The Christmas gifts feature, All I Want For Christmas, (click through to pages 43-47), focuses on the sweet spots of £5 and under, £10 and under and £20 and under, while for those retailers looking for those ‘something different’ Christmas decorations, there’s everything from the traditional to the trendy (click through to pages 33-37) featured in our article It’s Getting To Feel A Lot Like Christmas.
Of course, candles and reed diffusers go hand-on-hand with the festive season, with our home fragrancing article highlighting what’s trending. While Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without cinnamon and spices, berry fragrances too, are having a moment, so turn to A Very Berry Christmas. (Click through to pages 55-59).
Meanwhile, for retailers who want to ‘mug up’ on what to suggest to customers for those hard to buy for colleagues, friends and relatives, we showcase everything from humorous and cheeky mugs to more classic styles in our Mug Bug feature. (Click through to pages 83-87). And with the Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) show around the corner, and licensed gifts coming into its own at this time of year, we reveal the new licences for Autumn/Winter in our Bring On The Brands article. (Click through to pages 73-77).
As for the latest trends, we spotlight shades of Bordeaux – a heady mix of dark red and purple – in our Bordering On Bordeaux article. (Click through to page 53).
Of course, it’s always good to talk, particularly with other gift retailers, so if you’d like to know more about how this year has been for independents, the issues they’re facing and how they’re approaching Christmas, take a look at Talking Heads. (Click through to pages 27-31).
Elsewhere in this issue, we catch up with three leading gift suppliers – Candlelight (see Rockin’ All Over The World – click through to pages 49-51), Wild Things (see A Walk On The Wild Side – click through to pages 69-71) and Joe Davies (see Shop Early For Christmas – click through to pages 79-81) – to find out what will be driving the companies onwards and upwards over the coming months.
Plus, we go behind the scenes at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo to discover what made the gift shop a Greats winner in May. (Click through to pages 39-41). We also meet Greats finalist Liana Moran in our Behind The Counter article, (click through to page 118), and chat to Rona Stevenson, co-owner of Within Reason gift shop in Sheffield, who also co-owns One Hundred Stars, well known for the company’s kimonos worn by celebrities such as actress Anna Seyfried and TV chef Nigella Lawson. (Click through to Last Word on page 118).
But first, for those heading to Autumn Fair, Top Drawer and Scotland’s Trade Fair Autumn in September click through to pages 7-23 which will give you the latest lowdown not only on the shows, but also, the most up-to-the minute industry news.
Click here to read the full edition of September’s Progressive Gifts & Home online.
Top: The September issue of Progressive Gifts & Home.
