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Direct from Market: Los Angeles

By Caroline Kennedy -- Gifts and Dec, 1/19/2010 1:08:00 PM

The California Gift Show at the LA Mart and the Los Angeles Convention Center is showing signs of revitalization and growth, both in the number of buyers and exhibitors. In spite of the continuing economic difficulties in

Cross-venue merchandise display

California, Mark Furlet, VP/general manager for the LA Mart, reported a very positive sign — the parking lots at the LA Mart were filled to capacity on Friday and mart management had to contract for additional parking to accommodate the influx of buyers coming to spend their open-to-buy in the showrooms and with the temporary exhibitors. The showrooms bustled with activity and every showroom manager at the mart that Gifts & Decorative Accessories spoke with reported that they were doing great business because many of their customers had a good fourth quarter and needed fresh inventory. Off-site rep showroom with approximately 100 key lines, CMA (California Marketing Associates) also reported an increase in buyer traffic and good sales.

There was a lot of new to see too, and that helped to re-energize the buyers, whose complaints in ‘09 were that there was nothing new to get excited about. Striking displays in both in the LA Mart and the convention center promoted cross-venue buying and exploration.

Buyers line up for silkscreened T-shirts to support Save Small Stores campaign

Interactive happenings also energized the market and got buyers involved. The Shop Small Stores campaign built additional momentum and awareness. A local small silkscreen T-shirt business, Hit & Run, setting up shop in the lobby of the LA Mart on Friday and buyers lined up all day to collect shop Small Stores promotional materials and have custom T-shirts silk-screened right then and there.This created a great deal of buzz and got retailers thinking about how they can create buzz in their stores and communities. Matt Katzenson of Fine Lines, who initiated the concept last summer was pleased at its acceptance and noted that this is not a formal program, just something grassroots that he wants to spread virally.

Buyers participate in a make-and-take workshop at the Deco ClayCraft booth.

At the convention center, a number of activities created buzz on the show floor. Business consultant Lynn Switanowski conducted standing room-only hands-on Twitter workshops to help retailers set up their own Twitter accounts and familiarize them with this micro-blogging social networking medium. Another on-the-show-floor activity that drew a lot of buyer interest were the make-and-take craft workshops held by exhibitor Clay Craft by Deco. Customers were introduced to the non-toxic air dry clay and shown techniques and tools for making sculptural clay flowers.

MMPI’s plan to breathe new life into the temporary section of the California Gift Show at the LA Convention Center was immediately evident upon entering the exhibit hall. Fresh

The new look upon entering the convention center show floor

white carpeting, new signage and booth designs gave the exhibits a clean, contemporary look of quality that was very inviting.

The new Beckman’s West show section also added another fresh element and about 100 small artisan exhibitors. As with anything that is new, this area may take some time to develop a bigger buyer following and awareness. But the unique handcrafted products are just the thing to enhance a store’s merchandise mix and enable a retailer to offer something truly different and special to their customers. The quality of the juried exhibitors was very high and ranged from jewelry, to burl-wood lamps with copper shades to blown glass objects, and more.

My Sack golf ball holders

For the July show later this year, Peggy Coleman, VP of marketing, noted that they plan to relocate Beckman’s West to the second floor of the LA Mart and integrate the gift temporaries from the mart into the LA Convention Center. Rep Jessica Lee of LA Productions www.laprods.com, who exhibits in the mart temps, was one exhibitor to express concern over the move. She remarked that she and many others like the more intimate atmosphere and proximity to the showrooms that the floor offers, but she also recognized the benefit to the show in creating one strong gift temporary section for retailers to shop.

Come On, Make Me Smile

Playful and practical novelties drew smiles and giggles, especially MySack, the original ball holder. This anatomically shaped golf ball holder is a hit with women as a practical gag gift for their golfing men.

Shower Vision can be likened to magnifying reader lorgnettes to help read tiny print while in the shower. There is also a magnetic version for the kitchen to be handy when reading glasses are not.

The Roffle Mates, motion-activated plush toys are just plain fun and attracted as much interest and laughter in Los Angeles as they did in Atlanta. There are 10 animal characters as well as three seasonal ones.

Two Lumps of Sugar put a little fun into chores with its cupcake-shaped sponge scrubbers — practical, yet fun, and very giftable.

Knock Knock continues to expand its line of humorously irreverent line of stationery accessories with the Fine Print collection of list pads, pocket notes, sticky notes and notebooks. A new journal, “I Can’t Sleep,” addresses the insomniac’s needs. And for the eco-conscious, there is a new EcoCitation addition to the fun Citation line

That’s Entertainment

Entertaining housewares and accessories are back stronger than ever. Hostess aprons are particularly prevalent. In the Newcombs showroom, Peking Handicraft showcased a number of different fun apron designs by Julia Junkin, a fun cupcake design in the Happi by Dena line, and several “girly” designs by Anna Marie Horner, including styles for children. Manual Woodworkers & Weavers also is showcasing aprons for adults and children.

Westland Giftware introduced the Ark Safari, a fun collection of salt and peppers by artist Lynda Corneille. There are eight pair of whimsical animals in a ceramic ark merchandiser. The company also introduced a large collection of magnetic salt-and-peppers in a variety of different licensed and non-licensed designs that add a little whimsy to the table.

And from Teroforma, Whiskey Stones give new meaning to “on the rocks” by cooling drinks without diluting them.

For a fun, family evening at home, Do Tell gets a family talking to each other and sharing. As players move around the game board, they draw Question cards that promote discussion of a variety of different topics among the family of players.

For outdoor entertaining, Table in a Bag makes it easier to tote along a work and dining surface where it is needed. It is a collapsible, portable table that rolls up into its own carrying bag. And they are eco-friendly, made from recycled materials.

C2F Gift artist's mannequins

In the Beckman’s West area, Crystal Strong Glass presented unique blown glass wine stoppers. Perfect for gifting the wine lover and preserving open bottles, these individually handcrafted stoppers have a unique rubberized coating on the stopper portion to make a better seal.

And for a different type of entertainment, art and craft supplies drew a lot of interest at Cina Hodges/Showroom 504, which branched out into a new product category and showcased art supplies from C2F Gift. Of especial interest were the wooden artist mannequin models for art projects as well as use as playfully arranged décor items.

Bringing Up Baby

Gifts and accessories for our littlest ones were notable. Karen Alweil Studio www.karenalweilstudio.com featured the Little Nest www.littlenest.com line of children’s furniture. Of particular kid-appeal is the Giddy Up child-sized reproduction of the 1973 pony chair by Eero Aarino.

First-time exhibitor Whoops Bunny debuted its charming line of stationery and accessories for kids and moms. The line includes fashion apparel for kids such as rain boots and slicker to encourage play in the rain, and apron

Malibu Bow Designs

and chef’s hat to encourage learning to cook, melamine dinnerware to encourage table manners and proper eating, and more. The line is designed to help take the “Whoops!” out of learning experiences.

Malibu Bow Designs offered fun children’s flatware and Emily Green presented new Imagination mats — placemats, with bright images on one side and a washable drawing area compatible with washable markers on the other side, to keep children engaged in restaurants or at the dinner table.

A Touch of Bling

Bling may be back to add a dash of sparkle to fashion. BooBoo Bling debuted at the Convention Center and earned an Outstanding Exhibitor Award. BooBoo Bling crystals add sparkle to and help camouflage bandages such as Band-aid brand bandages for fun and dress-up occasions.

Sassy Clips add a little interchangeable sparkle to flip flops. And A Prayer Within are “bling” enhanced cross necklaces that that hold a personal prayer within.

Bholu

Green, Fair and Handcrafted

Eco-friendly, Fair Trade and handcrafted products were strongly represented throughout the California Gift Show. The Fair Trade Federation had a booth to promote awareness of its work and support its members exhibiting in Kentia Hall.

Wool felted accessories were notable from Bholu in the Keena booth at the LA Mart. Especially appealing are the playful stuffed animal figures and the colorful pillows with abstract scribble-like designs.New to Fine Lines is the Graf & Lantz line of very design-forward wool felt totes and vessels. And Global Arrow showcased laser-cut wool felt table mats, runners, coasters and bucket totes in bright colors.

Ecosource

In the Fine Lines showroom, the design-forward Kor One Hydration Vessel drew a lot of interest. It comes in four different colors and is BPA-free. Each individual color supports a different water-related cause.

Ecosource Home & Garden is new to the Fleming-Chalef showroom, which has expanded, not only its showroom space but also product categories, having taken on C&F Enterprises and other non-stationery lines. Ecosource’s “Grow Your Own” gardening gifts are a hit with buyers.

Rep showroom Lynn Mitchell was also celebrating an expansion into new areas, both in physical space as well as new product categories. Brand new to the showroom is Cardboard Design with its Liquid Cardboard accessories and sturdy corrugated cardboard furniture.

Moorcroft

Moorcroft, the venerable British pottery, showed its handcrafted art pottery. Many designs hold to the company’s traditional art nouveau design roots, while others offer a more contemporary approach. These pieces are functional art.

Yoder-Do is a charming new line of handmade greeting cards with intricate hand-quilled designs. Each card is a work of art and framable. There are gift enclosures, 4” and 6” square cards and an 8”x10” size.

Truly unique were the handcrafted wooden lamp bases and copper shades from W. Kohler Lamp & Shade Company, as well as the giclee prints of botanical collage images from Leaf Motif. Both were exhibitors in Beckman’s West.

Be-Jeweled

A few of the jewelry standouts at this market were the designs by Beckman’s exhibitor Sue Rosengard, especially her contemporary wire earrings and a necklace design called “Flight.” But buyers were also taking note of her Detour Collection created from recycled maps, sheet music and art images. Another Beckman’s exhibitor, Annie’s Arts and Follies combines sweet and sophisticated in her designs in sterling silver with pearls, gem accents and stamped messages.

AnaHata’s Karma bracelets in the Remembrance showroom are ultimately giftable in striking packaging with special messages. Each bracelet, featuring gem and 14-kt. gold-filled beads on a coordinating colored cord, is handmade and blessed. A portion of the proceeds is donated to the Children of Rishikesh Fdn.


Yoder-Do quilled greeting card	Kohler Lamp & Shade

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