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Direct from Market: New York

By Caroline Kennedy, Bessie Nestoras and Meredith Schwartz -- Gifts and Dec, 8/21/2008 12:22:00 PM

August 21, 2008 — Traffic continued to be steady during New York Market Week. All venues of the New York International Gift Fair continued to see a steady flow of buyers populating the aisles, to the point that, for once this summer, if you were in a hurry to get from Point A to Point B, traffic jams hindered progress. Most exhibitors told Gifts & Decorative Accessories that sales were good, although there were a select few that said things could have been better. Nancy Michael, marketing manager at tag said, “We’re having a really good show. Traffic is much improved at 7W New York. The elevators were crowded, particularly on Saturday. And that was a good, steady day.”

7W’s One of a Kind Wholesale Show made its debut this market. Originally started as a consumer show in Toronto 35 years ago, the show made its way stateside eight years ago in Chicago, also as a retail show. Merchandise Mart Properties (MMPI), the owners of 7W and producers of the One of a Kind show decided to make it into a juried wholesale show and launch it in New York City. Thirty-five exhibitors featuring a wide range of upscale handcrafted product were on display in a gallery-like setting, curated by designer Chris Kraig, an interior designer known for his development of the Modern Floor at ABC Carpet & Home in NYC. Exhibitors included jewelry designers, photographers, glassblowers, furniture makers and more. The show celebrated its debut with a party on Saturday night. 7W’s party on Monday night was hopping. There was music in the lobby and drinks and hors d’oeuvres on every floor that got buyers in a party mood, and the partying didn’t stop until 9 p.m. One showroom manager told Gifts & Dec that she couldn’t believe how many people had come that evening and was pleased with the turnout.

But 7W didn’t have the only party in town. Exhibitors and attendees also gathered at the Fellissimo Design House on 56th Street to celebrate great design and view an exhibition JapanC, a showcase of “all things Japanese.” The event was hosted by the Accent on Design division of the NYIGF.

Stylish and Fun Offerings
Umbra had several introductions this market. The company’s bamboo tea tray features a drawer where you can store your tea bags. And the new bath accessories are also made of bamboo. In fact, from now on, all the wood products will be made from sustainable woods. The new Pack of Lies playing cards got a good response at the show. The cards feature sayings like “I’m 21” and “She has a good personality.” In the U+ division, the company introduced a checkers set, a sister set to the wobble chess set. Balloona is a limited edition side table made from more than 500 balloons. In the company’s efforts to be more environmentally sound, the company introduced Frosini, a collection of glassware that is made from excess glasses found at the Goodwill located next door to the company’s headquarters. The glasses come in a set of four, but you don’t know what you’re going to get. Each package features four different glasses and the boxes aren’t marked with what you’re getting. The company also introduced a mirror that features a frame made of old cassette tapes called Cassetta.

Michael Wainwright

Tabletop designer Michael Wainwright is expanding his line to include accessories and stemware. Vases and frames are already in the line, and this market he introduced a collection of glassware to coordinate with his dinnerware patterns. Right now only white and red wine glasses are offered, but by next market champagne, double old fashioned and highball glasses will be in the line. He also introduced glass salad servers that can double as decorative glass flowers.

Teroforma pairs up-and-coming designers with craftsmen from around the world. For example, a designer of glass tumblers from Norway was introduced to a glassblower in the Czech Republic and a designer from Beijing was paired with a bone china manufacturer in the United Kingdom. The company offers products in five categories: dinnerware, glassware, linens, accessories and flatware.

Jonathan Adler

Klein Reid introduced a selection of pillows and throws this market. The American-made pillows and throws are handcrafted from hand-felted merino wool, and feature a Japanese silk ribbon border. Another collection of pillows features the designer’s ink drawings and those are made from mercerized cotton and merino wool.

Jonathan Adler continues to expand his candle line with a new Hashish candle — which got quite a few smiles. Also new is a collection of frames that come gift-boxed. The frames are available in black and white and are available in a number of styles. A gift set of porcelain ornaments featuring gentlemen’s accessories — including a pocket watch, shoe, pipe and key — was also introduced this market.

Electric Firefly

Twelve Australian designers came together in the Designs Abroad booth to introduce Australian design to the American market. Among the exhibitors were lighting from Electric Firefly, wall décor from Spacecraft and eco-friendly furniture from Zaishu.

Cardboard Design

Speaking of eco-friendly, Cardboard Design offers a wide selection of decorative accessories made from recyclable cardboard. The designs are modern and the pieces are all made in America. The line includes vases, bowls, votives and more.

Dwell Studio is going from the bedroom to the bathroom. The company introduced a selection of shower curtains and bath mats featuring their iconic designs. Also new are lacquer banks for kids’ rooms, including a pig, snail, hippo and elephant. Other accessories are also part of the new lacquer line.

notNeutral introduced four new cities in its City Plates series. This market shoppers could choose from London, Rome, Mexico City and Tokyo. The company also partnered with the Santa Monica Museum of Art to offer a series of 12 plates designed by 12 artists. The Twentieth Anniversay Artist Plate Project plate set is a limited edition and is priced at $2,000 retail.

Alessi continues to put a smile on shoppers’ faces with its selection of giftware. The Bon Bon keychain is shaped like an egg, and when you twist it open it reveals slots for quarters. The company’s Forest Gump salt and pepper and toothpick holder set is unique in that it’s magnetized, so they’ll never fall out of place. The company’s famed teapot by Michael Graves, first introduced in 1985, was offered in black as a special edition just for the New York International Gift Fair. The tea pot was also offered with a tray, salt and pepper set, and coffee and creamer.

Salbo Design Atelier

Sally Kubo-Starr, an American-born designer now based in Tokyo, offers a selection of stationery featuring the designer’s artwork of chandeliers, rings, frames and more. Kubo-Starr’s company is called Sällbo Design Atelier and the line also includes pillows and tote bags.

ExTracts: Alive-ly and Well

The Balm

In its second time at the Javits Center, Extracts exhibitors seemed satisfied with both traffic and orders. Natural materials continued to dominate, as did creative packaging such as The Balm’s mini “romance novels.”

Er'go

The black and white trend appeared on a new collection from Er’go soy candles; inspiration got a fabulous twist in cathedral-inspired Blessed candles from Soular Therapy; and cocktail culture inspired the New York Mixology candles from Joya, which feature layers of scented wax to create an unusual signature blend that’s sweet enough to drink.

For something new in a crowded category there’s eyeSlices, a Best New Products winner from What’s Hot, Woodbury, NY — the disposable eye treatment pads take cucumber to the next level.

Home! James Collection

And personal care and home fragrance continued to make its presence felt elsewhere in the show as well: notables included wood packaged personal care at Mor, those traffic-stopping Hashish candles at Jonathan Adler and destination candles at the Home James Collection.

Accent on Fashion
Artel is expanding its product offerings to include jewelry. There are a variety of motifs and colors that are reflective of the company’s glass patterns.

Artel Glass

Author Lauren Resnick's travel guide book, Princess With the Backpack, tells hip girls how to backpack with style. The book is based on the author's personal experiences.

CBH Studios/Sty-Aisle

Ever wonder what happens to all that carpeting that dresses up the aisles of the NYIGF? Well, wonder no longer! CBH Studio/Little Packrats is recycling the carpeting. The company launched Sty-Aisle, a collection of four different bags, belts, pet beds and accessories made from the cleaned carpeting. The line’s tag line reads, “From floor to fashion.”

Ransom & Scout is growing. The company introduced three new bag styles featuring the company’s “curiously irresistible” photo imagery. The new styles are a wristlet, a clutch and a larger shoulder tote bag.

Xubaz has taken its functional scarves upscale and into high fashion. The line’s expanded offerings include scarves in soft voiles, silk, velvet and pashmina. One scarf bears the new company mantra “Don’t Expect Anything” so that every day is a good day. All the new styles still maintain the functionality of the original design with the built-in pockets.

Tivi

Tivi captured our eye with its new clutch handbags made of silk-screened wood and leather, its wood and stainless steel cuff bracelets and its silk-screened wood veneer bracelets that come four to a sheet and retail for only $30 the sheet.

Iskin, an Argentinian exhibitor, presented a stunning line of contemporary jewelry. This fun line includes necklaces and rings that have exchangeable parts so that the central colors can be changed according to mood or ensemble. Other styles have parts that can be changed around to alter the arrangement of the shape.

Bobo Wrap Scarf

Offering fashion of a slightly different kind, Bobo and Kismet Designs debuted reusable fabric gift wraps. The Bobo Wrapping Scarf is a beautiful lined scarf that comes with instructions as to how to tie it into different wrap configurations. Kismet’s fabric wraps are made from recycled saris. There are wrap pouches and a flat wrap that can double as a table mat. The flat mat comes in a kit with coordinating ribbon.

Smart Glass Jewelry is hitting the fashion runways for the LA Fashion Week. Smart Glass' Kathleen Plate will be creating a special recycled glass dress as a special runway piece. She also headed out to Las Vegas where she will be exhibiting at MAGIC and will be creating a special glass curtain for the entry area. This market Smart Glass introduced recycled glass with gold vermeil into the line.

In the Showrooms
Arte Italica’s new Bella Bianco dinnerware pattern is handmade in Italy and designed by an Italian fashion designer. The white glaze collection may be a familiar look, but what the company did was try to refine it by glazing the entire piece – so that there is no exposed product and features a smooth bottom.

Isadora & Mizrahi added quite a few new lines. Belaverra, Grant Dawson Collections, Table Manors, Ol’Postee and Marie Courant can now be found in the showroom.

Boston Warehouse’s Animal House collection is doing so well, the company decided to expand into the office. The first pieces are a Gator stapler, Snail tape dispenser, Woodpecker scissors, Gecko magnet, Hedgehog pencil sharpener, Hippo clip and Gator and Duck magnetic clips.

New in Gallery on Six is Kita New York, a collection of handcrafted leather belts and cuffs made in Indonesia. Also new is Oh! Sudz a personal care line that includes soaps and hand towels, as well as stationery items.

Sieger Design had a soft launch of its new showroom in 7W. This is the company’s first U.S. showroom. Sieger plans to celebrate the official opening of the showroom during the New York Tabletop Market Week, October 22–26.

InterDesign reported having a good show. Generating a lot of interest from buyers was the new line of eco-friendly EVA Shower Curtains as well as its waterproof fabric ones.

This closes out our “Direct” reports from the summer shows. Watch for our “Double Take” Wrap Up coming in September.

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FYI, Electric Firefly can be found at www.electricfirefly.com.au

Joshua Liebmann - 2009-05-27 03:25:00 EDT

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