Offering a game-changing way of doing business, Curated Meetings at Autumn Fair – which takes place on September 5 and September 6 at NEC Birmingham – has announced its first round of confirmed brands selected to showcase products to pre-approved and budget-holding buyers from retailers including WH Smith, Paper Tiger, Brown Thomas, FY!, Harvey Norman Ireland, Lark London, Ragdale Hall Spa, and Nest, as well as international retailers including Manor Pharmacy from Switzerland and Lithuanian store group Kosmelita.

Curated Meetings facilitate pre-scheduled, one-to-one 15-minute meetings between qualified buyers and relevant suppliers based on a mutual interest to drive new business opportunities together. Hundreds of pre-scheduled meetings are due to take place across two days at the home, gift and fashion trade show.

Monica Todd, group product manager, curated meetings of Autumn Fair organiser Hyve Group said: “Following two highly successful programmes at Spring and Autumn Fair, Curated Meetings is going from strength to strength with an increasing number of qualified buyers taking part, especially from abroad. Some 50% of retail buyers on the programme are international, coming from a diverse spread of countries including Switzerland, Lithuania, Slovakia, USA, Ireland, Pakistan, Nigeria, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Jersey, Malta, Serbia, India, Cyprus, Germany, UAE, Israel, South Africa, Greece, Gibraltar, and Norway. I’m delighted to welcome all our fantastic returning and new brands and buyers to Autumn Fair in September.”

The line-up of brands so far includes Clarity Blend, Giffi Creations, Esoteric London, iBeani, The Jewel Jar, Kidzon, Kingfisher Cards, Alex Clark Art, Huboo Technologies, Erda Ally, Yoshi, Kingsley Ryan, Lichfield Leather, The Old Farmhouse Jewellery, Àníké TLC, Fox Under the Moon, Upper Canada UK, Aroma Home, Dojo, Body Jewellery, Annie with Alex, FLB Group, Vespucci Adventures, Shifa Aromas, Feel the Glow, Shu Da Living, and Beevive.

Aroma Home
Aroma Home understands the importance of wellness in everyday life. Whether you just need some time out to de-stress and relax or you want to completely re-balance your mind and body, there are products for each step of your journey to wellness. Committed to sourcing products in the most sustainable way possible and limiting its impact on the environment, Aroma Home is constantly reviewing materials and manufacturing processes and looking for alternative materials that are much kinder to our environment.

Annie with Alex
Annie with Alex is a mother and daughter collaboration, designing and creating contemporary handmade bags for multiple different occasions and uses. For example, the bags can be used as beach bags in the summer. They are designed to fit four towels and swimwear and if the poolside is wet you can reverse the bags, so the waterproof side takes the water while clothes stay dry! And in winter, the bag is big enough for dirty welly boots or football boots. Machine washable at 30 degrees, the portfolio of bags is made from natural tactile fabrics such as heavy weight cottons canvas, natural French linens, vintage fabrics and British-made luxury woollen fabric from Yorkshire, combined with vintage keys which means that every bag is unique.

Alex Minzey said: “We are excited to showcase our handmade in Hertfordshire range of bags at Curated Meetings for the first time. We hope our beautiful canvas, British-made wools and waterproof fabrics bags that are perfect for the sustainable and slow fashion and vegan market will attract independent retailers.”

iBeani
The iBeani tablet bean bag stand was designed and created after stumbling across a problem: tablet devices just don’t balance, resulting in users having to hold them with one hand and navigate or type with the other. Having looked at other tablet stands on the market, nothing seemed to quite match needs or hold the tablet just right when on the lap, compared to the sofa arm, for example. Thus, the iBeani tablet stand was born and after months of research, head scratching and prototypes, the iBeani tablet bean bag was created.

Esoteric London
A British independent label based in London, Esoteric London makes outrageously creative handmade jewellery and accessories for the bold and fearless. Established in 2012 by London College of Fashion graduate Chloe Hope King, who wanted to create something that reflects her love for hands-on design and manufacture. Bold and bright, Esoteric London’s statement jewels are created in-house, from the initial ideas to the finished products. Jewels are designed and manufactured in its south-east London studio. Many pieces are available in limited numbers to ensure the exclusivity of each collection using sustainable, natural, and locally sourced materials where possible, including speciality and recycled acrylics, ethically sourced woods and intricately laser cut leathers.

FLB Group
FLB Group is one of the world’s largest innovators and manufacturers of quality stationery and lifestyle accessories, with operations on three continents and distributors in more than 40 countries worldwide. All brands within the group have an authentic heritage and in most cases are the original innovators of their founding product category. Prestigious brands include Filofax, Blueline and Letts of London. The long-established aim of the business is for the brands to be representative of the highest quality.
and the latest ideas to be found in the market. With the capability to conceptualise, produce and export worldwide, the purpose built, one-of-a-kind manufacturing site in Dalkeith produces approximately 20 million units per year.

Alex Clark
Alex Clark’s cards, stationery, homeware, and gifts have that familiar feeling of coming home. Cuddle up to fluffy bunnies, snuggle into big bear hugs, and settle down with a pooch napping on your knee – Alex Clark has them all.

For further information and to sign up please visit https://www.autumnfair.com/curated-meetings.
Approved buyers can apply for a financial contribution to cover expenses and international buyers could receive £350 and 2-nights’ accommodation at The Moxy Hotel at NEC Birmingham. Spaces are limited and all buyers are pre-approved.