Nominate an excellent retailer

Nominations for the New York International Gift Fair-sponsored Retailer Excellence Awards (REAs) are being accepted through Friday, April 30, with 2012 Award winners scheduled to be announced in New York City, on Sunday, August 19, 6:30 -10:00PM, at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers. 

Applications and nomination forms are available online at www.nyigf.com/TheShow/AwardsPromotionsDisplays.aspx#REA. Presented by Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine, and sponsored by the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®), the REAs recognize excellence in four retail categories including Gift Store Design/Redesign; Marketing Achievement; Visual Merchandising/Display; and Store Events, as well as for individual achievement (Rep of the Year and Industry Rising Star). 

As part of this very special evening, Gift For Life, the gift and home industry’s only charitable organization, also bestows its prestigious annual “Industry Achievement” Award.

A rubber ducky in yellow or black

Kontextür has teamed up with Icelandic designer Atlason to reinvent the classic Rubber Ducky in the signature Kontextür style. Duck Harry is a cheeky, contemporary and lead-free homage to this iconic bath denizen. It was introduced at the New York International Gift Fair this month.

The duck is made from durable silicone, which has a velvety matte finish. Use it as a toothbrush or toothpaste tube holder, a doorstop or a paperweight. Harry can do almost anything...except float. The duck comes in yellow and black. 

About kontextür
Kontextür is a cutting edge New York-based home accessories design company with a current focus onthe bath. Entrepreneur Kenneth Schiller is the founder and creative director. The company’s expandingline of products includes avant garde curtain rings, couture shower curtains, as well as a soap dish/brushand toothbrush holders. While abiding by the core principals of quality, innovation and functionality, with aneye towards the curious and whimsical, the company embarks on strategic partnerships with a cadre oflike-minded global designers such as Kaniez Abdi, Hlynur Atlason and Josh Owen to develop their fashionforward home decor solutions.

Handturned wood cups are great gifts

Beechwood boxes

Lidded beechwood containers are fastened securely by magnets on embedded on the top and bottom.  The are designed by Teroforma Studio and handturned by Drevotvar in Czech Republic. They are great for the kitchen, night stand, home office and bath.
Search this blog for other stylish home accents from Teroforma.

Great gift for that hard-to-buy-for man.

For the office

As a candy dish

Jewelry storage

Small household items

Keep pills and vitamins handy

 

NY gift show honors Areaware, Sweet Bella, 2 others

By the New York International Gift Fair 
 
Four companies exhibiting in Accent on Design® at the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®) were presented yesterday with Accent on Design Awards recognizing excellence, innovation and creativity in product or booth design. Accent on Design runs through Thursday, February 2, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
 
“Our judges bring decades of design innovation and experience to the selection process,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “They’ve identified the products and exhibitors which best showcase the incorporation of design in every step of production, from concept to manufacture and from marketing to merchandising.” 

Winter 2012 Accent on Design Awards were presented in three categories: Excellence in Product Design, 
Excellence in Booth Design and Lifetime Achievement.
 
Lifetime Achievement:
Eva Line, Eva Zeisel for KleinReid (Long Island City, NY) in recognition of the lifetime successes of Hungarian-born artist Eva Zeisel, who passed away in late December 2011 at age 105. Zeisel was known for her work with ceramics that were often abstractions of the natural world and human relationships. The Eva line, an instant classic since its introduction by KleinReid in 1999, features classic and sensual handmade porcelain vessels, serving ware and limited edition prints.
www.kleinreid.com

Excellence in Product Design:
Karl Zahn for Areaware (Brooklyn, NY) for its Dovetail Animals, available in five styles – dog, llama, elephant, horse and crocodile. The three beautifully polished pieces – head, torso and tail – made from solid Beech wood converge with perfect dovetail joints to form the animal or can be mixed for a unique animal creation.
www.areaware.com

Excellence in Product Design:
Sweet Bella, LLC (New York, NY) for its Woolfiller Kit which repairs holes and hides stains in woolen jumpers, cardigans, jackets and carpets in a simple, sustainable and satisfying solution for an age old problem. Capitalizing on the specific character of wool fibers that contain miniscule scales which open when pricked with a felt needle, the kit contains patches that bind with the opened scales and will not separate.
www.sweetbellausa.com

Excellence in Booth Design:
Cameo by Rux (New York, NY) for its use of mirrored plexiglass on two intersecting walls to reflect the booth interior and product tower thereby creating the illusion of added space while prominently showcasing the hand-carved Cameo by Rux Baby Rattle marketed at the Fair. The booth walls, constructed of polished maple to mimic the wooden rattles, were set into the booth at slight angles to provide undetected booth storage areas.
www.cameobyrux.com

The Accent on Design selection committee for winter 2012 includes: David Alhadeff of The Future Perfect; Miguel Calvo of Calvo.co; Ilene Shaw of Shaw + Co! Productions; Kathy Thornton-Bias of MoMA; Laura Young of Areaware; and Wilma Wabnitz of Wabnitz Editions. 

For more than 25 years, Accent on Design has been the industry’s leading resource for design-led merchandise, presenting a dynamic, juried collection of contemporary and innovative product lines from 200+ designers across all categories. Accent on Design is one of 10 divisions presented semi-annually at the NYIGF.
NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800+ exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. The summer 2012 New York International Gift Fair will take place Saturday, August 18, through Thursday, August 23, 2012. Some 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com.

Decorative pillows have scenes of NYC, Rome, Paris

Kevin O'Brien Studio will be showing these and other pillows at the New York International Gift Fair on Pier 94.The pillows are made of 100% cotton and use the company's original artwork printed on both sides. Sizes are 14 inches by 20 inches and 20 inches by 20 inches. 
The new pillows include: New York Bryant Park, Opera, Rome Piazza and Paris Cafe.

30+ new handmade exhibitors at NY gift show

NYIGF’S HANDMADE WELCOMES 30+ NEWCOMERS TO WINTER MARKET 

Press release 

WHITE PLAINS, NY, December 2, 2011... Based on their innovative design ideas, some 30+ craft artisans and global suppliers have been accepted to exhibit in the winter 2012 edition of Handmade® at New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®). The Fair showcases 475 artisans and suppliers of handcrafts in two distinct sections -- Handmade Designer Maker and Handmade Global Design – which are categorized by process and provenance.

“Inspired design is one of the main criteria for acceptance into Handmade, and these newest participants have all shown new and innovative ideas in form and function,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “Whether they work with metal, textiles or ceramics, these artisans are exploring exciting new boundaries.”

Handmade Designer Maker, located in Javits Center North, will showcase 340 limited-production makers across all categories and media resources from around the world. Newcomers to the winter 2012 edition of Handmade Designer Maker include 17 artisans newly accepted by the selection committee, along with several other artisans returning to Handmade following a hiatus from the New York market:

• AIDAI (felt and silk scarves); 
• Atlantic Art Glass (jewelry and decorative accessories); 
• Bonnie Neil (wood and textile home décor); 
• CHART metalworks (metal jewelry); 
• Chikahisa Studio (stone and metal jewelry); 
• Ecka & Pecka (greeting cards); 
• Feutre Couture (eco-friendly felt accessories); 
• Fleet Objects (ceramics, lighting and home accessories); 
• Frankie Slaughter (textile personal accessories); 
• Heather Guidero Jewelry (metal jewelry); 
• Jean-Pierre Weill Studio (framed wall art); 
• Jeanine Payer (metal jewelry with inscribed poetry); 
• Michael Vincent Michaud (metal jewelry); 
• Myfriendroze (metal jewelry); 
• Pretty Snappy Designs (aprons); 
• Pyrrha Design Inc. (metal jewelry); 
• Raging Bowl Pottery (porcelain serving ware); 
• Peg & Awl (recycled leather, wood and paper home décor and gifts); S
• tick Candles (beeswax candles); 
• Tasha McKelvey LLC (ceramic tableware); and 
• The Candi Factory (apparel and undergarments).

Judges for Handmade Designer Maker included Elizabeth Garvin of Elizabeth Garvin; Ellen Corsell of the Heron American Craft Gallery; Gail Garcia of Dinner-ware.com; Justin Thomas of Ugone & Thomas; and Matt Jaros of The Glass Onion.

Handmade Global Design will welcome seven newcomers to its collection of 135 import resources with a focus on good design, traditional craftsmanship and community. Companies accepted to the winter NYIGF are:

• Africa Now! (product lines from several West African suppliers); 
• Global Goods Partners (personal accessories, home décor and stationery from Asia, Africa and Americas); 
• MAKAUA SA de CV (baskets made in Mexico); 
• Modelli Creations (home accessories and furnishings from India); and 
• Snow Leopard Trust (felt toys, accessories and home décor made in Central Asia ).

In addition, a contingent of Bolivian companies, featuring fine alpaca, leather and wood products, will be introduced by Fundacion Nuevo Norte-Walisuma during the winter 2012 market.

Judges for Handmade Global Design included Alden Smith of Aid to Artisans; Colvin English of ByHand Consulting; Ellen Dorsch of Creative Women; Jasperdean Kobes of Bamboula Ltd.; Leslie Mittelberg of Swahili Imports; and Phyllis Woods of Tribalinks.

Beyond exhibits, NYIGF will offer craft retailers numerous educational seminars and informal round table discussions on timely business topics. Bruce Baker, retail columnist for The Crafts Report, will present two sessions at the Javits Center on Saturday, January 28. During “Dynamic Sales & Customer Service,” retailers will learn how to increase customer loyalty and repeat business through the four phases of a sale. In his second session, “Show and Sell! Visual Merchandising & Display,” Baker will provide tips for increasing sales through in-store signage, product placement and visual merchandising. Tickets for these sessions are $20 in advance and $25 onsite, or $30 in advance and $40 onsite for both.

NYIGF also will continue its partnership with CRAFT (Craft Retailers and Artists for Tomorrow) to produce free “CRAFT Power Hour” roundtables for craft retailers on January 29, 30 and 31. The series of nine interactive sessions will be lead by veteran craft retailers and artists who will share their tips for business success. The topics will cover social media, websites and e-newsletters, public relations strategies and in-store events. Information and registration for these events is available online at www.nyigf.com/programs.

For more than 25 years, Handmade has offered buyers an extensive selection of handcrafted items across such categories as tabletop, ceramics, textiles, home décor, jewelry and apparel. Handmade at NYIGF features 475 artisans from 40 American states and 14 countries worldwide. The winter edition takes place Saturday, January 28, through Wednesday, February 1, 2012, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center .NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800+ exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. The winter market takes place Saturday, January 28, through Thursday, February 2, 2012, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94. Some 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com.

Gift for Life Honors Hammons, Kacick & the Litzmans

Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home decor industries' leading charitable organization, will honor three industry leaders during Gift for Life’s 20th Annual Party for Life, on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 in New York City.

Jenny Hammons will receive the Bert Tonkin Gift of Giving Award, which recognizes sustained philanthropic endeavors benefitting the industry. The Award is named for industry benefactor Bert Tonkin, president of Western Exhibitors. Hammons is a gift industry veteran and owner of Jenny Hammons/Company, which consists of West Coast-based sales organizations servicing the gift and home-décor markets in Northern California and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. She is a former chair of the board of Gift for Life.

George Kacic will receive the Chuck Yancy Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to a special recipient who has had an abiding impact on the industry through leadership and generosity. Kacic’s career within the gift and home-décor industry spans thirty-five years. Currently, he serves as Vice President of GANZ USA, LLC. Over the past nineteen years, he has helped make GANZ one of the top “go-to” gift companies in the world. He is involved in every aspect of sales and marketing. Prior to GANZ, Kacic spent seven years with Russ Berrie, becoming District Sales Manager and later Regional Sales Manager. He also served five years as President of an independent rep firm. As Vice President of Takara USA, Kacic was instrumental in establishing the Japanese-based company within the United States. His industry activities are as deep-rooted as his corporate leadership. Kacic is serving as the Advisory Board Chairman for AmericasMart; he is a member of the Gift for Life Board; he served six years on the Gift & Home Trade Association’s (GHTA) Board, acting as President, Chairman Emeritus and, most recently, an ICON HONORS founding partner; and he is the current co-chair for the GHTA Annual Conference.

Brandwise and its founders Todd and Jannetta Litzman will receive the Trailblazer Award, which recognizes an industry pioneer for outstanding achievement and significant contributions, as well as creative products and ideas with lasting impact. For more than 14 years, Brandwise has been driving the innovation of technology in the gift and home industry by listening to its needs and consistently creating and providing solutions and tools to help suppliers and sales reps sell more, increase efficiencies and, in effect, enhancing the retailer’s buying experience. The company continues to provide new technology to help automate each step in the sales channel—from showroom floor to the road, from back office functions to executive business intelligence and online where the company’s revolutionary bwconnect™ service allows retailers, reps and suppliers to collaborate online to do business.

“Strong leadership, decades of hard work, and passionate support for the industry are the shared values of our honorees,” said Leslie Nathan-Street, chair of the Gift for Life board. “We recognize their tireless energy and their generosity.”

The 20th Annual Party for Life, benefiting DIFFA, will be held at The Boathouse at Central Park. Individual tickets are $125, and sponsorships ranging from $500 through $25,000 are available. For details, contact Steven Williams at swilliams@diffa.org, (212) 727-3100. Each year, Gift for Life hosts events throughout the U.S. benefitting DIFFA. The primary mission of Gift for Life and DIFFA is to eradicate the AIDS pandemic in the U.S. Working together, Gift for Life and DIFFA will continue to raise funds for HIV/AIDS service and education programs. For additional information please visit www.giftforlife.org.

Follow Gift for Life’s efforts via their free e-newsletter, available at http://www.giftforlife.org/about_gfl/press-releases-and-newsletters/.

Honors for eco-friendly housewares, gifts

Three companies received Eco Choice Awards at the summer 2011 New York International Gift Fair.

Most Innovative: One World Projects, Recycled Plastic Laundry Hamper from India. This multipurpose basket was handmade in India from recycled plastic. The salvaged plastic strands are created by melting recycled plastic bottles and other bits of plastic waste gathered in the slums of Chennai, India.
This company is an original member of the Fair Trade Federation, and supports socially and economically deprived women from urban slum areas by offering vocational training and micro-credit loan opportunities, as well as programs that focus on education and building self-responsibility and confidence. www.oneworldprojects.com 
 
Most Sensitive Use of Materials: ES, Chilote House Shoe, Chilote House Shoe. Local wool from free range Patagonian sheep and tanned natural salmon skin are the only materials used to manufacture this product. It is made of 100% natural, biodegradable materials, and is hand-assembled by self organized groups of artisan women in the south of Chile.
Strict fair trade and ethical production principles are followed, and a highly inclusive production process provides a fair and noble way for low-income families to earn a living and raise their quality of life. The process addresses the synergy of three aspects of sustainability: ecologically benign, socially beneficial, and financially viable. www.es-salmonleather.com 

Most Sellable: I Design Distribution, KISM.This product is made from ecological materials obtained from production waste, reusing trash as a means to safeguard the environment. It’s a patented material made of natural and recycled paper fibers.
Yael Rosen started Kisim in 1999 inspired by the simple solutions of Japanese fabric design and the traditional leather craftsmanship of the Middle East. KISIM collection is characterized by connection evolving across time and changes, color and shape, texture and dimension. www.idesigndistribution.com
 
The 4th semi-annual Eco Choice Awards were co-sponsored by NYIGF and GREENRetailer magazine.The fifth semi-annual Eco Choice Awards will take place at the winter 2012 NYIGF, Saturday, January 28, through Thursday, February 2, 2012, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94.

Glossy white canister with monkey finial

Vellum showed this item at the 2011 New York International Gift Fair in August. Draped in a high-wattage glossy white lacquer and wrapped in scenes detailing intricate landscapes and whimsical animals and birds, this canister with a monkey finial is from Vellum's best-selling Astor collection.

Made in Italy, the 20-inch-tall decorative accessories is food-safe, according to the company.

NY gift show honors four exhibitors

Four companies exhibiting in Accent on Design at the New York International Gift Fair were recognized for excellence, innovation and creativity in product design. Accent on Design runs through Thursday, Aug. 18, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

“Across product categories, these Accent on Design participants have incorporated superlative design qualities which stand above an already impressive collection,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “These products combine form and function with exemplary design.”

The following Accent on Design Awards were presented for Excellence in Product Design, Best Booth Presentation and Best Collection.

Excellence in Product Design:Flux (Amsterdam, Netherlands) for Flux Chair, weighing less than 10 pounds and available in eight colors, the Flux Chair supports 300 pounds and takes furniture to the 21st century with a clever combination of the practical advantages of foldable furniture and the looks of a classic design chair.  


Excellence in Product Design:Alessi (New York, NY) for Tèo, an innovation on the typology of the tea spoon, in addition to its normal function, the 18/10 stainless steel Tèo makes it possible, after tea is ready, to remove the bag from the cup and gently squeeze it, pulling it up through the hollow handle. 

Best Booth Presentation:Mio (Philadelphia, PA) for its wall to ceiling booth presentation made of its own environmentally and socially sustainable products including Paperforms, modular 3D wallpaper tiles made from recycled paper; Crystal Drop Ceiling modules made from recycled cardboard that provide a cost effective and dramatic solution for spaces that require suspended ceilings; and Nomad System, a modular architectural system made from recycled, double-wall cardboard that can be assembled into freestanding, temporary partitions without hardware, tools or damage to existing structures.  


Best Collection:Urban Butik (Montreal, Quebec) for the Born in Sweden collection which combines highly innovative design with simple product solutions. The collection includes a minimalist coat rack crafted from a single piece of rigid, powder coated steel; a streamlined, lockable mailbox in molded fiberglass features a separation lid inside that can be removed to increase storage capacity; and functional, practical and aesthetically pleasing watering cans made of 18-0 stainless steel.

The Accent on Design Summer 2011 Selection Committee members are: Miguel Calvo of Calvo.co; Ilene Shaw of Shaw + Co! Productions; Kathy Thornton-Bias of MoMA; Wilma Wabnitz of Wabnitz Editions; and Laura Young of Areaware. 

Meanwhile, back at the NY gift show

Colorful dinnerware collections from Rosanna

Les Fleurs En Rouge

Les Fleurs En Rouge is a new collection from Rosanna Inc. It features refined botanical prints in a vibrant combination of red and green, making it a fresh approach toholiday entertaining. The company states the "botanicals’ contemporary look makes it easy to grace spring and summer tablescapes as well." The collection is comprised of baroque mugs, dipping dishes, appetizer plates, a rectangular tray, a French pitcher, and a teapot. Each item is made of porcelain and comes in Rosanna’s signature decorated gift box.

A new decoupage collections of moderately priced gifts includes round, square and rectangular trays made of pressed glass. The felt back makes them suitable for jewelry, makeup or soaps.

The Chocolaterie collection

The Chocolaterie collection is comprised of porcelain mugs, dessert plates, a pitcher, and a two-tiered tray with antique label prints of famous European chocolate makers.

Search "Rosanna" in this blog to see the company's winter 2011 collection.

NY's night of celebration

Day One highlights from NY gift show

NY gift show is up and running

Stacking wood votive set for holiday gift giving

Teroforma has partnered with Rhode Island independent designer Ayako Takase to offer a whimsical way to sleekly store numerous small votive holders. Inspired by the traditional Japanese children’s game daruma otoshi (whose rounded pieces stack on an accompanying mallet), they conceived a system of pierced votives to store totemlike on the internally embedded handle of a complementary snuffer.  

The Avva style (top photo) consists of 3 flare-in votives and 2 flare-out. It is 9 3/4” tall stacked. The Ekke style (above) is cylindrical in shape and also measures 9 3/4” tall when stacked. The company is exhibiting at the New York International Gift Fair this month.

Dishes and serveware for the winter holidays

Rosanna Bowles, the so-called Diva of Dishes, is showing her fall/winter collection from Rosanna Inc. at the New York gift show this month. Also, her lifestyle book, "Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions" following a successful printing, is available for download as an e-book.

The Happy Christmas Collection (above) features prints inspired by vintage wrappings from Rosanna’s grandmother. The collection is comprised of mugs, large and small trays, dessert plates, a two-tiered tray, and a canvas tote.

The 12 Days of Christmas returns to the collection. The set of 12 square scalloped plates are made of refined porcelain and come in a decorated gift box.

Cute gifts and apparel for babies, tots

Gifts from France at the NY Gift Show

This wine box is made from reclaimed boat wood. The holes, knots and cracks give a unique character to each piece. The lid holds a Laguiole type corkscrew and a wine stopper. The box comes with a pouch of wood shavings to cradle the wine bottle (not included). It is available from Arceau Marketing, which is showing at the SCIP Booth 2642 in the French pavilion during the New York Gift Show.

Olive wood has a distinctive grain and a Mediterranean look. It acquires a patina and ages beautifully. This collection is made in France by SCIP,  a respected Laguiole manufacturer from Thiers, France since 1850.

Gift show briefs

New York gift show offers mobile phone app
A new and improved “Wayfinder App” for mobile devices will provide a wide range of information to help attendees and exhibitors navigate the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) more efficiently. The free application is available for download through iTunes, the Android Market, BlackBerry App World, and http://search.nyigf.com/mobile.aspx. With an improved keyword search capability, the new NYIGF Wayfinder application allows users to pin-point search for exhibitors or products by name, product line, product category or description.  Real-time results include company names and booth locations, and all of the mobile data synchronizes with the online information available through the NYIGF website, www.nyigf.com.

Rug showrooms relocate at the Las Vegas Market
Rug showrooms on the eighth floor of Building C of the Las Vegas Market are moving to Building B, floors 3, 4 and 5, co-locating within the complementary home décor and adjacent rug showrooms in Building B, and providing a better overall connectivity to the existing spaces within that segment.

"With the move to Building B, these rug showrooms will experience a new synergy and excitement with the strong home décor segment at Las Vegas Market," said Robert Maricich, chief executive officer for International Market Centers, parent company of World Market Center Las Vegas. "Retailers will be equally pleased with the convenience of these new resources and the cross-buying opportunities it presents on these floors."

Re-merchandising the floor coverings segment to encompass home accents and decorative accessories and joining a majority of existing rug companies already existing in Building B ultimately creates a more convenient shopping experience for Las Vegas Market buyers. Rug companies in new locations at Las Vegas Market include Chandra, Natco/Central Oriental, Dynamic Rugs, Masland Carpet and Rugs, Rizzy Rugs and CMI (Colonial Mills, Inc.).