Market Report: New York

The New York International Gift Fair got to a fast start, with the sun shining and buyers out in force. While vendors were still setting up at the Javits Center, over at the Piers, manufacturers were already busy writing orders. Most seemed pleased with Saturday's opening day. “We got our first day back, so it's good,” said Jen Dolan of Vellum, referring to the fact that last market one of the Piers didn't open until Sunday. Kim Smith of Smith & Co. agreed, saying, “It was a busy morning.”

Kahla, a German tabletop company, debuted a most unusual asymmetric set of porcelain dinnerware. The shapes are inspired by architecture, with crisp, angled edges that are a challenge to maintain in the firing process (because the clay expands and contracts). The line, called Opus, is offered in plain white, a brown floral edge pattern or a green or copper mesh pattern.

R. Nichols has grown its offerings beyond just stationery and notecards. The company is expanding into homewares and debuted a group of reusable grocery totes and ceramic mugs. Of course, both the mugs and the totes stylishly feature the Nichol's playful silhouette artwork, and the eco-friendly totes are made of recycled cotton.

Black and white isn't just for home decor anymore: the popular color combo made the jump to high design Germany fashion accents from Filz Und Kunz, and whimsical plush by Kanemasu + two simmons studio.

Meanwhile, white and off-white porcelain in organic shapes can be found throughout the Piers and Handmade, making the perfect accent for the “warm natural” trend in urban home decor.

We saw everything from coral to ginko leaves (Tilson Design Works) to hatching eggs, as well as less literal interpretations whose gently irregular shapes still suggest natural forms.

Another notable debut… The first step is admitting you have a problem: The Habit Patch addresses common issues such as procrastination, too much spending, workaholism etc. with a touch of humor.

For the complete New York gift show report, visit www.giftsanddec.com and click on “Direct From Market.”