Card publishers have done incredibly well in reaching the finals in the Giftware Association’s Gift Of The Year (GOTY) awards programme – including outside the Greetings and Stationery product category. Wrendale Designs is a finalist in the Fashion Accessory category with its scarves; Emma Lawrence Designs makes the finals in the Children’s Gift category with her Little Nature Explorers gifts, I Drew This is in the final four in Home for its giclee prints and Sara Miller is a finalist in two categories: Kitchen and Dining for her Portmeirion Chelsea Collection and Fashion Accessory for her silk accessories.
Emma Lawrence (of Emma Lawrence Designs) commented about making the final: “I am absolutely delighted to have made it to the final. It was a wonderful surprise. It means such a lot as the competition is so high and from huge companies who are already very established and sell internationally. I am new to the industry and just so pleased that my designs and products have been well received which gives me more confidence to continue. I am keen to develop the range further and am seeking licensing partnerships for some ideas.”
Sara Miller London made the final in two categories, but was also shortlisted in the Licensed Product category as well. Sara said: “We’re so excited to have a double nomination for Gift Of The Year! It’s wonderful to have such recognition for all our hard work and to have been selected in such diverse categories from such a talented industry.”
Ilona Drew, from I Drew This, who is showing at Scottish Trade Fair Spring (currently underway, 21-23 January in Glasgow’s SEC) said: “I couldn’t stop smiling the whole day I found out I was on the finalist list.”
I Drew This has added six new Scottish designs into the Landmarks range means art featuring The Kelpies, Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Stirling Castle, Queensferry Crossing, Urquart Castle & Calton Hill in Edinburgh join the six existing Scottish designs.
Meanwhile, greeting card and gift retailer, Beverley Green of Blue Rose Gifts and Balloons of Heywood has also reached the finals in the food and drink category with her chocolate sideline, Personalised Pieces of Pleasure.
In the Greetings and Stationery category of Gift of The Year awards the GOTY finalists are: Two Little Boys, Peace & Blessings, I Am A, and Go Stationery.
The winners of each category, as well as the overall winner will be announced at an event, which is to be held at the Vox after the show closes on Sunday 4 February, hosted by satirist impressionist Rory Bremner.
PG’s sister company, PG&H is one of the sponsors of the GOTY event.
The judges for the GOTY this year included Christopher Leonard Morgan (Stationery Matters), Mark Jones (Occasions Retail), Henri Davis (chairman of the Giftware Association), Nathanial Mobbs (National Gallery), Maggie Thornton (Alligator Pear), Heidi Schramli (Detail Retail), Graeme Miles Forbes (Arena Group), Mike Cook (Choice Marketing), Judith Harris (Dobbies), Sue Marks (PG&H), Zoe York (Squashed Tomato), Jenny Spivey (retail consultant) and Lindsey Adam (Bonkers Gifts).
