Boston Gift Show Announces 2008 Pride Of New England Award Finalists
White Plains, NY – A customer-centric atmosphere, reformatted floor plan, eco-friendly initiatives and lively fun events including the ‘Flaunt’ stage show and LA Trend Panel, raised the bar at the winter edition of the California Gift Show. Successful business and a positive market were reported by many of the event’s 1,200 exhibitors, with some companies reporting their best Show ever, January 18-21, 2008, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Exhibitor Carolyn Carrara of Twigs, San Clemente, CA, commented, “We had a great Show and more customers than we knew what to do with. I’m a first-time exhibitor, and the quantity of customers filled our booth – they were three-deep.” Marc Sahara of The Inconvenient Bag, Los Angeles, CA, echoed her positive feedback, reporting, “We had a great Show, a great experience. We wrote a good amount of orders, established many contacts and did business with all kinds of buyers, from Mom and Pop gift stores and eco-boutiques to a leading retail chain.”
In total, some 22,000 buyers attended the Show, which unveiled a new South and Kentia Hall layout and a show floor stage for fashion and trend presentations, called The Platform. Attendees enjoyed new product synergies and convenient access to programming. Retailers Joe and Julia Ensley of Zamboanga, Bainbridge Island, WA, shared, “We always find new and exciting products at the California Gift Show. The Show is fun, well-organized and easy to navigate. The seminars we have attended have been useful and interesting. We come away from the Show with a renewed hope and enthusiasm for retail.”
“In addition to the amazing products we find at the Show, we loved the new format,” added Donna and Peter Choi of Serifos, Los Angeles, CA. “Los Angeles is a trend-setting city and the resources at the Show reflect these emerging trends.”
An action-packed fashion-driven stage show – “Flaunt” – ignited the exhibit floor twice daily, setting an exciting tone for the market. The live fashion/music/dance extravaganza wowed the crowds, injecting a blast of energy into the Show and providing a showcase for some of the market’s trendiest introductions. The California Gift Show’s focus on trends culminated in a lively LA Trend Panel led by Liezel Munez-Gunn, West Coast contributing editor of O, The Oprah Magazine, and five of LA’s most dynamic retailers. Topics included the evolution of California style, LA as style inspiration and the impact of celebrities, ‘tastemakers’ and blogs on trends. For the first time, all onsite programs and events were offered on a complimentary basis to participants.
This winter, sustainability was at the forefront of market offerings, with the debut of ECO – Earth Conscious Optionstm, a category for identifying eco-friendly, humanitarian and fair trade product was well-received. ECO exhibitors were designated with special iconography in show directories and onsite booth signage for the convenience of buyers. The Show’s environmental focus prompted a number of sustainable efforts, including the introduction of recycled paper and recycling bins for official show business onsite.
The semi-annual California Gift Show is managed by GLM, a dmg world media business. The 147th edition will take place Friday, July 18 – Monday, July 21, 2008, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, attracting 22,000 attendees. Some 1,200 exhibitors will participate throughout 10 divisions: At Home; Boutique; EX*TRACTS; Fashion Accessories; Gifts, Etc.; Jewelry (Cash & Carry); LA Contemporary; Resort, Souvenir & Licensing; Stationery & More and World Style.
For exhibitor information, contact Angelia Singleton, show manager, at (213) 430-2356, or at angelia_singleton@glmshows.com. For attendee information, please contact GLM Customer Relations at (800) 272-SHOW (7469) or (603) 665-7524. Additional information and registration are available online at californiagiftshow.com.
