Top Drawer Spring 2016 - A Preview

Whenever a Top Drawer announcement lands in Mirabelle's inbox, it never gets unnoticed! Top Drawer enticingly brings a burst of sunshine into life and more than a frisson of excitement, as a showcase and platform to the world of interiors, and a condensate of everything lifestyle that is tasteful, original, quality-driven, market-leading, fashion-conscious and design-led, alongside which the latest accessory trends and innovations in the areas of Home, Gift, Fashion and Craft are 'catwalking' into their big reveal. The latest addition - a growth sector full of promise - is Food Emporium.

View this as a little black book of hot brands and neat ideas, as well as an invitation to engage with them, get up, close and personal with the latest trends, and feel the vibe. It is an inspiration mood board come to life, a fashion catwalk of sorts for the home.

Part of the Clarion Events retail portfolio that organises 12 high-quality trade events a year for the design-led giftware and homeware sector, Top Drawer attracts the discerning lifestyle attendees: designers, contract buyers, retailers, shoppers, trendsetters, artists, the trade press, professional bloggers and the like. It draws in an audience from Britain and further afield, bringing together under one roof a spectrum of homewares stakeholders, from iconic British kitchen companions (Tala), or cutting-edge 'confidential' brands for those 'people in the know' (Rufus Rabbit), to the long-established international upmarket household names (Alessi), via prestige heirloom manufacturers (Royal Copenhagen). The exhibitor list sure reads like a Who's Who!

Established in 1984, the biannual London Olympia-based trade event has evolved to satisfy - even exceed - customer expectations thanks to a carefully-curated shortlist of exhibitors. This year, you have a 4-day window of opportunity to immerse yourself in the Top Drawer experience: 17-19 January (Top Drawer Spring) and 11-13 September (Top Drawer Autumn). The Spring edition of Top Drawer is an uplift from the post-Christmas retail blur and general morosity. It brings January to life, and sets the tone for the year ahead.

Top Drawer is the UK's prelude to a series of equally-awaited home fairs, such as the January Furniture Trade Show (NEC Birmingham, 24-27 January 2016) and Spring Fair (UK's No.1 Gift & Home Trade Event, NEC Birmingham, 7-11 February). As far as personal experience goes, the UK furnishings company I worked for had a stand at the NEC Furniture Show, and - as part of the marketing team - I would be one of the reps manning it. It provided me with valuable insight and foresight into the industry. And you certainly make valuable contacts and discover awesome brands!

And since you're asking, I have never had the chance to attend Top Drawer, but would love to remedy that! Nevertheless for now, I shall happily content with visiting (over and over!) its website - and leaf through its Shop Preview.

P.S: Meanwhile, to those lucky Top Drawer attendees, please do let me have the lowdown!

Sources: (1) Gift Wrapping Service from Royal Copenhagen (photography cropped). (2) Royal Copenhagen collection of teacups, coffee cups and saucers, photography via Top Drawer. (3) Montage made out of sliders from the Top Drawer landing page, resized and cropped to fit this page. From top down: Home, Gift, Fashion and Craft sectors.