Back from our Winter Buying Shows…
Attending the industry gift shows twice a year is almost like looking at crystal ball. The markets and the hundreds of vendors we see give us a glimpse of what’s to come: New Colors; Unique Products; Design Trends. The showrooms and displays inspire us and bring a new renewed sense of energy and excitement to our business.
This year’s Dallas Market, and our subsequent visit to the Netherlands for our holiday buying, did not disappoint! After a busy Christmas season, it was fun to get out of our offices and stores to see the new products and trends that will evolve through the year. And, of course, we love finding all the new gifts, apparel, candles, jewelry, and accessories to add to our collections. Here’s a brief recap of some of the themes and ideas that caught our eye:
So much color!
The industry is clearly moving away from its beige/gray stage. And Blue is clearly the ‘it’ color for 2024. Both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams selected shades of blue for their ‘Colors of the Year,’ so it was no surprise to see an abundance of blue in the showrooms. Ranging from light, airy hues to moody, celestial shades, blue could be seen in everything from throws and textiles to frames, servingware and fashion accessories. Beautiful, nature-inspired greens were also popular (be watching for the arrival of our ‘green-themed’ goods this spring). And bright pinks, oranges and yellows are popular colors in paper goods and outdoor decorating themes for the season.
Looking forward to Fall… one of the signature trends we saw were rich, jewel tone colors in home decor. The sophisticated palette --- featuring deep greens, blues, amber, reds and purples – is showing up in glassware, textiles and everywhere. It is so warm and inviting. In fact, we liked it so much, we will be featuring these jewel tone colors in our holiday décor collections this fall.
Fragrant Fragrance
Candles are our passion. We love discovering new lines and further developing our private label products as well. At this year’s market, we found new scents from Roam Candles, MerSea, Thymes and Zodax (these will be arriving in online and in our stores shortly). Plus, we’ll be adding new fragrances in our Ella B. candle collection as well. We’ll let you know when these new arrivals are available.
Sustainably Sourced
It’s not surprising to see the exponential increase in the number of products that are sustainable, ethically sourced and/or made from recycled materials. From the Dallas market, we expanded our presence in this area by adding new bags and backpacks from ORI, a maker of colorful, European-style backpacks made from recycled products. We also added the Geometry dish towels to our line textiles collection. These wonderfully absorbent towels feature beautiful designs and, better yet, they’re from post-consumer materials to reduce waste in the environment.
Cozy and Cuddly
Clearly, warm and cozy never goes out of style. This year, we were drawn to beautiful new Alpaca throws by Shupaca, imported from Peru. We’ve added four lovely, throws, hand-woven by artisans in South America, to our collection of home accessories. We also are expanding our selection of baby apparel with the addition of soft, colorful bamboo onesies from Milkbarn and classic infant and toddler dresses, overalls, pants and shirts pieces made from soft, organic, natural fabrics from Quincy Mae.
Companies that Give Back
Our final observation from the market focuses on giving back. When we find new products that we love, that also tell a story, it’s a win-win. An example of this are the new home accessories we found from Kalalou. The company’s ‘Haiti Made’ collection features beautiful home décor accessories that are handmade by artisans in Haiti. The company is committed to giving back to the communities where it sources its products, so we feel good about supporting them in their efforts (while also bringing beautiful, handmade home accessories to our customers). Be watching for our new arrivals from Kalalou shortly!.
Gifts
One of the most popular product groups is our gift collection. While at the markets, we’re always on the lookout for great gifts. Here’s a look at what’s new and/or coming soon:- Funny flour sack towels (the sayings are hilarious!)
- New jewelry designs from Scout Curated Wears – cool hoop earrings and new bracelet colors and designs
- Darling baby clothes from Santa Barbara (in addition to Milkbarn and Quincy Mae mentioned above)
- Cuddly teddy bears from Bukowski Bears
- Silicone baby teethers and sippy cups from Bella Tunno
- Kids books and plush animals from Jellycat and Compendium
We’re excited about the year ahead and we’ll be posting new product announcements as soon as they are available. Want to keep in touch? Sign up for our email list to get updates and announcements as our new products make their way into our retail and online stores. And follow us on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram for a regular posts photos, ideas and inspiration.
Cheers!
