Attracting thousands of visitors, Autumn Fair 2022 ended on a high, with a focus on collaboration, community, and conscious retailing.
The four-day show, which took place from September 4 to September 7 at NEC Birmingham, offered retailers a space to meet, reconnect, network and source, as well as learn about sustainability.
Buyers were able to view millions of new products, showcased by hundreds of exhibitors, including homeware, décor, gifts, greeting cards and stationery, Christmas, beauty and wellbeing, womenswear, fashion accessories, jewellery and footwear.
Attendees included representatives from John Lewis, Fenwick, Fishpools, Marks & Spencer, T.K. Maxx, Wayfair, Dunelm, Next, Pretty Little Thing, Paperchase, Hallmark, Rymans, Blue Diamond, Dobbies, Chester Zoo, The Science Museum, Kew Gardens, The Works, The Hut Group, Homebase, Mint Velvet, The Dressing Room, Pamela Shiffer, and Between the Lines.
New Product Showcase
New features on the show floor included the New Product Showcase, which gave exhibitors a platform to launch brand-new developments. From odd socks advent calendars to dog biscuit baking kits, the New Product Showcase was the place to discover a curated edit of innovative wares.
Power of One
This year, a whole stand was dedicated to the Power of One campaign, with product inspiration and a visual and interactive space for visitors to make their own Power of One pledges, along with a Self-Reflection mirrored wall, and live art.
Sustainability Product Showcase
The Sustainability Product Showcase put the spotlight on an edit of eco-conscious exhibitors, and Autumn Fair’s headline sponsor Products of Change collaborated on the Power of One stand, offering advice and one-on-one sessions on how to make businesses more sustainable. Throughout the show, the talented artist Saroj Patel painted a striking mural, and visitors also learned more about Autumn Fair’s three Power of One pledges to make positive changes towards better sustainability and wellbeing.
Gift of the Year 2022
Autumn Fair partnered with the Giftware Association to create a showcase of the winners of the trade body’s Gift of the Year 2022 competition, enabling visitors to see all the items collectively in one space. Being crowned a winner provides industry-wide recognition, and previous entrants have seen a huge boost to their sales and revenue.
On the final day of the show, Autumn Fair Portfolio Director Nicola Meadows commented: “There has been so much to celebrate at Autumn Fair, and as the doors close today, I feel immensely humbled by the response from our community and the passion, drive, and enthusiasm to work together to refuel retail and work towards a better, more responsible and kinder way of doing business. I’m very excited to look ahead to Spring Fair and deliver another memorable show for the home, gift, fashion, and sourcing markets.”
Spring Fair takes place from February 5 to February 8 at NEC Birmingham.
Visit www.springfair.com for more information.
