Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
London trade exhibition Top Drawer has announced the launch of the Spotted Awards Spring/Summer 2018.
Spotted is a firmly established feature of Top Drawer. It is described by organiser Clarion Events as ‘a curated showcase of innovative, market-ready, design-led exhibitors new to the UK trade fair market’ which has to date supported over 150 new businesses.
All 49 new brands accepted into the Spring/Summer 2018 edition of Spotted at Top Drawer are eligible for the Spotted Awards.
Entries will be judged on originality and innovation, commercial viability, clarity of brand, communication of message and the overall quality of products, with prizes going to the winner and two runners up.
The judging pane comprises Charles Gladstone, founder of homeware and giftware specialist retailer Pedlars General Store and The Good Life Experience festival; Annabelle Dodds, senior buyer at the V&A (Victoria & Albert) Museum; designer Ella Doran; Hannah Thistlethwaite, buyer at homeware chain Heal’s; Geraldine James, buying manager at department store group Selfridges; Alejandra Campos, show director of Top Drawer; and design journalist Charlotte Abrahams, who is the Spotted ‘curator’.
Alejandra said: “The Spotted Awards will add an extra dimension to Top Drawer, and is a wonderful way to celebrate the talented emerging brands that show at Spotted.”
She added that Spotted “was established to help emerging brands at a crucial stage in their development – and the prizes reflect that mission”. The winner will receive a complimentary stand at the Autumn/Winter 2018 edition of Top Drawer, and the opportunity to showcase at Pedlars and/or a stall at The Good Life Experience 2018 (a festival of ‘discovery, adventure, music, food, books, ideas, workshops and the great outdoors’, held over the weekend of September 14-16 at Flintshire in Wales) .
The winner and two finalists will also receive mentoring from experts including designer Nick Munro; Andrew Tanner, head of design at Sainsbury’s; Hannah Thistlethwaite, buyer at homeware chain Heal’s; Daniel Flower, owner of AIM Brands; and Sharon Good, director of Good Results PR.
The Spotted Award winner and runners up will be announced on the opening morning of the Spring/Summer 2018 edition of Top Drawer on January14. Top Drawer takes place from January 14-16 at Olympia London.
Buyers are now invited to register at www.topdrawer.co.uk
