Reinvent Your Edit is the theme of the show which has 98 greeting card exhibitors
The date may have shifted a bit, but Top Drawer is readying for its usual welcome to buyers as it opens its doors this Sunday (February 20) for a three-day exhibition packed with trends, seminars and a host of greeting card publishers among the exhibitors at the Reinvent Your Edit-themed show.
Having moved from its usual mid-January slot due to the pandemic, Top Drawer S/S22 organiser Clarion Events is delighted to be back at London’s Kensington Olympia venue showcasing hundreds of new brands, exclusive launches and thousands of new designs.
The Greetings & Stationery sector features 98 exhibitors, including Cath Tate Cards whose new Nikki Pontin Collection will make its 2022 show debut, while Belly Button Designs’ offer includes its latest Wonderful World children’s range, and Poet And Painter will be adding a feast for the eyes with its Recipe Collection.
The roster also sees The Art File, Brainbox Candy, Cardology, Dandelion Stationery, Five Dollar Shake, Kali Stileman, Ohh Deer, Redback Cards, Rosie Made A Thing, and Stripey Cats Designs, among those set to show their wares over Sunday to Tuesday, 20-22 February, with visitors welcome from 9.30am-6pm, closing at 5pm on the last day. The full Greetings & Stationery exhibitor list is available here.
In collaboration with The Better Trends Company (TBTC), trends will be a key area of the show, where sectors cover Gift, Home, Fashion, Wellbeing, Greeting Cards & Stationery. “The trends area will give visitors the chance to be the first to see which themes will be the most popular in 2022,” points out show director Russell Rule.
TBTC’s focus is on forecasting planet positive trends that foster inclusivity and ethical behaviour for sustainably-focused opportunities, design innovation and strategies, with four major trends highlighted in the trends area:
- Positive Reinforcement is inspired by the need for fun, release, hope and joy. It’s a playful, positive trend that reflects analogue past times and 90s-influenced tactility. Patterns include marbling and florals, while colours are bright, to include lime, accented with cobalt and orange.
- Slow Rituals is an appreciation of mindful moments in the home, with anxiety-reducing rituals such as cooking, reading and resting featuring products that are timeless and long lasting. Everyday items are elevated to design statements with muted neutrals that are calming and meditative.
- New Heirlooms is a look back to the comforts of the past, driven by the desire for emotional connections and eco-focused values, recreating history, family lineage and much-loved items for the future. There’s a big focus on cosy knits and appliques, as well as ditsy wallpaper prints, with colours featuring warm peach, orange and sage.
- Earthen Artistry is driven by the desire to re-engage with nature, to rewild and give back, with natural materials, traditional crafts and woodland inspiration. Patterns include floral and leaf prints, wood-block prints, unstructured line drawings, embroidery and foraged materials, with textures and finishes that enhance natural imperfections. Colours include forest greens, browns and olives that are contrasted with clear blues and ambers.
Other highlights at Top Drawer include an impressive line-up of speakers and experts in the RetailFest programme offering an inspiring and innovative line-up of speakers, industry experts and influencers in lively panel discussions, insightful interviews and practical masterclasses, which takes place over all three days, with paper experts G.F Smith’s creative director Ben Wilkinson taking part in the Retail Expert – Ecommerce Packaging That Sells session on Monday at 3.30pm.
Other sessions include Google Digital Garage – Your Social Media Strategy; Trends In Retail – 3 Colour Trends For Your Retail Brand; Retail Expert Series – 5 Essential Retail Insights For Your 2022 Strategy; and Future Retail Focus – The Consciously Curated Store. The full programme is available here.
There’s also Launchpad, where visitors can find fresh, new, market-ready designs; UAL featuring emerging, creative graduate businesses; the Reveal Skills Studio, where visitors will be able to join workshops covering everything from visual merchandising and product photography to social media, PR and marketing; and Meet The Maker, showing how best-selling products across all sectors are made.
Visit www.topdrawer.co.uk
