Top Drawer boosted vendor confidence with a buoyant show to kick-start the 2017 buying season. The UK's leading design-led lifestyle event opened its doors to present more than 1500 brands occupying the entire Olympia complex.  Retailers and contract buyers took full advantage of the chance to source from an unprecedented roster of exclusive products and new launches from key international brands and new talents - most of whom were showing exclusively in the UK this January.

Top Drawers' core principles of quality, selection and impeccable standards of presentation were much in evidence across the core “Worlds” of Home, Gift, Fashion and Craft, as the S/S17 edit reflected increasing demand for premium design-led products from retailers. As the first UK trade show of the new year, Top Drawer was clearly the ideal place to scout fresh trends and influential brands for 2017.

HOME
Over 200 brands showcased new and innovative products across the world of Home. Covering the breadth of Contemporary Interiors, Interior Accessories, Kitchen & Dining, Furniture and Lighting and Outdoor Living - Home provided everything, from statement pieces to original new designs. Bliss Home, Bloomingville, Bronte, Coach House, Garden Trading, Grand Illusions, Linum, LSA International, Orla Kiely Home, Pad Home, PR Home, Skagerak, Skandium, Umbra and Voyage were amongst the expertly curated selection of top international names. These brands sat comfortably among newcomers of the likes of Emko furniture, scandi lifestyle brand Design Letters and new UK lighting company Haberdashery.

Visitors on Sunday were thrilled to meet celebrity chef and restaurateur Rick Stein. Rick visited the show for his new product launch with BlissHome. The launching range of tableware - 'Coves', was the winning entry in a competition launched by Rick which was open to design students at Falmouth University.

GIFTS
The world of Gifts, which housed over 450 influential brands, presented an inspired selection of the most original, beautifully designed and commercially appealing gifts. Abrams & Chronicle, Addison Ross, Caroline Gardner, Charles Farris, Diddywear, Katie Leamon, Kikkerland Europe, KMI Brands, Rhombus and Pineapple, Rice and Turnaround all showcased their stunning new products ready for Spring Summer 2017. Sitting comfortably among these established brands were new brands to the show including FRED, who create fun twists on everyday objects, Sunnylife, who came to share Australia's authentic summer style and Birds in Hats, from renowned illustrator Alice Tams.

Animating the beautiful heartland of Greetings & Stationery, PaperFest and the PaperAwards, both sponsored by G F Smith, pushed the boundaries of design with the creative coalition of paper and print. Visitors were invited to soak up industry knowledge at the PaperFest talks, with distinguished speakers from Harrods, Selfridges and Waterstones all sharing their insider tips. “PaperFest was a fantastic success”, says Abigail Warner, of Abigail Warner Paper Goods and Founder of PaperFest, “our inspirational line up, dynamic panels, lively talks and creative sessions proved to be a really great hit with both visitors and exhibitors”. PaperAwards winners Lagom Design, Rhombus & Pineapple and Roger La Borde chosen for Emotive Design, Engaging Print and Exciting Use of Colour respectively, each had their unique collections showcased at the heart of Greetings & Stationery.

FASHION
The dedicated Fashion Floor presented the latest jewellery and accessory collections from over 250 labels. Established brands made a welcomed return including Ashiana Jewellery, Nooki, Tribe and Fable, Matthew Calvin, Estella Bartlett, Toolally Jewellery and Rachel Jackson who commented, 'The quality of the buyers, interactions with other exhibitors and general atmosphere suit our label's feel good vibe and high quality product.'

Newcomers to the show made a sound impact including CLUSE, Decadorm, Orla Kiely Jewellery, Tatty Devine, Autumn Crop and international arrival Honey & Heid; 'We participated in the SS17 edition Top Drawer travelling from Melbourne Australia to develop our international market. We were amazed at the variety of customers we were able to meet and develop business with, and the contacts created were beyond our expectations.'

The UK Jewellery Collection hosted some of the finest talent in British jewellery design to wow the buyers. Deryane Tadd, Owner of award winning independent The Dressing Room enthused; "Top drawer is always a great show to ensure early deliveries of accessories and jewellery, the timing is perfect.  The variety and range of brands is great and I always come away having found something new and exciting that I can't wait to share with my team and customers."

Inspiration flowed at the must-see fashion show, sponsored by The Design Lab, which took centre stage presenting six key aesthetic trends for the upcoming SS17 season. New directions in jewellery and accessories were expertly showcased to inspire buyers to source with confidence, knowing what their customers will want to buy in the seasons ahead.

CRAFT
Quality was the name of the game in Craft at Top Drawer - over 150 talented creatives showcased their unique works, which offered the ultimate in cool, beautiful distinctiveness. The skilled designer-makers were on their stands throughout the show and available to talk in-depth about their designs. The huge variety of hand-crafted products on offer meant there was something for small and large retailers alike.

“Craft, in its broadest sense, is booming,” says Ian Rudge, Development Director of Clarion Events, “There is growing appreciation of the value of craft. Handmade products with provenance, originality and integrity are increasingly in demand as consumers seek out 'real' products, with tradition, honesty and inherent beauty… and are prepared to pay for them.”

FOOD EMPORIUM
Having doubled in size since launching in 2016, the Food Emporium drew strong interest from retailers and buyers by presenting the largest collection of non-perishable premium artisan food producers ever assembled at a UK event. With the emphasis firmly on premium giftable food products the Food Emporium contained a comprehensive selection of beautifully packaged food gifts of every type, from chocolate and confectionery to oils and condiments, drinks and beverages.

SPOTTED
Curated by acclaimed style writer Charlotte Abrahams, Spotted is an expert showcase of over 40 of the UK's finest emerging designers and makers. Spanning every area of the show, Spotted presents the créme of new design stars launching fantastic, market-ready products. Spotted was an absolute necessity for all creative retailers eager to present a fresh offering for S/S17.

FEATURES - INSPIRING TALKS AND EMERGING TRENDS
Academy Live was full of expert voices on stage, with insider knowledge and fresh thinking from the likes of M&S, Liberty, John Lewis, Design Museum, LivingEtc and the V&A. The key note speakers captivated large crowds, eager to learn about emerging trends in business for 2017.

Top Drawer introduced its key trends for S/S17 - Honest Simplicity, Happy, The Blues, The Tribe Vibe, 70s Remix and Echoes of Deco. From the soft and warm tones of Honest Simplicity to the bright colours and dynamic patterns of 70s Remix, these six key aesthetic trends could be seen throughout the show. Reflected through a huge range of products on offer  buyers could source with confidence the trends their customers will be buying in the seasons ahead.

The 6 key trends were brought to life through the daily catwalk shows, with key accessories brands like Autumn Crop, One Button and Samantha Holmes responding to emerging trends across the lifestyle landscape.

"I always enjoy the fashion show at Top Drawer - distilling the output of all of the sector's exhibitors into six Key Trends is such a helpful introduction to SS17.” - Laura Sutherland, Editor of Attire Accessories

Ahead of the second series of The Great Pottery Throwdown on the BBC, Keith Brymer Jones brought ceramics dynamics to proceedings: live-in-action at the wheel throughout the show, he animated the world of Home at Top Drawer.

The Autumn Winter edition of Top Drawer takes place at Olympia London from the 10th - 12th September 2017.

Join the conversation @topdrawerlondon #AdventuresInDesign

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

About Top Drawer

Top Drawer returns to London Olympia from 15-17 January with more exclusive brands and product launches than ever before.  Encompassing the expertly curated world of Home, Gift, Fashion, Craft and Food, the Spring/Summer 2017 edition of Top Drawer features a unique edit of thousands of design-led UK and overseas brands, chosen for their beautiful design, exceptional quality, originality and commercial appeal.

www.topdrawer.co.uk

About Clarion

Clarion has outstanding expertise in retail industry with well-established shows including Top Drawer, Pulse, Home & Gift, Scotland Trade Fair, Internet Retail Expo and Internet Retail Conference.

Clarion Events organises over 150 exhibitions, conferences and events annually across the globe and employs over 500 people in nine different countries. More than 12,000 companies trust us with their custom each year and over 700,000 people give their valuable time to visit our events.

www.clarionevents.com