SHOW REVIEW: TOP DRAWER
Record turnout at Top Drawer
Visitors flocked to Top Drawer to get their hands on the latest in design-led gifts, beautiful housewares and gorgeous accessories
It was a real pleasure to attend this year’s Top Drawer at Earls Court. The layout was both stylish and easy to navigate, making it simple for visitors to explore the new lines and launches on display.
including Mr & Mrs Fragrance, Compagnie De Provence, Asobi, Rex International A/S, Wild & Wolf, Present Time, Cubic, Avoca, Lisbeth Dahl, Apple Green Duck, Archie Grand, Coeur De Lion, Bob & Blossom, Miss Etoile and The Renovation Store.
T
he show now boasts over 750 inspirational brands from across Europe,
The show attracted a record
13,990 visitors, a 34 per cent increase on last year’s figure. More buyers than ever attended the show, which has increased in size by 15 per cent across all sectors. The number of international buyers increased by a whopping 79 per cent, showing just how much pull Top Drawer has in international markets. Visitors were kept up to date
with the latest trends and industry insights from a great variety of expert speakers. Keynote sessions included a case study from Craig Allen, group creative director of Molton Brown; a discussion of branding from Holly-Anne Rolfe,
brand development project manager of Conran & Company; and session on retail success from our regular contributor Clare Rayner, the Retail Champion. This season also saw the
return of the ‘Spotted’ scheme, which is designed to support new talent by introducing newly fledged designers to retail heavyweights. Homes and interiors journalist, Charlotte Abrahams, handpicked twelve new companies, alongside the existing six Spotted Plus exhibitors, to display the Spotted banner. The scheme attracted buyers and retailers from numerous retailers including
Anthropologie, The Conran Shop, Debenhams, Heals, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, the Tate, Aria, Pedlars and SCP. Raj Gill, Show Director
commented: “These are excellent results with double digit increases for both UK & international visitors. The numbers only tell half the story. We have also had extremely positive feedback from exhibitors regarding the influence, buying power and quality of buyers that visited, testament to the fact that Top Drawer is the leading event to discover new talent and write orders. “A stylish Top Drawer, two
shows and new retail format added to a positive customer experience despite trading caution. When retail gets squeezed, design-led gifts remain in high demand, as customers seek quality products, and we are proud to be able to deliver a platform for this industry. We look forward to building on this success for 2012 & 2013." The next show is due to take
place on 16-18 September and is ideally positioned to help retailers prepare for the new season.
For more information visit
www.topdrawer.co.uk
12 | Department Store News |
DepartmentRetailer.co.uk
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