NY NOW® , the Market for Home, Lifestyle + Gift,dazzled New York City with all the latest home, lifestyle and handmade trends during the winter 2018 market which took place earlier this month at the Jacob K Javits Convention Center. More than 2,300 premier established and emerging brands showcased thousands of products in hundreds of categories for buyers and shop owners to choose the products that their customers will love. The industry shined, and attendees were treated to a spectacular marketplace event filled with innovative products and design concepts around every corner in categories such as: Home decor and furnishings; tabletop and housewares; children’s toys and pet products; floral & garden accessories; jewelry; stationery; as well as personal care and accessories for men; women and children; and more!
“This season, the market trended towards natural elements including organic shapes, neutral colours and natural fibres, yet at the same time we also saw bold elements and a touch of whimsy,” said Randi Mohr, Group Show Director, NY NOW and Vice President, Emerald Expositions. “It’s always exciting for us to gather and watch these trends take shape at each market. We can’t wait to see what is in store for summer!”
Attendee and exhibitor highlights
The winter 2018 market was bustling with business between attendees and exhibitors. Some attendees commented:
Lori Villi, Cellaneous (Forest Hills, NY)
“Attending the NY NOW show is a must for your business, large or small whether a gift shop, toy store, craft/artisan, designer service, etc. It allows buyers from all over to shop for the newest, most innovative products on the market all in one convenient location. There’s so much to see at the show, and it’s logistically set-up in a manner that flows from one category to the next. I wouldn’t miss attending the NY NOW show for my business ([and] neither should you).”
Stacey Stachow, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (Hartford, CT)
“I always find what I’m looking for at NY NOW!”
Marsha Dautch, Jenss Décor (Amherst, NY)
“We are always on the lookout for new items and new vendors that make us different from other retailers. It is nice to see so many new manufacturers that we haven’t seen before at this show. We are looking forward to showcasing these new products at our store.”
Sidonie Warren, Papersmiths (Bristol, UK)
“My mission as Creative Director at Papersmiths is to seek out wonder-inducing, design-led products that inspire and delight our customers. Attending NY NOW for the first time this year I was pleased to discover a compelling representation of completely new brands as well as making initial contact with brands that had recently come to my awareness.
Papersmiths is based in the UK so it’s a fantastic opportunity to catch up with our existing brands and see their new collections in person. Altogether the show provides an inspiring and efficient buying experience.”
Fiona Richards, Cartolina (Nelson, BC)
“We’ve been coming to NYNOW for about 10 years – as exhibitors in the past and now as buyers. I feel it’s really important to come to the show. I never leave disappointed. Vendors are best in their field and the entire event feels ‘special’. Traveling from the west coast is an expense but I never feel that it’s not worth it – in fact I think that it’s imperative that we attend NYNOW to stay ahead of trends in retail.”
Additionally, leading and upcoming brands showcased their wares to buyers from around the world and appreciated the positive impact that NY NOW has on their business.
Exhibitors’ comments
Andrew Schuster, Shupaca
“Having done markets for the last 10 years, I can easily say NY NOW is hands down the best…The quality of buyers is more refined than any other show and NY NOW is the only place you find those bigger buyers. It’s a game-changer for any business!”
Trish Moreno, Little Giraffe
“We really see a lot of international buyers, our national chain store buyers, and a lot of speciality stores that are high-end and really relate to our brand…We keep coming back to NY NOW because of the energy of the show, the buyers that we love, the people that we see here and the new accounts that we open.”
Roberta Schilling, Roberta Schilling Collection
“We see great buyers, our loyal buyers from the US, but we also see crowds from Europe, Latin America and South America. Everybody’s eager to see what’s here now and what’s new now.”
Award-Winning Products
NY NOW’s robust award programmes honored extraordinary product offerings from exhibitors across the Market. Highlights included:
“Best in Market” Award – Recognised the one standout product among the ten separate section category winners of the “Best New Product” Awards. At the winter market, the “Best in Market” Award was judged by Maxwell Ryan, Founder of Apartment Therapy who honored Pretty Rugged Gear for the Pretty Rugged Blanket
- “Best New Product” Awards – Recognised products that stood out among hundreds of entries within each of the ten sections across the market
- Best Exclusive Launch Award– Recognised one standout product that made its official debut exclusively at the winter 2018 market and was selected as part of the destination:New product display. This winter, the Manhattan Collection from Harlow & Grey, represented by Karen Alweil Studio was honored with this award
- Eco Choice Awards – Selected from the popular sustainability: Design for a better world ® display, this award honored products with sustainable practices. This year’s winners include Nexten Pro Inc., Itza Wood and Shupaca
- Accent on Design ® Awards – Recognised product design excellence, innovation and creativity among NY NOW’s Accent on Design ® exhibitors, a juried collection of contemporary design brands.
