PRESS RELEASE 2017
The UK’s only curated trade show Top Drawer closed its doors on a strong Autumn/Winter 2017 (A/W17) edition, as enthusiastic visitors sought out the latest collections across Home, Gift, Fashion and Craft.
With over 1,500 design-led brands and exciting new names, Top Drawer is the destination to source new and innovative products for the season ahead. Encompassing the beautifully curated worlds of Home, Gift, Fashion, Craft and the autumn debut of Food Emporium, this edition hosted more exclusive brands than ever. Buyers were out in force, from independent stores across the country and major UK retailers including ASOS, Marks & Spencer, Fenwick and John Lewis to garden centres, interior designers, contract buyers and overseas distributors and retailers.
HOME
Home presented a stellar line-up of brands including Witloft, Zaha Hadid Design, Alessi, Forma House, MAKE International, IXXI, Leonardo, Nick Munro and VITA Copenhagen.
Witloft Founder, Frank Abbenhuis commented on the show: “We exhibited at Top Drawer to showcase our products to the UK retailers and independent stores across the country. We are so pleased Top Drawer delivered. It’s been a great show to network with other likeminded brands and we now have lots of potential collaboration opportunities. We have already re-booked for the next edition in January and will be taking a bigger stand.”
GIFT
This season Gift presented a refreshingly diverse and innovative choice of products with superb design credentials, excellent commercial appeal and real originality. The refined edit of UK and international brands across Giftware, Wellbeing and Children’s offered buyers an exclusive edit of the hottest names to hit the market including Nukuku, Cubic, Dassie, Rice, Kinn Living, Moments Of Sense & Style, Scandic-Chic, Bookspeed, Helen Moore, Marvis, Notable Designs, True Grace, Wild & Wolf and SunnyLife.
Greetings & Stationery offered buyers the chance to source the best creative designs of greetings cards, stationery and gift wrapping from brands such as Lonetree, Creative Lab Amsterdam, Hux Loves Honey, Imogen Owen, Katie Leamon, Ohh Deer and Old English Company.
In addition, PaperFest and the PaperAwards, sponsored by G.F Smith, returned for a creative array of print design and paper.
Ben Treanor, Founder of Old English Company commented on the show: “Top Drawer A/W 17 was such a successful show for us! We launched various new products from our brand-new stationery collection including planners and notebooks, as well as adding to our greeting card range with an
array of new designs. Since returning to the studio, raising invoices and preparing orders for all our lovely stockists, we confirmed we had our best Top Drawer to date. We look forward to exhibiting at January’s Top Drawer in 2018!”
FASHION
As the style destination of choice for emerging talent and modern classics, Top Drawer saw UK and overseas retailers source the latest Fashion Accessories and Jewellery from leading UK and international brands. Gecko, Nooki Design, Tightology, Matthew Calvin, Yawn, Ottoman Hands, Rachel Jackson London, Stance, A Weathered Penny, Cabbage White England, ESA Evans, LUAL, Esoteric, Black & Sigi and Lily Charmed are amongst labels that showcased their latest collections.
Founder of Lily Charmed, Lucy Lee commented on the show: “Top Drawer was a success for us from the minute the doors opened, we had orders over the three days from buyers across the globe. It was great to see new and repeat customers under one roof.”
The hotly anticipated launch of Fashion Spy welcomed a host of international brands including Contessina, Les Petits Bisous and Strukt to the UK market for the very first time.
CRAFT
Craft, the go-to destination for all things handmade, adhered to the increasing demand for contemporary and bespoke items. Top makers and new names included 573 Degrees, Penny Warren, Camilla Thomas, Katie Vitoria, Sarah Cemmick’s and Agata Nowak’d.
Nam Tran, Owner of Cernamic commented: “It was our first time ever doing a trade show and it has been great. We were so pleased to have taken so many orders!”
FOOD EMPORIUM
Food Emporium made its autumn debut and presented a delectable line-up of the finest ‘giftable’ food and beverage products, inspiring buyers with their own slice of food heaven. Visitors got a taste of an exclusive collection of premium non-perishable giftable food from a selection of producers, including Ace Tea London, Conscious Water, Finca Hostalets 1898, Saint Aymes, Willie’s Cacao, Devon Distillery, LillyPuds, Land Chocolate, Popcorn Kitchen and Thunder Toffee Vodka.
Lois Wilson, Co-Founder of Saint Aymes commented: “This September was our second Top Drawer. At the January 2017 edition, we launched our luxury chocolate business and we were lucky enough to meet buyers from renowned department stores, many of whom we are proud to now call stockists. This September’s show didn’t disappoint, we truly enjoyed meeting new clients and it’s set our handmade chocolates on track for Christmas orders.”
SPOTTED
Acclaimed Style Writer, Charlotte Abraham, carefully curated Top Drawer’s A/W17 edit of Spotted. Spotted gave buyers the edge on what is new and emerging in the market, to scout the hottest new brands with ease, presenting 40 new names including India May Home, Lara Quin, Lupin Studio, The Curious Department and The Humble Cut.
Chris McShane, Co-Founder of The Curious Department commented: “Spotted was great for an emerging brand like us, as it meant we could showcase our products in a focused environment, with a diverse footfall from big major retailers to small independent boutiques.
There was a great comradery and supportive vibe across our fellow Spottees which made it less about competition, more about giving everyone a chance to shine, which was really important to us.”
Alejandra Campos, Top Drawer’s Event Director added: “The A/W17 edition was a strong success, attracting the very best brands across our sectors and top buyers from the UK and overseas. We understand that successful retailers are constantly on the hunt for new and exclusive products that will stand out on the high street. At Top Drawer, we are proud to present such a diverse and unique line-up of brands most of which cannot be founded elsewhere. Watch this space as we head into the Spring/Summer 18 season, the next edition is set to be even bigger.”
The S/S18 edition of Top Drawer will take place from 14 – 16 January 2018, at Olympia London.