NYC & COMPANY WELCOMES BACK THE WINTER 2015 EDITION OF NY NOW, THE MARKET FOR HOME + LIFESTYLE

NYC & COMPANY WELCOMES BACK THE WINTER 2015 EDITION OF NY NOW®, THE MARKET FOR HOME + LIFESTYLE

— Approximately 50,000 Total Market Participants from All 50 States and 80+ Countries Expected to Attend, Generating a Projected 27,000 Hotel Room-Nights—

New York City (January 29, 2015) – NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, welcomes back the winter edition of NY NOW, the Market for Home + Lifestyle (formerly New York International Gift Fair®), to New York City January 31 – February 4, 2015. The wholesale industry event, which showcases 100,000+ products in more than 400 categories, will bring an expected 50,000 total market participants from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The semiannual market is expected to generate 27,000 hotel room-nights for the City.

“Each year, NY NOW generates so much excitement in the City, not just among Market participants, but throughout New York City’s vibrant retail, dining and cultural communities,” said Fred Dixon, NYC & Company president and CEO. “There’s no better place to introduce the next ‘big thing’ than in the Big Apple.”

NY NOW is the premier market for home, lifestyle and handcrafted merchandise – ranging from innovative to utilitarian. The trade-only event, which is not open to the public, offers retailers the opportunity to place orders for the newest merchandise in the industry.

Some 2,800 NY NOW exhibitors will display products in three market categories: HOME, featuring innovative designs in furnishings and home textiles, tabletop and gourmet housewares, as well as the juried Accent on Design® showcase of cross-category contemporary design; LIFESTYLE, showcasing top trends in gift and stationery, personal accessories, personal care and wellness and juvenile resources; and HANDMADE, highlighting handcrafted cross-category resources from international artisans and limited-production makers.  Among its total 2,800 exhibitors, the winter edition of NY NOW will feature an anticipated 400 new companies and returning exhibitors. Further extending the Market’s global handmade offerings, Artisan Resource®, a first-of-its-kind market offering U.S.-based volume importers, direct import retailers, wholesalers and designers the opportunity to meet with international artisanal producers from around the world, will co-locate with NY NOW at the Javits Center.

Highlights of the winter 2015 Market include nearly 40 educational programs ranging in topics from design and color trends to “Maker-Movement” discussions and retail strategies, as well as NY NOW-hosted after-hours events where guests will experience New York City’s premiere cultural institutions and events.

"NY NOW offers opportunity and inspiration to thousands of small businesses—retailers, artisans and manufacturers – that participate,” said Scott Kramer, NY NOW co-director and vice president.  “New York City’s vitality and vibrancy offer the perfect backdrop for the Market, and offers our participants an unparalleled experience.” 

“There is no other city like New York, and there is certainly no other show like NY NOW, " said Alan Steel, president and CEO of the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation, which operates the Javits Center. "The vibrancy of this one-of-a-kind event matches the boundless energy of the Empire State, and we are thrilled to host them at our state-of-the-art facility on Manhattan's West Side. NY NOW is one of our most highly anticipated shows of the year, and the five-day event strengthens the local economy by supporting businesses across the region. With our comprehensive renovation complete, we expect the thousands of attendees and exhibitors will have a better experience than ever before."

NY NOW sponsors a “Best of HOME” and “Best of LIFESTYLE” Awards program where trade and consumer editors select winners in four categories: Baby + Child, Home Textiles, Personal Care + Wellness, and Tabletop + Gourmet Housewares. Choosing among hundreds of first-round entries, 20 products then vie for Best of LIFESTYLE and Best of HOME awards, which are determined by popular online voting (at facebook.com/nynowmarket) during Market. The finalists will be announced on January 31, and winners will be announced on February 4. 

The 2015 winter edition of NY NOW also will highlight three special trend displays: SustainAbility: design for a better world®, recognizing socially responsible and eco-friendly products and production practices; Made in USA, highlighting American-made goods that are both handmade and machine produced; and NY NOW NEW!, which showcases products from exhibitors making their NY NOW debuts.

NY NOW is open to the trade only, not the general public. Press may register by contacting Cathy Steel at (203) 340-9251, or cathysteel@cathysteelassociates.com. Badges will be held for pickup in the NY NOW Press Center, located on the Javits Center’s 4A Terrace. The NY NOW Press Center is open daily 8:30am–6pm, starting Saturday, January 31.  NY NOW opens daily 9am–6pm, except Wednesday, when it closes at 2pm.

About NYC & Company:

NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide. For more information, visit nycgo.com.

About NY NOW:

NY NOW, the Market for Home + Lifestyle, will run Saturday, January 31, through Wednesday, February 4, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. NY NOW’s comprehensive collections—HOME, LIFESTYLE, and HANDMADE, as well as NEW! exhibitors—will encompass 100,000 products in 400+ product categories. Attendees from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online at nynow.com.

About Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York:

Known as the “Marketplace for the World,” the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York was designed by I.M. Pei & Partners and opened in 1986. The iconic facility has since become New York City’s primary venue for large conventions, trade shows and special events and serves as home to many of the world’s top 250 trade shows, hosting millions of visitors a year. These large-scale events generate up to $1.5 billion in annual economic activity for New York City and New York State, supporting as many as 14,000 jobs in and around the facility. Located on 11th Avenue between 34th and 40th Sts., the Javits Center has 840,000 square feet of total exhibition space, 102 meeting rooms and four banquet halls, as well as a range of telecommunications services, including WiFi access. For more information, visit javitscenter.com.

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Contact: NYC & Company / Chris Heywood 212-484-1270
                NYC & Company / Britt Hijkoop 212-484-1270