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Direct From Market: Showcase Dublin, Ireland

By Lynn Switanowski -- Gifts and Dec, 2/11/2011 4:14:03 PM

Dublin, Ireland - Irish creativity and innovation are alive and well; just ask the buyers from around the world that attended the 2011 edition of Showcase Ireland, which took place January 23-26 in Dublin. The 35th edition of Showcase included more than 350 exhibitors, showcasing every imaginable category of craft and gift products. It was a perfect The Lord Mayor of Dublin visits with John Hindesetting to highlight 2011 as the "Year of Craft" in Ireland, and buyers from around the world were treated to a plethora of new products and sales opportunities for 2011, which left everyone excited.

There are no dwindling attendance problems at this show, as buyers from around the world have come in record numbers for the last two years. The show has strong programming that creates strong buyer participation, including a series of networking events attended by nearly 90 percent of the show buyers and vendors! They offer a chance for sharing of business and cultural differences.
Creative Island marketing director Brian McGeeWhat makes Showcase unique is The Creative Island section of the show. The section is featured prominently at the entrance to the show and features the newest specialty craft makers and designers that Ireland has to offer. Highlighting a yearly rotation of 75 artisans, Creative Island's position as the kick off to the show offers every visitor a chance to enjoy innovation and the unique nature of what is truly Irish craft.

This years overall Creative Island product winner set the bar very high for unique and artisan craft.
By Yvonne offers a unique collection of neckpieces, clutch bags and belts, By Yvonnere-crafting vintage crochet and knit stitches into exciting modern fashion accessories which are perfect for today's consumer.
Another overall product winner in the best accessories category is Susannah Grogan scarves. These beautiful limited edition, hand-painted silk scarves come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and feature modern Irish design with international quality and appeal.
Garvan DeBruirCreative Island also featured up-and-coming designer Garvan DeBruir. DeBruir's products feature classic leathers molded and stitched in the rich tradition of leather crafting. The end results are beautifully crafted pieces that can be used daily by today's highly connected consumers, including iPad, iPhone and smartphone covers in a wide range of colors.
There were several new lines highlighted at the show from Irish ex-pats who are currently living in the US. These lines were full of Irish heritage and inspiration; however, they also had plenty of U.S. market appeal with styling and pricing. Both

lines are available for U.S. distribution immediately.
Rachel Gaffney, born and raised in County Cork, now calls Dallas home, and this year's Showcase provided a launch for her line of Irish linens and accessories. Partnering with 140-year-old Irish linen manufacturer Charles Gallen, Rachel Gaffney's Taste of Ireland line features tea towels, aprons, tote bags and more. With a thorough understanding of the U.S. market, Rachel knows how to help retailers promote the line in-store, offering a wide array of social media support and in-store events for the brand.
Another ex-pat provided a bit of celebrity air to this year's Showcase. Former Riverdance lead dancer Jean Butler launched her new collection of jewelry at the show. Serving as an ambassador of the new confident Ireland, Jean is admired and embraced around the world. This year's Showcase was the launching pad for the Jean Butler Jewelry

collection. The collection captures her charm with subtle reminders for the wearer of Irish heritage.
In addition to original craft, incredible innovation and celebrity cache, this year's edition of Showcase had plenty of new and novel products in every aisle. Some of my favorites included:

Gosling GamesMake it/Bake it Puzzle creates two activities in one! The cupcake recipe that reveals itself only after putting a puzzle together! The perfect way to make baking fun for the kids, game maker Gosling Games put together this fun puzzle new for this year's show.
OwnIreland.com provides a kit to purchase and personalize a certificate owning your own piece of Irish land. The kit includes a picture of your plot of land and a certificate for registration. Created by a young tech-savvy entrepreneur, this is a perfect gift item for any store on either side of the pond!
Another favorite was Anna Nielsen Prints. Anna is an artist turned businesswoman, and knows how to get a laugh out of folks during trying times. Her prints, cards and Anna Nielson Printsframed art feature Anna's designs and words and images to make you smile, laugh, think about life and celebrate important events. Always and Divorce for Beginners were two of favorites.
But my overall winner for novelty product (and a sure success when it hits the U.S.) was created by a 16 year old girl.

Tired of not being able to afford the expensive shoes (with the red vamps, ladies) company founder Tara Haughton created Secret Soles (Rosso Solini in Italian). This fun, inexpensive way to decorate the bottom of your shoes is also perfect for personalization (think dyed to match soles for your wedding Secret Solesparty). Secret Soles was the talk of the show, and is sure to be heading to U.S. shores soon.
If you've not yet traveled to an International show, I'd highly recommend you add Showcase Ireland as a show destination sometime soon! The show is full of innovative products, and attending is a perfect way to find new products that will set your store apart from the competition.
Barely 6 hours from NY/Boston, the show experience is truly a world away. The show is based in a convention center in the heart of Dublin, and the rich cultural history of the city is easy to explore after you're done with the show, due to its close proximity. Running Sunday-Wednesday, the show is very well laid out and can be shopped effectively in two days leaving time for sightseeing or heading back home to other shows in the U.S. (The timing is between San Francisco, Atlanta and New York.)

Lynn Switanowski owns and operates Creative Business Consulting Group. CBCG is a retail-consulting firm based in Boston, MA. She can be reached at lynn@cbc-group.net.

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