A significant investment in marketing initiatives and new show features ensured the 21st edition of Autumn Fair International (AFI) 2011 delivered a top quality buying audience yet again, with the highest footfall reported at the show since 2006.
It is a great tribute to the resilience and reliability of AFI that it produced such a great trade event against a background of economic doom and gloom.
Attendance at the event rose for the third year running – up 3% on AFI 2010 – and both buyers and exhibitors agreed that AFI was the place to be for the second cycle of the buying calendar. A total of 32,223 buyers arrived at the show to source new ranges, determined to increase their product offering in order to capitalise on the vital festive trading period.
Previewing new ranges for spring was also a primary goal for visitors attending AFI, as an increasing number of larger retailers attended the show to plan their buying, including: Fenwicks, House of Fraser, WH Smith, Lakeland, John Lewis, Amazon Debenhams and Hamleys.
A major investment in new features and a strong focus on future trends to help guide buying created a directional event that was the perfect launch platform for 60,000 brand new products from over 1,500 exhibitors, 900 of them exclusive to AFI this season.
400 companies exhibited at AFI for the first time this year – including House Doctor, Joe Davies, and Bloomingville – and returning exhibitors included Garden Trading, Widdop Bingham, Coach House and Salco. 150 suppliers from 33 different countries were represented at the event.
Features launched at the show for the first time in 2011 included the Toy Demo and Craft Demo Area’s, WGSN Trend Bar, Home Accents for contemporary furnishings and home interiors, LifeStyle for design-led Kitchen, Dining & Housewares, The Retail Store displaying the very latest in shop design and fittings and the [free] Internet Zones and the Brands of China European Showcase. Returning to AFI were the hugely popular Fashion Accessories Catwalk, Cook Live!, the New Product Showcase, Spotlight on Design-led Gifts, Toys & Gadgets, The Summerhouse and the Talking Point Seminars.
The managing director of show organiser Emap Connect Home & Gift, Louise Young, said: “The quality of product launched here was superb. In particular the scope and editing of our design-led gift offering was second to none in the UK this season.
“The reputation of Autumn Fair exhibitors’ innovation and sheer design talent is attracting increasing numbers of buyers here each year. Retailers want to pinpoint their future best sellers and AFI provides them with invaluable insight to help guide their product sourcing. The more we work to improve the presentation and content of our shows, the greater the inspiration we can offer as a catalyst to facilitate retail buying.”
“AFI 2012 will see further investment, as we start to assert the show’s stature as one of Europe’s most important sourcing opportunities for this time of year. AFI is the first show of significance on the international buying calendar to view festive ranges, and of increasing importance for retailers at this time of year to also see spring ranges.”
One of the most popular new features of the show was the WGSN -sponsored Trend Bar, where retailers could pick up a wealth of invaluable information from trend briefings held in a truly stylish setting. This series of presentations given by WGSN experts, and free trend cards, proved extremely popular with visitors seeking inspiration and insight into future trends to help guide their product sourcing at AFI.
Another welcome new initiative for AFI in 2011 was the brand new Hobby & Craft sector in Hall 5 of the exhibition, supported by a demonstration zone. With 40 exhibitors from the UK and overseas grouped together under the Hobby & Craft banner, the new sector represented a small but significant start that will see a much larger area following this year’s retailer response for 2012.
Event director Roz McGuinness said: “This year’s Autumn Fair has seen an incredible range of innovative and trend-setting products on show from companies around the world.
“This in turn attracted visitors from across the breadth of the UK and Europe and as far afield as USA, Japan, Chile, The United Arab Emirates and Australia. AFI is the single most important event outside of Spring Fair in the UK home and gift calendar and we are delighted to have once again welcomed so many companies to the event.”
The next edition of AFI will take place at The NEC, Birmingham from Sunday September 2 – Wednesday September 5 (volume hall opens one day early). For further information on this show and Spring Fair International 2012.
*Autumn Fair International is second only to Spring Fair International for size, scope and influence in the UK exhibition calendar.
Pictured here are Autumn Fair event director Roz McGuinness, GA chief executive Isabel Martinson and the managing director of Emap Connect Home & Gift, Louise Young, cutting the show’s 21st birthday cake.
