Holiday Trends Spotted at MMPI
New York, NY — MMPI locations across the country feature a range of showrooms specializing in holiday gifts and decorative accessories. Suites like Kurt S. Adler, Boston Warehouse, K & K Interiors, tag, Barreveld International, RAZ Imports, Gallery On Six, The Zrike Company and Zak Designs are year-round sources for products that set trends. Retailers including Crate and Barrel, Rue La La, Macy’s and Bloomingdales rely on the buildings during markets to discover each season’s “must-have” items. While store buyers are done with most of their holiday shopping, the items they have selected are good indicators of what will be popular this holiday season.
Significant trends for the upcoming holiday season are as exciting as they are varied and were abundant in the MMPI showrooms where well-curated collections combine style, substance and value. Here is a brief rundown on what to expect as “in” for the upcoming holiday season (starting off with Halloween):
Gothic/Halloween: Decorative accessories on display for Halloween seem to be less about the juvenile market and more about chic décor. Vampires are a pop culture phenomenon of late, so a general gothic trend comes as no surprise. Skulls and crossbones are hot. Boston Warehouse has skull cookie jars, skeleton dish brushes and a “Bone Collector” series of serving platters, trays and cocktail plates, while K & K Interiors has decorative rustic pumpkins and “trick or treat” emblazoned items in soft orange and white combinations. Other standouts are the D.L. & Co. collection of striking skull shaped candles and accessories from Gallery On Six. Also of note, are the tag products celebrating fall and Halloween with fetching Halloween aprons and graphic doormats.
Protecting our Planet: In Gallery On Six there are always fabulous new products from across the globe on display. Currently there is an eco-theme that mixes fashion with a respect for the earth. Notable trendsetters include Regenesi’s stylish, handcrafted and sustainable products made from post-consumer materials like eye-glass frames and buttons, while Tap Water brand water shares a percentage of proceeds with Water.org. Also in Gallery On Six, Domestic Aesthetic’s sustainable and modern salt and pepper shakers and baskets made from reclaimed wood. Zak Designs’ new colander and bowl sets are the latest additions to its popular recycled melamine “Confetti” line, while Two Lumps of Sugar has a collection of recycled woven storage and tote bags and melamine products. Two’s Company carries bags, office accessories and other items made from recycled soap bottles, bottle tops, cassette tapes, etc. Roman Inc.’s many beautiful ornaments made from 100% recycled wood, paper and paper pulp are also a part of the trend. Additionally, Kurt S. Adler offers ornaments crafted in Buri, the tallest and most sustainable palm in the Philippines.
Personalization: This ever-burgeoning category manifests extra thought and care on the part of the gift-giver and special appreciation from the recipient, no matter the size or value of the item. At Kurt S. Adler a wide range of ornaments with spots for personalization are on display, celebrating everything from ski trips to newborns. K & K Interiors personalizes home décor items and the perennially popular Rosanna monogram plates are on offer at Mary Harper Group.
Goods that Feel Good to Buy: This rapidly-expanding category offers immediate feel good gratification for both giver and receiver. These include Isadora & Mizrahi’s fair trade ornaments in adorable forms of snowmen and winter creatures like owls, which are all made by hand in Peru. Boston Warehouse’s charming pink “Brushing Beauty” dish scrubbers support Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Inspiration/Emotionology: In times of economic uncertainty there is a continued interest in uplifting messages, offering comforting support or, during the holidays, joy and camaraderie. The “Brown and Cream” collection of decorative objects and signs that K & K Interiors features fit the bill for gift items in this theme. Experiential focus with national parks is a notable trend at Kurt S. Adler.
Women’s Accessories: Playful high-heeled shoes are a mini trend for ornaments. Other feminine ornaments celebrate girl power. Kurt S. Adler has feminine footwear tree decorations and a full line of Girl’s Night Out ornaments while Isadora & Mizrahi features Patience Brewster’s reindeer ornaments – cleverly accented by high-heeled hooves. Also on the “girly” side are Two Lumps of Sugar’s numerous storage and travel pieces, in patterns ranging from the stylishly chic to the tongue in cheek and MoMo Panache’s selection of “Bugeye” magnifiers, the fashionable way to read small print in the dark. RAZ Imports’ range of pink accessories and ornaments give consumers a new way to add some razzle-dazzle to their holidays.
The Newest Color Trends: Black and white, pink, gold and “adult pastels” are all the rage right now, just in time to give a fresh new look during the holidays. RAZ Imports offers a wide selection of seasonal and holiday products as well as garden and floral accents, all in the most gorgeous and current color palettes including off-blacks and deep maroons, while Barreveld/DK Living has lovely sparrow ornaments in luscious grown up shimmery pastels. The Zrike Companys black and white tableware is very chic as is the Rosanna tableware at Mary Harper Group. MoMo Panache’s cheerfully colored hostess gift sets are a sure bet, especially around the holidays, as are their popular bottle stoppers. The sophisticated Trina Turk pillows at Peking Handicraft are a must-have in bright, brilliant colors. For all those football fanatics, Two Lumps of Sugar has clever Tailgating items, including a great looking houndstooth picnic tote and polka dot chiller.
The Rustic Winter Garden Theme: This natural low-key approach to decorating is in step with the old adage “less is more.” The holiday decorations at RAZ Imports are particularly stunning as are Kurt S Adler’s Tuscany ornaments and wintery snowfall lights. K& K interiors’ Woodland and Brown & Cream collection of wall and table décor add to the winter wonderland offerings. Woodland creatures are popular, with birds and owls taking top spot, especially at Raz and tag. Barreveld is also in on the trend with delicate birds.
Traditional Holiday Collections: This niche will always have a strong following, and the showrooms are full of elegantly classic items, such as Roman Inc.’s extensive collection of beautiful 5″ figurines by Fontanini, whose special packaging and legend cards ensure that the figures will be cherished for years to come, and their Joseph’s Studio Christmas, which includes beautifully sculpted and painted Nativity figures. Peking Handicraft’s Christmas collections include a wide selection of pillows, rugs, kitchen and dining items in classic, contemporary and country motifs by holiday licensees including Glitterville and Nancy Wolff. At Gallery On Six, handsome candles decorated with the Star of David in Swarovski crystals are stand-outs. RAZ Imports offers an incredible range of holiday looks, from deep maroon to silver ornamentation. Nuko Creations also features holiday linens. Their Nuko Sparkling Holiday Collection boasting pearls, swarovski crystals, gold and silver is perfect for entertaining during the season. The Candy Cane party serveware collection from MoMo Panache is also a great choice. Nutcrackers are a holiday standby, so it is no surprise that Kurt S. Adler’s nutcracker ornaments are best sellers.
Retro and Nostalgia for the 50s-70s: This continuously popular trend will surely please the huge baby boomer population, as well as many others, both older and younger. The Zrike Company’s Coca Cola dishware and Peking Handicraft aprons decorated with 50s ad images are particularly appealing examples of this category. Roman Inc. is another resource for the trend, featuring Peanuts, Rudolph and Warner Brothers branded collections as well as The Kneeling Santa, an exclusive Roman licensee, which has been a seasonal favorite for close to 20 years.
MMPI is the world’s leading owner and operator of showroom buildings and trade show facilities, bringing buyers and sellers together in more than 300 market events, trade and consumer shows and conferences each year.
MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart and 350 West Mart Center in Chicago; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza and the National Furniture Mart in High Point, N.C.; the Architects & Designers Building and 7 W New York in New York; the Boston Design Center in Boston; the L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; and the Washington Design Center and Federal Center Southwest in Washington D.C.
VORNADO REALTY TRUST, owners of MMPI, based in New York City, is a fully integrated equity real estate investment trust. Vornado’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO.
