New York Tabletop Show Archives | HomePage News https://www.homepagenews.com/tag/new-york-tabletop-show/ the home + housewares business authority Fri, 27 Oct 2023 17:22:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2 https://www.homepagenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cropped-favicon-32x32.png New York Tabletop Show Archives | HomePage News https://www.homepagenews.com/tag/new-york-tabletop-show/ 32 32 Tabletop’s Trapeze Moment https://www.homepagenews.com/trade-shows/tabletops-trapeze-moment/ https://www.homepagenews.com/trade-shows/tabletops-trapeze-moment/#respond Fri, 27 Oct 2023 17:22:30 +0000 https://www.homepagenews.com/?p=289926 Trend analyst Tom Mirabile describes his experience at the October New York Tabletop Show including the prevailing market mood and the home and housewares trends and products he observed.

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Around five years ago, my husband Bill discovered Trapeze School New York. It looked fun and straightforward, so we signed up. The experience was by turns frustrating, painful and terrifying… but in the end, transformative.

Walking into the New York Tabletop Show, it was easy to draw parallels between the trapeze experience and some of the development challenges the industry faces in the current lackluster marketplace. Imagine that the trapeze bar we are currently swinging represents our current assortments. Over time, as momentum slows, we must expend ever more energy to keep that bar in motion so we can use it to propel us to the next bar which represents the advancement and evolution of our products, brands, etc. From this perspective, moving forward can be treacherous because any move requires calculation and judgment, factors that change with every swing of the bar we are on. In these moments, staying where we are can seem like the safest decision. Then we remember that our choices are limited – it’s fly or die. This October, the New York Tabletop Show seemed to broadcast a collective decision: Fly. 

This prevailing market mood was best described by one housewares senior executive who noted, “There was a sense that we’ve reached the light at the end of a tunnel. That the industry is ready to move forward again.” This comment captured the show’s atmosphere perfectly. As my review of exhibitors and collections expanded, that sense of emergence and promise seemed ever more justified. 

In brief, here are some of the numbers and newness on show at the New York Tabletop Show reinforcing the potential for renewal in the marketplace: 

With only one exception, every vendor and brand we spoke to at the show reported introducing at least double the number of new products in 2023 than they had in 2022 (excluding minor line-item extensions/expansions). Existing line extensions and minor expansions (including extant licenses) are projected to remain flat year over year. That translated to a significant number of new introductions at this market, revealing many interesting trends in evolution across tableware right now. The fact that trends here often reach across the classifications of dinnerware, flatware, glassware and serveware gives them added stability and helps to build volume potential and lifespan of the trend. 
 

Color, Pattern, and Form  

Looking at what is garnering the attention and excitement of retailers, it becomes clear that descriptors like traditional and contemporary are less important than inspiring design and a sense of style and story. The Meaning, a broad new collection from Vista Alegre, presents a contemporary reinterpretation of floral, geometric, and pastoral imagery that is certain to find great appeal among traditionalists as well with its use of deconstructed traditional themes in crystal porcelain and faience. Futurismo from Vista Alegre is still drawing expansive attention with its complex, vivid geometrics and innovative forms.  

Vista Alegre Futurismo Tableware

Vista Alegre The Meaning Collection Dinnerware

Similar polarities were evident in flatware, as slender Black Shea flatware from Towle Living got top marks alongside fluid, organic Antigo from Costa Nova. In stemware and barware, Riedel’s new Superleggero varietal wine stems gave near invisible lightness to classical forms, while Nachtmann reframed its traditional crystal pattern, Noblesse, offering a whisky tumbler in opaque satin black and stemware sets in four lighthearted pastels. 

Towle Living Black Shea Flatware

Riedel Superleggero Varietal Stemware

Form took some decisive, if unexpected, turns in tabletop. The mission towards minimalism still held strong, but the presence of more organic shapes had a markedly increased presence, as did more textural and irregular forms, intent on delivering a more crafted, handmade appearance. 

In glassware and barware, there was a renaissance of color in palettes ranging from pale to intense. This was a departure for many of the tableware brands that usually have introduced products in this category as accents to their tableware lines. At this market, the classification was clearly directed toward cocktail culture and the continuing interest of the home bar enthusiast. Additionally, many of the new collections were offered in assorted colors, delivering a curated look to the consumer in a single item.  

Material innovations at market also helped move color forward for some brands. At Mikasa, the Madison Colored Bone China Collection was introduced after more than three years devoted to perfecting the technology of creating in-clay color for bone china. Each of the four saturated pale colors available must be fired separately at a different temperature to create the final product. Similarly, Gibson’s Sur La Table brand introduced new tumblers and highball glasses in vivid colors with thick, clear shams. All are dishwasher safe thanks to the casing process used in production. 

Gibson Sur La Table Colored Tumblers and Highballs

All of these made manifest what seemed like a timely new ethos: Great design is a journey, not a destination, which both reflects and inspires the imagination of its times. 

 

No Net. No Guarantees. 

There are some admirably bold design and product choices being made here. The excitement of forward movement toward new consumers and next-level products involves risk. In this case, leading tableware companies are introducing beautiful, even innovative new products and assortments that disregard some well-established consumer preferences. Paramount among these are use and care issues, including microwave and dishwasher safety. Does the lack of these labels really mean that most consumers will simply walk away? Market conversations indicate a degree of skepticism that these “preferences” and “established standards” are either overstated or lack recent statistical validation, especially when applied to products that are not for everyday use. This is a fascinating rabbit-hole idea. Follow me for a moment…

“Fact”: Consumers want mugs with handles, so they don’t want to burn their hands. At recent home shows in Frankfurt, Paris, Milan and New York, offerings of mugs without handles were definitely in ascent. New technologies such as double-walled ceramic construction and glazes with low thermal conductivity are eliminating the risk of burn injury. But is re-educating consumers worth the effort and investment risk to gain undefined market share? Possibly. Consider Riedel’s decision to introduce stemless wine glasses to the luxury market in 2004 with the “O Series” in 2004. It was a risk that not only paid off, but arguably it also reenergized the classification for consumers. 

With all the new and noteworthy, it’s important to comment on core programs and their place in the market. Basics and core programs remained crucial to assortment discussions, and line extensions and expansions were plentiful and strong. But unlike recent tabletop markets, these primary volume drivers were no longer front-of-showroom features and did not seem to be the lead topic on every meeting agenda. Most walk-through conversations were focused on building forward momentum and reinforcing brand identity and value for retailers and consumers. 

Suppliers at the New York Tabletop Show delivered a solid market focused on issues critical to its continued relevance in the modern marketplace: consumer-centric development and brand evolution and differentiation. In returning to the trapeze analogy, the industry has released the old swing bar and, propelled by a new certainty, it has chosen flight. Now, in this transition period, we wait as it reaches out for “the catch” of a successful market response.  

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New York Tabletop Show Feeds Retailer Appetites for New Designs https://www.homepagenews.com/featured-news/new-york-tabletop-show-feeds-retailer-appetites-for-new-designs/ https://www.homepagenews.com/featured-news/new-york-tabletop-show-feeds-retailer-appetites-for-new-designs/#respond Thu, 20 Apr 2023 16:05:12 +0000 https://www.homepagenews.com/?p=282273 The Spring New York Tabletop Show played this week to positive reviews by suppliers who said they had full slates meetings with retailers eager to discover new designs to help drive a back-half rebound from what has been a soft start to 2023.

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The Spring New York Tabletop Show played this week to positive reviews by suppliers who said they had full slates meetings with retailers eager to discover new designs to help drive a back-half rebound from what has been a soft start to 2023.

This is the second edition of the New York Tabletop Show at 41 Madison Avenue since the operation of the show was assumed by the Tabletop Association formed after building owner Rudin Management abdicated its longtime management of the show beginning with the October 2022 market. The Tabletop Association is made up largely of showroom tenants at 41 Madison Avenue, as well as some tabletop companies and organizations that do not lease space at the building.

Among retailers pre-registered to attend the spring market, according to tabletop executives, were Overstock, Linen Chest, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Hudson’s Bay, Tuesday Morning, Belk, Wayfair, Amazon, Saks, Big Lots, Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, Zola, One Kings Lane, Lord & Taylor, Food52, JCPenney, Walmart, TJX, TJX Canada and Ross Stores.

“There is a lot of interest in what’s new by retailers here, and there is more new product here than the past couple of years,” said Sal Gabbay, CEO of Gibson Homewares, which was showcasing several new tableware and kitchenware designs across its many brands, notably it is expanding Sur La Table and Martha Stewart collections. Gabbay noted how the pandemic sales surge followed by supply-chain disruption and then a sales slowdown each contributed to muffling new product launches and delivery the past couple of years. “Business is challenging for retailers,” Gabbay said. “New is needed to help elevate the business.”

Tabletop and housewares industry veteran Thomas Miang Perez, CEO of the recently established U.S. operation for Denmark’s  Rosendahl Design Group, confirmed the hearty appetite for new products among retailers at the show. Rosendahl Design Group offers such tableware, giftware and kitchen accessory brands as Rosendahl, Kahler, Holmegaard and Lyngby (colorful porcelain tableware pictured above).

“Newness: The retailers need they need it,” Perez said inside the new 41 Madison Avenue showroom shared by Rosendahl and Alessi.

Entertaining tableware and serveware from plasticware maker Jia Wei. 

New for spring market was a temporary exhibit established by the Tabletop Association called the Galleries at 41 Madison. Companies in the initial exhibit were MadeSmart (kitchen/household organizers and serveware), MyRegistry.com (gift registry services), Canvas Home (dinnerware), Mode Living (table settings) and Von Gern Home (placemats and table accessories). Tabletop Association officials said they hope to expand the temporary exhibit at future markets. The next New York Tabletop Market is set for this fall, October 10-13.

MadeSmart’s Dipware dinnerware and serveware fitted with collapsible silicone bowls. 

MadeSmart founder and CEO Devee Joy McNally said participation in the tabletop show allowed the company known for its kitchen and bath organizers to showcase its launch of a collection of Dipware dinnerware and serveware fitted with collapsible (and on some models detachable) silicone serving bowls.

For Gibson, the spring Tabletop Show marked an opportunity to celebrate the retirement of veteran tabletop designer and entrepreneur Laurie Gates. Gates had served as Gibson’s senior vice president of creative since Gibson acquired the Laurie Gates ceramic tableware business and brand in 2014. Gates is handing off Gibson’s design leadership to Aaron Stewart, formerly lead designer for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (no relation). Martha Stewart made a surprise visit to the Gibson showroom Monday afternoon during a send-off reception for Gates.

Martha Stewart meets with Gibson’s Sal Gabbay and Laurie Gates during the New York Tabletop Show. 

Retiring Gibson creative leader and longtime tableware designer and entrepreneur Laurie Gates (center) with Gibson CEO Sal Gabbay (left) and incoming Gibson creative leader Aaron Stewart. 

The Spring New York Tabletop Show underscored continuing cross-category diversification and development that has traditional tabletop brands moving into complementary kitchenware.

Turkish porcelain tableware specialist Porland, for example, highlighted its Cookland collection of induction-ready porcelain cookware.

Cookland induction-ready porcelain cookware by Porland.

Overandback, known for its ceramic tableware, used the Tabletop Show to present an expanding assortment of kitchen accessories and textiles, demonstrating what CEO Glen Levitan said is a company plan to expand its retail and e-commerce presence as a one-stop dining product resource. The company also presented a vibrant, floral-patterned tabletop collection called Spring Garden in collaboration with Seattle-based illustrator and surface designer Jess Phoenix.

Overandback’s Spring Garden tableware collaboration with illustrator Jess Phoenix. 

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The New Tabletop Association: A Study in Evolution vs. Revolution https://www.homepagenews.com/featured-news/the-new-tabletop-association-a-study-in-evolution-vs-revolution/ https://www.homepagenews.com/featured-news/the-new-tabletop-association-a-study-in-evolution-vs-revolution/#respond Wed, 25 May 2022 16:49:26 +0000 https://www.homepagenews.com/?p=266657 By the time the doors opened on the April New York Tabletop Show, the rumors were swarming like bees. Few details had followed the announcement in March that the newly minted Tabletop Association would assume management of the show beginning in October of this year.

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By the time the doors opened on the April New York Tabletop Show, the rumors were swarming like bees. Few details had followed the announcement in March that the newly minted Tabletop Association would assume management of the show beginning in October of this year.

This lack of information about the Tabletop Association raised many questions: What changes would there be under the new association? Could the new association reinvigorate future tabletop shows?

The Tabletop Association’s inaugural president, David Zrike, president and CEO of R Squared and Zrike Brands, clarified the reason for the relative silence by the association since its formation: “[We’re] taking the time to do this thing right from every angle.” His enthusiasm was clear. “We’ve put together a tremendous board of talented individuals that are going to look at the industry and work together to not only make the show better, but to make the whole industry more agile, more cohesive, and more important.” he said. In short, the board focus, according to Zrike, is well-considered evolution, not a revolution of immediate change.

Interviews with Zrike and other Tabletop Association board members revealed a passionate, collaborative undercurrent. Linda Levine, president of Godinger Silver, said, “Together, we can imagine future shows from a different perspective — a more multi-faceted show that reflects the style of our lives. That means it’s not a tabletop show. It’s a design show. It’s a décor show. It’s a gifting show. It’s social. It’s inspiring.”

Bill Robedee, president of Portmeirion Group, North America, agreed. “A trade association gives us an opportunity to collaborate a little, you know, where appropriate,” he said. “Trade associations are fun in the sense that everybody’s a competitor, and yet you [all] have common interests.”

A trade association gives us an opportunity to collaborate a little, you know, where appropriate. Trade associations are fun in the sense that everybody’s a competitor, and yet you [all] have common interests.

– Bill Robedee, President, Portmeirion Group, North America

Tabletop Association board members interviewed are united in a sense of determination and purpose, centered on an unwavering belief in the importance of in-person trade shows and their contribution to industry stability and growth. “For the business in the U.S., and, quite frankly, for the Canadian business, the show matters,” Robedee said. “To gather people in a single place, to sit down and talk to each other… to touch, feel, look at, and discuss. You’re not going to replace the New York Tabletop Show with Zoom calls, or virtual showrooms, or any of that… It just doesn’t work. There’s a lot of human interaction that makes this [business] happen.”

Among the approaches the Tabletop Association believes will enhance future markets is a policy of inclusion that extends to all tabletop companies. “The addition of all companies that want to be involved in tabletop, whether or not they occupy a showroom at 41 Madison, that’s a big deal,” said David Mackrell, president, Tabletop and Food Service at Lifetime Brands, “It will make a big difference for the buyer experience.” Robedee agreed, “It’s just a larger community. That really serves the retailer better, and it serves the industry better.”

Content innovation is another Tabletop Association objective that reaches beyond the narrow runway of show dates. “You can’t run a business just based on a show,” Godinger’s Levine said. “I know that together we can create an association that’s really present —  for the industry throughout the year, with programs and advisories that make New York Tabletop a year-round experience, not just a market.”

Mackrell takes an even broader view: “Looking forward, the Tabletop Show will be more than a product showcase, it’ll also be a learning experience that gets into the specific product and consumer trends that are important to both tabletop retailers and suppliers,” he said. The idea of providing meaningful trend and consumer intelligence that would serve both sides of the table would likely add value and attendance.

Looking forward, the Tabletop Show will be more than a product showcase, it’ll also be a learning experience that gets into the specific product and consumer trends that are important to both tabletop retailers and suppliers.

– David Mackrell, President, Tabletop and Food Service, Lifetime Brands

Another overarching direction is a focus on “customers and consumers,” meaning the association will strive to serve the broader needs of the retailer through greater understanding of the end consumer. “We have to get the retail community really involved,” Levine said. “That means not just being a resource, but letting retailers share their experiences and frustrations through panels and other formats that get some real discussion going… so we can evolve together.”

Portmeirion’s Robedee echoed the importance of open-to-listen: “You have some of your most interesting interactions with the independent account community. People come to the show from all over the country, so you really get that extra direct communication, whether they’re sales reps or regional accounts. That’s a great opportunity to understand what’s happening around the industry, around the country and around the whole market that we serve.”

As exciting as mapping the future is, the Tabletop Association board members have prioritized solidifying its foundation. “There’s a lot of great brainstorming going on at this point,” Robedee said. “But right now, we’re really focused on practical nuts-and-bolts things that we need to accomplish to get up and running properly. If you can’t execute, and if you miss the details, that doesn’t serve the interests of anybody. We really want the tenant community, and those who might not have a showroom in the building, to feel the value for money in the membership.”

Last week, the Tabletop Association released further information on its membership fee ($2,500 annually per company) and a list of member benefits. The provisions covered all the essentials previously provided by 41 Madison Avenue owner Rudin Management (which produced the New York Tabletop Show through the April show), plus the addition of detailed show attendance reporting and expanded networking opportunities during show times. The fall 2021 New York Tabletop Show, to be run by the Tabletop Association, is set for October 18-21.

Was every question answered by the new Tabletop Association? No. But interviews with board members revealed three elements that will prove crucial to its success: The intelligence to meet the needs of a rapidly transforming marketplace; a commitment to collaboration and inclusion across the tabletop industry; and the vision to innovate. With these in place, the Tabletop Association can initiate the evolution of the market it envisions.

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Mixing Things Up at New York Tabletop Show https://www.homepagenews.com/home-housewares/mixing-things-up-at-new-york-tabletop-show/ https://www.homepagenews.com/home-housewares/mixing-things-up-at-new-york-tabletop-show/#respond Fri, 08 Apr 2022 15:29:06 +0000 https://www.homepagenews.com/?p=264745 The Spring New York Tabletop Show ran this week to a steady flow of retail buyers seeking the latest products and styles for a robust home dining and entertaining market.

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The Spring New York Tabletop Show ran this week to a steady flow of retail buyers seeking the latest products and styles for a robust home dining and entertaining market.

Serving the eclectic personal tastes of today’s consumers is a primary opportunity for tableware designers and marketers. That was evident inside the 41 Madison Avenue showrooms as manufacturers presented lively, in-person tablescapes that mixed patterns, colors and materials to show how collections can be arranged in many ways to encourage individual expression.

Here is a look at some of the new designs that greeted the New York Tabletop Show attendees:

Porland

Mixed-Color Morocco Collection

Vista Alegre

Contemporary colorful dinnerware and serveware

TarHong

Mix-and-match melamine and acrylic tableware

Lenox

Oyster Bay Collection

BIA Cordon Bleu

Bowls in assorted earthy tones

Costa Nova Plano

Dinnerware collection made from recycled material

Jia Wei Lifestyle

Fish-themed melamine collection

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New Tabletop Association To Continue New York Tabletop Show https://www.homepagenews.com/trade-shows/tabletop-association-to-continue-new-york-tabletop-market/ https://www.homepagenews.com/trade-shows/tabletop-association-to-continue-new-york-tabletop-market/#respond Wed, 23 Mar 2022 21:00:59 +0000 https://www.homepagenews.com/?p=263977 The recently formed Tabletop Association announced it will continue the New York Tabletop Show on the originally scheduled dates after the upcoming show, April 5-8, 2022.

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The recently formed Tabletop Association announced it will continue the New York Tabletop Show on the originally scheduled dates after the upcoming show, April 5-8, 2022.

The Tabletop Association is formed of nine board members from tabletop companies with showrooms at 41 Madison Avenue, longtime home to several floors of tabletop showrooms. The board members include David Zrike, president and CEO of R Square and Zrike brands; Linda Levine, president of Godinger; Lucas Updegraph, CSO of Lenox Corp; Sal Gabbay, CEO of Gibson Homewares; Emon Maasho, CEO of Orrefors & Kosta Boda; Matthew Hullfish, vice president of sales for Casafina; Holli Draughn, president of Vietri; Bill Robedee, president of Portmeirion Group North America; and a representative for Porland USA.

“We are thrilled to form a board to continue the rich history of the tabletop industry and to manage and promote the New York Tabletop Shows,” Zrike said.

Rudin Management Company, owner of 41 Madison Avenue and longtime operator of the New York Tabletop Show at the building, announced earlier this year the forthcoming April show would be the last one produced by building management. The building will continue to serve as a showroom space for tabletop tenants, according to Rudin Management.

“The Rudin organization has been a great supporter of this industry for many years, and their decision not to manage shows anymore is no indication of their lack of support for this industry for the long term,” Zrike told HomePage News.

The Tabletop Association reported it plans to continue the New York Tabletop Show on the originally scheduled dates after the April 5-8, 2022 show. (October 18-21, 2022; April 18-21 and October 10-13, 2023; April 9-12 and October 8-11, 2024; and April 8-11 and October 21-24, 2025).

“We didn’t want to miss a show, especially now, post-pandemic, when we believe shows will again become a more integral part of the industry,” Zrike said. He noted several key retailers advised about the Tabletop Association plans indicated support for the continuation of the New York Tabletop Show.

Tabletop Association membership will not be limited to 41 Madison Avenue tenants, Zrike said. “We certainly will welcome as many members as possible,” he said, noting the association’s founding board represents a cross-section of the tabletop industry.

Membership dues will be used to cover operating costs associated with future New York Tabletop Shows, Zrike said. The Tabletop Association is working on initial show operating plans, as well as the development of other industry service programs, he added.

“We look forward to working with the industry and retailers to continue the show and promote the tabletop business,” Zrike said.

 

 

 

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Trends Regain Their Stride at Fall NY Tabletop https://www.homepagenews.com/trade-shows/trends-regain-their-stride-at-fall-ny-tabletop/ https://www.homepagenews.com/trade-shows/trends-regain-their-stride-at-fall-ny-tabletop/#respond Mon, 18 Oct 2021 18:48:34 +0000 https://www.homepagenews.com/?p=252982 There was plenty of new on view at the recent Fall New York Tabletop Market. Tabletop suppliers large and small have managed to breach pandemic circumstances while investing assets, time and imagination in an often uncertain future.

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There was plenty of new on view at the recent Fall New York Tabletop Show. Tabletop suppliers large and small have managed to breach pandemic circumstances while investing assets, time and imagination in an often uncertain future.

Their steadfast pursuit of product and perspective form the bedrock of the tabletop industry, making a vibrant post-pandemic re-emergence possible.

Here is a sampling of the new on view at the show…

New introductions at Gibson spanned product categories and licenses with a focus on entertaining accessories.

Gibson

Gibson

The Lenox family of brands was lively with new offerings with new introductions in the reinvention of Lenox pattern legends Autumn and Butterfly Meadow. Under the Oneida banner, stylish and accessible dinnerware and flatware introductions were strong.

Oneida

Oneida

Kate Spade for Lenox expanded recent casual leanings with cheerfully interactive line extensions to Charlotte Street in blue and a sharp but sweet black and white sketch floral tableware collection, Garden Doodle.

Kate Spade for Lenox

Kate Spade for Lenox

Riedel charmed with ethereally light stemless extensions to its Wine Wings line, arguably more graceful and sensual than its original stemless collection.

Riedel

Waterford presented a reinvention of its rootstock pattern Lismore; named Arcus, delightfully fluid and fresh. Many Waterford introductions felt giftable, such as hand-cut and gilt constellation barware, and tasting glasses with cut crystal ‘caps’ to ‘let wine bouquets develop undisturbed.’

Waterford

Waterford

Meanwhile, Wedgwood’s expanded the Wonderlust collection, a striking contrast to its crisply contemporary interpretation of Greco-Roman classicism, a setting called Anthemion Grey.

Wedgwood

Porland, a Turkish luxe brand, made a debut focused on updated interplays of classic patterns and demi-florals.

Porland

Shifting Tabletop Trends in New York

Artful Accents
Canvas-worthy designs held leading positions in tabletop pattern stories, with the look of painterly and hand-drawn florals to cheerful sketched linework and loosely structured watercolors.

CottageCure
For those seeking respite from the sweetly Victorian palettes of CottageCore, newly neutral alternatives emerged. Forms are clean and softly stylish, colors calming and creamy, and patterning mercifully understated.

Cultured Craft
Hand-thrown and crafted looks continued to gain ground at every price point. Mixed glazes and mismatched settings felt freshest.

Good Grains
Wood grain texture and patterning stayed strong in accent and entertaining positions, veering from its natural roots, and on to more stylized materials and interpretations.

Heart of Stone
Natural marble declined in favor of more rustic colorways and textured materials,  particularly soapstone and alabaster. On the table, pebbled textures and glazes felt fresh.

Neutral Territories
New neutral introductions rested comfortably on warmer hues, ranging from creamy ecru through light mocha, then taking a broad leap to vanilla bean brown for a pleasing contrast. Cooler options lost no ground, anchored by cloud grays and deeper graphite.

Lively Legends
Heritage brands continued creative reinterpretations of their legendary franchises. The common objective was clear; the engagement of a broader audience, including an ever-expanding class of less formal, more design-aware consumers.

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New York Tabletop: A Productive Market… Written in Pencil https://www.homepagenews.com/trade-shows/new-york-tabletop-a-productive-market-written-in-pencil/ https://www.homepagenews.com/trade-shows/new-york-tabletop-a-productive-market-written-in-pencil/#respond Mon, 18 Oct 2021 18:47:13 +0000 https://www.homepagenews.com/?p=252893 HomePage News Trend Analyst Tom Mirabile describes what it was like to be back at the fall New York Tabletop Show, noting the feeling of returning in-person and supply chain concerns.

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It might have been a dream. But it wasn’t. I was back at market… just like I’ve been craving, no, needing. It was opening day at the Fall New York Tabletop Show at 41 Madison, and there were people, a lot of people.  

Showrooms, seemingly all of them open, shone with the anticipation of market trade reenergized. The faces inside were excited, open (save for the ubiquitous masks), and without a trace of the desperation I’d expected.  

And then there was the part I’d missed most — the hum and chatter in the halls, the lively exchange of ideas and intel. Then I noticed something a bit… off. First at one showroom, then another, then many… next to placards touting new introductions, two critical elements were missing: pricing and delivery dates. Some were written in pencil and some were absent altogether. Clearly, this was not a dream.  

Not surprisingly, indeterminate delivery dates and costs were readily explained as symptoms of a destabilized supply chain: Unpredictable transportation costs and accessibility, lack of materials, labor shortages. Having worked on both sides of the equation, I worried how the instability in these fundamentals — pricing and delivery — would play out over the coming months. And yet, over the next two days of watching and listening, my confidence was restored.  

These typically vital concerns, now penciled-in, were met with surprising calm. Major and independent retailers alike quickly shifted focus to partnership and problem-solving. Even the sharing of manufacturing resources was raised as an option to improve supply stability. Agreement terms and boundaries, which might have taken weeks or months pre-pandemic, were being negotiated in a single sitting. In fact, the speed and ease with which some of these new agreements were ratified, anchored with trust and reputation, was inspiring. 

And throughout, those recording these arrangements crossed out and over-wrote the plans in real-time evolution, the smartest among them writing in pencil, and changing as they went. All operating on the tacit understanding that moving forward depended on new definitions of partnership. 

In those instances where in-stock was, literally, the order of the day, many suppliers echoed the sentiment that retailers were “more than fair” in price negotiations, with minimal leveraging of suppliers’ desire to move on-hand inventory.  Still more encouraging was retailers’ visible interest in new suppliers. Many showrooms preened at unexpected visits from the majors, telling me that these retailers were most often looking to shore up in-stock positions or create more varied regional assortments. 

The physical experience of the New York Tabletop Show reveals in-person markets as fundamental components of the modern market renaissance. In it, we see in action the core social nature of our business community: traders, creators, and analysts among them. In these markets, we prove that face-to-face, not screen-to-screen, we understand and experience at an essential level. We negotiate smarter, listen closer, fight fairer and imagine bigger.  

In person, every sense is at the ready, every skill brought to bear in an environment of perception and collaboration. This does not dim the radiance of the digital marketplace; these will continue to speed our evolution, enable new efficiencies and expand our markets. 

So, if at times we are discomforted by elements of uncertainty, visionaries among us will remember that great realizations of our imagination began with the flexibility of a sketch, an outline, an intention… written in pencil. 

New York Tabletop @ 41 Madison By the Numbers

  • 96% of showrooms opened for market* 
  • 90% of 2019 pre-pandemic retailer attendance* 
  • +100% increase in interior designer attendance over October 2019 market*  
  • 3X the attendance of hospitality concerns* 
  • 35+ major retailers reported in attendance** (including Bed, Bath & Beyond, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Pottery Barn, West Elm, Home Depot, Ebay, Costco, Wayfair, Williams-Sonomna, Tiffany & Co., Cost Plus, One Kings Lane)  

*Attendance figures provided by 41 Madison. ** Retailers attending market based on other reporting. 

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Some Things Never Change https://www.homepagenews.com/homepage-views/some-things-never-change/ https://www.homepagenews.com/homepage-views/some-things-never-change/#respond Wed, 14 Apr 2021 12:50:42 +0000 https://thehomepagenews.flywheelsites.com/?p=244845 There were many things the past year about which I never imagined I’d have to write. The next line is one of them: I attended my first in-person trade show in 14 months.

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There were many things the past year about which I never imagined I’d have to write. The next line is one of them: I attended my first in-person trade show in 14 months.

When I stepped inside the lobby of 41 Madison Avenue recently for the spring New York Tabletop Show, it began my first physical show experience since Germany’s Ambiente in February of 2020. That was just days before a then newly discovered virus shut down so many of the things we take for granted. Such as attending trade shows.

That I returned to an industry show as a representative of the International Housewares Association, after more than 31 years with HomeWorld Business, might take some getting used to for me and for the home and housewares industry. But there is some truth to the notion that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

This marks the beginning of an exciting new journey for me as director of editorial, content and education for IHA; and for IHA as it embarks on a mission to deliver exclusive, incisive business news, information and analysis required by home and houseware decision makers.

Never in my three decades of covering this business has there been a more urgent need for timely, in-depth news and content on this dynamic, fast-evolving industry. The objective of a forthcoming, new B2B editorial platform from IHA is unchanged from the approach I practiced for three decades: To report with an independent, objective voice on a home and housewares business that year after year, in good times and in challenging times, demonstrates its high value as a resilient, responsive and innovative resource for retailers and consumers.

Of course it felt a bit unusual as I entered 41 Madison for my first in-person show meetings after more than a year of unimaginably profound change to life and to business. However, as I made my way through the market, it began to feel more like business as usual, despite the necessary safety protocols and obvious attendance-limiting factors.

I overheard planning meetings. I witnessed retailers examining the latest tableware collections. I learned of orders being written.

In my own conversations at market, I didn’t have to worry about flaky WiFi; the lighting on my home office desk; or the inopportune roar of the neighbor’s lawnmower.

Instead, I got to talk, in person, about how the pandemic boosted a tabletop business that previously had been searching for renewed consumer relevance. I discussed how the business is poised for another strong year as people eager to show off their homes again to curious guests reset their tables for renewed entertaining and celebrating.

It didn’t take long before the show felt satisfyingly familiar. Different, but the same.

The enthusiastic appetite for face-to-face, hands-on, business-to-business exchange is real. You can feel it. And it should only grow as the year progresses, the pandemic eases and we close in on the widescale reuniting of the home and housewares industry next March at The Inspired Home Show 2022.

I’ve written the past 14 months about many things I never imagined as I awaited my next visit to a show. Returning has only confirmed how much there is to appreciate in the opportunity to cover this dynamic business. Some things never change. It’s good to be back.

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