Progressive Party Halloween 2022

A A Progressive ProgressiveParty PartyPublication Publication

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WELCOME

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Witch way to the party?

We’re back to what is for many in the party industry, the biggest month of the year.

Halloween is coming and hopes are high for an October to beat even the record-breaking sales of 2021.

October hasn’t arrived this year without a lead up of challenges and bumps in the road, however, and suppliers and retailers alike have had to overcome many obstacles to get to this stage in proceedings.

Shipping delays are still plaguing many, Above: Progressive Party Europe’s Katie Roberts-Mason. making the deliveries of much wanted and needed stock difficult and in some cases, impossible. But many suppliers forecasted the problems and have done all they can to get around them to ensure shelves were filled in time for the season of spook. There’s been reports of air freighted stock, new warehouses and many other solutions to try and get products in for the all-important four week lead-up to Halloween.

The cost-of-living crisis is creating a myriad of issues too, with raw material costs rocketing, in turn forcing price rises for products. On the other side of the coin, many retailers are feeling uncertain about how consumers will spend this year and have been forced to be more cautious in their own orders, to ensure they’re not left with surplus stock on November 1st.

But despite the world feeling somewhat uncertain at the moment, the general consensus is that consumers will still come out and party this Halloween. As we’ve seen over recent years, uncertainty can in fact bring people together and give them more of a reason to create positive events and memories.

Reading back on last year’s Halloween issue, we were still at the mercy of Covid restrictions and possible plans being bought into place at any time. Now, those rules and regulations are a thing of the past and the public seems to be feeling more confident health-wise, to mix and socialise without such a risk.

Halloween falls on a Monday this year, but nobody seems concerned that the weekday date will hamper sales. In fact many feel there may be two opportunities to sell, with parties being planned for the weekend before, and trick or treaters heading out after school on Monday.

Overall, the Halloween mood is buoyant among the trade, and so we’ve joined in with the big build-up and once again bought you the annual Progressive Halloween issue, packed with spin chilling content.

The horror scene is set, hopes are high, and we really hope this Halloween is the best yet for all concerned. We’ll see you on the other side.

@Prog_Party_Eu

Katie Roberts-Mason - Editor Rob Willis - Publishing Director

ISSN 2058 797X

OCTOBER 2022 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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CONTENTS

What’s inside: OCTOBER 2022 NEWS

What’s happening… a lot of moving and shaking and buying things

LETTER FROM AMERICA:

Ed Avis talks Cosplay and Zombies.

PG warning on this one

RETAIL FEEDBACK:

What can we expect from the Spooky Season

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL:

Retail’s guide to the products that are in stock, which is sort of a thing

INDEPENDENT INTERVIEW:

The Mad Hatter’s Petrifying Predictions

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PARTY NEWS

NEWS UPDATE Amscan International’s turnover hits £300m with acquisition of Sweden’s Party King

Amscan International has acquired Swedenheadquartered online retailer, Party King, to support its worldwide growth plans by further expanding in the Nordics..

The designer, manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler and retailer of party products acquired the business for an undisclosed sum and now has a turnover in excess of £300m.

The founders and owners of Party King, Joel Svensson and Jeff Jansson, will continue to run the business from its 53,820 sq ft (5,000 sq m) warehouse and office facility in Gävle, Sweden.

Party King has revenues of £30m, which are expected to grow by around 20 per cent this year, and has also increased sales by over 50 per cent in the last three years. The business operates four websites across Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

The deal also sees Amscan International increase its ecommerce revenues overall, with online sales now accounting for more than £100m of the company’s £300m turnover.

Party King was established in 2009 and employs 80 people, all of whom have been transferred to Amscan International.

Joel Svensson originally founded Party King as a gift to his mother, Eva, as she

was unemployed and needed a job.

Amscan International chief executive, Joe Hennigan, said: “Party King is a very strong and well invested brand in the Nordics. It is a market where we have minimal presence but have long had hopes of expanding further within.

“It is a brand that increases our online revenues to more than £100m and could be leveraged across our other commercial markets. Continuing to accelerate our direct-to-consumer revenues and building our brand portfolio are two key pillars of our strategic plan, so Party King is an ideal acquisition in supporting those goals.

“Joel and Jeff have built an exciting, dynamic and professionally run business and we will be working with them to further evolve the Party King brand, product and service offer within the Nordics and beyond.”

Amscan International managing director of European retail, Claire Grasby, added: “We have long admired and respected the growth of Party King and are excited by the opportunity to further bolster our e-commerce capabilities.

“I’m looking forward to further developing the Party King brand and see vast opportunities for our e-commerce team to support, and learn from, the Party King team.”

Party King chief executive, Joel Svensson, commented: “This is a great deal for both businesses which gives Party King the opportunity to supercharge its growth.

“All of us are very excited and energised by the thought of what the future holds. We can’t wait to start making it a reality alongside Joe, Claire and the team at Amscan International.”

Left: Amscan acquisition – From left to right – Joe Hennigan, Claire Grasby, Joel Svensson and Jeff Jansson.

Above: Peter Silver is the new head of sales at Rubies

Rubies hires Peter Silver as head of sales As Rubies continues to deal with unprecedented growth and demand, the company has announced the hire of a new senior team member, with Peter Silver joining as head of sales.

Peter joins Rubies from Mattel, where he was senior national account manager.

He has previous experience of working at Warner Bros and brings a wealth of experience in sales and negotiation skills, forecasting and strategic planning.

Reporting directly to Graham Gardiner, Rubies’ commercial director, Peter will be responsible for managing and overseeing the UK sales operation and will be a pivotal force in helping the business achieve and exceed its ambitious growth plans.

Graham Gardiner, commercial director for UK, central, eastern and northern Europe, commented: “As the business continues to go from strength to strength and grows to new levels, we are excited to be bringing in a new valuable senior team member to our account management and sales team.

“Peter has come from a very distinguished background within the industry and has years of experience in his respective fields. With his indepth knowledge of every aspect of the retailer and toy markets, I have no doubt he will be a perfect fit for the team.”

Pioneer Europe appoints new product manager Louise Wood has joined the company as product manager for the party category.

Bringing with her a wealth of product design and management experience gained with a wide variety of fashion and accessory brands, Louise joined the

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balloon and party company this summer.

Julie Dommett, head of marketing, commented: “We are very pleased to have Louise join the marketing team, and look forward to announcing a number of new ranges shortly.”

Right: Louise is the new product manager for party at Pioneer Europe.

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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PARTY NEWS

Smiffys expands high street presence Following the acquisition of the lease for its former Liverpool franchise store in Bold Street last year, Smiffys has acquired two more existing customer stores, and will open two new store locations.

In July, Smiffys acquired Newcastle store, Magic Box from Carol and Clive Richardson and their business partner Gillian Stephenson, who had run the store successfully for 30 years. The previous owners are now focussing on other areas of work, but are still in contact with Smiffys and Clive may even be helping manage the queues this Halloween at the hugely popular shop.

Clive, Carol and Gillian commented: “After 30 years of Magic Box, we are so pleased to hand over our business to Elliott and the team at Smiffys.

Magic Box has been a roller coaster, with so many highs and the occasional low. We have so many memories and met lifelong friends through the years. I know what we

have achieved will continue for years to come under the direction of Elliott.”

In August, Smiffy’s acquired the Dress Up & Party store in Headingley. Shirley Phillipson had owned the store for 23 years, and has stayed on as manager for Smiffys.

Shirley said: “Smiffys approached me in November 2021 and suggested taking over business. It’s quite different working for a corporate company after being selfemployed after all these years, but it works. The Headingley

store has been extended and refitted and is looking fabulous, worth all the hard work. There is a great team of staff at Smiffys, in the office, in the warehouse and on the road, always ready to help. I would expect this is one of the reasons Smiffys are so successful.

Onward and upward Smiffys, thank you Elliott and Sam.” Smiffys will also open a new store in Oxford in midSeptember. With no existing trade customers in the area and a high student population, the company saw a great

opportunity to bring a costume shop to Cowley Road. With new signage and shop fit underway, the store will be ready for the busy Halloween season.

Finally, Smiffys has just signed a lease of a Leeds ciry centre location, 100 yards from the landmark Trinity Shopping Centre, to be open in time for Halloween. The store spans two floors and is undergoing a full refit, and will be run

by Shirley Phillipson and her team. With Smiffys head office just a 10-minute walk away, it makes sense for Smiffys to have a flagship presence in the city’s high street.

Elliott Peckett, director, commented: “Our stores will reinforce Smiffys’ position as the number one brand with the consumer, increasing brand awareness and demand for our trade customers on the high street and online.

We are incredibly excited for this next chapter and to expand our high street presence further into 2023.”

Grabo moves towards solvent-free status A new machine with a thermal system will soon be installed at Grabo, helping to limit the dispersion of chemical agents into the environment.

For about a year, Grabo has been searching for a process to replace washing in prepress when manufacturing its balloons.

The solution has arrived and the machine, which is no longer solventbased, will soon be installed, and will eliminate the distiller, washing and oven stages, therefore also reducing plate-making time.

The new process helps Grabo get closer to becoming a solvent free company for the production of slabs. by limiting the dispersion of chemical agents into the environment.

Below: The new machine replaces washing in the prepress stage of manufacturing.

Spirit Halloween shares top trends for 2022 After Halloween fans spent a record $10 billion celebrating the event in 2021, the US retailer says Halloween has become a month-long lifestyle for many in the US. Spirit Halloween is opening a record number of stores this year, with over 1,450 locations, each full of trends which will have fans ready to haunt throughout October.

Steven Silverstein, ceo of Spirit Halloween, commented: “At Spirit Halloween, we work year-round to develop must-have looks, and 2022 is shaping up to be an incredible year. It’s clear that Halloween has grown bigger than one single day and our goal is to help our guests embrace every aspect of the Halloween lifestyle as they celebrate the season and beyond.”

The retailer’s 2022 trends range from cult classics to pop culture phenoms and everything in between.

■ Witches – The classic Hocus Pocus is back with costumes, accessories and entertaining items available. Spirit Halloween expects all witches to be a hit – coven witch, enchantress witch, celestial witch and more.

■ Binge-worthy and big screen – This year’s key TV and film trends are set to include Stranger

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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Things, Ted Lasso and Yellowstone, as well as film favourites such as Sonic, Beetlejuice, Wizard of Oz and The Addams Family.

■ Clowning around – Slip on a pair of oversized shoes and walk on the spooky side with legends like Killer Klowns and IT. ■ Turn heads with horror – Horror remains a fan favourite with characters like Freddy, Jason, Trick ‘r Treat Sam, Ghost Face, and Chucky.

■ Animating epic ensembles – Inspiration from video game and anime hot list are set to include Minecraft, Naruto, Fortnite, Demon Slayer and more.

■ Coveted kids – Family favourite characters including Dino Ranch, Bluey, Encanto, Buzz Lightyear and more are set to be big for kids.

■ Ghouls rule – Group costumes this year include the new Monster High adult collection, Seabrook High Zombies, edgy princesses, villains and more.

■ Living the Halloween lifestyle – The new Spirit Halloween apparel collection includes t-shirts, tote bags, hats and more, or for a movie night, there are family pyjamas featuring classic horror characters and more.

Above: Spirit Halloween is opening a record 1,450 stores this year.

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as & New Year’s 2022 Christm Collections

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Check out the new additions to our Christmas ranges in the Qualatex 2022 Christmas & New Year Collection — Out Now! Check out the full range, interactive catalogue and marketing assets at www.qualatexeurope.com.

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PARTY NEWS

Second quarter sales dip for Party City The US retailer reported a decline in total net sales of 1.5% year-on-year.

Total net sales for the period were $527.4 million, while total retail sales also decreased by 4.6% year-on-year, primarily driven by lower sales of core product in everyday categories, as well as the current inflationary environment.

Total gross profit margin decreased 680 basis points to 33.7% of net sales, driven primarily by higher input costs from supply chain, raw materials, sourced merchandise, helium and labour.

Adjusted net income was $11.5 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, compared to $24.1 million or $0.29 per share in Q2 2021.

Brad Weston, ceo of Party City, commented: “Our second quarter topline results were largely as expected as we lapped a strong Q2 last year while cost headwinds, which are predominantly transitory in nature, pressured profitability. We are seeing benefits from the transformation work we have accomplished over the last two years, which is evidenced by

our strong sales results compared to pre-pandemic levels.”

He added: “For the back half of the year, we continue to expect the supply chain volatility and inflationary pressures to persist and as a result, are revising our full year outlook. Given the continued broader macro pressures,

BAPIA receives official recognition from UK awarding education organisation Now officially an approved NCFE Centre, BAPIA can offer NCFE customised qualifications to the balloon and party industry.

BAPIA is driven to improve industry training standards and has committed to offering the highest possible quality learning experiences through the NCFE Customised Qualifications.

The organisation hopes that this will help learners be able to navigate the many courses available and to better understand what they are getting for their money.

The approval as an NCFE Centre means that BAPIA can now offer learners Quality Assured training with accredited qualifications which carry official recognition from NCFE, one of the UK’s largest biggest education awarding organisations.

On completion, learners will receive a certificate of achievement issued

directly by NCFE – evidence of the knowledge and skills gained by completing the qualification.

NCFE is an educational leader in vocational and technical learning. It has over 170 years of education experience and is recognised as an awarding organisation by the qualification regulators for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, including Ofqual, the Welsh government, and the CCEA in Northern Ireland.

As part of BAPIA’s centre and qualification approval, eight tutors have been recruited – all having to demonstrate relevant teaching qualifications and industry competence with experience and knowledge. These Instructors are based in different parts of the UK and will deliver BAPIA’s customised NCFE qualifications at venues across the UK. BAPIA will be inspected annually to ensure it continues to provide a quality assurance framework for the development, delivery and evaluation of their customised NCFE Qualifications.

John Bowler, ceo of BAPIA, commented: “We are extremely proud of our status as an approved centre. With NCFE’s brand and expertise learners can be sure that our customised NCFE Qualifications are of the highest quality. Having this recognition as a quality training provider is a significant step not only for BAPIA and learners but also for the professionalism of the industry.”

we continue to operate the business with discipline from an expense and capital standpoint. Importantly, all of the progress we’ve made on our strategic initiatives is strengthening our market position, which will serve us well over the near and long-term.”

Above: Sales for the second quarter fell by 1.5% year-on-year.

Amscan x Sempertex sponsors POP Balloon Expo Amscan is teaming up with POP Balloons as lead sponsor for POP Balloon Expo Watford and Manchester.

Taking place on Thursday 6 October and Thursday 3 November respectively, the events will see industry educators gather the balloon community together to provide inspiration, hands on training and plenty of other business ideas for deorators new to the industry and established professionals alike.

The event will also play host to a Sempertex inflation station where the Amscan team will be able to talk attendees through the product itself and answer any questions they may have.

For more information on the event, search POP Balloons Limited on Eventbrite, or follow @pop_balloon_expo on Instagram.

Below: The POP Balloon Expo takes place in Watford in October, and in Manchester in November

Left: From left to right: Claire Knott (admin manager), Sue Bowler (operations & new projects manager), John Bowler (chief executive), Jade Fraser (social media), Linda Woodward (administration), Angie.

George (training & communications manager).

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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PARTY NEWS

Research suggests Halloween spending will surpass 2021 A US survey by Prosper Insights & Analytics and the National Retail Federation (NRF) found seven in 10 consumers are planning to celebrate Halloween this year.

The NRF predicts that consumers will spend $10.6 billion on Halloween this year, up from $10.1 billion in 2021. The top ways consumers plan to celebrate are with sweets (67%), outdoor decorations (51%), costumes (47%) and attending or hosting a party (28%).

Spending on costumes and decorations is set to reach record levels.

Costumes will make up the largest category of spending, with sales projected to hit $2.9 billion, the highest since 2017.

40% of

respondents said they will buy their Halloween items in discount stores, 36% will shop at speciality Halloween or costume stores, and 31% will make purchases online.

NRF president and ceo Matthew Shay, commented: “Halloween is an exciting time for many families, and that enthusiasm is reflected in the number of Americans who plan to celebrate the holiday this year.

“As consumers continue to return to pre-pandemic behaviours, retailers are prepared to meet that demand and help make this holiday a fun and memorable one.”

Left: It is thought consumers will spend $10.6 billion on Halloween in the US this year.

Smiffys debuts at Camper Calling The family festival in Warwickshire is known for its fancy dress themes, and Smiffys was there to help visitors party all weekend.

Costumes were the centre of attention at the August bank holiday festival.

Friday night saw ABBA tribute, Bjorn Again perform, so Smiffys 70s disco costumes were a hit throughout the weekend, as fans donned the bold looks from the famous four over the decades, with the pink Dancing Queen all-in-one becoming a best seller amongst the men.

Saturday’s carnival theme saw everything from peacocks and dinosaurs, to hippies and pirates.

Feather headdresses, coloured wigs and animal latex masks flew off the stands as those who hadn’t prepared for the themes joined in.

Sunday rounded off the weekend with the easiest game of Where’s Wally? ever, as festival goers dressed up in the iconic stripey T-shirt and hat combo. As the official licensee of Where’s Wally costumes, Smiffys enjoyed a busy stand throughout the day as families joined in the fun.

A spokesperson for Smiffys commented: “The event was proof that festival fancy dress is back with a

bang, and not just for the adults, with whole families getting involved across the whole four-day event. It was great being back amongst the crowds dancing in fields, adding a bit of extra fun with Smiffys costumes. We received great feedback across the weekend. It was amazing to hear how many people already use Smiffys as their go-to fancy dress brand and how excited new customers were to discover us.”

Below left: The pink Dancing Queen all-in-one from Smiffys was a big hit when Bjorn Again took to the stage.

Below right: The whole family got involved at Camper Calling festival.

Above: PremiumConwin is the new unified brand for the business.

Premium Balloon Accessories and Conwin formally merge Following a short period working together as partners, the two companies discovered the synergy was stronger than anticipated and have merged.

Brad Kamph, president of newly formed PremiumConwin, commented: “We got along so well that we decided to make it official and merge the two companies. This merger will allow us to increase capacity and invest in research and development, while maintaining the highest quality with even better customer service.”

David Nelson, chief executive officer, continued: “With our goals of bringing new products and service offerings to the industry, we are very excited and looking forward to working together as a team.”

The full transition will take time, but a new website and consolidated product catalogue are being created under the unified banner of PremiumConwin, to be revealed in due course.

Amscan unveils new sustainable solid colour tableware The new portfolio features redesigned formats and colours and has been designed with sustainability at the forefront of development.

Across 18 colours and seven initial formats, Amscan is working to bring eco solutions to its core solid colour assortment. Look out for the FSC certified products (FSC-C164665), as well as home compostable callouts on selected items too.

As an OPRL licensee, Amscan has also added the sorting and recycling logos to its packaging, to make it really simple for customers to dispose of items correctly and in as green a manner as possible.

Right: The new solid colour tableware has been designed with sustainability at the forefront of development.

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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PARTY NEWS

Halloween House returns to Merry Hill shopping centre

Below: Halloween House opens in a new ground floor location this year.

Europe’s largest Halloween retailer has re-opened in the Birmingham mall in a new ground floor location.

Offering a huge range of Halloween costumes, decor and props, Halloween House will once again provide a large choice of life-size props this year, including a 12ft Towering Reaper and Cagey the Clown.

In-store theatre is key to the retailer’s success and this year, customers can enjoy a cemetery scene, a Butcher’s Shop and Pennywise getting up to no good with Georgie.

Rebekah Nacchione, assistant manager, commented: “We are really proud and excited to open Europe’s biggest Halloween store again and are celebrating our fourth successful year at Merry Hill.

“We’re all about the customer and their in-store experience at Halloween House – it’s heart-warming to see children and families enjoying themselves and shopping for this fun and ever-popular spooky celebration.

“We are a destination store and have already had customers travel from all over

the UK to visit us, and people are going crazy over our interactive new megastore.”

Jonathan Poole, centre manager at Merry Hill, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Halloween House back to the centre again. The store always proves such a hit with all ages and has become an annual highlight for our visitors as they get ready for one of the biggest nights of the year.

“Since its first appearance at Merry Hill, Halloween House has continued to expand its offering, becoming the largest Halloween store in Europe and this year it’s spookier than ever. Halloween House provides a onestop shop full of spooky experiences, treats and entertainment for all ages of visitor. Last year, we saw shoppers travelling from all over the Midlands and this year Halloween House have already told us they have visitors travelling all the way from Wales.”

Halloween House is this year located in the Lower Mall, opposite Boots, and is planning to bring more than 20 jobs to the local community.

Amscan scoops Licensing Award The recent glittering Licensing Awards ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, saw Amscan win the Best Licensed Dress-Up or Partyware Range category.

Amscan was awarded the coveted prize for its Baby Shark Party, Balloon and Costume Range. Mel Beer, licensing director, Amscan International, commented: “We are delighted to be recognised with this prestigious licensing award as it is a reflection of all the team’s efforts and contribution, demonstrating our strength as the one stop party supplier and retailer.”

Other finalists in the category included: ■ Among Us Kids Inflatable Costume from YuMe Toys ■ Batman vs Joker Blazer from Opporsuits

■ B ing Cutout Party Props from Star Cutouts ■ DC Comics Adaptive Costumes from Rubies Masqerade ■ Hey Duggee Dracula Dress up for George@Asda from Christy’s By Design ■ J ulia Donaldson The Gruffalo and Other Stories Dress-Up Range for TU@Sainsbury’s from Smiffys ■ Minecraft Creeper Costumes from Disguise ■ Peppa Pig Careers Set for TU@Sainsbury’s from Christy’s

By Design Right: Amscan’s Baby Shark collection scooped the Licensing Award for Best Licensed Dressup or Partyware Range.

NCA plans 100th birthday celebration The National Costumers Association has announced the plans for its 100th birthday celebration, scheduled for 3-6 August 2023.

As the Association nears a century of costuming in August next year, it is planning an event to remember its history, celebrate its present and look to tomorrow. The celebration will take place at the Kansas City (MO) Marriott Country Club Plaza.

The past, present and future of costuming and of the industry body itself will be highlighted with social events, seminars, networking and a once-in-a-century celebrations of the NCA. 99 years ago this week, in the Washington Hotel in Indianapolis, IN, Major Harrelson and seven others organised and created the National Costumers Association. Over those 99 years, the organisation has seen growth, challenges, successes, and a century of memories.

Watch out for more details on NCA social media platforms, and costumers.org.

Left: The association will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2023

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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Mom Fun Company expands licensed portfolio The company has added a range of brands to its My Other Me portfolio in European territories – mainly Spain and Portugal.

Animated series, Milo, which has won multiple international awards, including the 2022 Best Children's series at the British animation awards, joins the My Other Me offering.

Also new to the portfolio, is Gus the Knight – the adventure series following a young prince who dreams of becoming king.

Following the success that My Other Me has enjoyed for many years with its Dragon Ball costumes, the company is continuing to add comic and manga characters, with new signing One Piece.

One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, which has been serialized in manga magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump since 1997.

Finally, the company has signed the licence for Atletico de Madrid. Carlos Perez, general manager of Mom Fun Company, commented: “With this licence, we start a series of collections based on the most popular football clubs in Spain.”

Above: Atletico_Madrid_logo – The Atletico Madrid licence begins a series of ranges based on Spanish football clubs.

Smiffys opens EU warehouse Smiffys has opened a new, purpose built warehouse facility in Poznan, Poland to replace the previous European warehouse facility in Germany.

The new warehouse has been opened to accommodate the expanded stock levels that Smiffys has invested in, as well as increasing the order processing capacity required to meet the company's growing carnival and Halloween business across the EU. Customers are already seeing the benefit of the new facility, which began dispatching goods at the end of July, in terms of improved service and processing time.

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PARTY NEWS

Amscan launches new decorator catalogue The new Big Book of Decorator Products from Amscan is bigger than ever before and combines coordinating lines from the latest drop of Sempertex latex, and Amscan and Anagram foil balloons.

Comprising a ‘Here’s How’ of the global balloon brand, Sempertex, the catalogue features everything from the history behind the long-established company, to how it is making steps to become more sustainable.

The catalogue features new products from Sempertex, including reflex prints and more new 18” sized latex, which are ideal for larger displays and the trending organics style. New trend colours from Sempertex are also featured, as well as

the latest range of Amscan decorator foils. There’s also a handy cut out and keep colour chart to add to the toolkit.

The new items included are packaged in sustainable packaging and banded with paper rather than in a plastic bag – just one of the steps Amscan is taking on its sustainability journey.

Decorators are also supported with online resources including tips, tricks, ideas and recipes on the website – www.amscan.co.uk. Amscan invites decorators to share their work on social media, by tagging them @amscanuk.

Right: The new catalogue is the biggest yet with ranges from Sempertex latex and Amscan and Anagram foil balloons.

Rubies acquires Monster High licence As its partnership with Mattel continues to expand, Rubies has announced the acquisition of the Monster High licence for EMEA in 2023.

The licensed costumes will appeal to young fans of the franchise, especially for next year’s Halloween, due to the strong fashion-led identity of the Monster High brand, as the teenage children of legendary monsters return for a new generation.

First launched in 2010, Monster High encourages children to embrace their authentic selves and celebrate what makes them unique. The brand’s ethos of fostering a more accepting world, where everyone is proud to be their authentic self, aligns perfectly with Rubies’ values.

Monster High as a brand has amassed $2.6 billion in franchise sales since launch with over 150 million dolls sold and 11 billion lifetime YouTube views. The brand also has a new slate coming up, debuting its first live action movie this October on Nickelodeon.

Mike O’Connell, managing director

for Rubies, commented: “With the production of our Barbie and Fireman Sam ranges and the recent development of our He-Man costumes, our partnership with Mattel is reaching new heights. We’re delighted to be adding yet another well-loved and popular brand to our mammoth portfolio of licences and can’t wait to see what fans think of our upcoming Monster High costumes.

“On top of this, we’re excited to be adding a brand which lines up with our values that we promote through our products; primarily, being true to oneself and self-expression.”

Ruth Henriquez, head of consumer products, Mattel EMEA, continued: “As we join BLE this week, it’s great to see the extension of our partnership with Rubies with the addition of Monster High. As a brand rooted in fashion and self-expression, we are thrilled to bring this new line of costumes to our fans old and new, as we begin an exciting future for this much-loved franchise.”

Inset: Rubies has acquired the Monster High licence for EMEA for 2023.

Palmer’s 2022 catalogue is the most successful yet The new catalogue from Palmer Agencies has been its most successful to date.

Due to the high levels of orders, the company has had to create a new pdf copy removing the sold out lines.

Covering the company’s popular Halloween animated props, as well as decorations, tableware and partyware, costumes, masks, accessories, make-up and wigs, alongside an extensive Christmas collection, the catalogue is available now.

Contact 028 9064 7119 or email sales@ palmeragencies.com for your copy.

Above:The Palmer Agencies 2022 catalogue is available now.

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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© Disney | © Disney/Pixar | TM & © 20th Century Studios

Costumes for every occasion! info@disguise.com • disguise.com

©2022 Disguise, a division of Jakks Pacific | ©2022 The LEGO Group. | TM & © 2022 Nintendo| ©2022 Hasbro| ©2022 Mojang AB, TM Microsoft Corp. | TM & ® 2022 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

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COLUMNIST

A little while ago I visited one of our member’s stores in Denver, and even before I opened the front door, I knew why this store is successful. The fun began on the exterior, which is painted purple and features prominent castlelike architectural elements Above: Ed Avis is the executive director of the National Costumers Association. Contact such as elaborate him at executivedirector@costumers.org. masonry and fancy towers. What child, or fantasy-loving adult, could resist entering a space like that?

Give people more reasons to shop in your costume store

T

he experience continued as soon as I stepped through the elaborate steel-grate front door. A fanciful tin wizard greeted me in the foyer, and the castle theme – painted stonework, faux topiary, suits of armour and such – continued throughout the store. An elaborate undersea mural drew my eyes to a huge staircase leading to the lower level.

This store, called The Wizard’s Chest, is a one-of-a-kind costume shop. It is a great example of a costume shop that is also a true destination. By making the store an exciting, fun place to visit, the owners of The Wizard’s Chest keep the cash register ringing.

ENGAGE YOUR CUSTOMERS A fundamental element of making your store a true destination is shopper engagement. A trip to your store should be more than an opportunity to buy a costume – it should be an overall pleasurable experience that your customers look forward to.

A key aspect of costumer engagement for The Wizard’s Chest, and other stores that seek to build customer relationships beyond the sales transaction, is a commitment to events.

The list of events a costume business could hold is nearly endless. Here are just a few: ■ Make-up tutorials, especially before Halloween, Mardi Gras, or other holidays and events where

people like to wear make-up; ■ Cosplay events, where participants can learn how to craft their own superhero costumes using fabric, accessories, and other items your store carries; ■ Zombie classes that teach attendees how to re-purpose old clothes into zombie outfits and how to apply Day of the Dead-type make-up; ■C hristmas decorationmaking workshops (complete with a visit by Santa).

At The Wizard’s Chest, regular gameplaying events are encouraged and supported. Popular games include Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon. The store has a dedicated room for the games and a shelf full of demo games that customers can try out before they buy.

The Wizard’s Chest is so well-known in

the gaming community that they regularly host pre-release events for new games and tournaments. Those events attract an evergrowing number of potential customers.

The owner explained that attendees to those events don’t buy things every time they visit, but there’s a tacit understanding that they should support the store regularly, even if it’s just with a small purchase now and then.

PERMANENT ATTRACTIONS If you have space in your store, creating a permanent attraction or two may also help draw customers. At Wizard’s Chest, a year-around attraction is an “escape room.” Their website promotes the attraction this way: ‘Welcome to Kellar Kazam’s attic, filled with clocks and magical delights. Armed with only a pair of special glasses, you have to unravel the mystery of Kazam’s disappearance. Skilled apprentices may unlock bonus challenges concealed among his personal effects. Are you worthy of carrying on his legacy?’

Two other permanent attractions at The Wizard’s Chest are special themed doors: a Tardis Door – a magical door popularised by the magical door popularised

by Doctor Who – and a Moria Door, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels. Both light up and make sounds when a customer touches them with a special wand.

PROMOTION INSIDE THE STORE An additional advantage of making your store a true destination location is that people will help you promote the store simply by word of mouth and social media posts. You can encourage that by setting up stations in your store which invite people to take Instagram-worthy photos – and make sure you include your Instagram hashtag nearby so they can tag you.

Naturally, all the suggestions above – having interesting décor, sponsoring events, building community, etc – won’t help if your store doesn’t have a great selection of interesting, hard-to-find merchandise. Give your customers an unforgettable experience combined with products they won’t find at the big box stores and you’ll succeed.

Below left: The Wizard’s Chest is a great example of a costume store which is also true a destination.

Below: Creating theatre in-store around key events and engaging customers is a key to success.

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HALLOWEEN: LOWDOWN 2022

FEEDBACK FEEDBACK It’s time to hand over to the indie retailers to find out the word on the street for Halloween this year. What’s hot, was 2021 a sell-out, and will this year be the best ever? Those on the shop floor tell us how it is.

SPINE CHILLING STORES JOHN EVANS retail operations manager, Plymouth Fancy Dress

Above and left: There’s lots of stock at the ready at Harlequin Fancy Dress,

“Last Halloween was a recordbreaking year for us. I think this year will be just as strong, Halloween is growing yearon-year. We’ve had people coming in to shop already this year. It’s usually whatever big film that’s been released which drives the trends. Last year it was Scream and we got caught out, we didn’t have much stock, so this year we’ve got shed loads of Scream and I imagine that will be popular again. It’s nearly always the traditional film related stuff that sells well – Ghostbusters, Scream, etc. But we do mainly sell generic, vampires and all the usual Halloween themes, and long black capes for men with the mask of their choice.

“We’ve dropped loads of new product this year and obviously we don’t know how that will do. I’m hoping it will do well, but you never know with Halloween. We’ve got stuff this year which people have asked for in the past and we haven’t been able to get – things like Money Heist, Squid Games – we’ve plugged a lot of the gaps from last year, but people are fickle, so you don’t know. This year, they might not be interested, they might not want it and then we’ll be stuck with it all. You just have to hope and guess and play the game.

“I think it’ll be the Saturday for most people this year.

Kids and students will be on the Monday though, so you get two massive bites of the cherry. We’re in a big student town and we’re right by the university, and they go out on random nights, not usually on a Saturday. So I expect Saturday 29 to be the busiest day of the calendar year. And then on Monday we’ll have the mums and kids after school for trick or treating and the students. It’s always packed out for the whole of the half term week at the end of October too.”

because I know I’m one of the few fancy dress shops operating as a real fancy dress shop, I’ve probably ordered more. But I am sitting here thinking, have I done the right thing?

“The trouble is with my shop, it’s very full up. It’s a bit like an Aladdin’s Cave in here. So to get the Halloween stock in, I have to pack a lot of the normal products away in bags, but I still have people coming in for it. So we have a bit of a difficulty with the changeover, but we have to try and manage it the best I can.

“Last year we ran out of police lady helmets and black wings, but this year it could be completely different. Plus the fact that a lot of the stock we have ordered hasn’t turned up. Some have got dates by them, but if they’re saying it won’t be delivered until after Halloween, I’ve had to cancel the orders as there’s no point.

“The supermarkets haven’t got their products out much yet, which is a cause for concern.

Do they know something we don’t? Maybe their economists know the state of the market much better than we do.”

Above: Plymouth Fancy dress is hoping for another strong year in 2022 after a record-breaking October in 2021

GILL GOODCHILD, owner, Harlequin Fancy dress “It was a slightly different situation last year, although we’d only just come out of Covid, it actually helped that it was on a weekend. And then one of the bigger fancy dress shops in our town shut down in June, so that obviously had a beneficial knock-on effect on us, even though we’ve been here for 30+ years.

“However this year, the general economy is making me go a bit jittery. I don’t know what it’s going to be like. The last couple of weeks things have been a bit quiet. Wouldn’t I love a crystal ball, but I haven’t got one and I just don’t know how it’s going to affect things at all.

“I’ve tried to be cautious with ordering, but it’s difficult.

When you’ve had a really good Halloween the year before,

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HALLOWEEN: LOWDOWN 2022

JACKIE CONNOR, owner, We’re Partying Now Fancy Dress “Last year was good. It wasn’t as good as it has been in the past, but definitely a vast improvement on the year before. I don’t think it will be busy this year. It’s already not happening. We would normally have seen a bit of an increase already and it hasn’t happened. In fact it’s been pretty flat all summer. I think in the UK, everyone has been concerned about this crisis and I think they’re keeping their pennies tight. I think it’ll be a last-minute thing this year. I think they’ll get to the last minute and think ‘oh go on then we’ll do it anyway’ and there will be no stock because it’s really hard to get hold of any stock in the first place.

“Our normal suppliers are all out of stock, so we can’t get the products. I think there will be a lot of people coming in last minute and they’ll be disappointed because there’s nothing here. And we’ll be disappointed because we can’t make the usual profit from it. It’s a really bad situation

at the moment. We used to do a lot abroad and Brexit has killed that off, then covid killed a few years off and now Putin has killed off our future, so it’s all pretty grim.

“I’ve done a little top up, but not our major top up. We fly by the seat of our pants here, so we would normally be getting it now, but there’s nothing to get anyway.

“It’s all so boring as well. Having been in the business for 15 years, you look at what’s available and it just bores me because it’s the same stuff, there’s nothing new coming out. We mainly sell generic here. People do come into the shop wanting licensed costumes, but they don’t like the prices, so we keep a few lines if we can get them, but when they see the prices, they end up in a generic costume.

“We sell on Amazon ourselves which has become more of a nightmare because the overseas sales have disappeared and Amazon make it difficult to sell with all the regulations.”

DEBBIE LYBERT, Southport Fancy Dress “Hopefully with everything calming down and Covid over, we’re hoping for a good year and we can start celebrating business being a bit better.

What’s trending is a hard one, some years it will be clowns, or another it will be Scream, but I haven’t seen anything strong this year yet.

“Last year was OK business wise, but it could have been better, but fingers crossed, this year will be good for us. I think this year, people will party on the weekend, then it will be trick or treating on the Monday.

“We’ve had some problems getting stock in this year.

Some of our most popular stuff, like the black and red hairspray have been difficult, we haven’t been able to get cheap blood. One of our biggest suppliers in Manchester closed just after Covid, so there are certain things we just cannot get our hands on this year.”

Below: Hopes are high for a strong Halloween at Southport Fancy Dress

Left: We’re Partying Now is expecting last minute shoppers for Halloween this year

KAY HEYWOOD, owner, Fancy That The Fancy Dress Shop, Bolton

“We had a brilliant Halloween last year, but then we got broken into and they stole my safe. So hopefully this year I’m looking forward to a better one. I think this year will be strong again, I’m getting good vibes at the moment. I’ve seen lots of events coming up and people are already coming in, so the scouts are out already.

“I guess people will party on the Saturday just before this year. We might get an overflow into the week after, but it will be mainly the week before.

“I think people will start to be more careful with spending with the cost of living crisis coming up to Christmas time, but I don’t think it’s affecting things too much yet. I think people are still wanting to party right now. So far the supermarkets haven’t been as big on Halloween as they usually are, which is good for the small retailers.

“Also the prices online are getting more in line with shop prices. My customers are saying to me that our products are cheaper than online now. We are keen on prices, but I’ve noticed the prices online are going up. You still get some people putting a feed line out there and if you’ve got 20 people putting a feeder out at ridiculous prices that I can’t even get it for, then you can’t compete. You do get people coming in asking if we can do it for that price, but I just say, ‘no sorry, I can’t get it for that’.

I might as well just go out of business

if I start to try price matching every single item that’s being put out so cheap.

We’ve just stuck to our guns and we do everything at a good price and that’s it.

“I’ve just bought out a shop in Leeds as well, so I bought a lot of stock from her and this year, I’ve got a lot of stock without such a big outlay, so hopefully it will be a productive year. I landed lucky really, it came at a good time. At the time, I wondered if I needed more stock, but as I bought it, we started to struggle getting stuff, so I was really lucky to have it.

“I’ve had a call this morning from a customer who wants to be a Pharoah and his partner will be Cleopatra and they won’t even be doing bloodied up Halloween versions. So I think people are tending to go towards dressing up the American way, whereas the UK has always been a bit more ghoulish. I’m sure there will still be the bloody, scary costumes too though, I’ve got the blood in ready.”

Above: Fancy That has plenty of blood in ready for the scary costumes

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HALLOWEEN: LOWDOWN 2022

ROBIN FLUX, managing partner and founder, Master of Disguise “We relocated last year and moved to a bigger shop. After the pandemic a lot of people were very negative about the high street. Because of that, a lot of the high street shops that went up for rent were very cheap. So it was actually a very good time to be renting a shop, as long as you were confident that we would still have a high street next year. I didn’t really think it would be going anywhere, because there’s a global disaster about every 50 years, but the high street is still there. So as long as you can weather through the hard times, you get the good times later.

“From what we had last year, Halloween was very very good. There was a few unexpected things which some of the suppliers maybe should have been more aware of. So Fortnite gave out a free skin of the Ghost face, and that became a very asked for item, same as Squid Games. If we had known that was coming, we would have ordered 200 boxes or something crazy and we would have sold out. But at the end of Halloween, we had no stock left at all, and we’d had loads of stock. I don’t think we’ve ever had a better Halloween.

“I think it’s probably unlikely that we’ll have a better year than last year, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have a good year. It does go up and down. We’ve been running for almost 12 years and we’ve done well because we sell stock.

I do know that people who have hired costumes had been hit harder. So we’ve actively avoided renting stuff, which I think has helped a lot to get away from the older looking fancy dress shops that were around in the 80s. Most of the hire

MIKE DAVIS, Bridgwater Fancy Dress “Our Halloween was pretty good last year. We’re fighting against the supermarket prices, but every business is nowadays.

It was quiet to start with and then picked up last minute last year. We’re hoping it will be busy this year, we’ve ordered just as much as we usually do, and we’re still trying to get rid of some stuff from last year.

“What people are buying now really varies. They seem to be getting their make-up and things like that from the pound shops, so the accessories side of the business is down. We don’t do a lot of decorations any more, because we can’t buy it for as cheap as the pound

shops aren’t around any more in this area.

“The increase in stock prices is understandable if it’s within the 10% field, but when it gets over that, we’ll look for other suppliers which are more reasonably priced. I’ve now got products from I Love Fancy Dress that I never would have thought of using previously. I’ve got a Beetlejuice based costume which is costing me £12.50, rather than £26 for a licensed version. That’s become a real challenge I’d imagine for every fancy dress shop in the world. We want to make sure we can get a decent margin, and we’ve only got one month of the year to get that. Although we do well for the rest of the year, realistically everyone’s money is Halloween. We just aren’t ordering licensed costumes like we would have done years ago when we would order tens of thousands of pounds worth of the same item because there’s only a £10 mark up on a £50 product. I can make more profit margin from a toy sword.

That’s changed a lot and it’s never really happened before this year.

“Over the last five or six years as a company, we’ve moved into the movie replica stuff. We have worked with Trick or Treat Studios, a mask company. The masks are fairly expensive, but most people who work there were designers or creators on big budget movies and they do a lot of big end Halloween stuff.

That’s selling really well. The key is carving out a niche for yourself. There is so much on Amazon and eBay now, it’s not a terrible idea to go on the very high end of stuff and collector’s items that you don’t see on those sites, because they are really ultra niche items.

shops are selling it for. We even go to the pound shops to buy the decorations for the shop.

“I don’t think the cost of living has affected people yet. Down here we have a big fair on in September and everyone saves their money to go there. So we won’t be able to tell what sales will be like until after the fair is over.”

People who are really into it are very keen to know the heritage of those items.

“It’s the same reason that we get the Funworld masks. The Scream mask from Funworld is the same mask that Wes Kraven bought the licence for to use in the movie. If you look around you can find these little hidden gems in the regular wholesale market place which are great. People who are really into horror, really like the fact that you’ve got the original copy.

“I think Squid Games may still be popular this year, maybe not as much as last time. The slight issue with our schedule for Halloween is that we only really want it in the four weeks of October. If you haven’t got it, we’ll have to get something else. Stranger Things is obviously still huge, so anyone with a good order of that is going to do great.

“Then you’ve got the generic stuff.

Harlequin, although it’s a little bit long in the tooth, people still love dressing up as them, Batman, The Joker, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare on Elm Street, all the classics never really go out of favour.

You don’t need to worry if you don’t sell out of them, you’ll sell them next year.”

Above: The new, larger Master of Disguise store is ready and waiting for the Halloween crowds.

Left: Realistic film masks have carved out a niche for Master of Disguise.

LYNDA PARRY, Pink Party Shop

“Halloween last year was quite good.

People were just starting to come out and party again and hopefully it will be busier this year. We’ve had people in looking for Halloween products from the beginning of September this year. I think this year people will have their parties on the Saturday, although the trick or treaters will be out on Monday.

“We’ve got Squid Games products this year as that’s the main new one that’s being asked for, but apart from that it’s mainly the traditional costumes people have been asking for.

“We haven’t found that sales are dropping due to the economic worries yet, but last year, people were having parties at home and I think that may continue this year to save cost.”

Above: Hopes are high for a strong Halloween at Southport Fancy Dress

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©2022 The Roald Dahl Story Company Ltd / Quentin Blake. CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY ™ Warner Bros. Ent.

EXCITING

COSTUMES COMING SOON!

Exciting Roald Dahl costumes arriving in time for Book Week!

©Amscan 2022, ©Anagram 2022. All Rights Reserved.

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Fantastic Mr. Fox

!

BFG

BFG

Matilda

Miss Trunchball

James and the Giant Peach

Mrs Twit

Mr Twit

Golden Ticket

Veruca

Charlie

Willy Wonka

Bring the party to life with Amscan’s collection of some of the world’s most loved and in demand licenses.

Our ranges of party products, balloons and costumes create great excitement for all ages!

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HALLOWEEN SECTOR GUIDE

Halloween 2022 has a tough act to follow. 2021’s celebrations were an enormous success as consumers clambered to get the party started again after the Covid restrictions were finally lifted. PPE chatted to key suppliers in the sector to find out if this year is set to follow suit.

L

ast year, Halloween season met the perfect combination of conditions to create, in many cases, a sellout event. Consumers were looking for reasons to get together and celebrate with friends and family, having been restricted for so long, while the day itself fell on a Sunday, giving the ideal opportunity to organise parties and celebrations, and get dressed up over the weekend.

It doesn’t seem as though spooky celebrations reached their peak in 2021, however, as the industry is confident that this year is going to be even better. Elliott Peckett, director of Smiffys, explains: “Here at Smiffys we are expecting an incredibly busy Halloween season.

Our Halloween pre-orders are up an incredible 500% on record-breaking 2019 levels. There is an exceptional demand for product this year, and we have brought in a phenomenal amount of stock to meet these orders.”

Jelle van der Zwet, co-founder of Opposuits adds: “After a big 2021, we expect Halloween 2022 to be another big one with most of Europe hopefully restriction free.”

Scott Pickworth, independent account manager, Rubies, agrees: “As 2021 saw Halloween reach new heights after challenging previous years, we expect this year’s celebrations to be even bigger and better. We have already seen a strong growth in sales and interest from retailers and this will only continue to grow in the lead up.”

Julie Dommett, head of marketing at Pioneer Europe, furthers: “As we revert to pre-pandemic levels of socialising and travel, hopes are high for a very 26

engaged Halloween this year.”

This year, 31 October falls on a Monday, but expectations are that this won’t lessen excitement for the event. Lisa Morris, commercial director at Amscan International, says: “2021 was an extremely successful Halloween season and we are expecting that to continue through 2022.

Despite Halloween falling on a Monday, we still see uplift with this being linked

Left: Rubies’ new costume from the record-breaking superhero film, The Batman, is a great way to embrace your inner hero.

Below left: The Stand-Up Zombie from Grabo is sure to scare any party guests.

on to a weekend and again the school half term holidays, which always allow for various celebrations and markings of the event throughout the week.”

“The event falling on a Monday won’t dampen any enthusiasm for the season,” Elliott predicts. “This simply opens up the opportunity for a full weekend of celebrations, as well as trick-or-treating on the day itself.”

In terms of trends, some are seeing a move to less scary designs. Gloria Veta, brand and sales director at Gemar, says: “Halloween brings out all of the usual spooky motifs in both monochrome and the traditional orange, green and

International sales The US is arguably the biggest supporter of Halloween, and has driven some suppliers to expand their offerings for the season. Opposuits’ Jelle explains: “With the US being our biggest market, our product development team has spent a lot of time on increasing our Halloween assortment, especially in our lower priced Suitmeister brand.

We have a large assortment of character-based licensed suits and outfits, with Joker, Riddler, Beetlejuice and Harry Potter suits as Right: Dress like the classic Beetlejuice from the US horror comedy movies with this suit from the Suitmeister range from Opposuits

the key licensed items.”

Meanwhile, some territories are only just beginning to celebrate Halloween, as Damian Skurczyńzski, deputy commercial director of GoDan tells us: “The Halloween season 2021 was quite good. In Poland, this holiday is slowly recovering despite criticism from officials. In 2022, GoDan is acting in two ways. Firstly by supplying standard Halloween items like fake blood, vampire teeth, costumes, etc.

Secondly we created our own brand Halloween collection of tableware, decorations, balloons and more, called BOO! Treat or….”

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HALLOWEEN SECTOR GUIDE

Stock is king

Right: The iconic Ghost Face Mask from Palmer Agencies, as seen in the Scream movie, is just the start of the company’s range.

Despite a positive reaction to Halloween ranges, the season has not been without its challenges, as stock remains a problem for many.

Sergio at Palmer Agencies, comments: “The main issue for suppliers and retailers is going to be having the stock in time. After a very successful Halloween last year, most retailers’ stock rooms were left depleted as they sold plenty of items from previous campaigns. If we add this low stock situation to the extreme pressures the supply chain is going through, with major congestion at the main European cargo hubs, we’ll be facing a lot of pressure to supply retailers in time for the season.

At Palmer Agencies, we had already forecasted these issues and have taken steps to avoid not having stock in time. purple. We also see a growing interest in different colours, pink and black makes a striking combination, for example.

“Growing numbers are looking for cute and friendly décor rather than anything frightening, lots of smiling ghosts and baby witches. Some are even aiming to focus more on autumn in general rather than anything creepy.”

For Amscan, licensed and classic themes are both doing well. Lisa tells us: “We expect the continued growth in both classic and character costumes to continue, and with the new successful licences in the Amscan portfolio, there are some perfect tie-ins for the occasion. We are also seeing continued sales in our sustainable all-round portfolio, which is spearheading the development plans of both our seasonal and everyday assortment alike.”

Streaming is creating the demand at Rubies, as Scott explains: “The biggest trend we have seen as a company is the rise in costumes and fancy dress based off streaming platform favourites including our Wandavision, Book of Boba Fett and Mandalorian dress up, as consumers of all ages rush to dress up like the characters they see on their TV screens.”

Both classic and new licences are key for Smiffys, says Elliott: “So far we have seen the classic Halloween licences remain popular, including Chucky, Ghostbusters, and The Addams Family. We also expect the neon and gaming trend to be big this year in kids costumes, which we have seen reflected in the pre-orders for our new lines. We can’t wait to see everyone back in party mode for a full

“This meant we had to curtail our purchasing on some lines to make sure the goods would be with retailers in September. Restraining purchases means we may sell less than we would’ve liked but it also means securing the stock in a timely fashion for our customers, who have placed their orders this year earlier than ever. The pressures on the sterling pound and shipping lanes will make this a very complicated year.”

Smiffys’ has also taken preventative measures, as Elliott explains: “Stock availability has been a challenge and is the hot topic this Halloween. However, Smiffys has gone above and beyond to ensure stock is ready for this Halloween with over 60 containers scheduled to land in the UK warehouse in September

alone, and a further 20 heading to our purposebuilt European warehouse in Poland.

“Smiffys has bought in a phenomenal amount of stock to meet orders, even airfreighting stock to ensure customers will be fully stocked for the season.

“With the cost of materials and fuel continuing to rise, and with sterling down to record lows vs the US dollar, customers are strongly advised to get their replenishment orders in quickly before an unavoidable price increase in October.”

Far left: The Universal Monsters range from Smiffys drops this Halloween, featuring all of the classics.

Left: The Keep Out Window clings from Hootyballoo’s Squad Ghouls range add some fear to the exterior of the house.

weekend of Halloween celebrations.”

For the adult market, Opposuits is catering for groups, as Jelle furthers: “We expect group costumes to remain strong and have reflected this in an offering for licensed sets within our Suitmeister range. Opposuits also has a Halloween offering, though it is aimed towards customers that want to wear the original suit brand as well as the best quality in the market.”

Scary film licences are key for Palmer Agencies. Sergio Battaner, sales and marketing director says: “Ghost Face, the icon of Halloween is undoubtedly the king of sales in 2022. The film release earlier this year was a huge success and Palmer Agencies has brought to market more Ghost Face items than ever. Not just the usual and very recognisable masks, but also décor lights, graveyard style arrangements, accessories and other variations of this character including a pumpkin inspired

Ghost Face costume, weapons… and this will only be the beginning.

“Michael Myers is still a very requested character and scary clowns are featured in almost every order we receive. Halloween parties this year will definitely feature our Boris Johnson mask as a central figure in any party.”

And as we emerge from the pandemic, Pioneer Europe is expecting many consumers to have gained new hobbies useful for Halloween. Julie comments: “As people use the skills they have developed over the last two years, we expect lots of creative decorating for parties, window displays and front doors.”

Read on to find out what’s on offer to party retailers this Halloween.

Left: Amscan has teamed up with Netflix’s Squid Game for a range which is perfect for Halloween this year.

Below left: The own brand Boo! Trick or… collection from GoDan is soft and delicate in design, ideal for children and adults alike.

Below: Hootyballoo’s Happy Halloween range from Club Green features a wide range of party products and décor.

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SPOOK-TACULAR PRODUCTS Bring a comic costume to any Halloween party with the SpongeBob SquarePants Men’s Combo from Opposuits.

New pumpkins from Grabo in four colours, can be combined to form a bouquet, or paired with the new bat or witch to make a statement decoration.

Hootyballoo is offering garlands for the autumn season to decorate for Halloween and beyond, including the 2.5m Pumpkin Garland and an Autumnal Leaf 2m Garland.

Momfun company – The Kitty with Pumpkin costume is very warm and ideal for trick or treating on cold nights, as the outfit includes a textile pumpkin bag to store the treats.

The Happy Halloween tableware from Hootyballoo includes paper plates, napkins and cups, shaped ghost napkins, and trick or treat bags with stickers.

The new Halloween Airloonz from Amscan are available in various styles for an air-filled, larger than life, reusable solution. The Haunted House design stands at 127cm high, making it the perfect focal point for this year’s celebrations.

Banners, cake cases and cake picks are all part of GoDan’s new own brand Boo! Trick or… collection.

Palmer Agencies’ Ghost Face Grave Breaker is a 30cm tall life size torso figure with poseable arms and ground stake.

This red suit is reminiscent of The Joker and comes with iconic comic art and a yellow waistcoat to complete the look.

The generic range of Halloween costumes from Rubies is stronger than ever following the addition of new costumes.

The Colour Magic Witch, Bloody Nurse and Devil Girl are three highlights of the range, which caters to every customer.

Fang the Bat foil balloon and the 12 Halloween Balloon bundle are part of the Happy Halloween range from Hootyballoo.

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The debut Universal Monsters range from Smiffys features legendary characters bought back to life including Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Dracula and Mummy. The range includes matching costumes for all the family, realistic latex masks, wigs and make up kits.

The Black Cat costume from Mom Fun Company is a simple but effective black jumpsuit with ears on the hood and a tail.

Complete the Happy Halloween look with Hootyballoo’s Pickles the Pumpkin pinata with face stickers and Boo the Ghost Gift Bag.

The Ghost Face Slayer Kit from Palmer Agencies includes mask with hood, gloves, buck knife and soft face PVC mask.

The Squad Ghouls offering from Hootyballoo is perfect for decorating a haunted house ready for trick or treat.

Amscan’s Squid Games accessories include the glamorous VIP masks in Lion or Leopard style.

The foil bat and witch balloons from Grabo will make the perfect centrepiece for a Halloween gathering.

Ghostbusters remains as popular as ever for Smiffys.

Boosted by the new movie release, the company has added Afterlife costumes to the range including a kids’ jumpsuit and ladies’ dress. Slimer also comes to life with a giant inflatable costume. For the ultimate ‘Who ya gonna call?’ look, Smiffys has also added a Ghostbusters ride-in car costume to the range.

Amscan’s new range of toddler costumes range from three months to three years and include Skeleton Cutie, with printed jumpsuit and hat; Dinky Dracula with shirt and faux waistcoat; and Little Kitty Cutie with printed romper, hat and tail.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Men’s Combo from Opposuit’s Suitmeister range includes a DIY mask and is perfect for group costumes.

For fans of book series, Amelia Fang, by Laura Ellen Anderson, Rubies offers a costume featuring a shimmer printed bodice and a printed skirt in the style of a vampire.

An accessory set has also been launched to complete the costume including headband, wings and pumpkin shaped bag.

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The Boo Black Acrylic Sign and Halloween photo booth props from Hootyballoo are ideal for a Halloween party.

Following on from the success of one of the latest instalments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Rubies’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness costumes are key for Halloween. Scarlet Witch with tunic, trousers and headpiece, and Doctor Strange with tunic, cape and trousers, are the ideal him and her fancy dress for Halloween 2022.

Mom Fun Company’s Boy Without a Head costume is simple but terrifying.

There is a growing interest in different colours of balloons for Halloween, says Gemar, and the pink and black colourway makes a striking combination.

Riddle: What cerebral criminal enjoys leaving clues for Batman to piece together? The Riddler suit from Opposuits will transform you into a smart villain the stylish way.

We all know how far The Joker would go to put a smile on your face. This time you can be the one to make others smile with Opposuits’ costume.

With the imminent release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, celebrate one of Marvel’s most popular superheroes with Rubies’ Black Panther costumes.

Featuring the iconic super suit with mask, the dress up is available in children and adult sizing.

The sustainable solid colour tableware collection from Amscan offers plenty of seasonal colours to choose from, including Pumpkin, Lime Cordial and Purple Grape shades and includes compostable napkins, paper cups and single use plastic compliant plates.

Gemar is seeing a trend for cute over scary, and the Happy Halloween monochrome balloons are perfect for that.

Join Chase, Marshall and the pups this Halloween with Amscan’s PAW Patrol Halloween styles. Choose from PAW Patrol Skeleton – with character printed jumpsuit and hat and Skye Witch – a printed and tulle skirt dress with matching hat.

From the record breaking The Batman film, Rubies’ range of dress-up offers classic and deluxe editions and both children and adult sizes, allowing fans of any age to get dressed up as the iconic superhero for Halloween.

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Feeling festive?!

We have all the items you need!

Head to our website to see all of our NEW ranges!

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The Boo offering from GoDan has received great acclaim from customers in Poland and Europe and includes not only plates, cups and napkins, but also picks, garlands, foil balloons, latex balloons and even cake cases.

The Little Devil, Little Pumpkin and Little Skeleton baby costumes from Mom Fun Company are ideal for little ones as they are made from soft and comfortable materials. Each costume is also nappy-ready to make life easier for parents.

Grabo’s stand-up line for Halloween allows you to stand characters around the room to scare guests.

Options include tombstones, pumpkins and zombies.

Go trick or treating as the Caped Crusader with this Suitmeister adult-sized Batman costume including cape.

The cake picks from GoDan’s Boo! Offering add the finishing touch to any Halloween party.

Red light, green light. Amscan’s Squid Games range offers four key character styles, as well as accessories.

Choose from Squid Game Doll comprising dress, mask, long socks; Squid Game Contestant 456 comprising jacket, top and trousers, and plenty more.

Put on your cape and become the Man of Steel with the Suitmeister Superman costume from Opposuits.

Boland - There is much to scare family and friends in Boland’s Halloween range, from scary animal skeletons and creepy spiders, to ghostly moving and screaming decorations, light up flashing masks, a huge range of contact lenses and make up that makes sure nobody knows who you really are.

Adults can realistically transform themselves into the famous Plague Doctor from the plague era with this costume from Mom Fun Company.

Rubies’ Wednesday Addams costumes for women and girls feature a printed dress, ideal for old fans and new as the imminent release of the TV series Wednesday on Netflix is set to draw in a new group of fans.

Hootyballoo’s Zombie wooden garden signs, Zombie card food picks and Beware 2m Banner are ideal for setting a spooky scene.

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FOCUS ON: THE MAD HATTER

An indie which truly stands out at Halloween is The Mad Hatter in Yeovil, Somerset. Having taken over the business a year ago, David Rose is working hard to turn the shop into a destination for all things spooky.

T

he Mad Hatter has been trading for over 35 years, but in October last year, current owner, David Rose, bought the business. Before acquiring the store, David’s career was in corporate retail, with no direct experience of running a costume shop, but you wouldn’t know that when looking at his plans for the business.

Having taken over just a week before Halloween 2021, this year is his first real chance to provide a Halloween shop for his customers and he has big plans for the month of October and beyond.

Above the main shop is a twofloor flat, which has been transformed into a Horror Shop, helping to make the costume shop a true destination store for horror fans. David tells us: “Last week someone came from Brighton to go into it.

Someone this week turned up from Cardiff, because there’s nowhere else around for them.

We get people from all over the UK coming to us.

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“We started to build the horror shop from January. It’s a Victorian building, which helps with the atmosphere and the look of it being so old helps to fit it in as being a Halloween horror shop.”

A visit to the Horror Shop is designed to be an experience which gets people talking. David continues: “We get the biggest blokes go up to the Horror Shop Above: The window display changes three times a year, with a Christmas window, a Halloween window and a more general window.

Right: The Horror Shop has been in development since January this year.

Below: The Mad Hatter is trialling a toy shop with classic novelty toys.

and you can hear them scream like a teenage girl within a few minutes. You don’t get that when you’re shopping online. Whereas when you get the eerie music in the background and you’re walking around the corner and a prop spider jumps out at you, it makes it an experience. Even if those people are not there to buy anything, they’ll tell their friends, who might be absolute Halloween nuts.”

While David is in the business of scaring customers who love horror, he’s making sure the store is also a family affair: “This year we’ve also taken a room we were using as a toy shop and put all the Halloween bits in there, so that people with young kids who don’t want to go upstairs and scare them, can still shop the range.”

The product offering is key in getting people through the door, but also in developing the online presence of the retailer. Far from offering just costumes, accessories and run of the mill décor, The Mad Hatter has a wide range of animated props and niche Halloween products. A new website is being developed to help drive the online sales.

David explains: “In the next year, I definitely want to build that online presence. For general costumes, there’s loads of online places, but for the proper props, there’s only a couple of places online and only one up North that I know of with an actual shop.

“Online Halloween orders have started already for the bigger animated props. We do have regulars who shop online, but while looking at a picture is fine, a lot of people want to get their hands

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FOCUS ON: THE MAD HATTER

Above: The Victorian Building which houses the shop helps create the eerie atmosphere.

Above right: The props on offer at The Mad Hatter help to differentiate the retailer from online competition.

Right: Enter if you dare.

Far right: Grown men often scream on entry to The Mad Hatter’s Horror Shop.

on products and see it, so I guess that’s why they come from miles around.

If you’re going to spend £300 on an animated prop, you want to see it rather than just clicking on a photo. Hopefully the online will pick up once the website is done.”

As well as the product offering and experience in-store, the team has been touring local country fairs to get the brand out there over the last year. David tells us: “I’ve done a load of fairs this year, not really to sell stuff because sales weren’t great, but I’ve covered Shepton, Frome, towards Bristol and I just want to get the name

Petrifying predictions

The Mad Hatter is hoping with all the plans in place, it’s in for a strong Halloween this year, but what will be big in 2022? David predicts: “Scream is always popular as it’s such a well-known brand.

People always come in asking for Michael Myers, but it depends what films they release. Last year, Squid Games came out on Netflix, so two days later, everyone wanted the Squid Games masks and outfits. I’m sure there will be people asking for that as there’s rumours of a new series, but it’s usually the brands like Freddie Kruger and Saw that are always big because they’re so well known.”

out there and advertise what we do.

“I had a lady come in last week who said her son had been driving her mad since they’d seen us at a show in April, about when they were going to come and see the Horror Shop, so they’d travelled from Cardiff, just to see it.”

Social media is also key to spreading the word. David says: “Facebook is quite a big thing for us, I’ve probably got 80 Facebook groups I’ve joined and I share our posts with them. Also word of mouth is good for us because the shop’s been here such a long time.”

Going forward, David plans to work on ranges that will create revenue throughout the year, as well as during Below: People travel from all over the UK to visit The Mad Hatter.

October. He continues: “The other area I’m trying to expand is the hen and stag night area. Upstairs we have a room with all the hen and stag night stuff and we’re trying a few new things. We’ve got a couple of gimp suits, which people say they are going to dress the stag in all weekend without him knowing.

“I’m also trying out some lingerie up there. We’re not going Ann Summers or anything, we’re keeping it at a level, but just trying out things like bodysuits. We’ve also got things like joke sweets up there, because hen and stag is a massive industry and again there’s nowhere local that does it, so it’s just a case of making the space I’ve got work.”

Toys may also make an appearance.

David explains: “The building used to have two shops and when I took over it used to sell tableware and balloons, but the balloon shops are selling those at the price I can buy them for, so we stopped that side of it. I’ve kept the extra shop, which I’m trialling as a toy shop. I’m not stocking board game type products, but more the gadget side of things, so they don’t lose their appeal.

Whereas the cap guns and the like will never go out of fashion.”

To conclude, David shares his hopes for the future: “I’d love to expand in the coming years, I’d like to open a small store in Street, maybe somewhere out towards Taunton. I’d like to open two or three, because even if they’re smaller shops, and can’t hold as much, the Yeovil store could feed them, and it would spread the word for people to come out further to see the full range.”

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