Turkey-feather Christmas trees, drunk Santa figurines, Pantone placemats … welcome to the Gift Fair!
Nancy Hoehler, a grade-school chum who is starting a new event company called ShimmerNYC, called me for advice on where to get ideas and inspiration, and I immediately said, "The gift fair is the bomb.” Of course, it was a dizzying mass of vendors last week at the Javits Center, so vast and unknowable you wonder, “Could there possibly be a market for all this stuff?"
And I’m sure a more efficient buyer would make lists of brands he wants to see, then mark off little X’s in the two-pound program containing what seems to be 10,000 exhibitors. But I chose instead merely to wander, point, and shoot. Here’s what caught my eye.
Lighting
... and in actual gift offerings like this "bouquet" from Light Garden.
But a little of this stuff goes a long way. I kind of ran out of their booth when I saw their marketing, which features a girl with her hair looking electrified.
But a little of this stuff goes a long way. I kind of ran out of their booth when I saw their marketing, which features a girl with her hair looking electrified.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Linens
For some reason I first found myself in the world of linens at Sferra. The company works with Colin Cowie. As this display kind of messily demonstrates, it has lots of different-colored napkins!
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Linens
I really liked this white tablecloth with red-trellis open-weave details.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Linens
But the Sferra showstopper was this topper with silver metallic discs and rings. Of course, I figure it would be a dry cleaners' nightmare, but the whole embellishment detail comes off with Velcro!
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Linens
These accent pillows are by Siivaana. At first I thought they might be a safety issue—imagine an accidental artery severed by a throw pillow—but the detail is plastic, not glass. As for comfort, well, take a guess.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Linens
At Matouk, I liked this blue and white place setting. You can never go wrong with blue and white.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Linens
Matouk also makes novelty linen cocktail napkins. I am one of those people who finds monkeys endlessly entertaining. How about you?
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Gift Ideas
Primitive Artisan was an insanely crowded and unwelcoming booth. Their stuff was really inexpensive; these knives in a set of four wholesale for $16.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Gift Ideas
Primitive Artisan had these salt and pepper shakers with mother of pearl inlay, also cheap. I am going to buy some of this stuff.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Gift Ideas
Speaking of tools, both literally and figuratively, here is Tiffany and her set. It’s a hat box with tools, and despite the super-cheesy poster and all the obvious jokes it inspired, with a retail price of $79.95 I have a feeling Tiffany is fixing for a great holiday.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Lighting
I think the category at this show where I saw the most new stuff was in lighting—both in the displays, like this chandelier at Mariposa, which makes nice metal alloy tabletop items ...
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Lighting
This picture doesn’t capture the innovation of this battery-operated candle, which, if you weren’t paying attention, has become a giant category of mostly low-rent-looking items. But this one, from Primitives by Kathy, had a nifty little wiggling-flame effect that photo editor Nadia Chaudhury agreed was really clever.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Lighting
I couldn’t pass up the feather lighting booth—who could, really? Angel Wreaths is a new company that makes holiday decorative pieces out of feathers, but many of them can work year-round, like this fuchsia number.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Lighting
But the showstopper was this seven-foot-tall collapsible Christmas tree. An instant holiday party in a flat box—I could totally see this being a big hit.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Candles
If you are a candle freak, like I am, then this show is for you. From the sublime, like this display by Calvin Klein ...
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Candles
... to the ridiculous, like these wet and dangerous-looking pine-cone candles by Aspen Bay Candles.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Candles
The Cadillac of candles is, of course, Rigaud. They have a new scent, but I am always happy with the old ones, which never, ever go on sale. By the way, they are the only scented-candle company that aggressively explains that it is useless to burn a good one for more than 30 minutes.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Santas
If novelty Santa figurines are your thing—and really, why wouldn’t they be?—then Karen Didion's Santas is for you. She makes themed figures of many kinds, like White Santa and Couture Santa.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Santas
Many of the Santas are imbibing. There’s Beer Santa with a mug, and Wine and Cheese Santa.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Santas
I thought I’d leave you with a close-up of Drunk Santa. Cheers!
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
