Examples of Events & Trade Shows 

 Read the 2009 Visitor Reviews: (Research Mission Reports 2009.pdf):

For more information or queries contact: Mary Whelan on T: 056 7796131  E: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

What you are entitled to

If your application is successful, CCoI will subsidise a maximum of 50% of the cost of:

    * economy return airfare
    * public transport to and from the event
    * passes/tickets to the event
    * accommodation – one night in UK, 2 overnights in Europe and 3 overnights in USA.

Maximum subsidy for UK  €150, Europe €250 and USA €500

*Please note the following

• Due to the structure of funding - subsidies are not available to craftspeople from Northern Ireland
• The purpose of the mission is research, therefore applications from craftspeople who already exhibit at the show or who have been to the show more than twice will not be accepted.
• Maximum number of three research missions, per craftsperson per year.
• The research mission is available to only one person within the company.
• In order to claim the subsidy applicants are requested to produce appropriate receipts and a short report on their event.

Examples of  Events/Shows

Click on the links to take you directly to the homepage of the show or to read the review.

    * Collect (Crafts Council UK) London   
    * Premiere Vision, Paris   read reviews 
    * 100% Design  London    read reviews
    * Maison et Objet Paris    read reviews
    * Spring Fair   Birmingham     read reviews
    * Top Drawer   London     read reviews
    * Ceramics Art   London    read reviews
    * IJL International Jewellery London      read reviews
    * Origin  the London Craft Fair at Somerset House   read reviews
    * New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) USA
    * Inhorgenta, Munich      read review
    * Tendence  Frankfurt
    * Eclat de Mode  Paris    read review
    * TENT London (new show)
    * Pitti Immagine Filati Florence, Italy    read review
    * SOFA Chicago, USA    read review

    * Pitti Filat i, Florence, Italy. 7th, 8th, 9th July 2009 read review

For further information contact:
Mary Whelan
 T:  056 7796131
E:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it


Reviews from Craftspeople 

2009 REPORTS

Pitti Filati, Florence, Italy. 7th, 8th, 9th July 2009

Wow, what am amazing trip. The show took place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so I flew over on the Monday evening. I got up bright and early and headed to the show on the first morning. I got a little lost but got there eventually, paid my €25 entrance fee and was amazed by everything I saw from then on in. I cannot believe I have not been at this show before now. There were two main halls at the show, a research / trend hall and the main show was in the other hall (which was over two floors), and a separate show took place on the second floor of the main hall. I went to see everything! I spent the first few hours walking around and simply taking it all in, seeing what companies were in attendance, making note in my catalogue of who I wanted to make appointments with. All the companies were new to me so I selected the ones that stocked the yarns I was interested in, made appointments. The meetings were great as the agent for the company went through as much or as little of their entire autumn / winter collection which was fantastic. It was great to see what was on offer, even if it is not suitable for me at the minute, or the yarns were more expensive than I usually use. It was still great to see what’s out there. I had a few appointments on the first afternoon, lots of appointments on the second day and a few more on the third day. The show was great, quieter than usual apparently, but this was great for me as I got to see everything and did not have to queue for too long to see the different companies. I also wanted to make the most of my time in Florence so I went to museums, galleries, designer shops and other knitwear shops / stores to see what was happening out there. I had a great time. At the show I ordered sample cones of yarn and some colour cards for the yarns I was interested in so I am very excited about receiving these and experimenting with different yarns. Overall the experience was amazing, I made contact with many other people whom I did not know before the trip and it was a fantastic networking experience also. Thanks so so so much for offering me the research mission trip.

Read more 2009 'Research Missions' Visitor Reports: (Research Mission Reports 2009.pdf)

Download includes inforamtion from the following:

Collect at the V&A, London, 2007

This was my second visit to ‘Collect’ – I had previously gone to the inaugural event in 2004.  It is a superb show, much more intimate and easy to absorb than SOFA, and it has become firmly established as ‘one of the highlights of the international cultural calendar’.

My primary focus was the woodturning display on the Sarah Myerscough stand: a stunning array of signature pieces from some of the leading American and European turners: David Ellsworth, John Jordan, Christian Burchard, Liam Flynn. et al.  The gallery is a pioneer in bringing the work of the Americans to this side of the Atlantic.  At ‘Collect’ only large pieces were shown, but in a parallel exhibition at their premises in Mayfair they showed work in a range of sizes.  They reported best-ever sales this year.

That was almost the only wood turning, but there were some other wonderful wood pieces.  Markku Lyytinen’s carved laminate wall-piece (Flow Gallery) and Markku Kosonen’s curly birch oval bowls and birch bark vessels (Galleria Norsu) caught my eye.

Elsewhere, there was so much to admire and covet!  I was particularly interested in the ceramics.  Bowl and vessel forms were well represented:  Rupert Spira’s solo exhibition, including his poem bowls, with Galerie Marianne Heller; Annie Turner’s exquisite sets of tiny stoneware bowls, like egg-shells, with delicate feather decoration (Joanna Bird); Jane Reumert’s small shell-like bowls shown by Cultural Connections; at The Scottish Gallery, Bodil Manz’s paper-thin vessels whose linear decorations form one pattern through the transparency of the material.  Joanna Bird also showed pieces by some of the legendary British ceramicists:  Michael Cardew, Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Elizabeth Fritsch.

There were a number of wonderful sculptural ceramic pieces:  John Maltby’s idiosyncratic sculptures (Joanna Bird); Claire Curneen’s angels (Ruthlin Craft Centre), which were complemented by Carolein Smit’s menacing figures (Gallery Terra Delft).

Much of the jewellery on display was extraordinarily inventive – anything is possible.  Alternatives Gallery (Rome) and Galerie Ra (Amsterdam) showed some of the wackiest.  I was intrigued by the beech and silver pieces by Mette Jensen, and by David Poston’s Tate and Lyle tin bangle, on the Lesley Craze stand.

Other disciplines were very well represented at the event, silver and glass in particular.  I was struck by the number of North European – especially Scandinavian – galleries showing at Collect, and by the proportion of conceptual ‘outside the box’ pieces on their stands.  This includes lateral thinking in the sue of materials, for example Jens Erland’s large wall-piece made of industrial air filters, with a centre boss of concentric rings framed by radiating pleats (Galleri Format).

Collect is an extraordinarily inspiring event, a cornucopia of applied art from around the world. So much to see, and learn, and think about….
Roger Bennett, Woodturner, visited Collect 2007

I visited Collect at the Victoria and Albert museum on the Saturday of the exhibition.  This is a very appropriate venue for the exhibition.  It was busy yet the stands were spacious and everything could be seen properly.There was a strong international flavour with galleries from the UK, Australia, USA, Denmark, The Netherlands, Israel, Italy and others.  There seems to be more ceramics then anything else, although there was also glass, wood-turning, jewellery and some textiles and mixed media work.

The work in general was abstract with emphasis on form and use of materials rather than pattern or colour.  I was more impressed with work shown by the UK galleries.  Theses seemed to show more varied work including textiles and wall mounted work. The gallery owners were approachable and interested to discuss the work on show.

It was definitely well worth a visit to get a feel for international standards and to see excellent contemporary craft.  There was also a programme of events to coincide with Collect and I attended an excellent lecture on digital technology in relation to craft.
Patricia Murphy, textiles visited Collect in February 2006

 
It was good to get back to London and see what is happening in the gallery quality craft market.  Collect 2005 gave an indication of this market.  Silverware was well represented and it was great to see the next generation’s work represented at the show.  The galleries representing silverware were very happy with their sales over the 5-day show.  Glass was poorly represented at the show considering the number of important British glassmakers like Dave Reekie and Colin Reid who have made an impact in the United States.  European jewellery was strong with Galerie Ra leading the way.  A number of galleries were representing Japanese artists and their work was by far the most inspiring and innovative in my opinion.I personally found the stand size to be inadequate when trying to view the artwork.  At times the aisles   were full and the rooms uncomfortable especially for buyers.  Overall I enjoyed the show and was able to coordinate other business on my trip'
Kevin O’Dwyer, Silverware visited Collect January 05

'Organised by the British Crafts Council, ‘Collect’ is unusual in that the stand holders are galleries showcasing decorative and applied artists.  The geographical spread of these galleries was impressive – there were a number of galleries there from Australia and Europe was well represented. On entering the fair, one of the first things to strike was the level of professionalism.  This went from the displays to the promotional material, from both the organisers and the galleries taking part.  The second was the numbers on the price tags!  These were large to say the least – this show is definitely aimed at the high end of society.'
Mandy Parslow, Potter visited Collect January 05


'The exhibits were very professionally finished and presented.  Most of the stands were group presentations, wither 4 or 5 people from one gallery or craft group; stands were compact but items were given adequate space, all around, for display.  Many of the artists were present, approachable, and very free with their knowledge and information. There was a great diversity of materials, pottery, glass, wood, precious metals….not much fibres or soft materials.  There was stunning glass from Australia; in fact all of Australia’s contributions were exceptional.  Huge great ‘stones’ made of clay for seats outside, displayed in the stand of a sculpture park from Surrey.  Crazy non-functional jewellery and wonderful more realistic pieces too.  Lots of asymmetrical pots from many different makers. It was three huge rooms of the cream of applied art!'
Linda Mulloy, Glass visited Collect January 05

SOFA, (Sculptural Objects Functional Art), Navy Pier, Chicago

We had previously visited SOFA Chicago in 2004 (again as part of the CCOI travel bursary programme) so we were able to do a direct comparison between 2004 & 2007. The average applied art collector (which SOFA would be aimed at) is now ageing & slowing down on purchasing more craft so it was interesting to see a lot more younger people (typically mid-30’s/40’s couples) browsing there compared to 2004. The prices also were more reasonable in some cases – items in the low $1,000’s were fairly plentiful. In 2004 this wasn’t the case. With the down-turn in the U.S. economy it seems galleries have had to become a little more competitive.
 
The CCoI stand stood up extremely well, both in layout & quality of work for sale. Generally the work for sale in S.O.F.A was a little more subdued than three years ago but (compared to our own market & the E.U. in general) the U.S. craft scene is still very bright & colourful! I would highly recommend any craft worker interested in the global craft collector’s market to visit S.O.F.A. Chicago. I don’t know if there’s anywhere else in the world where you’ll see a better cross section of disciplines within the applied arts from all corners of the world under one roof.
Sara Flynn Ceramicist exhibited at SOFA 2007

The fourteenth annual International Exposition of Sculpture Objects and Functional Art was held at Navy Pier, Chicago from 2nd - 4th November. This year’s event featured over 1300 artists represented by100 galleries from 18 countries. SOFA Chicago has become one of the premier events for the selling and presentation of  “post-craft masterworks bridging design, decorative and fine art”. The event kicks off with a gala opening on the Thursday night before the doors open to the public on Friday morning. This event is well attended by the museum and collector fraternity, as well as artists and the press.

The galleries represent a wide range of materials and practices. The show continues to be top heavy in its representation of glass with a noticeable increase in the number of galleries who are now exhibiting jewellery. Having both exhibited and attended SOFA Chicago throughout its fourteen years of existence I have noted that a majority of galleries now focus on a particular medium or discipline as opposed to earlier events in which galleries would show a variety of materials i.e. ceramics, metal, wood, jewellery and glass. For me, this makes for overkill with vast tracks of glass from well known galleries such as Habatat, Holstein, Leo Kaplan Modern and Thomas R. Riley galleries to name a few. It also attracts galleries with sub-standard glass as there is such a large glass audience attending. That said, there was some wonderful work in all mediums at the show. Highlights included the ceramics at the Ferrin Gallery and Galerie Besson, Tobias Mohl glass vessels at Galleri Gronlund, jewellery at Ornamentum, Pistachios and the Yaw gallery as well as the special exhibitions and lectures.

Silverware and holloware continues to be under-represented at SOFA Chicago with only three galleries featuring holloware forms this year. Despite the best efforts of the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG), this artform does not seem to capture the imaginations of the collector in North America at this time. Is it the maintenance, the lack of formal dinning or the galleries unwillingness to promote the artform? This point was discussed and debated among its practitioners during the weekend. The intoxication of the public with the glass movement and the exorbitant prices has certainly had a knock on effect within the market place. But there seemed to be no lack of enthusiasm among the buyers as many of the well-known galleries had very good sales despite the economic climate in the States.

SOFA Chicago presents an excellent opportunity to study the trends and opportunities within the gallery marketplace. The city itself is inspiring with its tradition of modern architecture, design and public art. It is always a pleasure and welcome opportunity to visit and exhibit in Chicago.
Kevin O’Dwyer, Silverware visited SOFA November 2007.
 
SOFA Chicago 2006 took place from 10th - 12th November.  I was delighted to have the opportunity to be part of the first Irish stand at this prestigious event and, as 2006 was also the year ‘Forty Shades of Green’ was presented as a SOFA ‘Special Exhibit’ and Brian Kennedy participated in the lecture series, it was a great year to be part of the Irish contingent in Chicago.

SOFA begins on a Thursday night with a Special Preview attended by serious collectors, press etc. and there was a very large attendance on this night.  There’s no official opening, speeches or anything like that, it’s just straight into the business of buying!

The following days were also well attended and for anyone wishing to research potential galleries, I’d recommend that you arrive early and spend some time getting an overview of the show.  99 Galleries attended SOFA 2006 showing work from approx. 1,300 artists so there’s a lot of ground to be covered.  A second visit will then be necessary to shortlist any galleries you are interested in approaching and if you do so, a quick introduction and a promise to send on information is probably sufficient as they are strictly focused on potential buyers and will not want to spend too much time looking at your portfolio.

At the 2006 show there was a predominance of glass, followed by ceramics and jewellery.  Galleries at SOFA do not show a great deal of furniture (unlike the early years of this event) and of those who did, they were predominately from the US.  I felt that overall, Galleries from Denmark and the Netherlands, and in particular France, were beautifully presented and showed excellent work.

Finally for anyone exhibiting with a Gallery at SOFA; those who attend this Collectors Event, especially those who focus on a particular discipline, are extremely knowledgeable, so it’s important that Galleries are equipped with all the information they need to discuss your work in detail.
Joseph Walsh, Furniture designer, exhibited at SOFA, Chicago 2006

SOFA Chicago Sculptural Objects and Functional Art, is described as the largest applied Arts museum in the world for the three day (and opening night) duration of the event.

One hundred galleries and dealers, 30 from outside the USA, exhibited at this event. The galleries are juried to enter the show and the remit is to exhibit "museum quality, one-of-a-kind, three dimensional artworks." SOFA does not permit individual artists to take stands, but artists can exhibit with more than one gallery.

Each gallery has a large space to exhibit the best of work from their selection of artists. Looking around the show you can see the work of the top exponents on the world’s contemporary craft scene. There is a very strong emphasis on glass, jewellery, ceramics and fiber art. It is great to see that the work of some of the top artists is really sought after and gets high prices. The exhibitors that are getting the high prices are producing excellent work and are very well established. A number of galleries trade in the secondary market with works by some of the leading artists of the contemporary movement.

Running with the show is a very good lecture series featuring talks by artists, curators, collectors and teachers on a large variety of subjects. 

I exhibited with Galerie Tactus from Copenhagen; this is their third year doing the show. They specialise in bringing European silversmithing to the USA.  It was an honour to be selected to take part in this amazing show with them. They are introducing silversmithing, a new medium to the show, and are getting collectors interested in it.

The city of Chicago is a lovely city and they are very proud of their modern architecture featuring the work of all the great Architects of the world. I’d recommend the architectural boat tours.
Séamus Gill, Silversmith visited SOFA in November 2005

Maison et Objet, Paris

Maison et Objet was fantastic, with a considerable range of top-end designers and manufacturers. The displays were breathtaking and very inspirational. The sales personnel were fluent in both French and English and to exhibit in Paris this would be essential. The standard of design, presentation and professionalism was outstanding. Speaking to many exhibitors, it was interesting to learn that some European buyers are reluctant to purchase from fist time exhibitors. It was a very beneficial show to visit for both buyers and designers.

Clare Jordan, Maison et Objet, Paris, September 2006

I was awed by the size and vast array of choice at Maison et Objet. There were 6 halls, and after doing a flying visit to all 6 with our guide, Randa Masson, we wandered with aim. The displays in some of the larger company stands were amazing, and obviously, there was no expense spared here. There were some wonderfully inventive ways of displaying and I got a lot of ideas! There weren’t‚t many jewellers, (I estimated between 10 and 15) and they were clustered mainly in the French equivalent of the Crafts Council of Ireland, Ateliers d’Art de France. This area was aimed at small businesses, of 1 to 5 employees, and they got their stands at a reduced rate. (I felt this cost of a minimum of €2000 was still high given the size of the show and the possibility of your prospective buyers not being able to find you.) Those exhibitors I spoke to didn’t‚ seem to be selling very well but they were hopeful. The stands were a similar size and shape to those at SHOWCASE and since the craft‚ was clustered, the range of quality varied dramatically. We were told by Ateliers d’Art de France, that if we applied, this is where we would also be situated.'

Fiona Thornton, Jewellery visited Maison et Objet February 05

'The first thing that struck me about Maison & Object was the scale of the event, it was huge, with 3000 exhibitors two thirds which are international, there was everything from tabletop, furniture, textiles, lighting and giftware with amazing stand displays. I would recommend two days to see the show to take it all in, and a pair of comfortable shoes. I focused on the ceramic stands, there was a huge amount of slip cast work, the exceptions were in the French Craft Council area, where there was thrown domestic ware in porcelain, stoneware and earthenware., also hand built figures and vessels .'

Michele  Hannan, ceramics, visited Maison et Object Feb 05

'The show is the main interiors show for Europe, and everyone from designers, manufacturers, architects and interior designers all have a representation here. This is where the new trends are released to the public for the first time. Textiles, colours structures, design, materials and even distribution networks can all be found here. It was also good to see how the exhibitors displayed their products on the stands, materials and props used - it was of a very high standard. Serious buyers attend this show and this was reflected in the high standard of product and stand. For me as a producer of quality soft furnishings it’s the show to be at!  Ireland is in Europe and we have to look at what is going on in Europe now and not just Ireland. I got a feel for how my products would or wouldn’t fit in and that includes price! It’s important to know what’s going on elsewhere in Europe and have your finger on the pulse.'

Martina Toner-Egan visited Maison et Objet September 05

100% Design, London

I visited the show ‘100% Design’ in London on 23rd September.  The show was very inspiring and the visit indeed served the purpose of viewing the trends and competition in furniture design (which represented the majority of the exhibits), but also provided me with some new material, ideas and contacts for my mosaic work.  Particularly inspiring were some new products made of glass and recycled glass.  The overall trend is clearly reviving numerous elements from the Seventies; surprising to me was the relatively small number of manufacturers or exhibitors who were designer and producer in one.'

Cordelia von Klot, Mosaics, visited 100% Design September 2004

Pitti Immagine Filati, Florence, Italy

'Pitti Imagine Filati is a yarn trade fair for the knitwear industry. Two fairs take place each year; the February fair is for spring/summer and the July fair is for autumn/winter and is the larger and more important of the two. The fair opened with an exhibition of knitwear trends. Large metal sculpted figures were covered in knitted fabrics and long knitted fabrics hung from floor to ceiling in every texture and colour possible. It gave me a strong feel for what is to come and the diversity of modern knitwear. The exhibition leads into a room of companies who essentially sell ideas. They exhibit hundreds of miniature garments decorated in wonderfully rich and creative ways that they sell as an idea to other companies to produce. It is a really inspiring sight. There is also an area dedicated to machinery related to knitwear production, which was very interesting. The central three floors was dedicated to the yarn companies. They are all showing their new season yarn ranges and colours. On the stand you are guided through the new collections and when you find a yarn you like you order a shade card which is sent to you for free and you can often order a small amount of yarn to sample. I made some very interesting contacts at the fair and was able to compare prices of companies I work with and new companies. It is important with something as tactile as knit to be able to touch the yarn and see how it behaves before ordering it. Visiting this fair was a fantastic opportunity and essential for anyone working in the knitwear industry, I will definitely be making the trip back to Pitti in July.

Heather Finn visited Pitti Filati in February 05

Top Drawer, London

Top Drawer is a design-led show and each new applicant must pass through a selection process.  800 companies display products geared towards the gift market.  These include tabletop wear, jewellery, accessories, cards/stationery, toiletries, ceramics, textiles and glass.  most of the products are high volume, the type of products sold ins hops such as Avoca, BTS and small boutiques.

The Bold and Beautiful area is specifically designed and promoted for designer jewellers.  Jewellers who I have exhibited alongside at Chelsea Craft Fair: Angela Fung, Lindsey Mann and Tanja Ufer were exhibiting in this area.  The booths were quite small, approximately 1.5m x 1m compared to the rest of the show.

Although the show is extremely stylish, airy and very contemporary I do not feel that Top Drawer is the right place to market my product.  I feel the buyers while interested in the new designer jewellery area are primarily concerned with high volume.  I feel the price points for my product are too high to fit into such a show.  In saying this, it was still very worthwhile visiting the show and seeing future trends colours and materials.

Anglea O’Kelly jewellery, visited Top Drawer January 2006

 
Ceramic Art London
Ceramic Art London is an annual event held in the royal College  of Art and is now in its third year. Each maker sells their work direct to the public and it showcases a huge cross-section of work from the function-led to the abstract and sculptural. Up to 75 makers were present which also makes for a chance to put faces and personalities to the work.
As a ceramicist this event is a fantastic research opportunity. It is in essence a ‘one stop shop’ in terms of an overview of the Ceramic scene in the U.K. today. It allowed me to see what styles are emerging, examine price-points and handle pieces (with care and permission!) to further understand technique and finish. Some of the ceramicists are extremely well established and their work will be instantly recognisable but there are also new artists who may be the future superstars. Prices range from €70 up to the thousands with styles varying so much as to be extremely difficult to pinpoint any discernable ‘trend’. This was refreshing to note as it suggests that the collector’s market appears to be open-minded. The facility to meet the makers is the icing on the cake, although they are there to sell their work and meet their clients so one should be sensitive not to hog their selling-time!
All in all a ‘must see’ for anyone working with clay and even remotely curious about the market.
Sara Flynn, Ceramic Art London 2007

The event takes place in the Royal college of Art and altogether 74 artists took part; I noted that there were no Irish representatives this year, though there were about eight from the Continent, one from Australia and two from South Africa.  the artists I spoke to said there had been a steady stream of interest and most reported good sales, though everyone is of the opinion that it is quite expensive to take part and also very tiring – on Friday it went on until 8.00pm.  the stand space is also generally rather small.

It is fantastic opportunity to see a great variety of ceramics, there seemed to be a wider selection than in 2005; all of it of a very high standard.  It is also a great way to make and renew contacts, attend some interesting talks and buy books on ceramics.

I do feel though that taking all the cost into account, it would not be feasible for me to take part – at least not yet.  My main difficulty would be the cost of transporting the work from Ireland to the UK.  it would be a huge investment for me, which I just couldn’t afford.  I feel I would need to build up some sort of market base in the UK, perhaps as part of a number of group exhibitions.

Jane Jermyn, Ceramicist, visited Ceramic Arts London 2007

"There were a lot of very well know British makers there and it was a great opportunity to see a body of their work together. I saw work by people whose work was only available to me in books or magazines previously. The range of ceramics was very wide from functional to decorative to art and sculptural pieces, for indoors, outdoors one-off collectors pieces and industrial design. The makers were very friendly and very willing to discuss their work and practice. Seminars throughout the show were an added bonus particularly a talk by Kate Malone and demonstrations by Takeshi Yasuda and Walter Keeler. Speaking to exhibitors they were pleased by the large crowds attending but disappointed in the sales."

Noreen Ramsay, Ceamicist, visited Ceramic Art London in May 05

"The show catered for the high end Ceramics and the standard was very good, although maybe not enough of a diverse range of work as there was a lot of similar styles. The show was small so easy to get to see the whole thing, the stands were well thought out with smart displays and predominantly good sized aisles. Having spoken to a few stall holders, the word was that there was a large amount of ceramic lovers, not necessarily buyers, so sales were slow. Seminars ran throughout the show and I got to see Kate Malone in a crowded auditorium talking about her work but unfortunately missed Grayston Perry, of the 2003 Turner prize the previous day.

A very well put together brochure accompanied the show, with a full page and large image devoted to each ceramist. it will be interesting to see how this show pans out: the date for next year is different and possible a different venue too. Altogether it was a lovely show , it needs to attract a more serious buying public in order to survive."

Ayelet Lalor, Ceramicist, visited Ceramic Art London in May 05

Spring Fair Birmingham

The Spring Fair is on in Birmingham every year at the beginning of February.  It’s absolutely massive and anyone going to see the whole show would need a few days.  I went to the jewellery section, which is spread out over 2 halls.  It covers most areas for the jewellery trade.  There are jewellery manufacturers, large mass producing companies and also small companies with small ranges of jewellery, and designer/makers.  The materials vary from silver to gold or platinum with diamonds and other precious stones.  The designs also cover a wide spectrum, from classical designs to very contemporary.

Everything related to the jewellery trade is also well represented, there are many findings, tools, packaging and display companies and diamond and stone dealers.  Along side these are companies for CAD/CAM services, engraving and various associations.

Aoife O’Mahony, jewellery, visited Spring Fair Birmingham February 2006

 
The size of this show could well have been overwhelming except that I had visited the autumn fair previously and had a reasonable idea of the scale of it.  I went with the specific plan to look at halls 19 and 20, the Design halls, which I felt would be where I would be best positioned should I choose to do the show.  In general exhibitors were showing mainly for the interior sector and it seemed that much of the business would be done through ‘follow-up’.  It was fairly quiet in the morning with more buyers around later in the day.  Reports suggest that Sunday and Monday were the busiest days with buyers coming in waves as they made their way through the show.

There were two areas in hall 19 with a definite buzz, which made them stand out from the rest of the show – these were ‘Design Gap’ and ‘Focal Point’.

‘Design Gap’ is a clustered area of British designers makers.  ‘Focal Point’ is a group stand situation; also for individual designer businesses and this was recommended to me as the best location for a first timer should I decided to do the show in 2007.  Exhibiting here is more expensive option but a lot of pre show trade advertising is part of the package.  Within ‘Focal Point’ there was a full spectrum of small businesses, from cars to sculptures to babies booties.  Fashion accessories were presented mainly by jewellery makers.  High-end textiles accessories were represented but were definitely in the minority.  This is where my product would work best a it would stand out as a fashion accessory while surrounded by other high end goods.

Liz Christy, textiles, visited Spring Fair Birmingham February 2006

 
'When visiting the UKs Premier Trade Event, Spring Fair [which is spread out over 20 Halls it has Design Led, Gifts, Jewellery, Greetings, Stationery Gallery, Tabletop, Garden, Toys, Christmas, Volume and an Asian Import  Hall, you must not underestimate the importance of visiting this show. Until you see it you will not believe it.  You should aim to be there for at least three days, wear very comfortable  shoes and try to prepare a game plan before you go to avoid being over awed, dazed or waste time looking at things that interest you and that don't  necessarily help advance your business.  Spring Fair is a great place to network; take plenty of business cards. You  will meet company directors, and it helps when following up not to be just another faceless email!  It is also valuable for building up a raw material supply source as well as  Spring Fair has a sister exhibition Autumn Fair; not as large but growing in popularity.'
Janice Stevenson, Card designer, visits Spring Fair Birmingham regularly

'The Spring Fair in Birmingham is a fantastic show to visit for lots of reasons!  Although rather daunting to begin with  due to the sheer size of it ..it doesn't take long to get a handle on it and find your feet!  The Card section of the show has every major player in the UK and although I was there to make contacts it is also a great way to keep up to date with current trends and place yourself within the larger card market. It is easy to single out companies you may want to approach as all their work is on display and most are fairly approachable...it is a good idea to have good quality prints of your work to give them and they are quick to decipher between potential designers and in their words 'time wasters'!  The show is quite exhausting but a lot of work gets done and it really serves its purpose both for people already in the industry and for those attempting to break into it!Can't wait for next year!'
Brenda Byrne, card designer visited Spring Fair February 05

 

Eclat de Mode, Paris 
'Eclat de Mode is a bi-annual event that takes place at Porte de Versailles in Paris in September and January and runs along side the fashion trade shows such as Pret-a-Porter Paris. This year there were 350 exhibitors and brand names in total, 62 of who were new. Inspirational trends were developed by Elizabeth Leriche and Vasken Yeghiayan this year and were on view in the Fashion Bar. Many different areas of the jewellery market were represented including: Silver Jewellery, costume jewellery, brand names and haute couture jewellery.There were also suppliers of semi-precious stones and packaging present.The aim of the show for the visitor is to: Meet the most creative and dynamic manufacturers of the market over the space of four days.Have a global vision of the market.  To have a reference vision on the season's trend.  Meet new suppliers.Eclat de Mode is the only show entirely dedicated to Costume Jewellery, Silver Jewellery and Fashion Accessories and is well worth the visit.'


International Jewellery London (IJL)
It is well worth a visit! Never in one place have I seen such a variety of every type of jewellery. Unlike other trade shows it is as much for the maker/ manufacturer as the retailer; with companies selling tools, display aids, raw materials, also seminars promoting new technologies, trends in industries, organisations to join and publications to sign up to. Bring plenty of business cards, as this is a great place for contacts.The Design Pavilion was my main reason for going to the show, it is comprised of up and coming contemporary designer jewellers and more established design companies. With a view to exhibiting there next year myself - the general feeling from the exhibitors I spoke to was that it was a good show to do and even though there has been a down turn in sales in the last 12 months they still had received enough orders to make it well worth their while. The standard of the work was of high quality, however a lot of it was very similar, there was only a handful of original work.
Debbie Paul, Jeweller visited IJL September 2005

 
This was the second time I had visited IJL, the first time being three years ago. The products shown were, manufacturing jewellery companies mainly from Great Britain but also Europe the far & near east, the U.S.A Canada & South Africa. Other products shown were- tools & equipment, packaging, precious and semi-precious stones. It is a fairly small show, easily seen in a day. There were some very fine top-of-the-range companies exhibiting beautifully crafted expensive jewellery. There is a section especially reserved for Designer Jewellers; this section as well as the rest of the fair was a little disappointing in it’s lack of new & exciting ideas. The designer section seemed very tame with many pendants on ‘snake chain’. It looked as if they had gone for the easy option, perhaps in the hope of boosting sales. The show as a whole was rather quiet except for those stands exhibiting coloured stones and beads, which were absolutely crammed reflecting the current trend in ethnic, coloured bead jewellery.It is not a show that I would go to every year, but I would visit it every three to four years just to see what the trends are in Britain. Also it is very good for coloured and semi-precious stones.
Inga Reed, Jeweller visited IJL September 2005

Origin, the London Craft Fair at Somerset House

I attended the first week of Origin.  The purpose was to ascertain whether or not my jewellery would ‘fit in’ with the work being exhibited, if it was of a similar standard and worth my while applying for a stand for next years exhibition.

The space itself is light and airy and each stand very tastefully dressed.  The majority of exhibitors are based in Great Britain and the rest from Europe.  The overall feel of the exhibition was very British – a lot of work being quite small and often whimsical. For me, the most interesting work was textile based and of the jewellers exhibiting, the ‘oldies’ were still the most exciting.

The standard of my work would, I think, be acceptable but there are very many contemporary jewellers exhibiting and whether my work would be sufficiently different would be up to the selection panel.
Inga Reed, jeweller, visited Origin 2007

Origin is held in a purpose built pavilion, which had been erected in the magnificent courtyard of Somerset House.  A beautiful structure with glass sides and roof, allowing loads of natural light into the venue – the perfect exhibition space.

I must admit my first reaction was of complete shock at how different this event was from the Chelsea Craft fair.  Instead of the mad buzz I was expecting, the atmosphere inside the pavilion was calm and quiet.  If the British Crafts Council’s intention was to change the feel of the old show and re-launch Origin as a totally different event then they have definitely succeeded.  – this is a much more slick and ‘corporate’ animal altogether!

The work  was, of course, beautiful.  The most obvious trend, textile wise was texture.  Lots of pleats; smocking, scrunching and general surface manipulation.  This seems to be across the board in woven fabrics, silk scarves, knitwear, cushions, clothing and hanging pieces- layers seems to be important too.  Several of Sharon Ting’s large scale printed textile hangings were layered and Liz Clay’s beautiful felt Boa’s are totally about layering. 

I was also delighted to see Alison Willougby’s amazing skirts, which are a million times more impressive in real life than in photos. Although all the work I saw was of an extremely high standard, both in design and workmanship, I felt there was very little in the way of real surprise or stunning originality.  The exception being Yuki Saito, a Japanese born wigmaker. Her fabulously over the top baroque constructions made from felt, corded wool, antique lace and found material, were my favourite objects in the show.

The whole trip was a thoroughly worthwhile experience – if somewhat exhausting!
Helen Stringer, textiles,  visited Origin October 2006

My initial reaction to Origin was great location, this was my first time visiting the craft fair so I had nothing to compare it to.  However many other experienced Origin visitors also passed comment on the location being an improvement to its predecessor, certainly Somerset House is a fabulous backdrop.

What did surprise me was the size of the fair, it was much smaller than I thought it would be, however they do change the exhibitors in the second week so it would be twice the size if they all showed simultaneously.  Whilst initially slightly disappointed at the size, on further exploring I realised that the size actually allowed you to really focus on the work and explore without being overwhelmed, which can easily happen in larger fairs.

I was struck by the evident key themes within the jewellery, colour being the most obvious and also the strong use of non-precious metal, with vintage and kitsch being the words of the day.  The busiest stalls were those playing on these themes.  I was really interested in how the work was displayed; Grainne Morton had a very clever idea of using antique looking gold picture frames to display her jewellery, which worked fantastically.

The whole fair seemed well organised and the advertising and promotional work impressive.  There was not a tube station in London without an Origin poster advertising the fair.  There were excellently produced programmes and each stall had high standard photo postcards to handout.
The trip was really educational as well as enjoyable, as a jeweller in the infancy of her professional career opportunities to visit craft fairs such as these are invaluable.  I would certainly recommend a trip to Origin to any craft maker or lover of the craft industry.  My suggestion would be to time it so you can see both weeks of the exhibition and that is certainly what I will do for Origin 2007.
Carrie-Anne Black, jeweller, visited Origin October 2006
 

 
Premiere Vision, Paris
Organised twice a year Premiere Vision in Paris is the top show to resource and research fabrics.  it is an extremely popular show which welcomes thousands of professional visitors.  The queues to register are very long so I highly recommend registering online to avoid the hassle.
The show is really well organised with different halls catering for different fabric groups.  Each segment has a focal point where a presentation is made with many different fabric suppliers.  These islands are great to give you an overview of what is available and the general trends and also it’s great to learn what different companies have in their collections.
The themes areas this season where:
Fancy Seduction, Tailored Distinction, Relaxed Attitude, Active Pulsation.
Its good to have a plan as the show is very big and can be quite overwhelming for first timers.
Elizabeth Boyle, Textiles, visited Premiere Vision February 2006

Inhorgenta, Munich
As I had predicted the initial feeling, when arriving at Inhorgenta was overwhelming.  it was such a big venue with so many exhibitors that a plan was necessary.  I knew what I was looking for but still got side tracked.  The fair is very professionally laid out into categories or sections, which make it easy to plan your day’s visit.

The designer’s section was very inspiring as the Germans have a very brave approach to jewellery making and are not afraid to be big and bold, which is very refreshing.  Their use of alternative materials:  wood, plastics, steel, paper etc. and treatment of surfaces gives a wider artistic challenge, which is fun to see, even though it might not always be very practical.

My other reason to visit was for the gemstones – and what better place to be.  The variety of material is never ending, but best of all is the lapidary – lots of unusually cut stones, full of inspiration to take home and create from… so now the real fun begins after a great trip to Munich.
Anne Mette O’Connor, Goldsmith, visited Inhorgenta , February 2006

Salone Internationale del Mobile, Milan
Amongst the first to arrive and the last to leave, we were naively unprepared for the sheer size of the event and the extent to which it is so dominated by the Italians and those visiting were predominately Italian.  We looked at Classical Pavilions to assess the quality of fine furniture craft in Italy with particular regard to out sourcing components and found exceptional craft on display.

In the Design halls we visited the stands of all the main design houses.  We were again very impressed overall by the quality of manufacturing and we singled out Zanotta, 1920 Riva, Minotti and Vitra for their crowd pulling power.

We visited the Salone Satellite late in the afternoon – we were impressed by the size of this part of the exhibition which was much more international than the main show and featured many exciting examples of new products but was surprisingly quiet.  we learned that, as a past exhibitor of a trade show such as 100% Design, nest would not be eligible for Satellite but did not really see that our style of very high end classic hand-crafted furniture had a place amongst the more ‘trend setting product design’.
Neil McCarthy & Annabel McCarthy , Nest furniture visited Salone Internationale del Mobile, in 2007
 

 
Inhorgenta, Munich

Inhorgenta is a dedicated jewellery show, spread over a number of halls.  There's one hall for watch and clock makers and everything else is focussed on jewellery. 

The main attraction for me was the gemstones.  There are many suppliers there from Germany and around the world offering a very wide variety of stones and cuts.  Many of the German companies are there with fabulous, unusual material.  Pretty much anything you could think of was on offer.

To get the most from the show you will need two days.
Aoife O’Mahony, jeweller, visited Inhorgenta 2007