WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-The just-completed New York International Gift Fair reported 33,000 attendees, including retailers from all 50 states and from more than 90 countries, viewing the wares of more than 2,800 exhibitors.
Christian Falkenberg, the show’s director and GLM senior vice president, said, “The buyer demographics at this show told a story of economic upswing. Small retailers are demonstrating renewed optimism, and buyers are traveling greater distances specifically to shop at the New York market.”
The winter NYIGF was the first with location changes for three divisions—Baby & Child, New York’s Newest and Handmade Global Design—within the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. It also offered the Handmade in USA Project, a new joint initiative between the show and Craft Retailers’ Association for Tomorrow, which included the creation of qualifying criteria and at-market identification signage for products handmade in the United States.
The Gift Fair also featured a preview of the show’s reorganization and rebranding to NY Now, with the tagline “the Market for Home & Lifestyle.” This reorganization involves a new exhibit floor layout with the exhibitors positioned into four broad market collections: Home, Lifestyle, Handmade and New! The rebranding and reorganization will take effect fully at this summer’s show, scheduled for Aug. 17-21.