We greatly enjoyed our first ever visit to Messe Frankfurt show Ambiente, one of the biggest retail trade exhibitions in the world that offers important insights into the wider European market.
Especially renowned for its immense presentation of kitchen, dining and housewares, Ambiente also incorporates a huge amount of general giftware and home interiors.
Once onsite at the show we made a bee-line for the Young & Trendy section in Hall 11, home to a stunning display of contemporary gift and homeware. Of everything we saw, however, our very favourite stand emerged close to the end of our visit, the glorious stationery supplier Libretto.
With operations in Paris, New York and London and product designs licensed from Christian Lacroix and Liberty, Libretto is perhaps closer to the rarefied world of high fashion than paper products, and has elevated stationery to such a degree that we ‘oooed’ and ‘ahhed’ with the same enthusiasm we might at a haute couture fashion show.
The Paris range includes gorgeously opulent flower and butterfly cut-out designs in the typically magical-surreal and colourfully frivolous style of Lacroix. New for 2016 were a range of notebooks in acid bright colours designed to pop out from the shelves at 20 paces.
Along with a covetable assortment of notebooks, journals, boxed notecards and single cards, the collection includes an incredible Shaman Night Advent Calendar designed to give a long-term, collectable fix to the most die-hard stationery addict.
The Liberty London has a more classic and timeless feel that would be as appealing to gents as ladies, with beautiful Liberty-print floral and paisley designs, along with some luxurious embossed hardbound journals. Both ranges can be sold through a high-quality display case that is sure to make any stationery store into a destination outlet.
