Sunday 14 January sees Top Drawer’s Spring/Summer 2024 edition return to London’s Olympia, running until Tuesday 16 January. The show will be featuring a collection of over 600 hand-picked brands across nine curated sectors, with buyers having the opportunity to discover the latest products, brands and trends, as well as to network with the rest of the retail industry.
“We can’t wait to welcome everyone through the doors of Olympia London, with 10% more exhibitors than last year, a whopping 30% of which are brand new to the show, this edition is bigger and better than ever,” states Top Drawer show manager David Westbrooke. “Coupled with all of the content that we’re putting on across the three days, Top Drawer S/S 24 is the place to be this January – miss it, miss out!”
Following double-digit visitor growth in 2023, January’s Top Drawer has seen a 10% increase in exhibitor numbers, bringing retailers an unparalleled choice of handpicked suppliers, say organisers Clarion Retail. Particular stand-outs include the Craft, Greetings & Stationery and Wellbeing sections, which have seen 55%, 25% and 15% expansions respectively.
With over 30% of this season’s exhibitors at the show for the first time, visitors will be able to browse new products from both emerging talent and top brands including Ameico UK, Aurora World, Baa Baby, Banwood, Be Home Europe, Flamingueo, Flick Fashions, Fog Linen Work, Littlemore Candle Company, Natural by Hillbrush, Okkia, Paper Rose, Papier, Pickle Picnics, Pott Candles, SAHI London, Signare, The Somewhere Co., Widdop and Co., Wigiwama and many other companies.
Newness continues in the Launchpad sector, where visitors will find a showcase of 35 new talents looking to make their mark, including Arcana Living, Fugafit, Ghost & Bonesetter, Kensho Heirlooms, Lolly & Kiks, Peachie, Plinthy, POTR Pots, Shaven Raven Designs, Sunshine Lane, and Tillie Rose Studioamong many others. For many of these exhibitors, Top Drawer is their first trade show, giving visitors access to bold new products and designs before anyone else, highlight Clarion. The show is also continuing its partnership with the University of the Arts London, which will showcase hand-selected products from talented recent graduates looking to increase their brand exposure.
Additionally, in recognition and celebration of the show’s exhibitors, Top Drawer will be presenting the inaugural Spotlight Awards. These awards shine a light on stand-out brands across the show, with the winners chosen by an expert judging panel that includes Emma Hawkins from Fortnum & Mason, Preena Patel of the Design Museum, Priya Aurora-Crowe of Lark and Trevor Read from Adorn the Common. The winners will be announced at the show party at 5:30pm on Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, one of the highlights of each edition of Top Drawer is Retailfest, a series of talks and panels featuring speakers, industry experts and influencers from the retail sector, who this time around, will cover topics such as sustainability, social media, customer experience, and more. Through lively panel discussions, insightful interviews, and practical masterclasses, visitors will have the opportunity to gain valuable insights, explore current trends, and learn from the experiences of thought leaders. Speakers include social media masters Kirsty Raper and Andie McDowell, founder of Platform Retail Stacy Chan, and a panel composed by The Giftware Association.
Top Drawer will also be offering another valuable addition, the Business Hub, a free service that offers visitors the chance to gain personal business advice and actionable tips from industry experts. In private 1:1 appointments, visitors will be able to discuss their current challenges and receive tailored advice and strategies to boost their business this season and beyond. Among the experts are Nicola Snell, founder of the show’s PR partner Press Loft, Ami Rabheru, founder of Retail Huddle, wholesale expert Therese Oertenblad of Small Business Collective, and Nicole Higgins, the founder of The Buyer and Retail Coach.
On the trends front, the Better Trends Co. will be returning to Top Drawer with their trends showcase, helping visitors stay on top of the latest trends and ahead of their competition. As the industry’s trusted forecasting experts, the company will unveil their three top trends for the year ahead curated exclusively for Top Drawer to spark their inspiration.
To register for your free badge, visit topdrawer.co.uk.
For more about Top Drawer Spring/Summer 2024 in Progressive Gifts & Home’s January 2024 issue, click through to page 53.
Top: Visitors browsing Top Drawer’s Autumn/Winter edition at Olympia London.
