NYC & COMPANY WELCOMES NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR TO NEW YORK CITY
Visitors from All 50 States and 75 Countries Expected to Generate $20 Million in Spending for NYC During Largest Trade Show of the Year
Show Uses Multiple Event Venues, Filling More than 30,000 Hotel Rooms Throughout the City
New York City (January 23, 2009) On Sunday, January 25, NYC & Company, the City’s marketing, tourism and partnership organization, will welcome more than 40,000 market participants to New York City for the 156th New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF). The five-day event is expected to bring visitors from all 50 states and more than 75 countries into New York City, with estimated visitor spending reaching $20 million during the City’s largest trade show. This year, the NYIGF has secured some 2,900 exhibiting companies, with participants attending the Fair filling more than 30,000 hotel rooms across the City. To accommodate the large number of exhibitors, the Fair will be held across multiple venues in the City, including the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 90, 92 and 94. The NYIGF runs from January 25 through January 29.
“The New York International Gift Fair is a significant piece of business for the City and we are pleased to welcome buyers and suppliers here from all around the world,” said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company. “During these tougher economic times, convention business becomes even more important to our economy—visitors will stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores and experience our world-class arts and cultural attractions while here.”
This winter’s NYIGF introduces retailers to the latest products across various categories, including design, textiles, home goods, cosmetics, personal care products, kids’ items, hand-crafted goods and accessories, among others. The exhibiting companies will include international and new designers, trendsetters and luxury lines, and both established brands and newcomers.
“New York City is the design and fashion capital of the world. Its energy and inspiration offers the perfect backdrop for the New York International Gift Fair,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. (NYIGF is owned and managed by GLM, a dmg world media business.) NYIGF participants will have access to an extensive educational seminar program addressing color and design trends, sustainability and retail strategies. Special events include Gift For Life’s Stakes Are High Casino to benefit DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS), and A Night on Broadway, featuring specially priced tickets to hit musical Billy Elliot. In addition, market participants are invited to visit the newly reopened Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in its new home at 2 Columbus Circle throughout the week at no charge, compliments of NY Market partners (trade show producer GLM and permanent showroom buildings 7 West 34th Street, 41 Madison and 230 Fifth Avenue).
In line with NYIGF’s ongoing commitment to environmental issues and opportunities connected with the gift and home industry, the Sustainability: design for a better world project will return to the Fair for the fourth consecutive time. It will offer a curated display of some 130 environmentally conscious and socially responsible products and producers, along with a three-part seminar series addressing “green” issues impacting the industry.
Long recognized by the gift and home industry as the launch pad for new product lines and emerging design trends, the NYIGF will continue to sponsor several awards for distinctive products. Accent on Design Awards will be presented to select exhibitors for design excellence and the new Bloggers’ Choice Awards will highlight top home, gift and lifestyle products selected by editors from alternative and emerging media channels. The EX·TRACTS Best New Products Awards will recognize excellence in five categories (Bath & Body, Beauty Accessory, Cosmetic & Fragrance, Natural/Organic and Packaging), along with one overall Best of Show distinction. Within the New York Home Textiles Market Week, the Best New Products Awards will be granted to exhibitors in four categories (Bed, Bath, Dining and Home Accessories), along with one overall Best of Market distinction.
The exhibits are divided into nine groupings and have been created to allow more cross-category buying opportunities and give buyers the ability to shop easily within vertical categories and among complementary lines.
Accent on Design Offers Full Spectrum and Introduces Blog Awards
Accent on Design, a dynamic juried collection of 200 exhibitors, offers access to a full spectrum of contemporary design resources—from established leaders to emerging talents—in one easy-to-shop location. Returning standard-bearers, such as Alessi, Artecnica, Chilewich, Dwell, Design House Stockholm, Jonathan Adler and Wabnitz, will be positioned alongside A+ The Young Designer’s Platform, a design “incubator” showcase area for the exhibition of designs, prototypes and finished products from students, recent graduates and new companies. In partnership with editors from alternative media outlets, new Bloggers’ Choice Awards will be presented to select Accent on Design exhibitors this winter, with special recognition for top gift, home and lifestyle resources.
At Home Expands Home Textiles at Javits and Refines Hard Goods at Piers
At Home, which is presented at both the Javits Center and Piers 92 and 94, will continue to coalesce and expand mid- to high-end home textiles resources at Javits while refining hard lines at the Piers. At its three locations, At Home presents some 500 exhibitors with a full range of soft goods and hard lines for the home. Within the home textiles arena, Sferra will increase its exhibit space at Javits and bed linen manufacturers SDH and Zoeppritz will move into Javits from Pier 94. Notable changes at the Piers include expansion and relocation of Global Views and Zentique, expansion of Outdoor Designs and the addition of Made Goods (handmade mirrors and trays) and other newcomers to market.
EX·TRACTS Coalesces Personal Care Suppliers at NYIGF
EX·TRACTS keeps evolving, following its integration into NYIGF, by extending its cosmetics and personal care resources and by welcoming back past exhibitors, including Ebba Los Angeles, Bella il Fiore, Booty Parlor and Principessa Beauty Inc. Overall, NYIGF will continue to coalesce its personal care resources by relocating relevant companies, such as Caswell & Massey, Illume, Rain Created for Living and Terranova, into EX·TRACTS from other NYIGF divisions. EX·TRACTS features 100 companies presenting cosmetics, perfumes, skincare, bath and body care, beauty accessories, hair care, natural/organic products, apothecary gifts and wellbeing lines.
General Gift featuring Just Kidstuff, the Museum Source and Floral & Garden Accessories
With 750 exhibitors, NYIGF’s General Gift division is larger in size and scope than many gift shows, with three showcase areas—Just Kidstuff, the Museum Source and Floral & Garden Accessories—to facilitate shopping. Notable changes to NYIGF’s largest division this winter include the return of Seiko after a three-year absence from the market, and the growth of JETRO, which will be doubling its space to present small accessories, stationery, textiles, incense, tote bags and other gift items from Japan.
Handmade Continues to Identify Niche Makers
Handmade will extend its identification of “designer–maker” exhibitors to help buyers more easily distinguish individual from production craft and will continue its showcase of Handmade in the USA, for buyers interested in sourcing and shopping American-made handcrafts. Handmade presents a total of 575 juried participants, offering buyers an unparalleled selection of handcrafted items from 36 states and 13 countries worldwide.
New York’s Newest Expands and Relocates
The New York’s Newest division, a “launching pad” of resources across all NYIGF categories, will relocate from the Metropolitan Pavilion to Pier 90 and expand to feature some 300 newcomers to NYIGF. Of special note within New York’s Newest this winter is first-time participation of the West Africa Trade Hub, an international group featuring gifts and home items from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland and Tanzania.
Personal Accessories Refines its Look and Welcomes Past Exhibitors into Details
NYIGF’s Personal Accessories division presents 250 exhibitors offering a full range of wearables, jewelry, fashion accessories, luggage and travel accessories, and includes the Details showcase with a mix of 50 contemporary and specialty boutique-quality personal accessories companies. This winter, Details welcomes Plank (yoga mats and accessories) and several other companies returning to the market following an absence, as well as newcomers Triple C (compact mirrors, key chains and accessories), Viv & Ingrid (high-end jewelry) and By Boe (handmade jewelry).
Studio Welcomes Trendsetting Newcomers
NYIGF’s newest, juried lifestyle division continues to develop with the addition of trendsetting newcomers, as well as the relocation of relevant companies—such as Paper Cloud (lighting, pillows, apparel), Plush Living (pillows, bedding, home furnishings) and Vivo (totes, placemats, baskets)—from other NYIGF divisions. Studio will present 105 companies, showcasing a variety of trend-driven, innovative and inspired lifestyle merchandise across all categories, from baby gear to pet products and fine stationery to hip home décor, at Pier 92.
Tabletop & Housewares Expands Luxury Lines
Luxury tabletop and home entertaining lines will be expanded in the Tabletop & Housewares division to include newcomers Huephoria (stemware and drinkware), Le Souk Ceramique (hand-painted ceramic tableware), Optima (high-end picnic baskets) and Glassworks (barware and serveware). Among those represented in the Accent on Tabletop section will be Galena (Colombian tabletop products) and Detroit Glass (whimsical glassware). Other returning companies will expand their exhibit space, including Thistle & Bee (high-end sterling), Wilton Armetale (alternative metals), Europe2U (European ceramics), Slant (whimsical glassware and ceramics) and Paperproducts Designs (napkins and plates). In total, the division will present 200 companies at the Javits Center.
NYIGF will adopt a one-time date pattern shift this winter, with all nine of the Fair’s divisions opening on Sunday and closing on Thursday. Venue availability necessitated this one-time departure from NYIGF’s traditional Saturday-Thursday staggered opening/closing date pattern. The show hours will be 9am–6pm daily, except for Thursday, when the hours will be 9am– noon. For event information and registration, visit nyigf.com/programs, or contact GLM’s Customer Service Department at 800-272-SHOW (7469) or 603-665-7524.
For information on visiting and experiencing New York City, go to nycgo.com or visit the City’s Information Center at 810 Seventh Avenue (at 53rd Street) in Midtown Manhattan.
Contacts:
Kimberly Spell/Chris Heywood, NYC & Company, 212-484-1270
cheywood@nycvisit.com
Cathy Steel, NYIGF/Steel Associates, (203)340-9251, cathysteel@cathysteelassociates.com
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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.
About NYIGF: NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift and home accessory marketplace, with some 2,900 exhibitors featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. NYIGF is held concurrently with Home Textiles Market Week at NYIGF (at the Javits Center and Piers 90, 92 and 94), 230 Fifth Avenue and 7 West 34th Street. Some 36,000 buyers from around the world are expected to attend. Additional information, registration and on-line advance planning tools are available at nyigf.com.