Blog: The Best Invite I Got All Week


7 Wed, 11/23/2011 - 10:56am

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.

Blog: Trends from Tabletop


7 Fri, 10/28/2011 - 11:31am

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.

Tendence: Eight Centuries of Introductions


7 Wed, 10/05/2011 - 3:03pm

While talking to Nicolette Naumann, vice president of Messe Frankfurt, about her expectations for this year’s Tendence show—I was curious about how long Tendence has been in existence.

After a quick calculation in her head, she said, “772 years.”

Wow! As in, almost eight centuries? I expect European buildings and other architecture to be hundreds of years old; I never heard of a trade show that old. 

Blog: Royal Wedding Hoopla


7 Fri, 04/29/2011 - 10:04am

LONDON–Whether you’ve been up since daybreak with your eyes glued to a television or computer screen, or have adopted the ‘couldn’t-care-less’ approach toward royal weddings, there is no denying that Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s nuptials this morning sparked a tremendous amount of marketing activity.

Blogging From the Housewares Show


7 Mon, 03/07/2011 - 11:19am

CHICAGO—The Housewares Show continues into its second day today packed with numerous product introductions, busy exhibitor booths—and perhaps more importantly—an increasingly optimistic mood among both retailers and vendors.
 
A new Mario Batali-licensed line from Dansk was among the attention-getting unveilings at McCormick Place. The new line includes Mario Light, a collection of cast-iron cookware that is 50 percent less heavy than traditional cast-iron products.
 

Freshness and Energy at Ambiente


7 Tue, 02/15/2011 - 12:48pm

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.
 

Blog: The Beatles, Dichroic Coatings, and Made in America Products: All in a Day’s Work in Dallas


7 Fri, 01/21/2011 - 11:38am

DALLAS-The Dallas International Lighting Market enters its second day, with plenty of products and announcements along with it.