London trade fair Top Drawer which was held from January 15 - 17 2023 at Olympia in Kensington for its SS23 season, was deemed a success having welcomed both international and UK-based trade visitors who represented some of the best known stores in the UK and the world.
Fair organisers said following a successful campaign to attract visitors from overseas, Top Drawer, which covered a wide range of lifestyle products, as well as home, fashion, gifts, food, paper and stationery products, played host to more than 40 countries, seeing an increase of 47% in visitor numbers on 2022, welcoming them from as far afield as Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the United States.
This international flavour was further enhanced with the addition of some 30 key international distributors, who visited looking to source new brands to represent in territories as diverse as Australia, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands South Korea and Switzerland amongst others
Attendees ranged from department stores and museum shops to independent boutiques, hospitality specialists, garden centres and representatives of press and media. Among them were buyers from Anthropologie, Aria, Avoca, Barnes & Noble, Brown Thomas, Cursive New York, Fenwick, Flying Tiger Copenhagen, H&M, Harrods, Heals, John Lewis, Le Bon Marché, Liberty London, Rockett St George, SCP, Selfridges, Soho House, The Conran Shop, The Design Museum, The Getty Museum, TikTok Shop and Waitrose (of John Lewis Partnership), to name just a few.
There was also a sharp year-on-year increase in footfall, according to organisers, driven by a new visitor acquisition strategy that saw 58% of them attending for the very first time, signaling the strength of the retail industry.
There was further success seen in individual target sectors, with a 16% increase in department store buyers, as well as a 4% increase in independent retailers attending the show and connecting with the show’s 500+ brands – 50% of whom were exclusively exhibiting at Top Drawer, and 25% of which were making their show debut.
Organisers said the show launched thousands of products across nine curated sectors - Home, Wellbeing, Gift, Fashion, Food Emporium, Craft, Greetings Cards & Stationery, Play and Launchpad for promising new talent – to help buyers source the key products for the season ahead, and professional visitors to grasp in one venue the key trends that will help drive business.
The handpicked, edited nature of the show appealed to many buyers.
Fran Harkness from UK’s Bam Bristol explaining: “For us it’s the best trade show. Great curation, good range and not too massive!”
French department store Le Bon Marché’s Nathalie Constanty also said: “Top Drawer is the perfect show for me to discover products across all the sectors I’m sourcing for. I have been coming for years and I love it - especially as it’s the first show of the buying season. This time I saw many existing suppliers as well as discovering many amazing new ones.”
This favourable balance between existing and new brands on display was a common thread in feedback, with Lauren Jarvis of Mlkwood Store commenting: “It was so fantastic to see some of our makers in person [and] I also met lots of new people so watch this space!”
Bryony Taylor Edwards of Yarnton Home and Garden outlined the thoughts of many: “I loved every second (of my visit). So many bright and beautiful products and small businesses doing brilliant things.”
Equally exhibitors were expressing their delight with the buzz of the show and the quality of leads received.
Joanna Hockett, International Sales Manager for Lifeguard Press enthused: “Top Drawer is easily our favourite trade show - the timing, the location and the buyers here put it a cut above the rest, and this season is no exception!”
Louise Shore of FRASS agreed: “We have had the most unbelievable show, opening an astounding number of new accounts”
OLOR’s Louise Roger expressed similar sentiments: “We have met so many amazing people over the last few days, we’re really excited about our new stockists, and so pleased to see some of our current stockists back at the show placing new orders.”
Helen Edwards of East End Prints summarised: “There really isn't another trade event quite like this one!”
In addition, Top Drawer also organised a seminar programme popular with both visitors and exhibitors alike. The RetailFest and Ecommerce Insights seminar programme equipped audience members with inspiration, digital knowledge and innovation to help them navigate through the year to make 2023 a successful trading year. There were also training sessions and masterclasses designed to help retailers elevate their business in 2023.
Visitors will soon be able to catch up on these sessions on demand via www.retail-reveal.com, Clarion’s digital destination for retail discovery, inspiration and connection.
All images by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect Global.
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