, there was a massive bling culture. I wear, therefore I am. Primark was the new Prada - as if!” l Status Stories: “Little discoveries. People would go on holiday and find a one off for the home, for example, spotted on holiday or in a little shop somewhere, where there were only three of them. It constituted dinner party talk.” l Status Sensitivity: “Now, people are putting people, the planet and profit together. If, as retailer, you are doing it the right way, then profit will come from it.”

Above, below and below right: Tesco, H&M and Pret A Manger are among the retailers who are getting it right.

workforce. It’s the opposite of the era when Terry Leahy was Tesco’s ceo. He was an alpha male, running an alpha company. He only cared about the bottom line. The City loved him!”

She also cites the founder of Pret A Manger, Jeffrey Hyman, as someone who has got his business model right.

“When I met him, he told me that he only employs happy people, and gives each manager £50 a week to ‘treat’ random customers to a free coffee, a salad, whatever. The manager takes that decision and it brings Pret’s customers joy. Although Pret is a major multiple, it gives the individual outlets autonomy. It’s why Pret always has a fresh energy.”

Mary adds, “I’m not talking about not having men on the boards of big companies.

I’m talking about not have men who are alpha idiots! Taking the steps to a softer approach takes time, and businesses can make it happen. Millennials won’t buy from companies that don’t share their values. This is the culture now.”

Reflecting on the economy, Mary is realistic. “We know that we are in very

Trust Your Staff After she left Harvey Nicholls to go freelance, Mary Portas set up her own agency Yellowdoor which was subsequently renamed Portas. “My approach has been to give my staff the freedom to be who they are and it’s built on trust. The control factor is falling down. You have to encourage creativity and let people do things their way. Plus the output doesn’t drop if you allow people to work from home or wherever. This is how we now live and work. As an employer, you have to think about what is going to make someone enjoy working for you. You have to trust your employees. The odd one will muck you about, but the majority will get the job done.”

difficult economic times, but that is when change happens. When you hit the wall, the only way to get through it is to grow. That is what great retail is about. It makes you trust your instinct more and to do more instinctively, and you have to go with that instinct. If you are an instinctive player, you will see how the world is changing, and department stores need to take that on board. Department stores such as House of Fraser and Debenhams should have seen that people want experiences - food, a gym, beauty and wellness spas, yoga etc. Yet they still persist in having the beauty department on the ground floor, doing what they’ve always done. It’s not what millennials want.”

She says in the future, sustainability is all that will matter. “It will be the biggest leveller. We are seeing it now, with stores such as H&M stating that they will be fully

sustainable by 2030. Even Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of England, has said that this is where the future is going to be and where the money is going to be.

Change is also coming with AI.” Mary’s vision for Britain’s high streets of the future is that they will become local communities. “We need to put back new anchors - from wellbeing to workout studios - to have doctors surgeries on the high street, and yoga classes. We need to create communities based around these type of services. It will bring people together. Now is a time for visionaries,” Mary emphasises.

“The old dinosaurs and faceless corporations are on the out and retailers who place people and community at the heart of their business are on the up.”

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S T O C K U P I N T I M E F O R C H R I S TM A S W I T H T H O U G H T F U L D E S I G N-L E D G I F T S F R O M W I L D & W O L F CONTACT US: T: +44 (0) 1225 789909 SALES@WILDANDWOLF.COM WWW.WILDANDWOLF.CO.UK

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Retail Face To Face: Theo Paphitis Inset: Theo Paphitis is shown in conversation at Autumn Fair with Grace Bowden, Retail Week’s head of contents.

Get Ready For

Seismic Change Among the stand-out, keynote speakers at Autumn Fair was retail entrepreneur and former Dragon Theo Paphitis, who returned to the show for the second consecutive year.

He told delegates that, with so much changing around us in the world today, we need to brace ourselves for a seismic change in the retail industry.

Theo Paphitis has spent his career building and buying businesses spanning retail, property, finance and consumer goods and is the owner of Robert Dyas as well as Rymans and Boux Avenue. So going forward, where are the big opportunities for retailers both large and small?

“What we have all learned about retail over the past 30-40 years is that very little is now relevant,” Theo told Autumn Fair attendees in September. “So much has changed in the way that our customers trade and the habits that they have got themselves into. For example, today’s consumers are promiscuous, and by that I mean that they love you today and move on tomorrow, just with one finger. Click. It’s so easy in terms of products and services.”

He continued: “Disruption is still majorly in existence. If you think what we have seen

Left: Thanks to the internet, consumers have become promiscuous shoppers.

Below: Theo Paphitis is the owner of Robert Dyas as well as Rymans and Boux Avenue.

Below left: Paperchase launched a CVA earlier this year.

so far is disruption, the next five years will put that into the shade. However, wherever there is disruption there is opportunity. When there is nothing going on it’s very tough.

Nowadays, you can grow out of a workspace, a container, an office, a back room, a front room. The opportunities are there for everyone.

All you need is a magic formula - the product, the reason to exist and the ability to reach your customers.”

Asked whether, if he was starting out in business today, he would have shops, Theo admitted that he wouldn’t.

“It’s so easy to get customers today,” he pointed out. “You can reach them in so many different ways. You can reach customers on a global scale and ship to them on the other side of the world, so I would definitely start with an online space. However, that doesn’t mean that my hankering for stores has gone.

I still think that there are opportunities to market and to show your product in the right space at the right cost. But that cost isn’t right at the moment although I believe it will find its level.”

When asked about business rates, he said that with a new government in power, we are back to where we were. “There is no-one in government listening,” he emphasised. “Retail is changing, and the only thing the retail industry has asked the government for in recent years is to control the transition, to make sure that retail is working. However, what we have is a crash landing that will cause irreparable damage to the retail industry. Of course most of us will survive. However, a lot of people won’t. The successive governments have allowed it to happen. We have seen big names disappear off the high street. We have seen businesses struggling with CVAs. And the government says, well that’s evolution, but, in my opinion, they could have controlled it.

They could have made sure we had a soft

landing. Instead, we’re on course for a crash landing that will cause immeasurable damage to the retail industry.”

He underlined that for small businesses to be successful they will need to have a desire to be different, to offer customer experiences and to have affordable product.

“Retailers will also have to make sure that their customers can obtain the stock easily in a physical shop or online,” he added. “Don’t accept what you are doing now. Keep your finger on the pulse.”

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Dancing

Retailer Face To Face: Jo Amor

Left: Jo Webber, owner of Jo Amor, was thrilled to receive her Greats trophy in May from Richard Holmwood of Carte Blanche/All Creatures, Independent Gift Retailer of the Year - South West category sponsor.

Below: Jo Amor in Tiverton.

Bottom: Jo and husband Mike.

Queen When Jo Amor was announced as the winner of The Greats 2019 Independent Retailer of the Year South West category, co-owner Jo Webber’s joy was there for all to see. She flew out of her chair with excitement and literally danced her way up to the stage to receive her trophy!

PG&H headed to Tiverton to meet a true retail ‘great’ who first opened her doors 26 years ago and has continued to see the business go from strength to strength.

For such a passionate retailer, winning a Greats award in May was a pinnacle for Jo Webber, (a graduate in fashion and textile design), who has spent getting on for three decades in retail as the founder of Jo Amor, which she co-owns with her husband Mike (a former dairy and sheep farmer).

“We won the award on Wednesday May 15, and three days later, on Saturday May 18, we held a big party at the shop for our customers, popping open the champagne and handing round slices of celebratory cake. We organised a lucky dip - everyone went home with something - and we had people coming in to hug the trophy. It was our best day ever. There was such an amazingly strong vibe, with our customers totally feeling part of our world and wanting to celebrate with us.”

Continues Jo: “Today, the award sits on the main shop counter and I’m still so thrilled to have won it.

In fact, when I first brought it back I couldn’t put it down, so much so that the staff were convinced that I was going to take it to bed with me!”

In fact, retail has been Jo’s life since she opened Jo Amor in 1993 at 28 Bampton Street, taking on

an 18th century building in the bustling market town of Tiverton in mid-Devon, and expanding into the two adjacent shops over the ensuring two decades. Today, the three outlets are all inter-connecting, giving Jo Amor an eye-catching, unmissable frontage that is a magnet for locals.

“Expanding into No 26 ten years down the line was a big turning point for us because we were able to expand our product sectors,” explains Jo. “At the time, in 2003, we sold womenswear, fashion accessories and jewellery, but with a second adjacent outlet, we were able to move into menswear, as well as baby and children’s products.”

Six years ago, Jo and Mike acquired their third adjacent shop, No 24A, where they expanded into lifestyle and opened a café selling coffee, cake and juices. “Our

growth has been very gentle and steady,” Jo points out.

She says that Mike, who joined Jo in the business when she took on the third shop, has been her rock. “We love working together as we look after different aspects of the business. While I do the research, the buying, the window displays and the in store merchandising, Mike keeps everything else ticking away behind the scenes.”

With Jo such a tour de force, Jo Amor attracts a loyal local customer base as well as tourists. “We’re always happy and make the shopping experience lots of fun,” she emphasises. “Our customers have become our friends, and we encourage them to treat the shop as their home, popping into a cubicle to try something on before they buy, or stopping by for coffee and cake in our café.”

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Retailer Face To Face: Jo Amor It’s her constant presence in the shop that has also helped to build up an enviable following on social media where Jo – who describes herself as “passionate, enthusiastic and creative” - invites people into her Jo Amor world. She regularly posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, keeping in touch with her customers when she and Mike are buying at trade shows, and posting images of what they’ve seen while they’re away. Earlier this year for example, Jo ran an Easter promotion on social media #bunnyshopping campaign. It ran on Instagram and Facebook in the two weeks leading up to the event, and featured a wide selection of gifts, cards, books and fashion in fun and engaging ways.

However, what really sets Jo apart as a retailer, is that last year, to tie-in with the children’s books she sells in the shop, Jo acted on a customer’s advice to read little

ones a bedtime story on Instagram. It has morphed into Jo A Story, with Jo - herself a mum of three adult sons - reading a story to camera between 5.30pm - 6.30pm.

“Children and their mums sit down to watch it after bathtime,” she comments. “It’s a bit random, but then, all of our social media activity is based on our gut feeling.”

On the product front, she says that she and Mike are very Londonesque with their buying. They visit all the major UK shows Spring Fair, Autumn Fair, Top Drawer and Home & Gift in Harrogate - as well as clothes shows Ciff and Revolver in Copenhagen, and Pure and Scoop in London. “In fashion, those shows are our market,” she highlights.

Whatever the show, she goes with six key colours in mind - relevant to the season

- and says she does things “Jo’s way”, with her selections in gifts, lifestyle, fashion and fashion accessories, jewellery, books, nursery and children’s and greeting cards complementing each other wherever possible.

“I love different textures and I’m drawn to quirky things, preferring to buy in stories and brands.”

So what’s currently trending? “Hair bands from Black Colour have been a huge hit this year, a brand we source in Copenhagen,” she confirms. “Plus, in jewellery, Suzie Blue and Joma continue to be our on trend best sellers.”

A big trend recently has, of course, been sustainability, a sector that has grown hugely since Jo invested in six Chilly’s bottles at Spring Fair 18 months ago. “After placing the order, we agonised over whether or not we had done the right thing, but following their huge success, we’re now placing rather large orders every two weeks!” Other sustainable winners include bamboo coffee cups from eCoffee, as well as eco-friendly bamboo baby products, and bamboo socks from men’s clothing company Thought, and eco-friendly children’s clothing from Frugi.

At July’s Home & Gift in Harrogate, Jo and Mike also discovered a range of sustainable hot and cold bottles from Swig, distributed by Valerie Graham, as well as

Jo Amor: How It All Began l Before Jo Webber opened Jo Amor, she organised pop-up shops in people’s homes. l With a fashion design background, her first range of products were colourful hand painted

T-shirts, designed by Jo, which were subsequently complemented with children’s leggings which she sourced from a wholesaler in London. l Subsequently, Jo opened Jo Amor in 1993, with two adjacent shops bolted on in 2003 and 2013.

Left: ‘Dancing Queen’ Jo is shown hugging her award.

Below: Fashion is a big part of the product mix.

Far left: Chilly’s re-usable bottles are continuing to be a huge seller.

wine cups with different shapes and prints from the same supplier. “We also noticed that there was a lot of emphasis on products without packaging from suppliers that included Bomb Cosmetics,” Jo highlights. “We buy naked soaps where possible, and a lot of products we stock now are vegan, with unwrapped greeting cards gaining ground too. In fact, sustainability is a growth area across the board and one that we want expand.”

Aside from sourcing and buying, one of Jo’s other favourite roles at Jo Amor is display and merchandising. “We change our windows every two weeks, telling a ‘story’ and showing the different price points across lifestyle, womenswear, menswear and children’s,” she explains.

Born and bred in Tiverton, Jo is also proud to raise money for local charities by holding two fashion shows a year. “We hire a local hall and get six people to model our clothes and accessories,” she highlights.

With Christmas around the corner, Jo can’t wait to see what customers think of her selections, which span all ages so that there really is something for everyone. “The six weeks leading up to Christmas are the most important of the year, cushioning us through January and February,” Jo states.

“We start our buying at Home & Gift in July, and this year, we placed 19 orders at the show.”

Is she worried about the outcome of Brexit? “Thankfully business has been very positive this year, and rather than worrying about it, we prefer to concentrate on what’s in front of us,” she says pragmatically.

“Over the years, we’ve learned that while it’s lovely to follow your dream you have to be realistic. Business is a passion, an adventure, but it doesn’t happen on its own,” she smiles. “You have to put a lot of ‘you’ into making it work!”

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Come and see us at HARROGATE XMAS & GIFT STAND Q18

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TRENDS: NUTCRACKERS

A Christmas Cracker As Christmas gets closer, there are nutcrackers and nutcracker-themed gifts aplenty to celebrate the festive season across diverse formats.

Products range from traditional and not so traditional figurines, to scented candles, cookie jars, wall plaques and Christmas cards.

Right: A Nordic nutcracker figurine from Enesco’s Heartwood Creek collection.

Above: One of two Nutcracker book titles from House of Marbles.

Above: A nutcracker-themed plaque from PMC. Left: Among the nutcrackers in Gisela Graham’s Fairy Tales collection.

Right: KitchenCraft’s wooden soldier nutcracker from the company’s The Nutcracker collection.

Right: The Royal Nutcracker: a new home fragrance from Village Candle.

Below right: A Cracking Christmas from Toasted Crumpet.

Right: Banging the drum, a duo of nutcrackers from Premier Decorations.

Below: Widdop and Co’s Christmas Santa Express nutcracker cookie jar.

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A Jewel

Retail Face To Face: Bjouled, Harrogate Below left: Tracey Rushton-Thorpe collected The Greats award for Best Jewellery & Fashion Accessories, on behalf of Bijouled, from Alex Machin, director of Hot Tomato, category sponsor.

Below right: Bijouled’s Harrogate in Bloom award winning shop window.

Bottom: Jewellery is still a major part of Bijouled’s product mix.

Of A Shop Earlier this year, Bijouled was announced as the winner of the Best Gift Retailer of Jewellery & Fashion Accessories category at The Greats Awards, with owner Georgina Collins thrilled to hear the shop’s name announced.

So what gives this gem of a shop on Harrogate’s Parliament Street the cutting edge when it comes to not just jewellery and fashion accessories, but display too? PG&H paid Bijouled a visit.

2019 is turning out to be a very special year businesswise for Bijouled and founder and owner Georgina Collins. Not only did Bijouled win a prestigious Greats trophy (“It has meant so much to me and to the business”) but the shop also received the gold premier award for its summer window as part of the Harrogate in Bloom shop window competition.

A further exciting new development this year has been the launch of Darling Divas, a company Georgina has co-founded with Irish designer Clare Jordan. “We have sold Clare’s products for 14 years, and, over the past few years have worked with Clare on our award winning window displays,” Georgina highlights.

“Forming a company together was the natural next stage. Under the Darling Divas umbrella we have produced calendars and sparkling, environmentally friendly greeting cards that celebrate sassy women and vintage style. They are designed to lift your spirits and make you smile, and I’m delighted to say that they are selling really well in the shop, and we have now started to wholesale them across the UK.” But far from losing sight of the jewellery and fashion accessories side of Bijouled, Georgina remains as

passionate as ever. “I was brought up with jewellery and was heavily influenced by my late father, who was a jewellery designer and manufacturer in Manchester,” she explains. “I opened a gift shop in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, in 2005, and then opened Bijouled in Harrogate in 2008. Having worked in local government and education for 20 years, most recently as a lead inspector for the Adult Learning Inspectorate - now part of Ofsted - I decided to make a significant career change after having a car accident. It was a risk, but often positive things come out of bad experiences and I had to learn about retail very quickly,” she smiles.

The original concept of Bijouled was to provide unusual, hard to find, design-led products within an ambience that would give customers a special shopping experience. “I wanted to give customers a feast for the senses,” states Georgina (who describes herself as “imaginative, driven and alternative”). “They are mainly women of all ages who appreciate design and want to stand out from the crowd. Plus, in Harrogate, over half of our customers are visitors, therefore it’s important that we give them an experience to remember so that they will also want to shop on our website when they return home.”

She continues: “Hopefully, they appreciate the many aspects of Bijouled, Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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Retail Face To Face: Bjouled, Harrogate particularly the products we sell, our merchandising, the warm atmosphere, the music we play, the décor, our window displays and the customer service we provide.” And, of course, it’s always the initial impression that counts. “It means a lot to me when customers react with delight to the overall feel of the shop when they first come in, and to the products they find when they explore different sections of the shop. We also work very hard at trying to replicate this feeling of delight and surprise for our online customers - around 30% of our customer base - with the way we package and personalise our website orders.”

Of course, keeping things fresh is paramount.

“Changing our product portfolio and attracting interest is critical and challenging as customers are looking for something different and unusual when they visit Bijouled,” points out Georgina. “We have a lot of customers who come into the shop looking for presents, subsequently deciding to buy themselves a present at the same time! In fact, self-gifting is something we support absolutely!”

In line with many other gift retailers, Georgina says that there has been a big shift towards fashion accessories this year. “We have seen a huge interest in hair accessories and in the type of products that brands such as One Hundred Stars and Powder bring to market. Additionally, we still continue to sell jewellery across a range of brands, styles, price points and materials, including Vivienne Westwood, Treaty, Zsiska, Tatty Devine and Konplott. As customers often come into the shop for one brand, or for one type of

The Loveliest Time Of The Year With Christmas around the corner, Georgina says that she always looks forward with confidence to the festive season, but adds that she has had to make her buying and targets more realistic this year because of current political and economic uncertainty. “The value of the £pound and rising supplier costs have already impacted on our buying considerably and it is a difficult balancing act knowing how much of these extra costs to pass on to consumers.

We will therefore be buying products that we know do really well, and will be sprinkling in a bit of Bijouled magic and surprise for our customers. As for our Christmas windows, we keep our customers waiting in anticipation for as long as possible before revealing our themes which helps to build the anticipation and excitement!”

On a personal note, Georgina reveals that Bijouled’s last Christmas window raised over £5000 to support the local brain tumour research charity The PPR Foundation. “We chose this charity as my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year, and we are also donating a percentage of the profits from our new Darling Divas cards to The PPR Foundation. I am a firm believer that working with others in this way makes us stronger.”

Above and right: A greeting card and calendar in Bijouled’s new Darling Divas range.

Below: The eye-catching Clare Jordan wall.

material, such as silver or resin, we continue to offer a wide choice of jewellery to suit all tastes and purse sizes.

We research extensively and travel widely to find new suppliers where there is unique design behind the product. It is also very important for us to have supplier loyalty, good service and exclusivity arrangements.”

But although the products have changed significantly over the years in line with consumer spending, trends, the suppliers and a determination to differentiate, Georgina is

proud to still sell Azuni and Butler & Wilson, the first two brands she chose when she first started out. “But like all retailers, we have to keep changing our offer and have therefore started selling more greeting cards. People will always buy a card if nothing else and often buy several at the same time.”

Display is a crucial element in the ongoing success of Bijouled, with Georgina on course to need a trophy cabinet! As she puts it herself: “We have a little shop but like to dream big with our displays. We spend a lot of time planning our windows and merchandising, with the aim of attracting new customers as well as delighting existing customers who now look forward to our creations.” So where does the inspiration come from? “It comes from many sources often when I am not looking for it - and it’s a little bit scary inside my head,” she laughs.

In line with most retailers today, she is very aware of the demand for sustainable products. “It is increasingly becoming a question people ask about, that influences their buying choices, and is a significant growth area. We hope that there will be more choice for retailers and consumers in the future across a much wider range of products, particularly jewellery. It was for this reason that we wanted our own Darling Divas cards to have biodegradable glitter.”

Georgina enthuses that over the past 14 years she has loved owning a shop. “It has given me such a unique life experience and freedom to be myself. I have met so many people, faced failure and success, learned every day and laughed and cried in equal measure. The best piece of business advice that was given to me was to keep learning, to never become complacent and to not be afraid of changing direction in order to improve and survive. I’ve taken it on board and I’m delighted to say that I’m still loving the journey!”

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Spotlight On... Bath & Body

Pure & Simple There’s seems to be only one question on the lips of gift retailers when they’re sourcing bath and body products: do they tick the sustainable demands of customers?

As more and more suppliers look to introduce unwrapped bars of soaps, bars of shampoo and bars of body wash, it’s clearly time to go more eco-friendly but also, to think about how good they are for wellness and mindfulness.

Inset: Wellness and mindfulness are currently big trends in giftware.

At the recent Autumn trade shows, there was a great deal of emphasis on bath and body products that are eco-friendly and without unnecessary packaging.

“It’s important to respond to public demand, and with our new bath and body and wellness ranges we’re doing exactly that,” states Xystos director Tom Sykes. Earlier this year, the company signed agreements with three brands - Faith in Nature, Winter in Venice and Grace Cole - to distribute their pampering products in the UK and Ireland, responding to the demand for more flameless fragrance product, greater sustainability and less plastic packaging.

“We already had The Naked Bee ecofriendly bath and body range in our portfolio, but we wanted other lines with similar credentials,” Tom explains. “Faith in Nature’s conditioners, body and hand washes, shampoos and handmade soaps feature natural beauty products using the highest quality, cruelty-free ingredients of 99% natural origin, with 100% natural fragrance.

The plants are chosen for their healing qualities and the products are made with organic essential oils and are free from parabens, SLS and MI. They are also suitable for vegans and recycled bottles are always used when available. Plus, the

company’s hand soaps can either be bought wrapped or unwrapped, with those consumer choosing the unwrapped version saving 20p on the RRP,” points out Tom. Winter in Venice too, is renowned for its reusable gifting ideas, and was one of the first UK brands to remove all parabens from its natural products. All products are enriched with butters, oils, vitamins and fruit extracts.

At Best Kept Secrets, soaps are natural, and handmade in the company’s UK factory, with a huge increase in sales, not only due to the rise in people with Above: Faith In Nature uses high quality natural ingredients.

Right: Among the natural, handmade soaps from Best Kept Secrets.

Below: Box of Treats from Winter in Venice.

sensitive skin, but also the backlash against plastic waste which includes soap pumps.

“There’s clear evidence that customers are turning away from liquid soaps because of the plastic packaging content,” points out managing director Vanessa Curry. “There is a noticeable return to solid soap, subject to the soap being made with natural products including essential oils. Moneywise too, you get more longevity from a bar of soap than from a pump soap.”

At Heathcote & Ivory, sustainability is key, with consumers moving towards more ecoconsidered packaging and environmentally friendly formulations.

“Ranges that carry a ‘story’ about their ethically sourced origin are becoming increasingly popular, with British made products seeming to be more important than ever before for retailers to offer,” says the company’s marketing, PR and business development manager Amanda Pullen.

She says that the company has taken these demands to another level this season with the launch of By the Sea. “The veganfriendly collection is not only made in the UK but the bottles and tubes are made from sustainably sourced sugarcane, with a low carbon footprint, and are 100% recyclable.

The collection has been enriched with seaweed complex extracts and has been Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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Spotlight On... Bath & Body

With Men In Mind

designed to capture both energy and calm,” highlights Amanda.

Meanwhile, Widdop and Co’s marketing manager Sue Grant says that the bath and body sector has a responsibility to move towards sustainability and accountability.

“This trend is reflected in our new releases from The Aromatherapy Co. The company manufactures using sustainable palm oil and organic ingredients wherever possible.

All body care products are also free from parabens, sodium laurel sulphates and mineral oils, and all aromatherapy products use natural essential oils including lavender, clary sage, mandarin, sweet lime and many other sustainable plants and naturally occurring resources.”

Included in the range are new hand and body lotions, essential oils, hand creams and hand and body washes, which are all available in natural fragrances.

Arran Aromatics too, say that their customers are increasingly conscious of the impact on the environment, both in terms of content and packaging, as well as being mindful of what they are using on their skin.

Men’s grooming products have really taken off in recent years, with Arran Aromatics launching a new men’s bag in time for Christmas that features the most popular products from the company’s Lochranza and Machrie ranges.

Additionally, men haven’t been forgotten in the personal care offering from Winter in Venice, with products including a reusable bedside coin tray infused with natural extract of seaweed.

Also focusing on men’s toiletries is Grace Cole, with the company’s The Luxury Bathing Company’s premium fragrance pampering range featuring Pour Homme Classic and Pour Homme Sport products.

(Both ranges are distributed by Xystos).

Below: Lochranza from Arran Aromatics.

“Our collection of soaps are all gift boxed, with the materials coming from sustainably managed forests with the ingredients responsibly sourced too,” comments head of wholesale, Rachael Robson-Green.

Joelle Engolia, senior marketing executive at Wild & Wolf, says that the resurgence of soap bars has been the latest example of a more environmentally friendly practice, as the soaps reduce plastic waste through less packaging, as well as enabling people to use less water than when washing with liquid soap.

“Our V&A Soap on a Ribbon offers three scent options - Orchard Pear, Wild Gardenia and Forest Oak featuring embossed flower details from

Above: Wild & Wolf’s V&A Soap on a Ribbon.

Left: Heathcote & Ivory’s new By The Sea collection.

Below: The Aromatherapy Co from Widdop and Co. Bottom: A Beauty of Bath soap from The Somerset Toiletry Company has a festive theme.

William Morris prints, with each soap finished off with a blue ribbon.”

Another company that is focusing on reducing its plastic waste is The Somerset Toiletry Company. “As the humble soap bar continues to make a comeback, we have designed a range of paper-wrapped soap bars in both contemporary and traditional designs,” comments marketing and PR manager Lisa Moon. “We are also exploring solid shampoo bars as the demand for minimal packaging continues to increase. In fact, we currently have over 60 gifts in our range which are plastic-free including soap bars, candles and bath salts and we plan to grow this over time.”

Lisa continues: “Going forward we plan to reduce our use of plastic packaging through introducing reused plastic in our product packaging (PCR/PIR) and ensuring that all of our plastics are commonly recyclable. We are also adding Break Down Plastic (BDP), a revolutionary organic polymer to degrade plastic waste within a few years without impacting recyclability should it end up in landfill.”

Sustainability has also always been extremely important to Sting In the Tail. “Last year we Continued on page 45

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Spotlight On... Bath & Body celebrated 25 years in business and have always used recycled or re-useable packaging wherever possible, so we have had a bit of a head start!” confirms the company’s owner Katie Holmes. “In fact, we will be cutting down on unnecessary packaging even more next year while keeping the practical needs of retailers in mind.”

Continues Katie: “We pack all of our products in house and know the origin of every component. Last year we introduced a new feature to our brochure that gives a breakdown of product and component origination and the packaging

Left: Sting In The Tail’s Surfer’s shampoo and body bar from the company’s Rough Enough range.

materials used. However, we have to take care to comply with the current regulations while responding to customer demands for more raw product. It can be a tricky path to tread, particularly with the regulatory unknowns that this year is about to throw at us.”

She adds that sales of solid soap and shampoo bars are very strong, with the company’s new range of natural bath salts with flower petals, bath teas and facial steams a change in direction. “Inevitably, these products

do have a higher price point, due to the ingredients used, but we think this is a growing trend and they merchandise well with our bars of solid soap and shampoo.”

With gift retailers keen to meet consumer demands, it’s encouraging that so many leading bath and body companies are rising to the challenge, with sustainability topping the agenda.

Ot her Trends To Look Out For Above: Fresh Faced For All Occasions from La De Da! Living.

Left: Mad Beauty’s limited edition Barbie radio set is among the company’s products celebrating Barbie’s 60th anniversary.

Below: The Eloise Hall collection.

At Mad Beauty, PR and marketing manager Sarah Hague says that the company is seeing an increasing demand for nostalgia and value for money. “For example, our new Disney and Barbie’s anniversary range provides nostalgia, combined with good quality cosmetics, bath and body and toiletries, either as gift packs or single units.”

Sarah adds that sheet face masks are also seeing phenomenal sales which has led to the company adding them to its Disney range, with Star Wars, Marvel and Frozen sheet masks new for AW19.

Also doing well with face sheet masks is La De Da! Living, which recently launched Fresh Faced For All Occasions.

Explains director Dominique FracassoStroud: “Personal gifts are paramount for any business during the Autumn/Winter season, with beauty and cosmetics leading the market at the moment, so we have combined this sector with a personal gift element to produce the perfect pamper treat at a price where it’s an impulse pickup purchase.” Continues Dominique: “Stocking fillers, Secret Santa gifts and

little top-up gifts have all been covered with this range.”

Meanwhile, Wild & Wolf’s senior marketing executive, Joelle Engolia, says that shoppers will not only be on the lookout for beauty/grooming gifts but also those that are sustainable and serve as a wellness solution. “Two of our brand new products fit the trends, with V&A lines featuring serene prints from J.H. Dearle and William Morris, along with a wellness/self care kit featuring J.H. Dearle’s seaweed print. Products include a Forest Oak scented hand cream, lip balm and eye mask to provide a day-today calming, mindful break.”

Eloise Hall, founder of her eponymous company Eloise Hall, adds that within the wellness sector, consumers are demanding more accountability. “In addition to an interest in products with natural ingredients and no mineral oils or parabens there is a growing demand for vegan products,” she comments, “with our new hand care range both natural and vegan friendly. Unisex fragrances too, are experiencing growth, and with this in mind our Contentment hand wash and hand cream have been developed for use by both sexes. Also, the mood created by the products provides a great hook for consumers. They buy into our products due to their therapeutic benefits and will buy on the basis of what type of mood they're hoping to achieve.”

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NEW Ranges Launching

D e s i g n - l e d

Candlelight Products Ltd, Ustun House, Waddington Way, Aldwarke, Rotherham S65 3SH 01709 723000 | contact@candlelight.co.uk | www.candlelight.co.uk

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest bath and body gift products to be showcased this month Fruit Works Now available from Xystos are Coconut & Lime and Rhubarb & Pomegranate, two of the tantalising fragrances from Grace Cole’s Fruit Works range of bath and shower gels, body mists and hand and body lotions. The cocktail of moisturising and energising treatments is designed to leave the skin refreshed and revived. RRP £16.

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email: sales@xystos.co.uk Web: www.xystostrade.co.uk

Cool Cello Diamond Black (pictured) is one of the new Cello ultrasonic diffusers from flame and fragrance

Pampering Treats

specialist Xystos. Used with a range of gloriously

Winter in Venice’s Spring Mist and White Tea House of Treats, available from Xystos,

scented essential oils, they enable users to enjoy a

is packed with pampering products infused with

continuous fountain of cool, fragranced mist, or an

bergamot extracts in reusable house-shaped

intermittent burst. There is also a colour-changing

packaging. There are 10 items – bath salts, hand

light mode. Modern and on trend, the range also

lotion, body scrub, hand wash, body lotion, shower

includes Glistening Glass, Neptune, Diamond

gel, bubble bath, body butter, bath soap and body

White, Cactus and Pineapple. RRP £44.99.

wash. Its neighbour, the Grapefruit and Peony

Xystos

House of Treats is equally luxurious and filled with

Tel: 0191 499 1570

an array of bath and body products. With Christmas

Email: sales@xystos.co.uk

on the horizon, Winter in Venice’s Striped Advent

Web: www.xystostrade.co.uk

Calendar is a strong seller. It contains a variety of pampering items infused with natural extracts of sage, nectarine blossom, bergamot and neroli.

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 E-mail: sales@xystos.co.uk Web: www.xystostrade.co.uk

Making Scents …

Naturally

Bathing Beauties The Grace Cole Luxury Bathing Company and Boutique with

Faith in Nature uses the

Love ranges are bang on trend. The premium bath and

highest quality, cruelty-

beauty product fragrances include bergamot, ginger &

free ingredients for its

lemongrass and English pear & nectarine, Owner and ceo

conditioners, body and

Tracy Mort founded the business from her kitchen table in

hand washes,

2007 and it has since garnered numerous business, enterprise

shampoos and

and product awards, with the beautifully packaged collections

handmade soaps. They

found in more than 80 countries.

are of 99% natural

Xystos

origin, with 100%

Tel: 0191 499 1570

natural fragrances,

Email: sales@xystos.co.uk

including Turmeric &

Web: www.xystostrade.co.uk

Lemon, Seaweed & Citrus and Lavender & Geranium (pictured).

Each of its plants is chosen for its healing qualities. The products, distributed by Xystos, are made with organic essential oils, are free from parabens, SLS and MI, and suitable for vegans.

Recycled bottles are used when available. RRPs £2.29-£5.99.

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email: sales@xystos.co.uk Web: www.xystostrade.co.uk

Elegant Lamps Xystos is lighting the way with portable, battery operated, low energy lamps which are available in 27 elegant designs. Also new in the company’s own brand Cello range, as it continues to set the pace in the flame and fragrance market, are striking Edison Lamp melt burners in seven contemporary styles (RRP £29.99), as well as iridescent tea light burners (RRP £9.99). Look out, too, for the Christmas Couture Collection from Shearer Candles, and new pampering products from The Naked Bee. Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 E-mail: sales@xystos.co.uk Web: www.xystostrade.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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Best Kept Secrets Ltd Morpeth, NE61 6JT Tel: 01670 512222 Email: sales@bestkeptsecrets.co.uk Web: www.bestkeptsecrets.co.uk

Seriously Scented

Beautiful Fragrances & Plenty of Sparkle!

Trade Price £3.75 + vat

RRP £8.99

An Extensive Range Of Seriously Scented Fragrances.

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Spotlight On... Valentine’s Day

All You Need Is If you thought that Valentine’s Day was only for sweethearts, then think again. The good news for the gift industry is that the occasion has grown significantly, with people buying gifts for their friends and family, as well as for their partners.

PG&H spoke to some leading suppliers to discover how they will be marking the occasion in 2020.

Although Valentine’s Day will never be as big, or as important as Mother’s Day for gift retailers, the event is gaining ground when it comes to gifting and is becoming more inclusive.

“Valentine’s Day celebrates everyone you love,” says Caroline Gardner’s independent sales manager Luca Bridges. “As an occasion, it’s evolved from people buying gifts for a boyfriend or husband, or a girlfriend or wife, into an occasion where it also works for your friends, parents and relations. For example, nowadays, daughters treat their mums to a gift and vice versa. It

has therefore become a more important occasion for the gift industry. As a company we have moved away from the red heart look to a more modern evolution of hearts, combining them with trends such as leopard print.”

Piers Croke, sales director at Gisela Graham, highlights the company’s wicker hearts.

“They are made for an instant Valentine’s window display and can be decorated with red

TOP DISPLAY TIP l “Look at a promotion around couples, inviting messages to be posted online or in store, with a prize for the best one. Or fill the window with message of love and sentiment.”

Julian Hunt, managing director, Lesser & Pavey

ribbon, or red balloons or faux flowers. It’s one of the great advantages that gift shops have over slow-moving corporate shops being able to create an instant, topical eyecatching shop window.” Adds Piers: “We also have lots of small token gifts that are suitable for the occasion.”

Commenting on the trend for women treating their female friends, Piers adds: “our shophounds tell us that Galentine’s is heading this way from US. It’s Valentine’s for girl BFFs and is celebrated on February 13, with gifts, hearts and a night out. It would seem to be another great opportunity for gift shops,” he points out.

Also staying with hearts is Dunoon.

“Following the success of previous heart designs, we have created Lovehearts on our Cairngorm shape, featuring two mugs in red and blue, enriched with reflective 22ct gold,” comments the company’s sales director

Above: Gisela Graham’s wicker heart.

Left: Caroline Gardner’s Girl On The Go collection.

Right: Lovehearts from Dunoon.

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Spotlight On... Valentine’s Day

Peter Smith. He adds that gold bling is becoming increasingly popular in designs throughout the year, making the mugs an extra special gift for Valentine’s Day. Putting another take on Valentine’s, Sass & Belle’s e-commerce executive, Steph Kaluza, says that with the wider trend of conscious living becoming more apparent, Valentine’s 2020 is moving towards a focus on small gestures instead of grand statements, “for example, going back to basics with hand-finished effects and

purposeful products that can be used throughout the year. Our 2020 Valentine's collection features a simple, handrendered heart design on a range of everyday must haves and reusables. It taps into a more planet-friendly approach when gifting loved ones and embraces a simplistic red and gold colourway.”

Jewellery, of course, is a natural ‘go to’ gift for Valentine’s Day. At Joe Davies, buyer Mary Caputo says that while roses and chocolates have traditionally topped the Valentine’s gift charts, things are changing. “Men are looking for something a little more special that takes a bit more thought, with our Equilibrium red rose collection featuring single red roses plated in rose gold and packaged in luxury branded boxes.”

Candlelight’s on trend Lips & Kisses range meanwhile, features lots of gifts ideas for Valentine’s Day. “The range is very much on trend,” confirms sales director Debbie Isles, “featuring a wide range of candles and reed diffusers, in fragrances such as Pink Bomb and Prosecco, as well as gold footed mugs and double skinned travel mugs.” She adds that gold continues to be a trend in accessories for Valentine’s Day, with gold touches to the Lips & Kisses ceramic coasters, soap dispenser, and hexagonal trinket dish. In addition, there are also gold Top left: Boho Home from Sass & Belle reflects useful, hand finished products.

Top right: The Oh So Charming collection from Lesser & Pavey features lots of pink and gold.

Left: Joe Davies’ Equilibrium red rose collection.

Below: Valentine themed products include Candlelight’s Lips and Kisses, Lashes and Hugs & Kisses collections.

TOP DISPLAY TIP l “Given that the occasion is

dominated by cards and flowers, coupled with last minute panic purchases, it’s essential that retailers highlight their Valentine’s Day gifts with a clear area devoted to Valentine’s Day gifting. Acrylic signage that can be used again with over-sized, inexpensive paper pom poms in a variety of shapes, designs and colours, make an amazing statement in-store.” Sue Grant, marketing manager, Widdop and Co

TOP DISPLAY TIP l “To promote and display a collection of cohesive pieces, use different levels to break up the space, meaning the eye travels through the levels.” Cara Beech, new product manager, PMC

photo frames, mirrors and gold-rimmed glass jewellery boxes featuring the company’s rose lips design. “Hot pinks and golds are certainly the order of the day,” says Debbie, “while striking packaging enhances sales and increases shelf appeal.”

Also highlighting pink and gold is Lesser & Pavey’s Oh So Charming range, licensed from Hearts Design. “It’s pretty, pink and eye-catching,” comments the company’s managing director Julian Hunt.

“Looking fabulous, with messages of love, this range encapsulates everything that we traditionally message in cards.” (Included in the range are fine mugs, gin glasses, candles, key rings, notepads, diffusers and compact mirrors).

Continued on page 53 Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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TOP DRAWER

OLYMPIA : LONDON 12-14 JAN 2020 STAND 301

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Spotlight On... Valentine’s Day Home fragrancing products too, are a Valentine’s staple. “Love is in the air, quite literally, with our Seriously Scented, Just Because occasion, sentiment Valentine's Day candles in our best selling Classic Cotton fragrance, with, of course, our signature sparkles on top,” comments Vanessa Curry, managing director of Best Kept Secrets. “Contrary to popular belief, candle sales hold up very well in Spring as it is the second most important selling season of the year.”

Of course, from a retailer’s perspective, timing is everything. “As Valentine’s Day 2020 falls on a Friday it’s good news for retailers who will be able to profit from the week’s run-up, starting on the previous Saturday,” points out Widdop and Co’s marketing manager Sue Grant. “Building on a trend that’s already apparent within the giftware market, our 2020 trend for Valentine’s Day focuses on cheeky humour.

This is not to take away from the more heartfelt sentiment gifts, but clearly tonguein-cheek humour is a growing trend. From our Now Or Never brand, For Your Eyes Only, products include cute character

TOP DISPLAY TIP l “Can anyone walk past a big bold

Valentine’s display? Therefore displaying product together, offering cards, giftwrap and a giftwrap service, is an ideal combination. Men want to be inspired and have the occasion made easy for them. For retailers working online, the same effect can be created with bold graphics and easy navigation.” Helen Cottrill, marketing director, Enesco

Left: Happy Valentine’s Day from Best Kept Secrets.

Below: PMC’s Gin To My Tonic range.

Below left: Widdop and Co’s Hugs & Kisses cushion from the Now or Never For Your Eyes Only collection.

Below right: A heart design BambooCup, distributed by Blue Eyed Sun. Bottom: For Enesco, a new range from Jim Shore will be among the company’s key Valentine’s items.

designs with a wicked twist, as well as mugs with a secret message when hot liquid is added, and X-ray specs photo frames.”

Blending contemporary products with design and personalisation, PMC supplies a large range of Valentine’s and Galentine’s gifts. “We’ve recently launched strong ranges with a touch of humour, which have proven popular among our customers, with more designs and products on the way,” says the company’s new product manager Cara Beech.

TOP DISPLAY TIP l “Cross-merchandising is perfect for creating interesting and engaging shelves, and also makes it easier for customers to shop. Having, for example, candles, reed diffusers and ornaments that complement each other in one place can increase individual customer spend.” Debbie Isles, sales director, Candlelight

Meanwhile, staying with the traditional is Enesco: “We still find Valentine’s Day a very traditional occasion, with consumers carefully considering their gift choice to find something unique and relevant to the individual,” says marketing director Helen Cottrill. “We’re therefore seeing extremely strong sales of all our licensed products with a romantic theme. Adding to a collection that your loved one has is a thoughtful and well received gift,” points out Helen. “A new range from Jim Shore will be one of our key Valentine’s 2020 items. Plus, we still see consumers wanting to see reds, hearts, roses and gold accents, with cuteness key too.”

Of course, with more and more consumers demanding products that are ecofriendly, re-usable products are a must.

At Blue Eyed Sun, managing director Jeremy Corner says that the company is seeing more environmentally friendly alternatives emerging in the Valentine space. “Within our best-selling BambooCup brand, we have a fresh design with pinks, blues and golds alongside traditional red that will definitely be a popular Valentine gift for consumers who are looking for something loving that can be reused.”

With Valentine’s Day spreading its wings, and becoming a much wider occasion, showing love and appreciation for more than just a significant other is great news for the gift industry, with room for a more diverse range of products at a peak time. From a retailer perspective, it would seem that gifts to keep an eye out for are fun yet practical, with heart designs that are more relaxed, while reflecting the romantic theme of the occasion.

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for Valentine's Day gift ideas to be showcased this month You Light Up My World Valentine’s day is fast approaching and with love in mind, Best Kept Secrets have extended their ever increasing line of ‘Just Because’ scented candles. This year someone special could be lucky enough to receive a Love You To The Moon And Back, You Light Up My World, I Love You or You Are My Sunshine Classic Cotton scented candle. Always handmade, these sparkly candles will make a delightful gift for a loved one this Valentine’s Day. Best Kept Secrets

Gin Glasses Launch

Tel: 01670 512 222

Enesco has four new glasses launching

Email: sales@bestkeptsecrets.co.uk

in the Lolita collection - Butterfly,

Web: www.bestkeptsecrets.co.uk

Ladybug, My Drinking Garden and Dragonfly. Each Copa gin glass is instantly recognisable as being from the ever-growing Lolita range, using

Delightful Doggy Designs

Lolita’s signature style of bright bold

Shrieking Violet have added

colours with ‘blinged-up’

some new designs of dog breeds

embellishments. Dragonfly measures

including this gorgeous French

20.0cm and is presented in a branded

bulldog. Other popular pooches

gift box. With an SRP of £28.00, this

include a west highland terrier and a

new gin glass, along with other items

daschund. Visit our website to see

in the collection from Lolita, is available

so much more.

Shrieking Violet Tel: +44 (0) 20 8521 9151 Email: sales@shriekingviolet.co.uk Web: www.flowerjewellery.com

to order via the website.

Bathing Bliss

Enesco

Xystos is now supplying the Grace Cole Luxury

Tel: 01228 404022

Bathing Company and Boutique ranges.

Email: uksales@enesco.co.uk

Launched in 2007 with a mission to produce

Web: www.enesco.co.uk

premium bath and beauty products, it has garnered numerous business, enterprise and product awards, with the beautifully packaged collections found in over 80 countries. The spring/summer and autumn/winter ranges were seen on the Xystos stand at the Autumn Fair. Fragrances include Bergamot, Ginger & Lemongrass and English Pear & Nectarine.

RRPs £5-£25.

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email: sales@xystos.co.uk Web: www.xystostrade.co.uk

Marvellous Milly The gorgeous new Floria collection jewellery from Miss Milly features a stunning seasonal palette, including hot orange, cranberry red and grape purple. A new foiled paper resin finish adds depth and sparkle, and the designs are as eye-catching and affordable as always. Plus, there’s brand new winter weight scarves and stylish purses. Great quality and efficient, friendly service. £100 minimum with no MOQs. Branded packaging and display stands available. Register online or call for trade login.

Miss Milly Tel: 01905 622509 Email: hello@missmilly.co.uk Web: www.missmilly.co.uk

Hand Painted Vases Why should the flowers have all the fun! Award winning Sunny by Sue has recently added these stunning, individually hand painted vases to their extensive range of unique glassware. Great for beautiful freshly cut flowers but also perfect for Christmas decorations and festive table arrangements. Available in five gorgeous designs perfectly created in the distinctive Sunny

by Sue style.

East West (Europe) Tel: 01442 205 636 Email: info@eastwest.co.uk Web: www.eastwest.co.uk.

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Spotlight On... Pets Gifts

Going The pet market, predicted to be worth some £7bn in the UK in 2020/2021, is excitedly wagging its tail when it comes to giftware, with many of the leading gift suppliers eagerly making the most of a trend that is expanding in leaps and bounds.

With Christmas-themed gifts for pet lovers on the agenda, along with gifts for pets themselves, PG&H discovered some of the purr-fect humorous and cute gifts that will be finding their way into Christmas stockings for both furry friends and their owners.

Along with friends and family, it’s no secret that pets are right at the top of the list when it comes to Christmas gift giving.

As Rod O’Mahony, director, Transomnia, says: “Pets are hugely important in the fabric of British lives, and therefore also in the UK giftware market. But although pet-related products are bought for pet-owning families and friends as gifts, they are also very often bought as self-purchases too.”

Crackers

Left: A pet plaque from Transomnia for the coming season.

Below right: Splosh’s hanging dog plaque from the Precious Pets range.

Bottom left: A sentiment gift in Widdop and Co’s Best of Breed range.

He continues: “While these products can be purely or mostly functional - bowls, leads etc. - there is a large and growing market for the whimsical and humorous in this sector, often with a wry take on the perceived relationship between owner and pet. This will often play on the contrast between who’s nominally in charge (the owner), and who really runs the show (the pet, naturally!), or who is most important to the owner their spouse, or their pet! With our strength in text-based signs, Transomnia’s large range of cat and dogrelated gifts explore the relationship in various ways,” highlights Rod. “New additions this season include humorous cat and dog bamboo travel eco-cups - which nails two trends in one mugs and animal-shaped signs. Sentiment also has a big role, with several products emphasising the unshakeable bond between owner and pet, and the part the latter plays in making a house a home.”

At Widdop and Co, marketing manager Sue Grant concurs that pet ownership is at an all time high, with pet gifts currently

one of the fastest growing markets. “People are willing to spend as much, if not more, on their pets than on friends and family,” she suggests.

“Our best-selling pet brand, Best of Breed, features a new range of gifts for pet owners as well as functional pet accessories, with an updated look featuring watercolour illustrations depicting the nation’s favourite dog and cat breeds. The dog breeds mugs all come with a list of fun facts too.”

For pet owners, the company also has a range of humorous animal-themed mini plaques, featuring tongue-in-cheek sentiments, complete with a branded countertop display, as well as new matching home accessories to include throw cushions, a dog lead hook rack and photo frames. The company also offers luxury ceramic treat pots, with sustainable, fresh-seal bamboo lids and stoneware food bowls.

As Sue points out, “consumers are looking for something light-hearted and heart-warming to match the individual personality of their pets or the pets of the people they are buying for.”

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Grow A Christmas Elf & Santa

Fun Games

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Spotlight On... Pets Gifts Left: Among the wooden plaques in Boxer Gifts’ Chatterwall sentiments collection.

Below right: Lesser & Pavey’s new Faithful Friends range.

Below left: One of two designs in Really Good’s new pet storage tins.

Xystos director Tom Sykes comments that while Brits are potty about their pooches and cats, they can nevertheless see the funny side of indulgent behaviour toward their four-legged friends. “That’s why they are prepared to spend money on pet-related products which bear self-deprecating as well as loving messages,” he comments. Among these is the Splosh hanging dog plaque from the Precious Pets range, which also features an image of the breed named on the plaque.

There are also pictures of dogs and cats on Splosh Precious Pets mugs, which carry

sentimental inscriptions, as do photo frames in the range.

Xystos is also distributing Splosh Art of Cats products which have images of furry friends on mugs, cushions, journals and notebooks, tote bags and sticky notes as well as Splosh Adopt a Doorstop pieces.

Adds Tom: “Many people regard their dogs and cats as being part of the family and so this market continues to grow. As animal lovers not only buy presents for their pets, but increasingly for themselves too, this sector will become very important to retailers who appreciate its potential.”

Boxer meanwhile, has some fun, decorative, pet-based wall plaques that are included in the company’s new Chatterwall sentiments range. “Pets do the funniest things, so it’s only right that animal-themed gifts express the love and humour that pets bring to our everyday lives,” says managing director Thomas O’Brien. “Our wooden plaques are cat and dog themed, and make an ideal gift for animal lovers and their pets.

They feature bright colours with a laser cut design which means they also make a statement in the home.” He adds: “we also have two very cute puppies included in our

Did You Know...? l Around half of all UK households

own at least one pet, with dogs and cats accounting for the vast majority. l Over 90% of pet owners say that owning a pet makes them feel happy, while 88% feel that pet ownership improves their overall quality of life.

(Source: Transomnia)

range of ‘Grow a’ toys, which means that the recipient can grow their own pug or French bulldog. When they are put into water, they grow up to six times bigger, and make a great novelty gift for dog lovers and a great pocket money spend for little ones.”

Fiona Burge, key account manager at Really Good/Soul, emphasises that pet gifts need to engage with the consumer. “If it’s not cute, then it needs to be fun and relatable, with our Stuff and Nonsense range hitting the mark - humour brought to the gift line in a mug and coaster. Having had phenomenal success with our Bright Side Continued on page 61

Practical & Personalised Personalised pet gifts are continuing to go from strength to strength, and new from PMC for Autumn/Winter is a personalised pet Advent calendar, a personalised pet microfiber towel, and a personalised pet feeding mat, with a luxury personalised Christmas line on its way. In fact, the company confirms that it will be expanding its pet category in 2020.

“We understand that our customer base is looking for a very practical, quality gift that can be given for the most serious occasion, but also as a tongue-in-cheek gift,” explains new product manager Cara Beech. “Our product and design teams have therefore taken the best licenses and original designs to create a range of contemporary, unique and humorous gifts. An example is the personalised Rachel Hale licence that has cheeky, hilarious designs that speak directly to our Generation Z customers. We offer a vast pet bowl range, pet mats and towels as well as gifts that work for animal loving friends, such as our personalised puppy milestone cards.”

Meanwhile online retailer the Personalised Gifts Shop confirms that company ships hundreds of pet gifts every month, with founder Jane Gokgoz revealing that there has been a huge increase in the number of shoppers buying for their cats and dogs.

“Shoppers aren’t just buying for their cats and dogs at Christmas. They’re also celebrating other significant dates like birthdays and Easter, and are buying new items to replace old, worn out versions, such as food bowls and pet blankets. Choosing a personalised gift does make is special, and if a shopper is giving the present to a pet owner, it shows that they’ve gone the extra mile to buy a gift that will mean something to them.”

Above: Personalised, practical pet giftware from PMC.

Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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- The UK’s leading supplier of Personalised Gifts for 15 years -

personalised memento co - est 2004 -

THE ONE STOP SHOP FOR

Personalised Gifts WWW.PERSONALISEDMEMENTO.CO.UK

sales@personalisedmemento.co.uk

- For Him - For Her - For Children - For The Home - For All Occasions -

60_GH_Oct Nov 2019.indd 1

28/10/2019 12:53

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Spotlight On... Pets Gifts

tins range, we have continued the tins into new Really Good storage tins which include two pet-related tins which make a perfect pick up line for under £10.”

Also big on pet gifts is Lesser & Pavey. The company’s new Faithful Friends range showcases images of dogs and cats with bones and fish respectively.

“Our brand new range captures dogs and cats separately on foldaway pet bedding with a mattress, pet water and feeding bowls, treat tins and mugs, as well as trays for pet owners,” explains managing director Julian Hunt. “These make lovely gifts for the pet of the household, or the pet owner, and an attractive addition to the home.”

Sam Wahid, managing director of Gift Republic, says that playfulness is very

Pets: The Facts l Pet households currently make up

over half of all households in the UK. l The pet market is extremely fast

growing with Americans spending on average $70bn per years on their pets. l In the UK, the pet market is predicted to be worth £7bn in 2020/2021.

(Source: Wild & Wolf)

important when it comes to designing pet themed products. “We’ve got some really fun products for pet lovers this season, with our popular Power Pets range extended to feature cute cat and pug phone straps and handy retracting cables. There’s also our fun Cat-astrophe stacking and balancing game and our Crazy Cat Lady mug which makes a great, funny gift.”

“At Sass & Belle, we design gifts to make people smile,” says the company’s E-commerce executive Steph Kaluza.

“The sweet, funny nature of pets is really important and at the heart of each design.

We want to charm and bring happiness to whichever dog lover or cat carer receives the gift. We therefore have several new indoor garden accessories that feature our bestselling Cat Whiskers design, combining

Top left: Sass & Belle’s Cat Whiskers plant pot holder.

Above: Rex London’s Best In Show gift boxed petthemed mug.

Below: The Power Pets range from Gift Republic.

feline charm with the popular botanical home trend. We've also got our existing Barney the Dog and Cutie Cat collection that consists of a wide selection of home decor and everyday accessories.”

For AW19, Rex London has introduced the Best In Show collection that’s been designed especially for dog lovers. The illustrated range features bags and home

Having A Laugh Wild & Wolf will be introducing a pet gifting range, Wild & Woofy, for SS20.

It’s a playful collection, aimed at dogs and cats, and features lines such as leads, food bowls, chew toys and pet starter kits featuring funny messages from the pet’s perspective, as well as complementary lines, such as mugs and pins, for pet owners.

“Humour was a massive consideration for Wild & Woofy,” explained Wild & Wolf’s senior marketing executive Joelle Engolia. “It’s important that we lend a witty and fun tone to the pet’s thoughts and words, because pets bring their parents joy and laughter.

Therefore silly, tongue-in-cheek products that give a voice to their pet’s unique personality increases that enjoyment.”

She adds that the transformation from human to pet gifting comes after the creative team saw how popular the ‘pet parenting’ trend has become. “Pet households now make up over half of all households in the UK, and consumers look to buy gifts for their pets because they’re considered to be a family member who deserves to be spoilt just like a child,” Joelle highlights. “The trend is seen especially among millennials, who are willing to splurge on products for their pets that mirror their own purchases, whether it’s clothing, travel accessories or gifts, as well as putting more consideration into thoughtful necessities such as leads and bowls, etc.”

Above: A new pet range from Wild & Wolf, featuring cats and dogs, will be launching in 2020.

accessories including water bottles and mugs, as well as a selection of stationery items. “We’re a virtual Noah’s ark, with all the cute creatures bases covered where it comes to gift ideas - from bunnies to bears and from woodland to jungle animals,” comments head buyer Candy Smith.

It seems that if you own a pet, it helps to have a sense of humour, whether buying a gift for your pet, or a pet-themed gift as a self-purchase, or for a friend. With Christmas gifting in mind, could pet gifts be the next big thing for gift retailers?

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for Christmas gift ideas to be showcased this month Deliciously Lemon Scented Best Kept Secrets is delighted to announce the addition of its new Lemon Sugar candle tin to the company’s award winning Seriously Scented Candle collection. Fizzing with lemons, the aroma of this punchy, zesty scented candle is uplifting, fresh and fruity. Hand poured and beautifully

Birthstone Angel Wing Hearts

topped with plenty of sparkles, Lemon Sugar will lighten

Launched at Autumn Fair, the overwhelming success of these

and freshen any room.

little gems took us totally by surprise! Available in the 12 different

Best Kept Secrets

birthstone colours, made here in the UK and embellished with

Tel: 01670 5122 22

crystals from Swarovski, these can be displayed on their own

Email: sales@bestkeptsecrets.co.uk

dedicated display or on one of our larger trees. Boxes available.

Wild Things Gifts

Web: wwww.bestkeptsecrets.co.uk

Tel: 01392 211268 Email: sales@wildthingsgifts.com Web: www.wildthingsgifts.com

Feline Fine Hot on the tail of Puckator's top-selling Feline Fine range are the Feline Festive lines. Cute cat character mugs and candle tins strike just the right tone for Secret Santa. And when the holy grail for stocking fillers is something fun with a function, Puckator provides both in the shape of money boxes and purses. The Feline Festive lip balm tree decoration is a pleasing last-minute or impulse gift; the same comic cat features across the range in glass baubles, tea towels, keyrings and snow globes.

Puckator Tel: 0800 011 6969 Email: customerservices@puckator.co.uk Web: www.puckator.co.uk

Pop-Out Advent Calendar The countdown to Christmas just got more fun this holiday season with the Merry Christmas Pop-Out Advent Calendar from Petit Collage. The calendar features 24 pop-out characters, each nestled in its own numbered compartment. Fold down the lid to reveal a colourful playscene floor to place your new friends.

Made from recycled paper and printed with vegetable inks with the health of your child and the planet in mind.

For ages 4 years plus.

Wild & Wolf Tel: 01225 789 909 Email:: sales@wildandwolf.com Web: www.wildandwolf.co.uk

Classic Quiz Compendium Get ready for a classic quiz night in with this

Fairy Houses

revamped Classic Quiz Compendium from

Retailers looking for a Christmassy shop window

Ridley's Games! Get your thinking caps on for

display should carefully consider featuring

General Knowledge, test your cinematic

Splosh’s light-up Fairy Houses, says Tom Sykes,

knowledge with Movie Buff, battle through

director of Xystos, which distributes the eye-

mental acrobatics with Brain Teasers, and recall

catching line. There are five new fun LED models –

the glory days of classic tunes with Pop Music.

Dinosaur, Pirate, Elephant, Teddy and Space –

Includes 4 x 70 game cards, decision die and

which will delight youngsters. “They are win-win

instructions. Packaged in a stylish geometric

products for retailers,” says Tom. “With the magic

patterned box.

price point of £9.99, Fairy Houses are colourful,

Wild & Wolf

safe and can be used as lamps or nightlights.”

Tel: 01225 789 909

Xystos

Email: sales@wildandwolf.com

Tel: 0191 499 1570

Web: www.wildandwolf.co.uk

Email: sales@xystos.co.uk Web: www.xystostrade.co.uk

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for Christmas gift ideas to be showcased this month Grow Your Own Love Frenchies? Grow your very own with this fun, novelty toy! Just pop this little pup into water and watch how he grows six times his original size. Complete in cute, bright packaging, this little companion makes a brilliant gift or a perfect pocket money spend!

(No need for ‘walkies’!).

Boxer Gifts

Men’s Novelty Apron

Tel: 01133 955 595

Let everyone know who the ‘boss of the barbeque’

Email: sales@boxergifts.com

is, with this hilarious man’s cooking apron. Made from black canvas fabric, with stylish white print

Web: www.boxergifts.com

that reads ‘Dude with the Food’, this heavy duty novelty apron features six brown leatherette pockets to help the chef carry all his necessities salt, pepper, hot chilli sauce, phone and two beers - while still looking classy in the kitchen. It comes

2-In-1 Garden Tools

complete with a black canvas shopper bag in a

In a decorative 15 piece CDU, and

similar design to the apron, with a gift tag

functional as both a trowel and bottle

included.

opener, these stainless steel garden

Boxer Gifts

tools come complete with a leather cord

Tel: 01133 955 595

and gift tag. ‘Stop for a Beer Grandad’, ‘Dad’s

Email: sales@boxergifts.com

Beer Break Kit’ and ‘Thirsty Gardener’s Tool

Web: www.boxergifts.com

Kit’ make a collection of three unique designs.

Boxer Gifts Tel: 01133 955 595 Email: sales@boxergifts.com Web: www.boxergifts.com

New Films, New Product Adding to their impressive portfolio of licenses, Half Moon Bay has launched two new filmspecific licensed ranges this Autumn/Winter. As one of Disney’s key licensors, Half Moon Bay have worked closely with the entertainment powerhouse on their Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ranges. The Disney Frozen 2 collection uses brand new artwork from the animation, featuring key characters Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven. Two brand new designs of shaped mugs have been developed in celebration of the upcoming addition to the Star Wars saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Episode 9 characters Kylo Ren and a Sith Trooper have been brought to life in the mugs, both featuring high-quality glazes and realistic handpainted details, allowing fans to discover the power of the Dark Side at home.

Say It With Words

Half Moon Bay

These glamorous, ivory word candles, with black text,

Tel: 01225 473873

look beautiful on their own or can be an addition to

Email: sales@halfmoonbay.co.uk

other letter candles in this range. Create your own

Web: www.halfmoonbay.co.uk

display and different phrases, making heart-warming sentiments or funny insults! Whether they are the world’s best parent, sibling or friend, celebrate your love for them on their birthday, at Christmas or as an all year round gift. RRP: £0.99 Small sentiments, £1.99 Large sentiments.

Boxer Gifts Tel: 01133 955 595 Email: sales@boxergifts.com Web: www.boxergifts.com PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for Christmas gift ideas to be showcased this month Joyful Family Figurine This super cute range - that fans of Jim Shore and new customers alike will adore - captures sheer joy, as the award winning artist presents scenes depicting the heart-warming, fun times we have all shared with family and friends. The loveable characters are Button, Squeaky and Pinky. The Sharing Sweet Times figurine retails with an SRP of £39.95 and is available to order, along with other items, in the new Button

Perfectly Plush

and Squeaky collection.

We could not be more excited to introduce you to

Enesco

Puckator’s brand spanking new line Resteazzz! These

Tel: 01228 404022

adorable plush cushions open to create a travel pillow

Email: uksales@enesco.co.uk

and eye mask set for getting much needed relaxation on

Web: www.enesco.co.uk

a long (or short) journey. When closed, the pillows are small enough, to tuck away easily in a bag, or to be

Troublesome Cat

carried by eager little hands. We’ve even tested them on

Taking inspiration from the 1957 children’s story, The Cat

adults and can confirm they provide heavenly comfort for

in the Hat, The Cat in the Hat and Friends figurine stands

heads of any age.

at 30.5cm tall and is set to be a hero piece of the

Puckator

collection. It depicts the tall cat, with human-like

Tel: 0800 011 6969

qualities, who causes chaos along with his

Email: customerservices@puckator.co.uk

sidekicks: Thing One and Thing Two. The Cat in the

Web: www.puckator.co.uk

Hat and Friends figurine is presented in a branded box and retails with a SRP of £65.

Enesco

Wizard Goblets

Tel: 01228 404022

Adding to its ever-

Email: uksales@enesco.co.uk

popular collection

www.enesco.co.uk

for 2019, Enesco is proud to present magical Harry Potter

Graffiti Art

goblets from the

Graffiti ranges from simple written words to

Wizarding World of

elaborate wall paintings dating back to the

Harry Potter

ancient times of the Romans, Egyptians and

collection. With a

Greece. At the recent NEC show, Lesser &

choice of five

Pavey launched a Graffiti Art range which

goblets, fans can

captures the colour, abstract word and art of

take home a

the theme of graffiti, made into very

decorative item that represents their Hogwarts house. Each Harry Potter goblet stands at

attractive, vibrant life style studies of Bulldog,

18cm tall and retails with an SRP of £35. Highly collectable, these items are expected to fly

French Bulldog, Dachshunds and Skulls. Each

off the shelves and appeal to fans of all ages.

piece is of high quality decoration measuring

Enesco

8in. to 15in. in length.

Tel: 01228 404022

Lesser & Pavey

Email: uksales@enesco.co.uk

Tel:01322 279225

Web: www.enesco.co.uk

Email: sales@leonardo.co.uk Web: www.leonardo.co.uk

Fashionable Teal At Autumn Fair, Lesser & Pavey presented new ranges in the company’s William Morris collection of quality tabletop. These highly popular ranges continue with bird song in the fashionable new colourway of teal, having been very popular in rouge colourways as Strawberry Thief. The charming range includes a wash bag, glasses case, shopper bag, passport holder and much more. A bamboo travel mug and lunchbox feature as perfect gifts for friends or family.

Lesser & Pavey Tel: 01322 279225 Email: sales@leonardo.co.uk Web: www.leonardo.co.uk

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for Christmas gift ideas to be showcased this month Arm Candy It’s safe to say we are mad about Hot Tomato’s latest arm candy. Their most recent collection showcases (among other things) some glorious velvet and crystal combinations – utterly fab for this

Sweet Dreams

time of year. As you might

madebyzen’s newest offering, the Olly ultrasonic aroma

expect, crystals feature

diffuser, is packed full of exciting features. With a Bluetooth

strongly for the party season

speaker and colour changing mood light there’s

and it’s still all about those

something for everyone. Designed specifically to aid sleep,

layers - creating your own

the Olly will lull you into a peaceful slumber with your

edit and making each outing

choice of soothing music and sleep enhancing light

a bespoke affair!

settings. A firm favourite, this diffuser sports a sleek

Hot Tomato

Spell It Out

modern design and retails at £69.99.

Tel: 01225 4222188

Check out Joe Davies’ new scrabble

madebyzen

Email: sales@hot-tom.com

sentiment range of gifts. Inspired from the

Tel:0161 2573644

Web: www.hot-tom.com

scrabble game tiles they make the perfect gift

Email: info@europiumworld.com

to tell a loved one what you are feeling,

Web: www.madebyzen.com

covering a range of bestselling products such

Spring Fair 2-6 Feb 2020 Hall 4 A10-B11, Maison Object

as photo frames, plaques, candle holders and

Paris 17-21 Jan

coasters that spell out a word. Fabulous to display in retail shops and for the home, ordering couldn’t be easier with the Joe Davies’ signature ‘little and often’ ordering system and their low minimum order value of just £100 for free nationwide delivery.

Joe Davies Tel: 0161 975 6300 Email: sales@joedavies.co.uk Web: www.joedavies.co.uk

Hair Raising We are thrilled to see that Hot Tomato’s latest penchant for all things hair accessory continues to thrive and grow as a category. We highly recommend (and couldn’t resist!) these sparkle hair slides and crocodile clips for an instant glamour fix. Their bracelet bands are also top sellers and who doesn’t love a bit of dual function – well done Hot Tom! Hot Tomato

A Healthy Glo

Tel: 01225 4222188

Combining state-of-the-art technology, a sleek modern design

Email: sales@hot-tom.com

and the ancient healing properties of Himalayan rock salt, the

Web: www.hot-tom.com

Glo ultrasonic aroma diffuser brings you the best that aromatherapy has to offer. The soft, ambient glow of the Himalayan salt lamp and fragrant cooling mist envelope the user in an oasis of calm and tranquillity. The perfect addition to any home, retailing at £89.99. madebyzen Tel: 0161 2573644 Email: nfo@europiumworld.com

Putting On The Style

Web: www.madebyzen.com

Stay stylish and wrap up this winter in Joe

Spring Fair 2-6 Feb 2020 Hall 4 A10-B11, Maison Object Paris

Davies’ best selling Equilibrium accessory

17-21 Jan

range, which has something for everyone.

Discover our range of gorgeous wraps, finished with fur collars, stunning patterns and in stylish winter colours - a fabulous fashion statement. Hats and gloves too, are a must have to dress up a winter coat. From faux fur trims, pearls, diamanté embellishments and detachable faux fur pom poms they are sure to please retailers and customers this Christmas.

Joe Davies Tel: 0161 975 6300 Email: sales@joedavies.co.uk Web: www.joedavies.co.uk

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for Christmas gift ideas to be showcased this month Secret Tree Scents Designed to discretely blend with Christmas décor, Ashleigh & Burwood’s Scent Sticks from their Earth Secrets collection will leave guests wondering what the secret is to such a wonderfully festive fragrant home!

Each tube contains six highly fragranced sticks that can be hung on

String Lights

Christmas tree branches, wreaths or garlands to add an extra touch of

The new Star Wars film comes out in cinema’s on

seasonal fragrance to the home. The ideal impulse purchase.

December 19, where the surviving Resistance faces the

Ashleigh & Burwood

First Order once more. So what fan wouldn’t want the

Tel: +44 (0) 1932 267060

sinister Dark Lord and his army of clones bringing a little

Email: info@ashleigh-burwood.co.uk

light into their dark side with Groovy’s amazing Star Wars

Web: www.ashleigh-burwood-trade.co.uk

3D string lights. The 12 fully moulded character helmets are illuminated by a white LED bulb on a 2.5m length cable. Powered by 2 x AA batteries (not included) and packaged in a three sided window box. RRP £15.

Groovy UK Tel: 01162391115 Email: Hello@GroovyUK.com Web: www.GroovyUK.com

Mini Potters Have your own mini Harry Potters running around this Christmas with Groovy’s new Hogwarts kids robe. With the Hogwarts stripe scarf as detail on the lapel of this super soft robe there is plenty of room in the pockets for your wand and spell book! RRP:£20.

Groovy carry an extensive Harry Potter range in robes, slippers, lighting, bags, accessories and kitchenware.

Other licenses include: Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Suicide Squad, Fantastic Beasts, Assassins Creed, Mr. Men, Frida Khalo, Moomins & Brandalised.

Groovy UK Tel: 1162391115 Email: Hello@GroovyUK.com Web: www.GroovyUK.com

Magical Lights While the Knight Bus is usually known for travelling at

Wizard Wallets

extremely high speeds and squeezing through the tiniest of

Carry a bit of magic with you wherever you go with one of these

gaps, this Knight Bus 3D Light is made

four Harry Potter wallets. Each featuring the iconic Hogwarts

specifically to light up muggles rooms. The iconic

house crests on the front with the lining highlighting the colours

Knight Bus that transported Harry to The Leaky

of each house. Perfect for keeping your muggle money and

Cauldron features battery operated LED lights

cards safe, these wallets are the perfect gift for lovers of the film

that shine through the bus windows to create a

franchise and the adored novels. Protego charms added at the

magical atmosphere; a mesmerising gift and

owner’s discretion.

beautiful addition to a room.

BB Designs

BB Designs

Tel: 01923 804 805

Tel: 01923 804 805

Email: customerservices@bbdesignsonline.com

Email: customerservices@bbdesignsonline.com

Web: www.bbdesignsonline.com

Web: bbdesignsonline.com

Festive Fragrances This season, the popular 50ml reed diffusers in the Earth Secrets collection are joined by cute 140g, decorative tin candles. Available in four festive scents which match the reed diffusers, the candles are presented in a special edition red tin and are priced for impulse self-purchase and gifting.

Ashleigh & Burwood Tel: +44 (0) 1932 267060 Email: info@ashleigh-burwood.co.uk Web: www.ashleigh-burwood-trade.co.uk

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for Christmas gift ideas to be showcased this month Very Advent-urous This 12 day make your own, contemporary, Advent wreath is a beautiful asymmetrical creation to hang in the home, or to take pride of place on the front door. It has step-by-step ‘how to’ guides behind each door, along with a new element to add on to the wreath. This will vary from preserved eucalyptus and foliage, herbs and dried flowers to seasonal chalk dusted ornaments (ceramic stars/bells and robins). Throughout the experience there are helpful, fun tips. The wreath contents are specifically designed to dry out over time, which will add to the wild aesthetic. Due to its simple nature it’s suitable for all skill levels. All products for the wreath are sustainably sourced.

Packaging is environmentally friendly and fully recyclable.

Enchanted Floristry Tel: 07542290160 Email: hello@enchantedwreath.co.uk Web: www.enchantedwreath.co.uk

Angel Additions Gaeltag Keltika is delighted to announce new additions to the hugely successful

Here’s To You

You Are An Angel range.

Forget the dreaded ‘B’ word! We are

There will be a new angel

focusing on the ‘G’ word… gin. The

dedicated to grandmothers among

tipple has had a remarkable recovery

the three new designs in

in the last couple of years so Gaeltag

the 155mm size, as well as two

Keltika are joining in the celebration

new designs in the 125mm size.

with four new classic Spanish fishbowl

There will also be updated

style gin glasses presented in

versions of four of the existing

Gaeltag’s renowned gift boxes. In

titles. Available for delivery from

collabration with Paper Salad and Megan Claire, we are introducing our

early August and to view at Autumn

Gintastic and Gincredible designs, Let

Fair at Gaeltag’s Keltika’s new location 6 K50.

The Fun Be Gin! Available in

Gaeltag Keltika

September at Autumn Fair. New

Tel: 0208 998 1781

Location: Hall 6 K50.

Email: sales@gaeltag.com

Gaeltag Keltika

Web: www.gaeltag.com

Tel: 0208 998 1781 Email: sales@gaeltag.com Web: www.gaeltag.com

Making A Statement Always on trend with the latest bead innovations, our handcrafted jewellery collection exudes shape, texture and colour. Style, wearability and flexibility is paramount.

Encompassing short, mid and long lines, our looks are statement and dripping with colour.

Plus, our top selling Hem & Edge scarf collections now include the latest digital print technology, and we are very excited to launch stunning print, captured in micro detail, in deep saturated colours all at unrivalled cost prices from £5.80. We are inspired by giant geometrics, timeworn texture, defined lines and sumptuous fabrics that drape and envelope.

In addition, a ‘must see’ are our new fabric bags in a modern check print, with a beautiful metal trim and shapes for all ages and occasions.

One Button Email: info@onebuttonuk.com Web: www.onebuttonUK.com Top Drawer: Stand 301

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What’s New Progressive Gifts and Home highlights some of the latest gift products to be showcased this month

Bringing The Outdoors In Urban Botanicals is a range that aims to bring the outdoors to the indoors! The exotic aromas packaged in vibrant vessels will transport you to a relaxing urban oasis. The stunning collection of ceramic diffusers and candles are now available in five uplifting, punchy scents and tropical colourways and are sure to make a ‘wow’ statement.

Stoneglow Tel: 020 8595 8878

Fabulous Faux Plants

Email: sales@stoneglowcandles.co.uk

Candlelight is introducing a beautiful

Web: www.stoneglowcandles.co.uk

range of faux plants to their vast array of products. These stunning faux plants will brighten up any room and bring a sense

Wild & Wonderful

of nature. Ranging from 8cm tall succulents

CoCo Leopard encourages originality

to 50cm tall orchids they are the perfect

combined with individuality through design.

addition to any room.

Bright pink leopards set among exotic

Candlelight

plants creates a truly unique giftware

Tel: 01709 723000

collection that makes the strongest of

Email: sales@candlelight.co.uk

statements for the most vibrant of

Web: www.candlelight.co.uk

personalities. Guaranteed to raise temperatures while setting the imagination free to run wild in vivid colours for real escapism – irresistible. Available in a small, medium and tote giftbag, luxury journal, roll wrap and flat wrap.

Belly Button Designs Tel: 0161 902 0200 Email: sales@bellybuttondesigns.com Web: www.bellybuttonbubble.com

Simple & Timeless Our New Modern Classics facelift is a beautifully designed classical range. The key is to be simple and timeless, with the collection offering eight captivating, carefully blended fragrances. For Autumn Winter, the Pomegranate & Spiced Woods is a ‘go to’ aroma with warming amber notes, spices and fruity tones. Made in the UK. Stoneglow Tel: 020 8595 8878 Email: sales@stoneglowcandles.co.uk Web: www.stoneglowcandles.co.uk

Table Talk Following the success of the company’s

Crystal Classic

monkey tables, Candlelight has

As soon as we saw the first sample we knew we

introduced a stunning range of side

were onto an instant winner. Launched to

tables. Including a luxurious leopard table

universal, positive response at Autumn Fair, and

and a gorgeous Buddha table standing at

taking its place alongside our existing extremely

60cm tall, as well as a beautiful bird table

successful Heart of Hearts is made here in the UK

standing 52.5cm tall, they make a great

and embellished with jewellery quality crystals

talking point for any room.

from Swarovski. Boxes available.

Candlelight

Wild Things Gifts

Tel: 01709 723000

Tel: 01392 211268

Email: sales@candlelight.co.uk

Email: sales@wildthingsgifts.com Web: www.wildthingsgifts.com

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PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

Web: www.candlelight.co.uk

69.qxp_New Grid 08/11/2019 11:35 Page 1

LESLEY DUNNE

SOUNDING OFF

Stayin’ Alive, Stayin’ Alive!

Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but at Feathering Your Nest in Rayleigh, owner Lesley Dunne admits it throws up more than a few headaches.

“Here we go again, the run up to our busiest time of the year. Warriors, are you ready? The lists have been done - we've checked them more than twice times one hundred! Stock is still rolling in, and we're checking the long-term weather predictions (Thomsz Schafernaker had better have it right this year) praying for a mild run up to the 24th December!

But something I fear, almost more than snow in the last three months of the year, is being sick, and I don't mean man-flu. The 16 week run up really isn't for sissys though, you've gotta man up and stay tough until Christmas morning when it's all done and dusted. My body annually heaves a huge sigh of relief as out fly all the nasty germs, aches and pains I've been dismissing for months. It's become tradition in our house over the years for the children to say "Merry Christmas mum," as they hand me the Lemsip!

Over our 14 years at Feathering Your Nest, I've been incredibly lucky - should I even be tempting fate I hear you gasp? - in that I’ve only had two operations and made it back to work in less time than was initially prescribed.

And oh, how we time those ops if we have the chance. However in between calendar events, trade shows and family occasions, who really has time to be unwell? Putting off visits to the doctor and hospital stays is utterly ridiculous, but being self-employed is just how it is. I've had some strange looks from doctors who have tried to book me in for appointments. It's our health for goodness sake, but we continue to push ourselves to the limit, especially around this time of year.

Unfortunately, the shop has 12 stone steps leading up to the stockroom, not by choice, but sometimes, there are compromises to make deciding on location.

I've tripped up them a couple of times, bruising knees while blessing myself that it wasn't on the way down, the eternal dread. Friends in the business have seen broken legs, a car crash and ops on various parts of their body too, relying on staff, family and friends to cover in their absence. You are almost completely helpless although, somehow, we Above: Feathering Your Nest, Rayleigh.

Left: Some of Lesleys emergency supplies.

make it through and our businesses are still there when we recover.

Staff occasionally leave us in the lurch too. What can you say when they are sick at inappropriate times? I genuinely care about our staff's wellbeing, but it can really upset the apple cart. Luckily, none of the Saturday staff are big drinkers so we haven't had many hangovers to bear. Nevertheless, when there is sickness and operations, we have to remain caring and considerate no matter how inconvenient it is. We do the ‘return to work’ chat. We've also phased a member of staff back to work after four long-term operations, being careful not to overstretch their recovery. Retail is, as you know, jolly hard work without any let up from demanding customers, especially during the Christmas frenzy.

We have a rule now, whereby staff arrange cover between themselves as I am no longer a part of the rota. This way, it doesn't always fall to me to be the first port of call. It works well, yet foolishly, it was a long time coming. It was hard letting go of the reins at the beginning, with Mr D nagging me to take more time off to enjoy his retirement, lucky beast! Moreover, the staff have discovered that if they don't cover for their workwives then their own holiday or sick leave won't be so readily covered either, as harmonious co-operation is key. I've found that, by leaving staff to sort it out among themselves before I jump in, it’s so much better for my own health and wellbeing, plus makes for a more co-ordinated team.

So, once more unto the breach, dear friends! As we soldier into the war with the Christmas season, stifling coughs, sneezes, man-flu, bad backs, dodgy knees and stiff necks, while we wrestle delivery boxes (bend from the knees!), gift wrapping, pricing labels, window displays, till cues - and with a big smile to boot! At the same time, we’re trying to dodge the customers who sneeze and splutter their way around the shop or, even worse, the ones who utter they are just recovering from sickness and diarrhoea as they hand over their money...which sends us heading straight for the hand sanitiser next to the till! Wishing you all a happy and healthy run up, guys!”

PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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Best Sellers Progressive Gifts & Home asked a selection of gift retailers about the products which have been flying off their shelves this month.

Karen Ebers, owner, Something Special, Edenbridge A large gift and card shop on a high street.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Decorative Home Accessories

Widdop And Co: silver plated occasions photo frames

There is a frame for every occasion and every photograph.

Fragranced Giftware

Ashleigh & Burwood: The Scented Home; D&J Glassware: hand blown glass diffusers

Great product, great packaging, great price.

High quality fragrances, and an attractive vessel in different colourways.

Jewellery

Joe Davies: Equilibrium bangles

These sentiment bangles come in rose gold or gold and are supplied in an organza bag.

Fashion Accessories

Jewelcity: scarves; Golunski: leather purses and wallets

A huge range at very affordable prices.

Traditional and fashionable styles.

Greeting cards

Bug Art: Kooks

These cards literally fly off the shelves. Fun, quirky and blank inside.

Giftwrap

Glick

The range keeps improving and getting bigger. Just beautiful.

Other Hot Hits

Pioneer: Qualatex foil balloons

Not a day goes by without us selling some helium filled balloons. The large numbers are especially popular.

Fiona Fabien, owner, Papyrus, Glasgow A large gift, housewares and lifestyle shop in Glasgow’s West End. CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Decorative Home Accessories

Bronte: across the board;

Stylish, natural wool luxury throws, designed and woven in Yorkshire.

Decorated ceramic planters.

KitchenCraft: plant pots Fragranced Giftware

Esscentual Candles: across the board Pulp: candles

Original, imaginative fragrances with on trend, beautifully illustrated packaging.

Artisan candle range that’s handmade in England, packaged in an apothecary style brown glass.

Jewellery

Lisa Angel: across the board; Joma: ‘a little’ bracelets

Cool contemporary range of jewellery that’s well priced.

Thanks to continually refreshing the sentiments, the ‘a little’ bracelet range shows no sign of slowing down.

Fashion Accessories

Zelly: scarves; Powder: across the board

Stylishly designed accessories which are great quality. Beautiful packaging.

Attractive, contemporary accessories in luxury packaging.

Greeting Cards

Redback

The Shine range features bright designs with a re-usable, reversible sequin patch, completing the card with a gift.

Giftwrap

Belly Button

A top quality range of colourful trendy wrap and gift bags.

Other Hot Hits

Black and Blum: across the board

Design-led, innovative products. The stainless steel lunch box ticks all the boxes for an eco-friendly, sustainable gift.

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PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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Emma Paisey, owner, Daisy Park, South Molton A medium gift shop on a high street.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Decorative Home Accessories

Austin Sloan: wooden signs;

These are British signs featuring fun, relatable sayings and quotes.

Porcelain dishes and plates at the right price point for a gift, with sentiments that hit the mark.

East of India: sentiment dishes

Fragranced Giftware

The English Soap Company: Kew Gardens hand creams and soaps; St Eval: Hedgerow candles

These have been a great addition, and the packaging is gorgeous.

Jewellery

One & Eight: necklaces and earrings

Made in Devon, the jewellery comes in glass bottles with a cork lid. An extra special gift.

Fashion Accessories

Hinza Bags UK

These super stylish sustainably sourced bags create a rainbow of colours instore.

Greeting Cards

Woodmansterne

With distinctive Emma Bridgewater designs, customers really love these birthday cards. In fact, I can’t keep them in store!

Giftwrap

Penny Kennedy

The company’s Sara Miller London luxurious giftwrap features stunning, bold designs of animals and is beautifully foiled.

Other Hot Hits

Dopper: reusable bottles

These come in various colours, with the top part becoming a cup. We also stock bamboo cups from companies such as eCoffee and Blue Eyed Sun.

These candles, in terracotta pots, continue to sell all year round. They smell divine and are made in the UK.

Sam Gibson, owner, Nest, Leicestershire Small/medium gift shops on secondary sites in Stoneygate and Broughton Astley, as well as a concession at Thurlaston Garden Centre CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Decorative Home Accessories

Rader: house tealights;

This is a relatively new German brand and their porcelain home accessories are stunning.

The company’s ranges have inspired us to look beyond Christmas.

Heaven Sends: across the board Fragranced Giftware

Pintail Candles: Co-ordinates; Candlelight: candles; reed diffusers

These are a staple for our customers. A simple range that smells amazing.

The range is vast, and everything is at such a good price. They will be in huge demand for Christmas.

Jewellery

Nest: own brand personalised jewellery; Reeves and Reeves: sterling silver

Everything is handmade using silver beads. Customers love the personalised element.

The range is vast, quality and ever changing, with everything designed in-house.

Fashion Accessories

Katie Loxton: Perfect Pouches; Miss Sparrow: scarves and socks

Perfect Pouches are our best sellers, followed by Secret Message pouches. Scarves do well in Autumn/Winter.

A fab price point as pick up gifts.

Greeting Cards

Rosie Made A Thing

The cards are so funny. It’s lovely hearing customers giggle over Rosie’s comic observations! We wouldn’t want to be without them.

Giftwrap

Heather Alstead

Her range of Bear wrap, including Star Wars and Harry Potter inspired designs, is a refreshing take on wrap for the boys.

Other Hot Hits

Wild & Wolf: Games Room

This is a staple part of our Christmas offering and sells right through until Christmas Eve.

PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

71

Championing British Manufacturing Created in the UK is the new mark promoting UK manufactured jewellery and silverware.

Through the NAJ, individuals and companies will be able to apply for a license, allowing the trademark logo to be struck onto products.

naj.co.uk/created

created in the UK full page ad.indd 1 30_GH_Oct Nov 2019.indd 1

25/10/2019 12:40:44 28/10/2019 12:35

81.qxp_New Grid 05/11/2019 17:02 Page 81

Best Sellers

What better testimonial for products than those of your fellow retailers. Here's all the information you need to get in touch and start stocking!

PINTAIL CANDLES T: 015395 59007 E: info@pintailcandles.com W: www.pintailcandles.com

JOE DAVIES T: 0161 975 6300 E: sales@joedavies.co.uk W: www.joedavies.co.uk

D&J GLASSWARE T: 01953 450280 E: dandj.glassware@btinternet.com W: www.dandjglassware.co.uk

WILD & WOLF T: 0161 975 6300 E: sales@joedavies.co.uk W: www.joedavies.co.uk

GLICK T: 01274 655980 E: info@glick.co.uk W: www.glick.co.uk

KATIE LOXTON T: 01295 250879 E: enquiries@katieloxton.com W: www.katieloxton.com

ASHLEIGH & BURWOOD T: 01932 267060 E: info@ashleigh-burwood.co.uk W: www.ashleigh-burwood-trade.co.uk

JOMA JEWELLERY T: 01295 263430 E: enquiries@jomajewellery.com W: www.jomajewellery.com

CANDLELIGHT T: 01709 723000 E: contact@candlelight.co.uk W: www.candlelight.co.uk Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

73

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BEHIND THE COUNTER

Louise Franco

Above: Louise Franco.

Right: The Present in Barnet.

A finalist in The Greats 2019 Retail Employee of the Year category, and shop manager at The Present in Barnet, (winner of the Independent Retailer of the Year London category), Louise Franco joined the business in 2010 and hasn’t looked back. Her first foray into retail was having her own stall at Portobello Market selling second hand designer fashion.

At school, Louise reveals that she wanted to be a punk air hostess with multicoloured hair and a studded leather jacket! She studied travel and tourism but began to realise that retail was what she most wanted to do. “I had my own stall in Portobello Market and also worked at an independent shop in the Portobello Road arcade, Baby Ceylon. Subsequently I launched my own fashion business - Portobello Road Princess - inspired by my daughter, a business I still run, with The Present selling some of my clothes,” she highlights.

Louise continues: “To many people, gift retail many not sound that fulfilling as

a career sector. However, once you have had the opportunity to become part of an incredible team, as I have at The Present, interacting with customers - old, new and regular - you rapidly develop a sense of gratification. Gift retail also teaches you a wide spectrum of skills visual merchandising, product placement, buying, finance and, most importantly, becoming a people person and offering great customer service.”

She says that visual merchandising is “110% my absolute favourite part of the job.” As she explains, “I’ve never had much of a head for numbers, so

LAST WORD

Charlotte Reed

Above: Charlotte Reed.

Below: May The Thoughts Be With You range of licensed giftware from Half Moon Bay.

Having suffered years of severe depression, Charlotte Reed, the creator of May The Thought Be With You, began a creative career when she wrote about her experiences.

Today, her book is a very successful licence, with licensees that include Half Moon Bay and Danilo. Charlotte’s Monday Motivation column appears in the London Evening Standard.

maximising my creativity has always been important to me. I find it incredibly interesting and fun to figure out the most effective way in which to merchandise not just the front window, but the entire shop too, in a way which will engage, interact with and attract customers. The window is the eye to the shop, especially when we do the Christmas makeover.”

She says that working for an independent shop makes her feel like part of the business. “It’s not at all like working for a big chain where there is no creative

licence, or the opportunity to take risks that may be rewarding. Every day at The Present is new and different and I never stop learning. There really isn’t a ‘typical’ day. “My daughter says I have a very ‘get up and go’ mentality, so being productive is vital to maximising my days at the store.”

What are your favourite TV shows?

“Friends and Miranda.”

What’s your favourite film? “Ring of Bright Water.”

What’s your favourite book? “The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path To Higher Creativity. It’s self-help book by Julia Cameron. It gave me the confidence to have a go with my own art.”

Three words that best describe you?

“Positive, hopeful, strong.”

Have you ever had a starstruck moment? “Yes, most notably when the King of Malaysia and Natalie Imbruglia (separately) came to my Portobello Market stall to buy copies of May The Thoughts Be With You!”

Is there a quirky fact that we don’t know about you? “I sing, and once recorded an EP with a friend, and my then song-writing partner, the musician Johnny Lucas.”

Where’s your favourite place to go on holiday? “Wales, either the North or West.

It’s in the middle of nowhere and puts me in touch with nature.”

What did you study at university?

“Modern languages - French and Italian as well as teaching.”

Where’s your happy place? “My market stall on the Portobello Road with my dog Bertie at my knee, but also Notting Hill in general. I love the energy there.”

What was your first job? “I was a chalet maid in Switzerland.”

What was the best business advice you have received? “When you find a 74

Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

hurdle, find a way to get over it rather than giving up.”

What would your business advice to someone else be? “Rather than going for the end goal, start by taking baby steps every day.”

What would you take to a desert island? “A pen and paper, and, if I was allowed to, books!”

IBC_GH_Oct Nov 2019_v2016.qxp_Layout 1 08/11/2019 11:43 Page 119

BESPOKE

GIFT IMPORTERS & DISTRIBUTORS

Manufacturer & distributor at your door.

It costs as little as £250 per annum to advertise in the Product Directory.

Contact Angie Bryant on 01993 212 994 for further information.

T: 01908976443 E: sales@homsquare.co.uk www.homsquare.co.uk

Please contact our Award Winning sales staff for further details.

Tel: l 0161 975 6300 Email sales@joedavies

GIFTS & GREETINGS

TRADE ASSOCIATION

The Giftware Association is at the heart of the UK’s gift and home industry with 70 years unique experience listening to your needs and finding solutions to your problems. We can help you make money, save money and save time with or knowledge and contacts within the industry.

Website: www.ga-uk.org Email: enquiries@ga-uk.org Tel: 0121 237 1104 10 Vyse St, Birmingham B18 6LT

GiftsandHome.net is published by gift sector experts, for gift trade experts

From the publishers of Progressive Gifts & Home, and the organisers of The Greats Gift Retailer Awards.

News, Editorial and Content Opportunities:

With an unrivalled email subscriber base of 7,559 readers and industry leading open rates, - largely dominated by retail buyers, the twice-weekly newsflash lands directly in the inboxes of everyone in this fast-paced sector.

Jakki Brown Joint md & editorial director jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk

●

Twice weekly newsflash delivered to over 9000 inboxes

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Regularly updated jobs-board

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The very latest news, views, articles and analysis

●

Digital issues of Progressive Greetings Worldwide

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Dedicated pages for the GCA and The Ladder Club

Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk

●

Up to date information on PG Live, The Retas, and The Henries

Tracey Arnaud traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Michelle Board News editor michelleb@max-publishing.co.uk

The modern, easy to navigate website provides a central resource for the trade, offering pithy news, in-depth articles, an industry jobs board, retail analysis, digital issues of Progressive Gifts & Home, and much, much more.

Advertising, Recruitment and Sponsorship Opportunities:

Advertising and Commercial Opportunities: Advertisement Manager - Angie Bryant angieb@max-publishing.co.uk

News • PG Worldwide • Interviews • PG Live • Newsflash • Events Gallery • Jobs • Ladder Club • GCA

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