BIGGEST www.giftfocus.com EVER ISSUE! January/February 2010 Issue 57 www.giftfocus.com Official media partner for Spring Fair International 2010 Novelty Gifts SPRING FAIR Fun lines to fly off the shelves PREVIEW Great GREENS Spotlight on planet friendly products Mother’s Day Top gifts for mums Clock picture special WIN! Time pieces that tick all the boxes Fabulous products from Ashleigh PLUS & Burwood’s • Hot trends for 2010 Fragrance Lamp • Fashion handbags range • New product showcase 51 January/February 2010 Issue 57 Group Editor Emma Cant +44 (0)1376 535 609 [email protected] contents Editor Sarah Reeve +44 (0)1376 535 614 news&events [email protected] industry news 6 the in thing 55 All the latest from the world of gifts Trend predictions for 2010 Editorial Assistant Rianna Fry +44 (0)1376 535 613 on with the show 10 fashion handbags 58 [email protected] Trade fair dates and news Bags of style with new season must-haves Sales Manager Mark White brand spanking new 14 +44 (0)1376 535 606 make your mark 63 [email protected] Latest launches and hot new products National competition for rising retail stars Sales Executive Sharon Connelly hot property 51 winning ways 69 +44 (0)1376 535 607 Spotlight on the world of licensing Award winning entrepreneurs [email protected] Design Manager competition 179 Vicky O'Connor retailer interview 164 +44 (0)1376 535 616 Win fabulous products from Ashleigh & Burwood Revisiting Bohemia one year on [email protected] Graphic Designers q&a special 181 eco logic 186 Sarah Barnes, Sophie Farage, Laura Perry, Our experts tackle your retail queries We talk to Envirosax founder Belinda David-Tooze Steve Mckea, Leanne Walsh +44 (0)1376 535 616 up and coming 194 Production Manager focus on... Stuart Weatherley insurance 24 Great cushion creations from rising young star Administration Insurance health check for the trade show season Scott Brothwell +44 (0)1376 514 000 special feature retail technology 32 KD Media Publishing Ltd green gifts 27 Broseley House Choosing a website designer Spotlight on natural and organic products Newlands Drive Witham, Essex CM8 2UL retailer initiatives 46 27 www.giftfocus.com Planning promotions for high returns Cover courtesy of Enesco www.enesco.co.uk the ga 72 Gift Focus is solely owned, published and All the latest from The Giftware Association designed by KD Media Publishing Limited. Whilst every effort was made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going business link 171 to press, the publishers cannot accept legal Staffi ng and recruitment advice responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the standing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. tales of the unexpected 175 The views expressed do not necessarily refl ect Expert guidance on business continuity planning those of the publisher. Gift Focus is published six times a year. Subscription rates for overseas readers are £40 per annum (incl. p+p), Cheques acid 184 should be made out to KD Media Publishing shows Limited and sent to Gift Focus @ Broseley Keeping an eye on the small print to help fi ght Christmasworld 38 House, Newlands Drive, Witham, Essex copying Insight into a world of event decoration CM8 2UL. Average Net Ambiente 66 Circulation: 7,438 features (01/07/08 to 30/06/09) mother’s day 35 New decade, new look for this international trade Fab treats for mum’s special day show Gift Focus magazine is proud to be associated with and supporters of: MEDIA SUPPORTER fun-tastic 43 Spring Fair International 75 Latest hot novelty lines Your essential bumper preview ANTI COPYING IN DESIGN time well spent 48 Accent Asia 169 Clock picture showcase Raising the curtain on London Asia Expo giftfocus 3 bigger and better Welcome to the biggest ever edition of Gift Focus Magazine! Nearly 200 pages, choc full of fabulous new products, latest trends, top business tips, bumper Spring Fair International preview, plus much, much more… We are kick starting the new year firmly focused on the job in hand - delivering packed pages, crammed full of recession-busting products, industry news and initiatives from home and abroad. There’s certainly plenty to get excited about in this bumper issue. However, just as talk of emerging green shoots has been gathering momentum, down came the snow! At the time of writing, the country had been struggling under a blanket of the white stuff for days. Some parts of the country were completely cut off, schools shut, roads and transport hit. It comes as a particularly cruel blow to business, with many shoppers battening down the hatches and staying close to home instead of hitting the high street. At peak January sale time this will come as a bitter pill, particularly after what for many had been a better retail Christmas in 2009 than the previous year. However, let’s hope the growing spirit of optimism tangible in the latter part of 2009 will continue and those delicate green shoots will survive the snow ready to burst forth soon. With the dawning of the new year and a new decade, a spirit of newness is certainly in the air. There’s mounting anticipation over the forthcoming Spring Fair International 2010, which opens in Birmingham on February 7th raising the curtain on thousands of new products, new features, new initiatives as well as a newly improved, customer-friendly face to the show. Great efforts have been made behind the scenes to deliver the event the industry wants and needs. We speak to Louise Young, managing director of show organiser Emap Connect Home & Gift, about moving forward into a new era for Spring Fair International. We also reveal some of the exciting product launches set to be unveiled at the show in our bumper preview starting on page 75. As an official media sponsor of the event Gift Focus and sister title Attire Accessories will be available at the NEC from the media village and The Giftware Association’s Gift of the Year house in Hall 9. Don’t forget to stop by and pick up your copy. In this edition we also cast the spotlight on forthcoming trends for the year ahead and offer valuable advice for business success from industry experts. There’s also a wealth of other show news, product showcases and inspiring features to help get through the coldest of snaps. Whatever the weather, here at Gift Focus we are excited about the year ahead and are keeping our fingers crossed for a successful and snow-free Spring Fair! See you there…. HVgV] Sarah Reeve Editor giftfocus 5 industry news Catch up on all the latest in our news round-up Older, Wiser…Sexier The popular cartoon greeting card series by Bev Williams now features in two new gift books just out. With a version for women and a version Annual enamel for men the new Older, Wiser… Sexier books cover topics such as baldness, drinking and boxes take fl ight keeping your looks. Perfect gifts for the young Bilston and Battersea Enamels’ new 2010 at heart! collection offers traditional and contemporary Over the years Bev Williams’ hilarious designs. The company continues to work with greeting cards have brought many wry smiles world famous licences, Classic Pooh, Beatrix to the faces of millions. These cheeky but charming books bring together the best of the Potter, Disney and Jim Shore, the artist behind cartoons with witty quotations. the world-renowned Heartwood Creek Both Older, Wiser... Sexier books are published by Summersdale from February 1st 2010. To collection by Enesco. fi nd out more telephone +44 (0)1243 771 107 or visit the website www.summersdale.com. For January 2010 two new annual boxes are available featuring a colourful butterfl y and dragonfl y. The new collection not only offers Envirosax® takes a stand enamel boxes, but also bangles and cuffl inks, in Envirosax®, a a variety of widths and designs. leading exponent The company also offers a corporate service of re-usability, is for special market commissions. carrying the eco- For further details contact either Angela friendly message Metcalfe +44 (0)1228 404 047 or email UK through to its trade customer services [email protected]. show stands. Envirosax is furthering the company’s ethos by ensuring that they display their eco-products at forthcoming trade shows with a new, more eco-friendly stand design. Envirosax, Australia’s original designer reusable bag brand, has decided to extend its ‘green’ ethos right through to its exhibitor presence at trade shows for 2010. The ultimate eco-friendly stand for Envirosax has been developed by the German design company, Gewerk. New line for Cavania Made of eco-friendly material the stands are strong and stable, produced from a combination Cavania London introduces a further extension of aluminium and ash wood from sustainable sources. to its gift offering with traditional hand-carved They are easy to carry, easy to put up and dismantle and easy to move. The stand unfolds wooden horses. from its own storage box, which then converts into a table, which is ready to use. The hand-carved horses hark back to a The “booths in a box” are light weight and portable, allowing a signifi cant reduction in bygone era and are available both in a lime- transportation costs and thus reduction in carbon footprint. The branded stand can be re-used wash and white fi nish. for every season. Available in two sizes with stands there is Founder Belinda David-Tooze says: “We are looking to lead the way by encouraging other also a beautiful rocking horse version.