NEW YORK–Design and tabletop firm KleinReid was one of four companies exhibiting in Accent on Design at the New York International Gift Fair to receive an Accent on Design Award this week.

NEW YORK-The positive mood that lifted gift and other trade shows last month continues here, where vendors have been pleased with business at the New York International Gift Fair and a spate of new and innovative designs has helped fuel enthusiasm for the year ahead.

Vendors at the Javits Center reported crowded aisles since the show opened at that venue on Sunday. The show continues there through tomorrow.

NEW YORK–The American Society of Interior Designers’ (ASID) New York Metro Chapter has picked seven exhibitors in the At Home section of the New York International Gift Fair as “Best of the Best.”

The recipients are Tempo Luxury Home Collection for imaginative product presentation; Ercole for innovative product design; Bevara Design House for social responsibility, ecological sensitivity and universal design awareness; Vivify Lighting for lighting; J. Fleet Designs for accessories; Rani Arabella for textiles; and Pheromone by Christopher Marley for wall art.

LOS ANGELES–The California Gift Show, which wrapped up last week, experienced increased attendance, high energy and healthy order writing, according to show owner and organizer Merchandise Mart Properties Inc.

NEW YORK–The New York International Gift Fair, featuring more than 2,800 exhibiting companies offering design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware, opens today at the Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94 and tomorrow at the Jacob K. Javits Center here. The show runs through Feb. 2.

Many of the category-specific product neighborhoods will continue to grow and evolve for the winter market, with expansion of the new “On Trend” neighborhood in General Gift and a focus on housewares.

By Allison Zisko

It may be coincidence that fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi will move into a new home at about the same time he unveils his new home collection, but the timing couldn’t have been better. The designer said he thinks about home all the time, but never more so than when he started developing the tabletop portion of his new home collection and started envisioning his new kitchen cabinets and all the additional space he would have for more dinnerware.

By Allison Zisko

Tabletop and housewares vendors preparing for this month’s Ambiente fair in Frankfurt, Germany, regard the show as an opportunity to showcase their brands to a much wider audience and display their ability to produce trend-right, design-oriented product.

NEW YORK–Meyer Corporation has signed a multi-year lease for its Forty One Madison 3,000-plus square-foot showroom and has appointed veteran tabletop executive Helene Branisel director of sales for tabletop, a newly created position.
The move follows Meyer’s recent launch of Paula Deen and Rachael Ray tabletop collections.

LAS VEGAS–Gift rep agency Next Step has inked a deal to open a 3,700-square-foot showroom at World Market Center for the upcoming Gift+Home at Las Vegas Market, Jan. 30- Feb. 3.

The San Diego-based multi-line gift agency will open its new showroom in Building C, Suite C-891. Next Step offers 25 manufacturer rep lines and has plans to expand for the Summer 2012 Las Vegas Market, July 30-Aug. 3.

LAS VEGAS–World Market Center Las Vegas will present a large lineup of complimentary educational seminars during the upcoming Winter Market, Jan. 30-Feb. 3.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Trade-show manager GLM has named Penny Sikalis vice president of business development, in charge of researching and evaluating new trade-show launches and potential show acquisitions.

In her new role, Sikalis reports directly to Charles McCurdy, GLM’s CEO. She also maintains her current position as vice president and show manager of Surtex.

NEW YORK–Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home decor industries’ leading charitable organization, announced that One Kings Lane has become a 2012 corporate sponsor.

In addition to a direct contribution, One Kings Lane will help host a first-of-its-kind sales event offering curated items from the summer 2012 New York International Gift Fair, with proceeds benefiting Gift for Life.  

ATLANTA–AmericasMart celebrated visual excellence in both permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits at the recent Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market, which ends tomorrow, along with the Atlanta International Area Rug Market, featuring the National Oriental Rug Show, which ended on Sunday.

CHARLESTON, S.C.–MVP Group International has appointed Scott Wehrs as president of Midwest-CBK. Wehrs is the former president and chief operating officer of Ty Inc., creator of the Beanie Babies brand.

“Scott’s knowledge and experience with independent specialty retailers is second to none,” said Troy Propes, president of MVP Group International. “During his 11 years with Ty, Scott touched every aspect of the business, and his leadership drove the company’s and Beanie Babies’ incredible success.”

NEW YORK–Kiyasa Corporation, a trading company specializing in luxury tableware, has become the North American distributor of the Cacharel brand and has taken additional space at the New York International Gift Fair here this month to showcase the brand’s dinnerware.

ATLANTA–Welcome Home, a sales representative firm that carries several tabletop lines, will open its first showroom at AmericasMart here for next week’s International Gift & Home Furnishings Market.

Welcome Home will offer “dressy casual” tableware and accessories in AmericasMart’s Building 2, showroom 933, a space its plans to expand further in time for the 2013 January Market.

NEW YORK–HFN is preparing its coverage of the International Home + Housewares Show in March.

Exhibitors at the show are invited to submit information and high-resolution images of products that they plan to debut.

CHICAGO–The Chicago Merchandise Mart will feature both new tenants and expanded showrooms for the upcoming Chicago Winter Market, Jan. 19-25.

MEMPHIS–Creative Co-Op is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and starts the celebration at the 2012 winter markets in Atlanta, Dallas and Las Vegas.

Visitors to the company’s showrooms in Atlanta (Gift Building, Suite 1003), Dallas (Trade Mart, Suite 2802) and Las Vegas (Building C) can register to win the grand prize of a $1,000 Visa gift card, or, as a runner-up prize, one of 10 $100 Visa gift cards. In addition, in Dallas and Las Vegas, 20 pieces of Kelly Rae Roberts luggage will be randomly given away throughout the show.

Housewares and tabletop giant Lifetime Brands is in global brand-building mode.

Last month the company acquired a 40 percent equity interest in GS Internacional, a Brazilian maker of dinnerware, glassware, home decor, kitchenware and barware. The move continues Lifetime’s strategy of growth through acquisition and partnership through local management teams.

NEW YORK — Eva Zeisel, the industrial designer known for her work with ceramics, passed away Dec. 30, 2011. She was 105 years old.

Colonial Candle is unveiling a fresh look during the winter gift markets that includes updated candle labels and packaging, a new showroom design and contemporary display fixtures.

“For more than a century, Colonial Candle has set the standard for premium candles and on-trend fragrances, and we’re honored to bring our retail partners a new, updated look designed to appeal to their customers,” said Beth Sturm, Colonial Candle director of brand development.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-The 20th Annual Winter NYC Restaurant Week  will coincide with the New York International Gift Fair,  Jan. 28-Feb.  2, 2012, offering dining discounts at more than 300 of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants.

DALLAS–Swarovski Elements will sponsor the 23rd annual ARTS Awards gala, which will be held Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market at the Dallas Market Center.
 
“Swarovski Elements is the ideal partner for the ARTS Awards gala and we are honored to work with them on this special evening,” said Cindy Morris, chief operating officer, Dallas Market Center. “Their beautiful crystal work will add a new level of elegance to the event. We thank them for their collaboration and commitment to the industry.”
 

NEW YORK–This year proved to be a strong one for the 7 W New York showroom building, with “record-setting attendance” at three markets, according to a statement from the building.

The building hosted more than 20,000 buyers from big-box retailers, independent specialty stores and off-price retailers at the 2011 markets, the statement said. Also, more than 100,000 visitors attended various trade and consumer events held in its 11th floor event space.

ATLANTA–AmericasMart is preparing for the International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and the International Area Rug Market next month with more than 25,000 square feet of new exhibitors and more than 100,000 square feet of expanded and relocated showrooms, the company said.

NEW YORK–HFN is preparing its coverage of the markets it will cover in the February issue: Las Vegas Market, the New York International Gift Fair and Ambiente.

LOS ANGELES–L.A. Mart has released a list of new showrooms, expanded showrooms, lease extensions and relocated showrooms for next month’s California Gift Show.

CHICAGO, Ill.–As it readies for the New Year and its winter Market in January, the Chicago Merchandise Mart reported a “robust” leasing start to 2012 with its permanent gift industry showrooms. A combination of new showroom openings, long-term lease renewals, showroom expansions and benchmark anniversaries illustrate a renewed confidence in the region’s gift industry, according to the Merchandise Mart.

DALLAS–At next month’s Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, Dallas Market Center will debut The Range, a new neighborhood of western home accents located on the sixth floor of the World Trade Center.

“The Range will offer buyers a dedicated area focused on western and lodge home products,” said Bill Winsor, president and CEO, Dallas Market Center. “The section will continue to grow in 2012 to offer even more resources.”

CANNON FALLS, Minn.–Midwest-CBK and Colonial Candle are inviting retailers to enter the first “Passport to Success” sweepstakes in which two winners will be chosen to receive their choice of a trip to Paris or the Bahamas.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Design will be the highlight of the winter edition of the 2012 New York International Gift Fair.

Thirteen companies have been selected to join the juried Accent on Design division of the fair, an Accent on Design retrospective exhibit will debut, and a new design-focused blog will launch as an extension of NYIGF’s “Driven by Design” campaign.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.–The Accessories Resource Team (ART), the decorative accessory industry association, has elected a new board of directors and approved a by-law change that created an expanded executive committee last month.

LAS VEGAS–World Market Center Las Vegas announced yesterday that Saro has nearly doubled its showroom space for the upcoming Winter 2012 Gift+Home at Las Vegas Market, Jan. 30-Feb. 3, 2012.

The manufacturer and importer of linens, accessories, tabletop and gift has signed a multi-year deal for a 4,000-square-foot showroom in Building C, Suite C-804.

LONDON–The Laura Ashley label has launched a new blog that provides information on lifestyle advice and tips on designing one’s interior spaces.

The blog includes posts that communicate all aspects of the brand, and keys in on its range of candles, sofas, lamps and throws. It also creates a hub of information for the brand’s “advocates,” as a Laura Ashley statement described them, about arts and crafts, recipes and artisan reviews.

ONEIDA, N.Y.-Jim Joseph has resigned as president and CEO of Oneida to become an Executive in Residence at LeMoyne College. His last day at Oneida will be Jan. 31, 2012.

Joseph said he will continue to work with Oneida on “strategic projects” as a member of the flatware company’s newly created board of directors.

NEW YORK–Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home decor industries’ leading charitable organization, announced today that trailblazing architect and developer John C. Portman, Jr. will receive a special Legend for Life honor at the organization’s gala event to be held here on Jan. 29.

This award, which is being presented upon the 20th anniversary of Gift for Life, recognizes Portman’s more than five decades of entrepreneurship and service to the industry.

ATLANTA–The Christopher Radko Co. is expanding its showroom at AmericasMart’s Holiday & Floral/Home Décor center here in time for the gift market next month.

The iconic holiday designer will now have 2,533 square feet of showroom space located in Building 1, 16-E-5, 7, 9., and will be open during the International Gift and Home Furnishings Market Jan. 11-18 (Temporaries: Jan. 13-17).

ATLANTA-AmericasMart will offer a signature lineup of seminars, networking events and celebrity demonstrations as AmericasMart presents the first global wholesale trade event of 2012: The Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market Jan. 11-18 (Temporaries: Jan. 13-17), with the Atlanta International Area Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show taking place Jan. 12-15 (Temporaries: Jan. 13-15).

DALLAS–The Dallas Market Center has scheduled PB&J: The Preview for Baby & Juvenile, a new trade event, for Oct. 2-4, 2012.

The new show will spotlight selections from manufacturers of juvenile furniture, bedding, gifts, decor, baby care, accessories, strollers, high chairs and nursing/feeding products. It is part of a joint venture with the Toy Industry Association, which will hold the TIA Fall Toy Preview in early October as well.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.–Sam Abell, president of licensing agency Courtney Davis, Inc., has assumed ownership of the company. Founder Linda Balogh will retire in early 2012 after close to 40 years in the industry.

Abell has been with Courtney Davis since 2005, assuming the position of president in 2008. Prior to joining Courtney Davis, Abell was vice president at CR Gibson for 14 years.

ATLANTA–Attendees to next month’s Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market (Jan. 11-18), which includes the Atlanta International Area Rugs Market (Jan. 12-15), will see a continued emphasis on the gourmet housewares category, as AmericasMart has added a corridor that connects the eighth floor of Building 2 to the Building 2 West Wing, allowing attendees easier access between the segments and showcasing the gourmet kitchen demonstration area from a wider perimeter.

By Allison Zisko
Cutlery block sets are not static. They evolve and change—in size, shape and configuration—according to consumer needs and expectations.

By Allison Zisko

Last month’s acquisition of U.K.-based Creative Tops gives Lifetime Brands a foothold in the U.K. and Europe as well as additional private label and sourcing opportunities, according to Lifetime CEO Jeffrey Siegel.

I am the fortunate recipient of many lovely invitations to industry events, but I have to say a recent Waterford invite really caught my eye. Actually, it continues to catch my eye because its lenticular design presents a different image depending on the angle from which you are looking at it, so every time I get up from my desk I see either a flash of diamond-shaped crystals or the twinkle of an elaborate crystal chandelier.

ELMSFORD, N.Y.-Two’s Company will team up with The Innocence Project and Family Centers of Greenwich to host a charity warehouse sale in December.

FRANKFURT, Germany–Starting in January, Messe Frankfurt will provide free wireless internet (WiFi) access on the entire exhibition grounds of its own trade shows.

At the tabletop market in New York last month, vendors expanded their floral offerings, layered in more visual texture and highlighted dressmaker details like netting and lace. Neutrals like taupe and gray cropped up in showroom after showroom, while on the other end of the color spectrum, soft blues and greens were the combo of choice.—Allison Zisko

Meyer Corp.

By Allison Zisko

Last month’s New York Tabletop Show was positive, upbeat and trend-forward, with an impressive number of introductions, new licensing agreements and strategic positioning by companies responding to marketplace demands.

By Allison Zisko

Though the year has not been without its challenges, the frame business has remained steady, held up by the home decor end of the business and, ironically, by the same shift in consumer photo practices that seemed to threaten it not that long ago.

“The fundamentals of the frame business are good,” said Richard Feldstein, president of Prinz. “The frame business continues to be a good business.”

ATLANTA–Mary Sullivan Harper has been named to the newly created position of senior vice president of leasing for AmericasMart Atlanta’s Building Two permanent gift showrooms, following her more than 14 years’ gift franchise leadership. She reports to Dave Savula, executive vice president of leasing for buildings 1, 2, and 3, and 2 West Wing.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va.–Williamsburg, the licensed products brand of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, recognized select licensees as part of the brand’s licensing meeting here earlier this week.

Awards were distributed to licensees in six categories. The Williamsburg Marketing Award was presented to Pratt & Lambert for introducing an ASID-accredited course about Williamsburg paint. This course focused on the Williamsburg historic paint colors and design inspiration from the 18th century was created for interior designers.

HAYWARD, Calif.–CaliBowl/Simple Wave LLC’s product line is now manufactured in Union City, Calif. Previously, its entire product line was made in China.

“It’s an optimum time for us to transition back to the U.S.,” Jeff Bollengier, Simple Wave LLC president and co-founder, told HFN. “We found a local U.S. manufacturer that was running at a lower capacity,” [so] we pulled all [of our] manufacturing equipment out of China.”

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Charles McCurdy, CEO of GLM Holdings, the unit of Providence Equity Partners that acquired GLM in September, will become GLM’s CEO at the operating level, the company said today. The current management team of Alan Steel, GLM’s president, Jeff Little and Jack Withiam, senior vice president, will be leaving the company.

Steel, Little and Withiam will remain through a transition period of a length of time not specified. Doug Smith, formerly chief financial officer of Education Dynamics, will become GLM’s chief financial officer.

DALLAS–Dallas Market Center will hold Digital Day during the next Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, Jan. 18-24, 2012, offering attendees a full day of educational seminars led by digital marketing experts. Taking place Friday, Jan. 20, Digital Day will be conducted in the Internet Lounge, World Trade Center 1-147A.

NEW YORK–New licenses between designers and celebrities and tabletop companies were unveiled at The New York Tabletop Show last week.

Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld has designed a short stemware collection for Orrefors. Lagerfeld reportedly wanted a glass suitable for drinking Diet Coke, and so created a straight-sided, barrel-shaped bowl in white, black or clear on a clear stem, along with a glass coaster, which Lagerfeld felt essential. There are also champagne flutes and a few cased-glass pieces in the collection.

NEW YORK-The New York Tabletop Show, which wraps up today, has been positive, upbeat and trend-forward, with an impressive number of introductions and strategic positioning.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.-The casual trend continues to drive tabletop sales, according to The NPD Group, and pattern and style motivate consumers to buy more than price. ‘Good value’ rounds out the top three reasons consumers purchase tabletop items, according to NPD’s Consumer Tracking Service.
 

NEW YORK–At the Tabletop Market here this week, Tabletops Unlimited is launching Rove, a collection of reusable travel tumblers, infusion tumblers, hydration bottles, hot and cold travel mugs, sport bottles, lunch boxes and food keeper containers.

NEW YORK–The newest dinnerware, glassware, flatware and other tabletop items will be unveiled here this week as the New York Tabletop Show gets underway.

Activity will be centered in permanent showroom buildings Forty One Madison Avenue, 7 W New York and 230 Fifth Avenue and in manufacturers’ showrooms throughout the city.

Numerous evening events are also planned by individual companies.

MANCHESTER, Mass.-Alternative metal maker Mariposa is now represented by the Richard Cohen Collection in New Jersey; New York City and its boroughs; Westchester and Rockland counties; and Long Island.  New products will be featured in Richard Cohen’s permanent showroom at 7 West 34th Street during the tabletop market next week.
 

SOUTH SAN SANFRANCISCO—Chuck Baughman, executive vice president and chief financial officer of BIA Cordon Bleu, died on Oct. 3 from complications of pneumonia. He was 53.

Chuck worked for BIA, which is lead by his brother Paul, for more than 10 years and was instrumental in helping grow the company while developing and strengthening its sourcing in both Asia and  Europe, the company said. “He will be remembered for his ready smile, hard work and business integrity,” said Maria Baxley, who works in public relations, advertising and design for BIA. 

By Andrea Lillo

For companies looking to expand their reach in Europe, Messe Frankfurt’s Tendence was the place to be in August. The show was fully booked up this year with 2,100 international exhibitors showcasing the latest worldwide trends and products in home and gifts.

Permanent showroom building Forty One Madison has rolled out the welcome mat to a bevy of new tenants while renewing leases with several long-term ones. Both newcomers and existing tenants are readying their spaces for the New York Tabletop Show this month.

ATLANTA–Urban Expositions will launch a tabletop, gourmet and housewares section at the San Francisco International Gift Fair in February.

The new section will offer kitchen gadgets, cookware, tabletop, specialty foods and other related items together with the show’s nine other gift and home categories “to offer a one-stop product resource for Western region retailers,” according to a statement from Urban Expositions, a trade show producer. The new tabletop, gourmet & housewares section will be located at the front of the show floor, alongside the juried Design section.

NEW YORK–Japanese tabletop company Nikko is planning a major launch of a new fine bone china collection by London-based designer Bodo Sperlein. This collection was previewed at Maison & Objet in Paris last month and will debut at the New York Tabletop Show later this month.

NEW YORK–Two brands will open showrooms at Forty One Madison, and a full-floor tenant is expanding into additional space, according to the permanent showroom building. All three will be ready to welcome buyers when the New York Tabletop Show gets underway later this month.
 
Vetri delle Venezie, an Italian glass brand entering the U.S. market, has taken space on the 8th floor. On display in the 1,000-square-foot location will be a full range of tabletop, drinkware and serveware.

EVERGREEN, Colo.–Francis Fluegel, vice president of sales at tabletop company Sango for the past nine years, passed away last Sunday, Sept. 25. He was 60 years old.

Fran, as he was known to most, died unexpectedly of a heart attack in his sleep at his home in Colorado, said Lance Wade, president of Sango and a close friend of Fluegel’s. He said he hired Fluegel over the phone but the two became fast friends the minute they met. “To know him was to love him, to work with him a pleasure,” Wade said. “He was a great guy. Everyone who knew him loved him.”

ATLANTA–A number of events are planned for the upcoming Atlanta Apparel Market, the Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market and Atlanta Gourmet Market, which are being combined for the first time at AmericasMart Atlanta.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Beginning next month, the New York International Gift Fair will hold 100 Days of Design, an initiative that is intended to connect the show’s attendees with design resources.

The program, which will begin on Oct. 20, will feature a 100 Days of Design blog, which will present daily guest posts during the weekdays, and which will be written by NYIGF exhibitors and design authorities. The blog will encourage industry participation and will be promoted through Gift Fair marketing and social-media channels.

CHARLESTON, S.C.-Colonial Candle is introducing a boxed holiday gift set featuring an exclusive holiday CD with Christmas songs recorded by popular country music artists packaged with an 8-ounce Colonial Candle Holiday Sparkle fragranced candle.

Featured artists include Rascal Flatts, Jewel, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Steel Magnolia, The Band Perry, Eli Young Band, Edens Edge and Justin Moore.

The gift set retails for $25 and begins to ship next month.

DAYTON, N.J.–Tabletop company Artland has been named the exclusive United States distributor for Ritzenhoff of Germany, beginning with the New York Tabletop Show next month.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Beginning next month, The New York International Gift Fair will offer series of “market readiness” webinars to exhibitors participating in the winter 2012 edition of the New York International Gift Fair.

Produced jointly by NYIGF and Right Angle Strategies, a business strategy and coaching consultancy, the series includes four pre-show webinars, one post-show webinar, and free, 15-minute business consultations during NYIGF.

NEW YORK-Donald Trump will be at Macy’s Herald Square store here this evening to celebrate the launch of the Trump Home crystal collection by Rogaska.

Rogaska’s collection incorporates the style and luxury of the Trump lifestyle in a line of vases, bowls and stemware and other items.
 
Customers will have the chance to meet Trump and receive his autograph with any purchase from the Trump Home crystal collection. The event begins at 5:30 on the eighth floor.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The New York International Gift Fair has successfully concluded its month-long “Like for Life” Facebook campaign, according to show owner and operator GLM. The campaign benefitted Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home décor industries’ sole charitable organization.

GREENSBORO, N.C.–Replacements Ltd. has completed its 200,000-square-foot addition and has begun moving its tabletop and other inventory into its new space.

The addition includes a 150,000-square-foot bulk storage area, along with a new high efficiency area.  More than 8,500 shelves will store the retailer’s 900 top-selling patterns, which account for about half of its china orders, a spokesperson said.  “Having these patterns in one area will allow us to get to our best sellers faster than ever before, thus creating higher efficiency,” she said.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.–Kim McGuire is the new vice president of sales and marketing for tabletop company Michael Wainwright.

McGuire most recently was director of international and domestic sales at Jay Strongwater. She succeeds Pamela Burke, who joined Prouna as vice president of sales and marketing last month.

ATLANTA–JoAnn Miller-Marshall has been named executive vice president of AMC Tradeshows in an advancement bringing all AmericasMart home, gift and apparel and LIGHTFAIR International sales under her direction, according to Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., president and chief operating officer of AmericasMart Atlanta and its AMC, Inc., parent entity.

NEW YORK—Homes will be smaller and furniture will have multiple purposes in the year 2020, according to a report issued by the International Furnishings and Design Association.

Titled “20/20: IFDA’s Vision for the Future,” the report is the result of a survey of nearly 2,000 IFDA members across the nation and abroad. Among the predictions for 2020 are:

•Americans will be living in smaller spaces and fewer rooms.
 
•Modular, moveable and smaller-scaled furniture will take the place of built-ins and larger pieces.

By Allison Zisko

The hand of the artisan was evident everywhere you looked at last month’s New York International Gift Fair.

Some of the most compelling tabletop introductions at the Fair were handcrafted either at home or abroad by artists interested in tweaking conventional designs, playing with the juxtaposition of materials or making a statement about throw-away society. The business goal, according to vendors, was to offer retailers a way to differentiate themselves with goods they believe American consumers now better appreciate and understand.

By Allison Zisko

Sheer will and determination have earned tabletop newcomer Darbie Angell a high-profile spot at retail, a situation many big-time brands would covet.

Angell is the founder and president of Cru Dinnerware, a three-year-old company based in Georgetown, Texas, whose upscale-yet-affordable products are sold at Macy’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Dillard’s, among others. Just a few years ago, however, she was a lawyer daydreaming about a design career.

Luxury French crystal maker Saint-Louis is tapping the popularity of beer varietals with a new line of beer glasses inspired by the cristallerie’s beer services that were popular 200 years ago.

Les Confidents (The Confidents), the second introduction in the company’s Chaud/Froid line, is a collection of six beer glass patterns developed in partnership with the International Glass Art Centre of Meisenthal, which supports and promotes glass artists. 

SOUTH DEERFIELD, Mass.–Yankee Candle is in the process of opening its first company-owned stores.

The company has slated five stores in the Toronto area that are to open before Sept. 16—the first three of which, in Pickering, St. Catharine’s and Hamilton, Ontario, have already opened. The other two, in Barre and Kitchener, Ontario, will open in the coming weeks. Measuring from 915 to 1,430 square feet, the stores will carry candles, home fragrances, candle accessories and gift sets.

FRANKFURT, Germany — Messe Frankfurt’s Tendence opened  here earlier today, showing attendees worldwide trends and products in home and gifts.

“We’re very optimistic about the show,” said Nicolette Naumann, vice president of Tendence. Show organizers expect  approximately 75,000 attendees , about the same number as last year.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Increases in both attendance and exhibitors made last week’s New York International Gift Fair the largest since summer 2008, according to GLM, the show’s owner and manager.

Attendance rose 5 percent over the numbers who visited the 2010 summer Gift Fair, to almost 35,000. More than 2,800 companies exhibited at NYIGF, up 110 over this year’s winter Gift Fair. The show ran from Aug. 13-18 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and at Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94 in New York City.

NEW YORK–The fall edition of the New York tabletop market is shaping up to be “jam-packed,” according to permanent showroom building Forty One Madison. Several leading prestigious luxury brands are adding their name to the Forty One Madison community of resources and readying showrooms for the Oct. 25- 28th show. Forty One Madison also will play host to a Wednesday morning breakfast seminar headlined by a Target marketing alumna.

ASHEVILLE, N.C.–Biltmore’s licensing division has been chosen by the Society of Product Licensors Committed to Excellence (SPLiCE) to host the 2011 Licensors Workshop. The event will be held at the Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville Sept. 10-14.

The SPLiCE Licensors Workshop provides members with a unique venue that affords an opportunity to speak with other licensors across industry lines. During the workshop, SPLiCE members will learn about the best practices in brand protection and how to leverage innovation through licensing.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.–Robert Richman, product manager of Zappos Insights, will be the keynote speaker at the Gift and Home Trade Association’s conference that will be held in Nov. in Las Vegas.

Zappos Insights is an arm of the online retailer Zappos that is dedicated to helping businesses develop their business cultures.

NEW YORK-Four companies exhibiting in Accent on Design at the New York International Gift Fair this week were presented with awards to recognize excellence, innovation and creativity in product design.

“Across product categories, these Accent on Design participants have incorporated superlative design qualities which stand above an already impressive collection,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and senior vice president at GLM, which owns and operates the show. “These products combine form and function with exemplary design.”

LOS ANGELES–The recently completed California Gift Show celebrated its unique California position in style, reporting a significant increase in traffic over last year’s show and an overall strong performance, according to show owner and organizer MMPI.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Two industry veterans – Thompson Lange of Homescapes Carmel and David Gooding of Juliska – have joined the seven-member advisory board of the New York International Gift Fair. 

Comprised of both attendees and exhibitors, the board meets semi-annually with show management to offer strategic feedback related to the gift and home market in general and about the NYIGF in particular. The next scheduled board meeting will take place this Wednesday, Aug. 17, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where the Fair is currently taking place.

NEW YORK–The New York International Gift Fair begins tomorrow at Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94 and on Sunday at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

More than 2,800 companies will exhibit a wide array of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. According to show owner and organizer GLM, approximately 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 85 countries worldwide are expected.

SEATTLE-A special wine and cheese tasting event to benefit Gift for Life will be held on Monday, Aug. 15, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Market Center during the Summer Gift and Home Accessories Show that began here yesterday.

CHICAGO—Mark Furlet has been appointed vice president of MMPI’s Gift & Home division.

Furlet succeeds Joan Ulrich, who is leaving MMPI after 14 years. In a separate statement, Ulrich did not announce her future plans, saying only that “it is time to make a change and let the talented team with which I have been working for years, expand their own roles.”

LAS VEGAS–The foodie scene hits World Market Center Las Vegas just in time for Summer 2011 Las Vegas Market, which opened yesterday.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Montreal-based String Theory and Haptic Lab of Brooklyn, N.Y., have been designated the winners of the Carol Sedestrom Ross “Maker-to-Market” scholarships, awarded by the New York International Gift Fair.

By Sharyn Bernard

Burnes of Boston unveiled its line of home decor products at the Gift & Home Furnishings Market in Atlanta last month. The line, called Burnes Interiors, includes frames, mirrors, candleholders and other items designed by several prominent interior designers—Candice Olson, Vern Yip, Paige Hemmis, Kenneth Brown and Genevieve Gorder.

By Sharyn Bernard

The mood was decisively upbeat at the recent Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market here as vendors reported increased traffic, more and higher orders and an overall positive and optimistic mood among buyers at the show.

TOLEDO, Ohio—Lower expenses fueled second-quarter net income for Libbey to a 61 percent increase, to $15.4 million.

 The bottom line for the quarter, which ended on June 30, received boosts from the company’s sale of Traex, the food-service products vendor, to Vollrath Co. In addition, selling, general and administrative expenses dropped 38 basis points as a percentage of sales to 11.8 percent, although they increased 2 percent in dollar terms. Libbey also posted a provision for income taxes that was 54.5 percent less than in last year’s second quarter.

ATLANTA–AmericasMart said a large and growing national and international buyer base, new and newly expanded product collections and consistent order writing marked the July 2011 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, which closed its eight-day run July 20.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The Accent on Design section of the New York International Gift Fair has sold out its space for the August show, according to GLM, the show’s owner and manager.

The section will feature the work of 200 contemporary design resources, nearly 25 of which will be showing in the section for the first time, GLM said in a statement. Two design collectives, JOIN Design Seattle and the American Design Club, will be positioned near the entrance to Accent on Design.

ATLANTA-With The Visual Display Award, AmericasMart celebrated visual excellence in both permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits at The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, which ends tomorrow.

NEW YORK–The International Furnishings & Design Association and the New York International Gift Fair will offer a seminar on color theory and its practical applications at the upcoming Gift Fair.

ATLANTA–Gourmet housewares and design-driven home furnishings take centerstage at AmericasMart as the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market begins today. The International Rug Market opens tomorrow.

The show features more than 250 permanent gourmet product lines, plus a floor of gourmet Market Temporaries. Cooking demonstrations will include appearances by chefs such as Cat Cora and Linton Hopkins.

Target’s tabletop department is a mix of open stock and boxed sets, private label and branded goods, and seasonal and year-round merchandise.

The tabletop department is located directly opposite the store’s newly expanded grocery section. In this particular venue, grocery has not encroached on the tabletop category or other hard goods areas as it reportedly has in some locations.

Yankee Candle is introducing a new candle format at the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market this month that is designed to function as home décor in addition to home fragrance.

The Perfect Pillar is dressed in a smooth glass cylinder with a removable label and fits in standard pillar holders. The shape will be available in a variety of Yankee Candle fragrances and retails for $19.99.

CANNON FALLS, Minn.–Midwest-CBK announced today that president Frederic Contino is departing the company and Troy Propes, president of parent group MVP Group International will assume leadership of the company.

Propes led the MVP Group International purchase of Midwest-CBK in May. Headquartered in Charleston, S.C., MVP Group International has offices around the world.

ATLANTA–The Gift & Home Trade Association will host a cocktail and networking reception on Friday, July 15, during the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. Held from 5 to 7 p.m., the event will be located in suite #1434 in Building 2, and participants will have a chance to win a special mystery gift from the GHTA.

The event is sponsored by the GHTA, AmericasMart Atlanta, One Coast, Brandwise, Transpac Imports and Tecsys.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The New York International Gift Fair has launched a new Wayfinder application for mobile devices, designed to help show attendees and exhibitors.

ATLANTA–Williamsburg will introduce a range of home furnishings and gifts at The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market here next week that blends trend and tradition, the company said. Some of Williamsburg’s vendor partners exhibiting product here include Creative Co-Op, Department 56, Jim Shore, Andrea by Sadek, Michaelian Home and Winward.

LOS ANGELES–A strong line-up of unique, on-trend products and collections will debut at the California Gift Show later this month, according to show owner and organizer MMPI. There will be an emphasis on the region’s emerging product designers, artists and craftsmen.

CHICAGO–The Chicago Market: Living and Giving has formed an alliance with the Gift & Home Trade Association (GHTA) to offer a Shop Local event on Aug. 1 from 4:45-7:30 p.m.

STOKE-ON-TRENT, England–The Denby Pottery Company, parent of Denby USA, is partnering with an English preservation group to rehabilitate one of its Burleigh Pottery factories here.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The New York International Gift Fair is now accepting online registration for the summer show, which is scheduled for Aug. 13-18.

NEW YORK–Furniture designer Thomas Fuchs has created a new tabletop collection that will debut at four Barneys New York locations in the fall.

TOLEDO–Libbey has appointed Stephanie A. Streeter CEO. Streeter, a former public company CEO and a former member of the United States Olympic Committee, succeeds John Meier, who is retiring after 41 years with Libbey.

Streeter will be elected to the Libbey Board of Directors effective August 1.

CHICAGO–The Beckman’s Handcrafted Show returns to Chicago’s Merchandise Mart for The Chicago Market July 30-Aug. 2.

Designed as a “show within a show,” the Beckman’s Handcrafted Show for the past 30 years has highlighted the best in original work to specialty retailers looking to differentiate themselves from their competition, all within the framework of The Chicago Market. Beckman’s offers fresh and functional pieces from contemporary apparel to jewelry to classic home accents.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-SustainAbility: design for a better world, a special exhibit and educational series designed to inform, promote and recognize “green” activities and initiatives, returns to the New York International Gift Fair in August.

Now in its fourth year, NYIGF’s SustainAbility program incorporates a juried exhibit of sustainable gift, home and lifestyle products, the Eco Choice Awards recognizing “green” product innovation, and a two-part seminar series addressing sustainability and fair trade business practices.

DALLAS–Dallas Market Center has announced the opening of its newest resource, Dallas Design Supply, a 20,000-square-foot resource for seasonal décor, floral containers and supplies, candles, ribbon, party supplies and permanent botanicals.

“We have added even more resources with the arrival of Dallas Design Supply, which offers merchandise from many of our exhibitors in an off-the-shelf buying environment,” said Cindy Morris, COO, Dallas Market Center.

LOS ANGELES–Gift industry veteran Randy Newcomb, co-owner of the independent rep firm The Newcombs, passed away on June 1 at his home in Southern California.

Newcomb and Aileen Haugh, his wife and business partner, opened their L.A. Mart showroom in 1975 and built the third-generation rep firm’s family legacy over the course of more than 30 years. Newcomb was also a founding member of several gift industry organizations, including PRO, The Source and GHTA, among others.

NEW YORK–HFN is preparing its coverage of the New York International Gift Fair in August.

SOMERSET, N.J.–Tabletop maker Denby has named Mark Brelsford to the newly created position of vice president of sales. He reports to Lynne Okulski, president and CEO.

Previously, Brelsford served as vice president sales – east region for Groupe SEB USA. During his career, Brelsford also worked for glasssmakers St. Georges Crystal and Arc International.

HEREND, Hungary–In celebration of the 160th anniversary of its Queen Victoria dinnerware pattern, tabletop maker Herend recently created a new version of the design and presented it to Prince William and Princess Catherine. The pattern will also be available at retail and on display at the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market next month.

BREWSTER, N.Y.–Tabletop company Casafina has launched a new website, casafinagifts.com.

New features include the Casafina store of the month, which highlights one of the company’s “premier” dealers; table inspirations, showcasing different pattern and color combinations; and a bridal assistant, offering registry tips for the bride. New tools include a printable wish list creator, product availability forms, a find-a-store locator and a link to the 2011 Casafina catalog.

NEW YORK–To honor 50 years of creativity by its roster of celebrated designers, artists and architects, Rosenthal’s Studio-Line brand is presenting a 50-vase limited edition collection in 2011, currently on display at Bloomingdale’s flagship store here.

With the backing of the Philippine government, the twice yearly Manila F.A.M.E. show is promising a bigger and better exhibition marked by a unified vendor base.

The furniture and fashion accessories categories will rejoin the housewares, gift and home decor contingent to showcase the best of Philippine design Oct. 16-19 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, and then again next March.

GIFTWARE: Michael Wainwright

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The Tabletop division of the New York International Gift Fair has been refined and reorganized for this summer’s edition of the show at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, said show owner and manager GLM. Enhancements for the division include a purer concentration of specialty tabletop resources, a new layout of the exhibit hall and an influx of new and returning suppliers to the marketplace.

GARDEN CITY, N.Y.—Mikasa has launched a branding video entitled “Making Life Memorable” targeted to brides and grooms registering for tabletop items. The video will be used for bridal and training events, online selling sites and web-based outreach including distribution on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.–More than 75 percent of home entertainers prefer the more laid back approach and spacious feeling they get from entertaining in the great outdoors, according to the NPD Group report “Outdoor Entertaining Trends 2010: Consumers Bring the Indoors Out.”

NEW YORK–Patsy Pollack has been promoted to senior executive vice president of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, responsible for all of the company’s merchandising initiatives.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.–The Gift & Home Trade Association will hold its next “First Friday” webinar on June 3 at noon.

The topic will be “Collaborate for Sales: Selling to Consumer Series.” It will feature Gail Markert, founder of Markert Group Consulting, which works on products and processes for gift and home retailers and manufacturers; and Benno Duenkelsbuehler, president of (re)ALIGN, a consulting firm on marketing for retailers and wholesalers.

LAS VEGAS–World Market Center Las Vegas announced a new partnership with sales and marketing company OneCoast, who will begin exhibiting at Summer 2011 Gift+Home at Las Vegas Market.

The Atlanta-based company is one of the largest wholesale providers of gift, home, fashion accessories and collegiate products to retailers throughout the United States. Its new showroom, covering more than 11,000 square feet, will be on the 8th floor of World Market Center Las Vegas’ Building C. This space will be the company’s sole west coast flagship showroom.

WEST HARTFORD, Conn.–Aid to Artisans, an international non-profit organization, has appointed Alfredo Espinosa as president. Beginning his position today, he succeeds David O’Connor, who was president from 2005 to 2010.

NEW YORK–Bespoke Global, an online marketplace for internationally sourced, bespoke (customized) home furnishings, has opened for business.

NEW YORK–Marking its 25th anniversary, Surtex has opened alongside its usual companion shows, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) and the National Stationery Show.

This year’s Surtex has about 300 exhibitors that are presenting the artwork of some 1,000 designers and artists. Some 70 percent of the artists and designers in the show are from the United States, a turnaround from the early years of the show, in which the majority of the artists and designers were from Europe.

NEW YORK–Espacio Sami Hayek, a luxury collection for the home that is a partnership between environmental designer Sami Hayek and Springs Global U.S. is launching at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, which opens tomorrow.

Select items were on view last night at a launch party at the Cooper Square Hotel.

DERBY, England-The royal wedding has been a major boon for high-end tabletop maker Royal Crown Derby, which has nearly sold-out its limited edition commemorative pieces.

By Allison Zisko

Does the tabletop industry need another whiteware player?

It does, according to Steve Baram, if the company is Maxwell & Williams. Baram, the chief executive officer of Fitz and Floyd, said he has been “chasing” the Australian brand for the past five or six years and is so confident in its potential in the United States that he brought 500 SKUs to the Tabletop Show in New York last month.

By Allison Zisko

The planned acquisition of candle and gift company Midwest-CBK later this month promises good things for the company from a brand and marketing standpoint, according to the president of Midwest-CBK.

Burnes of Boston is introducing an assortment of home decor from some of the country’s most talented and best-known interior designers.

The new line, known as Burnes Interiors, includes photo frames, mirrors, candleholders and other decorative accessories created by a “dream team” of celebrity interior designers known for their many television shows and appearances:  Candice Olson, Vern Yip, Paige Hemmis, Kenneth Brown and Genevieve Gorder.

MOSS BEACH, Calif.–Linda Kinkler has been appointed to the newly created position of vice president sales at Red Pomegranate. Red Pomegranate, a division of II Sisters, based in Moss Beach, Calif., specializes in gilded glass tableware manufactured in Turkey.

SANTA FE, N.M.–Nambé has been recognized for design excellence by winning the 2011 ADEX Gold Award for its recently introduced Scoop Server, a metal alloy two-tiered serving piece designed by Wei Young.

ADEX, which stands for Awards for Design Excellence, is sponsored by Design Journal, the international trade publication for interior designers, architects and facility managers, and recognizes excellence in product design of furniture, fixtures and finishes marketed to the design trade.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The New York International Gift Fair will offer five days of programs which will include educational seminars for both buyers and exhibitors.

NEW YORK-Noritake continues to create more casual, lifestyle-oriented dinnerware, introducing a suite of white, tone-on-tone designs during the recent tabletop market. Nikko, like Noritake a Japanese-based manufacturer, also introduced more casual bone china patterns with a light decorative hand. Herend extended a popular pattern with a complementary design that picks up original pattern details in its border.

NEW YORK–Visitors at Tabletop Week at 7 W New York earlier this month enjoyed a grand opening garden party; a tabletop display with Printsource prints as inspiration, and outdoor furniture as a backdrop; in-suite events & product launches; and a presentation from stylist, designer and trend expert Callie Jenschke on tricks and tips for easy at-home entertaining, along with spring trends.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show is accepting entries for the 31st annual Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design.

TORONTO-Les Mandelbaum and Paul Rowan, the two founders of Umbra, have been inducted into Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends.

The two men founded the company, a resource for casual home furnishings, more than 30 years ago. A statement from the Marketing Hall of Legends cited Mandelbaum and Rowan as “great entrepreneurs who have created enduring, valuable and iconic Canadian brands.”

The two executives were inducted into the hall at a ceremony here on April 14.

HONG KONG–The Hong Kong Houseware Fair and the Hong Kong International Home Textiles Fair opened earlier today, and will both continue through April 23.

Both shows are taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. One key focus at both fairs is environmentally friendly products. The Houseware Fair includes a new Green Living Zone, which is showcasing “green” housewares products for homes and buildings, while eco-friendly products made of biodegradable materials or with green manufacturing techniques will be spotlighted at the Home Textiles Fair.

NEW YORK–Yamazaki Tableware has appointed Raymond I. Basanta president, effective June 1. He succeeds Kazuhiro (Kasey) Yawata, who has served as Yamazaki president since its offices opened in 1981.

Basanta has worked for Yamazaki since 1994 as vice president for marketing and product development. A well-known figure in the international tabletop industry for more than 40 years, Basanta previously worked in sales, product management and marketing for Towle, Gorham, and Nachtmann USA.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The addition of the Gourmet Housewares Show will be a key feature of Phase Two of the reorganization of the New York International Gift Fair.

NEW YORK-This fall Steuben Glass will introduce a bath collection in collaboration with Waterworks, emphasizing the glass company’s commitment to maintaining its heritage while exploring new designs and lifestyle-oriented collections.

“We are thrilled to launch our new line in partnership with Waterworks, which has given us the opportunity to enter into the area of bath accessories. Waterworks is a luxurious American bath brand, both high in quality and style. Together we will bring a new element of design to the bathroom,” said Mark Samitt, president of Steuben.

NEW YORK-Tabletop remains alluring to designers, brand names and others, evidenced by the number of licensed programs unveiled at the New York market that began yesterday.

Bruce Oldfield, the couturier rumored to have possibly designed Catherine Middleton’s wedding gown, has created a collection for Royal Crown Derby called Ruche, which draws its inspiration from fabrics. The bone china pattern, featuring rippling detail accented in 22-karat gold, marks a departure into more transitional designs for the traditional company.

NEW YORK–Circle Glass will unveil a licensed Pepsi collection during the Tabletop Show this week.

The line will include glasses, pitchers and other drinkware, as well as storage canisters, ice buckets, coasters and serving trays, featuring Pepsi’s heritage logos and graphics. Circle Glass will also feature a collection of acrylic and melamine products in the Pepsi line that follow the current product trends in the market.

The collection will be shown in Circle’s Forty One Madison Avenue showroom.

NEW YORK–Hearst Magazines and HGTV are partnering to test a new magazine this fall, called HGTV Magazine. Sara Peterson, the former editor of Coastal Living, is the editor-in-chief of the new publication, which will cover the themes covered on the home and gardening cable channel, as well as go beyond what is featured on the network.

NEW YORK–Su Hilty, vice president of marketing for 7 W New York, will retire in June.

Hilty joined the showroom building in 2004, after serving as vice president of marketing for the 225 Fifth Ave. showroom building. A statement from MMPI, 7 W New York’s owner, credited her with for playing a crucial role in establishing the building as a showroom location for vendors in the gift, home-furnishings, tabletop and textiles industries.

NEW YORK-Sears Holdings has reached an agreement with Sandra Lee, the television star and author, for an exclusive collection of home products to be offered in Sears and Kmart stores under the brand Sandra by Sandra Lee.

CHARLESTON, S.C.–Candle and home fragrance maker MVP Group International has agreed to acquire Midwest-CBK, a leading supplier of gifts, candles and home décor, from Blyth, Inc. for an undisclosed sum. The closing is expected before May 31, 2011.

The sale enables Greenwich, Conn.-based Blyth to focus on its direct-to-consumer channels with its brands, which include PartyLite, Two Sisters Gourmet, Sterno and Exposures, among others, the company said.

By Allison Zisko

Ralph Lauren is on a roll.

As the spring show season begins, Ralph Lauren Home executives are confident they now have all the components needed for an integrated lifestyle presentation, with two distinct brands that do not overlap in price point or design yet share a common viewpoint.

Since assuming the Ralph Lauren tabletop license in 2009, Fitz & Floyd has worked to ensure that every piece that sits on the table is brand-right.

“The business has grown and changed significantly in that period of time,” said Steven Baram, president and chief executive officer of Fitz & Floyd, and as a result has penetrated more doors in department and specialty stores across the country. “Primarily we have updated and changed the way the product looks in many ways,” Baram said.

CHICAGO–Jamie Gragg has been appointed director of market suite sales for the Chicago Market at MMPI.

Gragg is responsible for leasing temporary booths at the market, and reports directly to Sara Dahlstrom, managing director of market suite sales.

Gragg joined MMPI in 2007 as leasing director of permanent showrooms in High Point. During her tenure, she has overseen daily leasing activity at other MMPI properties including Historic Market Square, Market Square Textile Tower, Hamilton Market, Furniture Plaza, Plaza Suites and the National Furniture Mart.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic–Luxury crystal purveyor Artel is assisting disaster victims in Japan through the sales of Sakura, part of its 2011 spring collection.

The company will donate 10 percent from the sale of all Sakura items between now and June 30th to the Japanese Red Cross.

In Japan, the Sakura, or cherry blossom, flower represents spring, symbolizes good fortune, and is the emblem of love and affection, according to a statement from Artel. “It is with these associations in mind [that we] proudly present the Sakura collection to celebrate Spring 2011.”

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, England–British flatware maker Studio William has won honorable mention in this year’s Red Dot design awards for its pattern, Mulberry.

The Red Dot design award is bestowed by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany, honoring outstanding product design. Winners are featured in the Red Dot Design Museum.

NEW YORK-Gilt Groupe, an online shopping destination, has acquired home decor site Decorati, expanding its footprint in home to include offerings for designers and trade-only manufacturers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Decorati is a destination site for upscale interior design products and services as well as a community for the display of designer portfolios. For consumers, Decorati offers an inspirational library of product images, along with the ability to connect with design professionals and research products from over 650 trade-only manufacturers.

NEW YORK-Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home decor industries’ leading charitable organization, has named a new chairperson and vice chair to the board, which has also added four industry veterans.

Previously vice chair, Leslie Nathan-Street is now chairperson. With more than 20 years in the gift and home business, Nathan-Street was most recently president of the Gift and Home Channel and prior to that served as senior vice president at George Little Management.

DALLAS–Up-and-coming gift and home designers have until Monday, March 28, to enter Dallas Market Center’s The Next Big Thing contest, a national product search. Three finalists will be announced on April 12, and will receive airfare and hotel to the upcoming FINDS Dallas Temp Show (June 23-26) held during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market. In complimentary exhibit spaces at the show, the finalists will have the opportunity to showcase their products in front of more than 50,000 retail buyers.

ROUND ROCK, Texas-Burnes of Boston is introducing a new level of design to the marketplace with an assortment of home decor from some of the country’s most talented and best-known interior designers.
 
The new line, known as Burnes Interiors, includes photo frames, mirrors, candleholders, and other decorative accessories created by a “dream team” of celebrity interior designers known for their many television shows and appearances:  Candice Olson, Vern Yip, Paige Hemmis, Kenneth Brown, and Genevieve Gorder.

NEW YORK–Another two showrooms have signed leases at Forty One Madison and will be open for business during The New York Tabletop Market, April 12-15. “Retail buyers are going to find more new and valuable resources when they get here,” said Laurie Burns, who also added that the Spring Market is shaping up to be a very promising show.

GARDEN CITY, N.Y.–A strong gain in net sales and what Jeff Siegel, chairman and chief executive officer, called “cost containment” helped push Lifetime Brands’ net income by 176 percent in the fourth quarter, to $13.9 million.

NEW YORK—Excell/Glenoit has just obtained the license for  Pflatzgraff for the categories of table linens, shower curtains and bath accessories, bedding, kitchen accessories, indoor and outdoor rugs and window treatments.

Concurrently, Mikasa has  teamed with Croscill Home for a line of products including placemats, table cloths, napkins and bedding and bath ensembles.

Both Mikasa and Pfaltzgraff are owned by Lifetime Brands.

Meyer Corporation, known for its cookware and kitchenware expertise, enters the tabletop category at the International Home + Housewares Show this month with an extensive launch of dinnerware by celebrity chefs Paula Deen and Rachael Ray.

“Introducing tabletop represents a natural progression for both brands, and we’re proud of the collaborative work we’ve accomplished with Paula and Rachael in creating dinnerware patterns that are fresh, distinctive and true to the spirit and persona of each celebrity,” said Suzanne Murphy, vice president of marketing.

By Allison Zisko

Pfaltzgraff will celebrate its 200th anniversary this year with a wide range of new products and promotions that reflect its rich history as well as its thorough understanding of the modern marketplace.

NEW YORK-Designer Chris Madden has relaunched her website to integrate the company’s Facebook initiative, which regularly shares multimedia, links to press items and Madden’s blog posts with the company’s current followers.
 

WEST GRANBY, Conn.–Joy Newton, a nationally published artist and creator of the Joy Newton line of nature-inspired gift items, has launched a porcelain collection with the Hall China Company, including a series of eight mugs.

The 16-ounce mugs feature Newton’s botanical illustrations of the Siberian iris, hydrangea, eggplant, pear, nest, poppy, asparagus and radish and will retail for $29.50 apiece.

ROSEVILLE, Calif.–The Western Home Furnishings Association and the National Home Furnishings Association has scheduled its speakers for the upcoming Home Furnishings Industry Conference.

NEW YORK–Belleek Pottery, based in Fermanagh, Ireland, will now manage its U.S. sales, marketing and distribution directly in an effort to capture “significant” export sales growth here, the company said. Belleek has been distributed to the U.S. market by Reed & Barton.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-The New York International Gift Fair is inviting designers, artists and manufacturers to apply for its design-focus divisions for the summer Gift Fair.

CHICAGO–Chef Emeril Lagasse has re-emerged on the housewares scene through three new licensing partnerships and products that will debut at the International Home + Housewares Show here next month.

Emeril will extend into cutlery with Sterling Home, grills with Viking Culinary Group and outdoor tabletop serveware and kitchen prep products with Zak Designs. New products will join existing lines with Group SEB cookware and electrics as well as barware from Gorham.

WOODRIDGE, Ill.–Trudeau Corporation has named Marty Armstrong to the newly created position of vice president, sales and trade marketing.  Armstrong, who reports to Philippe Trudeau, president, will continue to increase Trudeau’s in-store visibility and further establish the brand as the leading innovator of kitchen and table products, the company said.

NEW YORK–Michael Aram, Inc is moving its offices into permanent showroom building Forty One Madison Avenue in New York. The luxury tabletop company is scheduled for a mid March move-in date, anchoring the newly refurbished 8th floor.

FRANKFURT, Germany–The Ambiente fair here in Frankfurt winds down today, capping five days of fresh, design-led product introductions and a general feeling that business has noticeably improved since last year’s show. Manufacturers across all product categories presented new products in fashionable colorways, played with new and eye-catching finishes, and tweaked products to make them more intuitive, practical, easier to use, and better for the environment.
 

ATLANTA–AmericasMart Atlanta will premiere the Atlanta Apparel Market together with the Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market and Atlanta Gourmet Market this fall.
    
Collectively, these markets will produce one all-encompassing shopping environment for all retailers taking place Oct. 13-17, (Gift & Home Furnishings Market: Oct. 14-16). 

CARLSTADT, N.J. — Color authority Pantone has unveiled its Pantone Fashion Color Report Fall 2011, which includes the upcoming top 10 colors for women’s fashion. Released to coincide with this week’s Fashion Week in New York, the report is available for free download at pantone.com/fall2011, and includes designer sketches, quotes and head shots.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Attendance at last week’s New York International Gift Fair rose by more than 10 percent over the total at last year’s winter NYIGF, according to a statement from GLM, the show’s owner and manager.

Nearly 35,000 people attended the market, representing all 50 U.S. states and 86 countries, GLM said. Exhibitor numbers were also higher than at last winter’s show, with four show divisions—At Home, Handmade, Personal Accessories featuring Details and EX-TRACTS—all at full capacity.

TOLEDO, Ohio-An increase in business-to-business and foodservice sales helped lift glassmaker Libbey’s net income in the fourth quarter, which ended Dec. 31, 2010.

NEW YORK–­ABC News has launched a Made in America project and is looking for companies in the home furnishings industry to participate.

The project will see ABC purchase a home and outfit it entirely with goods made in America. ABC News said it started the project to highlight the idea that using goods made in this country could stimulate the economy and create jobs. Companies interested in participating should contact Ellen Gefen at ellen@thehome.com.

NEW YORK–French tabletop companies Daum and Haviland have relocated their offices and will share showroom space at Forty One Madison Avenue on the 10th floor here. The office is currently operational and processing orders, according to Daum executive Pam Crow.

The move follows the brands’ severed relationship with French crystal maker Lalique, which occurred late last year. Previously Daum and Haviland were housed in one space on Fifth Avenue with Lalique.

Daum and Haviland have also relocated to a new warehouse in N.J., Crow said.

NEW YORK–The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has honored seven exhibitors at the New York International Gift Fair with its “Top Picks” for 2011.

According to a joint statement from ASID and the Gift Fair, the winner for imaginative product presentation is Luna Bella. For innovative product design, The Groundwork Group was given the nod. Tritter Feefer Home Collection was cited for social responsibility, ecological sensitivity and universal design awareness.

NEW YORK-Tabletop manufacturers exhibiting at the New York International Gift Fair here this week enhanced and extended their existing collections - or unveiled new ones – by experimenting with new colorways and color combinations.

NEW YORK-Six companies exhibiting in Accent on Design at the New York International Gift Fair were presented with awards to recognize superior design creativity and innovative product design.
 
“These Accent on Design participants have emphasized functionality, without compromising aesthetics, across a broad spectrum of product categories,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “Their work stands out in a field of exemplary design.”
 

NEW YORK–The gift industry gathered Sunday for the 19th annual Party for Life, a charitable event that benefitted DIFFA, Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, while celebrating some of the leaders in the industry.

Consumers are focusing on their outdoor spaces with the same attention that they have been giving to their indoor rooms. Indeed, with many new decor products available specifically for the outdoors—or, in some cases, intended for either indoors or outdoors—the outdoor “room” has become just as important in terms of decor as the living room, bedroom and dining room.

NEW YORK—Today marks the opening of Gift & Home Textiles Market Week here.

The showroom building at 7 W New York will be open today. Among the amenities at 7 W New York are Shop 7 W First on Friday, taking place today; the daily Gift Week Showroom Spotlight and Holiday Shopping Stroll; the Pop-Up Shop 101: One-on-One, taking place each day from Jan. 31-Feb. 2; Twilight Shopping tomorrow; and Winter Wonderland on Jan. 31, in which attendees will be able to shop the showrooms until 8 p.m.

NEW YORK—CreatedinFrance and the Japan Pavilion will be among the international exhibitors at the New York International Gift Fair, which opens tomorrow.

Sponsored by Ateliers d’Art de France, CreatedinFrance will be dedicated to promoting the work of French craftsmen and companies. It will include both first-time and long-standing exhibitors displaying general gifts, tabletop products and textiles.

NEW YORK–Under a new agreement, Sorella Home will be represented by the Richard Cohen Collection on the East Coast and by Ruvo Reps Group in California, Arizona and Nevada. Sorella Home, the artisan-crafted tableware company founded by Terri Casner, encompasses Sorella Home Portfolio and the Ernest Hemingway Collection: Legendary Tablescapes.

DALLAS–Dallas Market Center and the Accessories Resource Team, the trade association representing the decorative accessory industry, announced the winners of the 22nd annual ARTS Awards during a gala event held Jan. 22 in The Grand Pavilion at the Trade Mart. Guests attended the ceremony that recognized ARTS Awards recipients in 28 different categories.

SANTA FE, N.M.–Under a new licensing deal, Rogaska will be responsible for the manufacture, distribution and expansion of Nambé Crystal.

Rogaska, which has always produced Nambé’s crystal, will continue to manufacture the current collections in its facility in Slovenia. The company will also handle sales and distribution, as well as shipping from its Connecticut warehouse.

MEDIA, Pa. ­—Derek Hubbard joins New View Gifts as director of national account sales. In his new post Hubbard will be responsible for National Account Sales and overseeing the development of new business. Hubbard’s most recent position was at Virginia Candle as director of national account sales.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Increased use of NYIGF.com, the website of the New York International Gift Fair, has driven increases in preregistration for the show, product searches and appointment settings, according to a statement from GLM, the show’s owner and manager.

DALLAS-The Dallas Total Home & Gift Market begins today with a number of ribbon-cutting ceremonies and events for exhibitors that have expanded or relocated showrooms.

NEW YORK–Q Squared Design, the two-year-old home goods company with a design team is in Italy and its own manufacturing facilities in China, has opened a 1,200-square-foot showroom on the 19th floor at Forty One Madison here. It will introduce its rainbow array of melamine tableware when the showroom opens for The New York Gift Show, Jan. 29-Feb. 3.

SAN FRANCISCO–Revenues for the Williams-Sonoma holiday season just ended rose 10.5 percent to $865 million over the same period in 2009.

The increase included a same-store sales gain of five percent, the retailer said in a statement. As a result, Williams-Sonoma said it now expects fourth-quarter revenues to total between $1.17 billion and $1.19 billion, and revenues for the fiscal year as a whole to reach from $3.48 billion to $3.5 billion. Last year, the company logged in fourth-quarter revenues of $1.09 billion and fiscal-year revenues of $3.1 billion.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–New and original artwork will be highlighted at The Licensing Gallery @ NYIGF, the New York International Gift Fair’s business-to-business forum for artists, designers, design studios, trend companies and licensing agents.

ATLANTA-The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market begins today as scheduled, and runs through Wednesday, Jan. 19. Although Atlanta is experiencing sub-freezing temperatures and icy road conditions, all four Mart buildings are open for business. All market showrooms will be open until 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday as scheduled; showrooms will also be open extended hours on Thursday and Sunday until 8 p.m.

LAS VEGAS- Two’s Company will open a new, expanded showroom location at the World Market Center here for the Las Vegas Market Jan. 24 - 28. The new showroom is located in building C, Suite 620.

"This new space allows Two's Company to showcase all of our expanding gift accessories and home decor for the Two's Company, Tozai Home, Cupcakes & Cartwheels and 2 Chic collections," said Tom Zimmerman, vice president sales and marketing.

NEW YORK—The New York Chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Association will present Color Forecast 2012 during the upcoming New York International Gift Fair.

NEW YORK—Kelli Turner, chief financial officer for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, will leave the company in the near future, according to the company.

An MSLO statement said Turner will “join a private company in the near future,” although it did not specify which company. MSLO has also begun a search for a new chief financial officer.

During the search, Allison Jacques, the company’s controller, will serve as MSLO’s principal financial and accounting officer.

ATLANTA—AmericasMart Building 1 marks its 50th anniversary with the premiere of 28 exhibitors and the introduction of 22 expanded showrooms, all set to open during the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishing Market and the Atlanta International Area Rug Market this month.

KENNEBUNK, Me.–Richard Kaplan, who enjoyed a long career in the silver and crystal businesses, passed away Dec. 29, 2010, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 81.

NEW YORK­–HFN is preparing its coverage of the International Home + Housewares Show in March.

Exhibitors at the show are invited to submit information and high-resolution images of products that they plan to highlight.

Manufacturers of small electrics, personal-care, cleaning and floor-care products should submit their information to David Gill at dgill@hfnmag.com.

CANNON FALLS, Minn.–Midwest-CBK is partnering with artist and author Suzy Toronto to introduce the first Suzy Toronto Holiday collection, which will debut during the January markets in Midwest-CBK showrooms.

TOLEDO, Ohio–2011 marks 25 years of success for Mark Feldstein & Associates (MFA), a product development company and importer of giftware, housewares and electronics.
 

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-NYC Restaurant Week will offer dining discounts at more than 200 of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants during the winter 2011 New York International Gift Fair, Jan. 29-Feb. 3, 2011.
 

SLEEPY HOLLOW, N.Y.–Tabletop executive Michael Jeansson has been named a partner and vice president of sales for NGL associates, a sales representative firm, effective Jan. 1, 2011.

Jeansson has been the president of Sagaform USA since 2005, and previously worked for Orrefors Kosta Boda for 20 years in a variety of management positions in the United States and Sweden.

NEW YORK—Adams-Hartford is doubling the size of its showspace at 7 W New York here, and is launching a line of home textiles.

The new space will be in room 527 of the showroom building; its previous space was in room C108. The textiles collection, which will be offered under the label of Diane Adams, the company’s founder and licensing agent, and for private label, will consist of bed ensembles with top-of-the-bed coverings, pillow shams and bedskirts; window treatments; and decorative pillows.

STAMFORD, Conn.–Exhibit and conference organizer dmg :: events has appointed Galen Poss to the newly created role of chief operating officer, reporting directly to Suresh Kavan, chairman and chief operating officer.

Poss will oversee the growth of the company’s five business units, one of which includes several trade shows, such as the New York International Gift Fair and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair.

CANNON FALLS, Minn.–Midwest-CBK has evolved its home decor collections, introducing a product mix intended to maximize
current decor sales for independent retailers looking for innovation, the company said.

CHICAGO—The January Chicago Market will spotlight several new tenants and expanded showrooms at the Merchandise Mart.

Newcomers include Casa Bella, a vendor of specialty gifts and home furnishings, in room 13-416; Craft Outlet, a supplier of country and primitive crafts, in room 13-342; Marci Lorts, who represents a number of accessories lines, in room 13-238; Vickerman Co., an importer and wholesaler of seasonal decorations, in room 13-342; and Young’s Inc., a vendor of gift and home products, in room 13-612.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Six exhibitors in the New York International Gift Fair’s Sustainability: design for a better world section have been designated as achieving the highest level of sustainability for their products, production processes and business practices.

NEW YORK – Twenty one individual Bodum products have won the 2011 iF Product Design Award, an annual international design competition held in Germany.

The winning products include kitchen electrics from the e-bodum collection, cutlery from the Bistro Ceramic Blade series as well as drinkware and kitchen storage accessories.

LAS VEGAS—Gift + Home at Las Vegas Market has scheduled a number of special events for the show, which takes place Jan. 24-28 at World Market Center Las Vegas.

An opening-night reception will take place Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. in the Grand Atrium of the market center. On Jan. 25 from 4 to 6 p.m., the Gift & Home Trade Association will hold a reception in room 786 of building C. The market center will also make available at buyers’ breakfast on all Gift + Home floors from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on each day of the market week.

CHICAGO—Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. has appointed Nancy Michael senior marketing and strategy director for the gift and home decor industry, effective Jan. 3, 2011. In her new role, Michael will be based in Chicago working directly with Trisha Schultz, marketing director, and the entire Chicago Market team, as well as coordinating and leveraging marketing activity across all three locations: Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.—Mass merchants and home improvement stores, known for their wide product assortments, are the channels of choice for consumers making home indoor or outdoor home decor purchases for the holiday season, according to a survey by The NPD Group.

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C.—Dur Staten has been appointed senior product manager for Manual Woodworkers & Weavers.

Staten has thus assumed responsibility for new product development in the company’s gift and home division and national-account product needs. Staten also oversees Manual Woodworkers’ catalog-marketing initiatives for “Manual Gift and Home,” “Inspirational Catalog” and “Izzy,” the company’s baby and child catalog. Staten reports to Molly Sherrill, part owner of Manual Woodworkers and senior vice president of marketing and product development.

ROSEMONT, Ill.—Barbara Turf, president and chief executive officer of Crate and Barrel, and Gerald Rubin, chairman, president and CEO of Helen of Troy, will be honored by the Housewares Charity Foundation during the International Home + Housewares Show next March.

By Allison Zisko

Steuben, reenergized and revitalized, is promoting the concept of casual, affordable luxury to attract new customers.

EDISON, N.J.–Scot Soodak has joined Circle Glass as vice president of sales.

Soodak succeeds National Sales Manager Nancy Cabrey, who left the company, and reports to Sidney Elmann, chief executive officer.

Soodak previously served as vice president of sales for tabletop company Home Essentials.

NEW YORK–Royal Crown Derby will launch a commemorative range to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. The collection will be available in early January 2011, in advance of the April wedding date.

NEW YORK–HFN is preparing its coverage of the shows in January — the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, the Atlanta International Area Rug Market, the Dallas International Lighting Market, the Gift & Home Textiles Market Week, the Las Vegas Market, and the New York International Gift Fair.

COMMERCE, Calif.–Gibson Overseas has appointed consumer goods executive Tina Perez vice president of marketing.

Perez, who reports to President Sal Gabbay, manages the companies brands and will identify opportunities for expansion and growth. “We’re pleased to have Tina joining us,” Gabbay said. “Her expertise in marketing to the female consumer will lead Gibson through this Internet era and to the next stage of our planned accomplishments.”

NEW YORK–A wide range of product categories, materials and design inspiration will be presented by newcomers to the winter 2011 edition of Accent on Design at the New York International Gift Fair, which takes place Jan. 30 - Feb. 3, 2011 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center here.

Accent on Design, one of 10 categorized divisions of NYIGF, is a juried collection of nearly 200 contemporary and innovative suppliers across all gift, home, and lifestyle categories.

TOLEDO, Ohio–The Plush Animated Animal Bank from Mark Feldstein & Associates was selected as a recipient of The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval for 2011.
 
The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval program is an independent testing procedure conducted to judge a variety of products introduced and marketed to the parent/child consumer market. 

CANNON FALLS, Minn.–Midwest-CBK has named Kelly Corcoran design trend manager, a newly created position.

Corcoran, who reports to Beth Lorentz, Midwest-CBK's vice president of product development, will partner with the company’s in-studio design team and product managers on product design innovation and collection concept development for holiday, gift, home decor and outdoor living lines.

NEW YORK–HFN is preparing its coverage of the shows in January — the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, the Atlanta International Area Rug Market, the Dallas International Lighting Market, the Gift & Home Textiles Market Week, the Las Vegas Market, and the New York International Gift Fair.

TORONTO–2 For Life Media Inc. has released its 101 Amazing Gifts iPad application on the App Store. This app by 2 for Couples is a “one-stop shop” that includes a regularly updated guide to home products, gadgets, kid stuff and more.

DAYTON, N.J.–Marguerite “Maggie” Riegel has been promoted to vice president of product and design at Artland.  This is a newly created position in which Riegel reports to William Flaherty, executive vice president.

“In her eight years at Artland, Ms. Riegel has been responsible for all product and design, which is the driving force in a company like Artland,” Flaherty said. Riegel is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and previously held design positions at Lenox and Boston Warehouse.

SAN FRANCISCO–Healthy gains in both revenues and gross margin helped Williams-Sonoma to a 398.6 percent increase in net income for the third quarter, to $36.5 million.

SAN FRANCISCO—W. Howard Lester, former chairman and chief executive officer of Williams-Sonoma and one of the signature figures in U.S. retailing for more than three decades, has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 75.

SANTA FE, N.M.–Nambé will open its first Arizona store at the boutique Tuscon shopping center, La Encantada, in mid November. The 1,500-square-foot shop, situated on the upper level of the two-story, outdoor shopping mall, will carry the brand’s complete product range.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Once again, SustainAbility: design for a better world will be part of the New York International Gift Fair’s winter edition.

GLM, owner and manager of the Gift Fair, said SustainAbility will be “a multifaceted program,” incorporating nearly 200 “green” gift, home and lifestyle products from 85 companies throughout the world in its juried exhibit. It will include the Eco Choice Awards recognizing eco-product innovation, and will offer an educational series that will address issues in sustainability and fair-trade practices.

SMALAND, Sweden–Swedish crystal manufacturer Orrefors has signed a license agreement with fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld for a collection that will launch next spring.

The initial collection, Orrefors by Karl Lagerfeld, will consist of classic Orrefors products such as stemware, votives and giftware that will range between $75 and $1,500.

“Orrefors is excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Karl Lagerfeld and interpret his fantastic ideas into crystal art products,” said Robin Goad, vice president of sales and marketing.

SANTA FE, N.M.–Nambé has purchased the Nambé and More store in Pojoaque, N.M.

Opened in 2001, the independent Nambé and More store had been offering Nambé collections, in conjunction with other brands. With the recent change in proprietorship, the store will shift to offer Nambé designs exclusively. Nambé will continue to operate the Nambé and More store in the same Pojoaque location, and the existing store personnel will maintain their current roles and positions.

NEW YORK–HFN has begun preparing its coverage of the shows in January—the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, the Atlanta International Area Rug Market, the Dallas International Lighting Market, the Gift & Home Textiles Market Week, the Las Vegas Market, and the New York International Gift Fair.

OMAHA, Neb.—Stewart Kasen and James A. Shea have been appointed to the board of directors of Gordmans Stores.

Kasen is the retired president and chief executive officer of S&K Famous Brands, a chain of menswear stores. He has also served as CEO of retailers Thalhimers, Emporium-Capwell, Best Products, Factory Card Outlet and Schwarzschilds. Shea recently retired as executive vice president of merchandising, marketing and supply chain of AutoZone, and was the co-founder of Internet retailer Portero. He was also CEO and a director of Party City.

By Allison Zisko

Carefully edited and considered collections debuted at the New York Tabletop Show here last month, reflecting vendors’ ongoing efforts to offer product that is saleable, price-conscious and practical, but also beautiful and inspirational.

The new licensing partnership between Nambé and Gibson grants Gibson entrée to the high-design and bridal markets and Nambé the opportunity to focus on its core category of expertise, metals.

Under the terms of a licensing agreement signed earlier this fall, Gibson will handle manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and sales for all Nambé dinnerware beginning in April, 2011. Existing patterns will continue to be shipped in the same Nambé packaging and under the Nambé brand.

NEW YORK—Jessica Kreider has been appointed marketing manager of the 7 W New York showroom building.

In this position, Kreider provides support for all of the building’s events and shows, and will assist in driving its comprehensive marketing initiatives. She reports to Su Hilty, vice president of marketing, and has succeeded Toni Toreno, who was recently promoted to director of trade-show sales.

By Warren Shoulberg

Mention the name Donna Karan and you think of the iconic little black dress, her Zen-via-Queens approach to design and life and maybe even her line of home textiles that echo her signature fashion looks.

Now you can add tabletop and giftware to that list.

This month, Lenox will introduce its line of Donna Karan branded dinnerware, giftware and related tabletop products, marking one of the most anticipated debuts in the business.

By Allison Zisko

Come spring, everything in tabletop will be coming up roses. Or hydrangeas. Or some other bright, blooming flower.

Florals—bold, brightly colored, and either stylized or sentimental—are one of the most prominent design statements being made by the industry, evidenced by the product introductions unveiled at the New York Fall Tabletop Show this month.

NEW YORK–The tabletop market held at 7 W New York earlier this month was an overall success, according to Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., who owns the permanent showroom building.

“Characterized by productive appointments, strong optimism and a diverse group of buyers, 7 W showrooms took advantage of synergistic opportunities outside their usual targets and reported excellent results from the market,” read a statement from MMPI.

DAYTON, N.J.–Gregg Gershon has joined tabletop company Artland as vice president of sales, a position that had been vacant for several years. Gershon, a former Hampton Forge executive, reports to Bill Flaherty, executive vice president.

“I am very excited about joining Artland and being able to help expand our business,” Gershon said. “We have an outstanding group of reps who will help us grow our business. Like every executive who is joining a new company I look forward to bringing new ideas and sparking new relationships for Artland.”

TORONTO–2 For Life Media Inc. has released its Ultimate Wedding Planner app for the iPad on Apple’s App Store. This wedding app by 2 for Couples combines the authority of a national wedding magazine, the immediacy of a wedding Web site and the interactivity of a digital planner, according to the company.

ELMSFORD, N.Y.–Gift manufacturer Two’s Company will team up with The Animal Welfare League of Westchester to host a charity warehouse sale Nov. 12-14. The AWL is located in White Plains, N.Y., and sponsors low cost or no cost medical services including a spay/neuter program using local veterinarians.

NEW YORK –Pleased with the results of last week’s Tabletop Show here, most vendors nonetheless talked about the need for more long-term planning and increased flexibility with their retail partners as a way to counteract the rising costs of doing business.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The winter edition of the New York International Gift Fair will feature expansions with new divisions and the continued refinement of existing categories, as part of the first phase of a three-year strategic reorganization of the show.

LANCASTER, Ohio—The Anchor Hocking Company, a leading manufacturer and marketer of retail and foodservice glassware, and Stölzle N.A., a marketer of premium crystalline stemware and barware, have expanded their distribution agreement. Effective Dec. 1, Anchor Hocking will begin marketing the entire collection of Stölzle glassware in North America from its distribution center here.

NEW YORK—Mikasa has just gone live with a new consumer oriented Web site that encourages people to send in photos of their beautifully set tables and share details, via Facebook and Twitter, about their latest entertaining efforts.

BRISTOL, Pa.–Lenox Corp. USA and China National Arts and Crafts Import and Export Corp. (CNART) have formed a partnership to bring Lenox fine bone-china dinnerware to the Chinese market.
 
CNART will officially open its corporate 300-square-foot showroom and coffee shop featuring Lenox products in Beijing this Sunday, Oct. 17. Owned by the Chinese people, CNART is a craftwork-focused agency that exports Chinese crafts to the rest of the world while importing global products into China.
 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—The Gift & Home Trade Association will hold its annual conference from Nov. 17-20 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in New Orleans.
 
Archie Manning, former National Football League quarterback, will deliver the keynote address on Nov. 19 at 2:30 p.m., giving his insights on
leadership, depending on others and flexibility. Other highlights from conference include:
 
--Heather Lutze, owner of Findability Group, who will speak on search-engine optimization, pay-per-click and social media at 11 a.m. on Nov. 19

GREENSBORO, N.C.–Replacements Ltd. plans to expand its main facility by 200,000 square feet, which almost doubles its current size of 225,000 square feet. The facility houses its corporate headquarters, retail store, museum and main warehouse.

Initially the expansion, which will be the most significant capital investment in Replacements’ history at an estimated $7 million, was scheduled to happen two years ago, but with the troubling economy the plans were put on hold.

NEW YORK–Permanent showroom building 7 W New York welcomes the Eco-Friendly Expo, a high-end business-to-business marketplace spotlighting eco-innovation and sustainable design, Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2011, during the New York Market’s Winter Gift Show Week (Jan. 28-Feb. 3, 2011). The Expo will serve as a platform for environmentally friendly companies, services and buyers.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va.–Williamsburg’s various licensees will debut products at the New York Tabletop Show and the High Point International Home Furnishings Market this week.

NEW YORK–Crystal maker Eisch USA invites New York Tabletop Show attendees to test the benefits of Eisch’s SensisPlus glasses with selected Austrian wines from boutique Austrian wineries.

CARTERET, N.J.-High-end home decor company Sixtrees Limited has appointed Elissa Zullo to the newly created post of vice president, merchandising.

Reporting to Steve Rosen, co-founder and chief executive officer, she will oversee merchandising and design. She has been with the company for seven years working in key account sales. Previously, Zullo was a retail chain store buyer.

MILL VALLEY, Calif.–Green Toys Inc. is launching a complete line of reusable tableware made in California from 100 percent recycled milk jugs.

“Our customers have been asking us to make kids tableware since we introduced our first toys made of food-grade, recycled plastic in 2008,” said Green Toys Inc. co-founder Robert von Goeben. “Green Eats is made from the same material, so each plate, cup and bowl saves energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.”

NEW YORK–Welcome Home Brands, a new company offering gifts, home decor, tabletop, accessories, kitchenware and bakeware, will preview its lines at the New York Tabletop Show Oct. 12-15, 2010.

Welcome Home Brands was founded by Sam Sheppard, a former executive at tabletop company Saparna Inc. and, prior to that, an executive at TJX; and Richard Aslanian, a former managing director at Goldman Sachs, where he invested in consumer companies globally. Welcome Home targets consumers who are focused on the home as an “emotional touchstone and a place to entertain.”

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.– Beginning this month, GLM will hold seminars for exhibitors at the New York International Gift Fair to prepare them for the winter Gift Fair in February.

NEW YORK–Lenox has entered into a licensing alliance with Donna Karan International to create the Donna Karan Lenox tabletop and giftware collection.

The Donna Karan Lenox collection, to preview at the New York tabletop show, Oct. 12-15, will include porcelain and stoneware dinnerware, serving pieces, crystal glassware, flatware and an extensive assortment of giftware crafted from glass, metal, ceramic and wood. The collection will launch in February 2011.

NEW YORK–Style expert Nancy Alusick will design vignettes for the 7 W lobby during the New York Tabletop Market.

Alusick’s vignettes will take a cue from display sponser Pantone and their top four trend palettes for the designs. Each vignette will feature products pulled from 7 W tabletop showrooms.

Show attendees at 7 W can enjoy complimentary orange juice or mimosas each day in the Antique Cafe. Also, complimentary buyers’ lunches are offered each day from noon to 2 p.m.

By Allison Zisko

Retail orders are in, plans are in place and hopes are up.

The fourth quarter is not a fait accompli—the goods still have to sell, of course—but the tabletop landscape has brightened and the industry is breathing a little easier. The year looks to end on a more positive note than the one on which it began.

CANNON FALLS, Minn.–Midwest-CBK has named industry veteran Molly Kinney to lead the company’s new home decor product development and design.

Kinney will lead Midwest-CBK’s home decor product design evolution plus manage all aspects of the company’s product development for home decor and garden.

LANCASTER, Ohio–The Anchor Hocking Company will soon launch its new online store, so consumers can peruse its line of glass drinkware, servingware, storage and bakeware, as well as items from the Anchor Home, Anchor Signature and Stölzle Stemware collections.

The store can be accessed through anchoronline.com or anchorhocking.com. 

COMMERCE, Calif.—Gibson USA announced executive hirings, all to fill new positions.

The company added in a press release that it is enjoying double-digit sales increases this year.

Dewey Kendall joins the company as product development business manager, national accounts. Kendall  has over 15 years of experience, including a stint with Hallmark Cards.

NEW YORK—The 7 W New York showroom building said a number of textiles vendors will have new or expanded showrooms for this month’s New York Home Fashions Market Week.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–More than 33,500 attendees were logged at last week’s New York International Gift Fair, according to a statement from GLM, the show’s owner and manager.

That marked an increase of 6.5 percent over the Gift Fair in summer 2009. Attendees came from all 50 states and 85 countries throughout the world, GLM said. In addition, 2,800 companies exhibited at NYIGF, the most since summer 2008. These included an estimated 400 exhibitors that were new to the show and 250 that returned after a hiatus.

NEW YORK–Barry Leonard has left Croscill, Ex-Cell Home Fashions/Glenoit and will become president and chief executive officer of Welspun USA.

Leonard will formally take his new post on Sept. 6, and will be responsible for the Indian textiles giant’s entire U.S. operations. He will report to Dipali Goenka, executive director of Welspun Global Brands, in these newly created positions.

NEW YORK–Laurie Burns, Forty One Madison’s senior vice president and director, said the turnout for the New York International Gift Fair was strong for the gift building.

Burns reported that the building’s vendors had meetings with retailers including Williams-Sonoma, Between the Sheets, L V Harkness, High Museum of Art, The Plaid Giraffe and Steelz, to name a few. In addition, there was an impressive representation from the United Kingdom, as well as from Central and South America, she said.

SEATTLE–Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home decor industries’ sole charitable organization, will be the beneficiary of the first annual Tabletop by Design, a celebration of all things tabletop and home entertaining organized by the Pacific Market Center.

The program was initiated by the Pacific Market Center as a special event complementing its Summer Gift and Home Accessories Show, which started on Aug. 18, running through Aug. 24.

ROSEMONT, Ill.–The International Housewares Association will add a new category called Discover Design at the next International Home + Housewares Show, which is scheduled for March 6-8, 2011.

NEW YORK—The New York International Gift Fair opens its doors tomorrow at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94 here. The Fair also includes The New York Home Textiles Show.

GLM, the show’s owner and manager, said the Gift Fair will feature an estimated 2,800 companies with 100,000 product lines from 46 countries throughout the world. GLM said it also expects some 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and 85 countries worldwide.

NEW YORK—Thirteen new and expanded showrooms at the 7 W New York showroom building will be open for Gift & Home Textiles Market Week, which begins tomorrow.

CHICAGO—The Chicago Market: Living and Giving presented 10 companies with best-in-show awards for the market completed last month.

For Best Exhibit Display, the category awards went to Rolf Glass as the Gourmet Winner; W.I.N.O.S. Inc. as the What a Girl Wants Winner; Amity Home as the Home Winner; Royal Green Enterprise as the Gift & Accessories Winner; and both Erin Smith Art and Printed Canvas as Beckman’s Handcrafted Winners.

For Best Showroom Display, awards went to Design Design, Daniel Richards, And!Sales and Saro Trading.

CRANBURY, N.J.—High-end tabletop company Mottahedeh has named Lyle Stevens to the new position of brand director for sales and marketing.

Stevens has more than 20 years of experience, including 15 as a showroom owner in Atlanta.

“We are immensely proud of what Mottahedeh stands for as a company and of what we have achieved in our 80 plus year history,” said Wendy Kvalheim, chief executive officer.”

NEW YORK–Forty One Madison has lined up a full schedule for both buyers and manufacturers during the New York Tabletop Show, scheduled for Oct. 12-15.

NEW YORK—The International Furnishings and Design Association’s New York chapter will conduct a session on color during the upcoming New York International Gift Fair.

Titled “The Influence of Color,” the program will explore the impact of color on buying trends in home furnishings. The panelists will be Stacy Garcia, designer and owner of Stacy Garcia Inc., and Patti Carpenter, an international merchandiser for the contemporary home-decor industry.

PARIS—A grouping of French manufacturers will exhibit at the New York International Gift Fair in the CreatedinFrance section.

Sponsored by Ateliers d’Art de France, the section is in keeping with the organization’s mission to promote the work of French craftspeople and companies abroad. CreatedinFrance will spotlight 29 manufacturers in both the General Gift and Accent on Design sections of NYIGF.

FRANKFURT, Germany–Messe Frankfurt has promoted Stephan Kurzawski, Iris Jeglitza-Moshage and Klaus Reinke from vice presidents to senior vice presidents.

In his new role, Kurzawski has assumed responsibility for the development of Messe Frankfurt’s consumer-goods trade fairs, especially Ambiente, and will have the trade-show managing company’s Head Office Sales Controlling department reporting to him. He in turn reports to Detlef Braun, member of the board of management.