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Left: Penny Kennedy; right: Landon Tyler |
With 500,000 products on view from 1500 exhibitors, Autumn Fair is one of the most important gift and homewares tradeshows of the season. Trends spotted at the event this year will be picked up by retailers for seasonal gifting, spring/summer 2011, and beyond; so it's a great place to go to see what's new in interiors.
When WGSN-homebuildlife visited the fair on Monday, we were struck by the frequency with which we saw the Union Jack. The British flag was used as surface decoration for everything from giftbags and trays, to storage boxes and cushions. It was even used for furniture, emblazoned across cabinets and armchairs.
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Sifcon International |
Autumn Fair itself had also tied into the trend with
Creative Britain, a tailormade guide to all the British-designed products on show around the fair.
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Trade Fair International |
WGSN's spring/summer 2011 macrotrend Fair and Square predicts a new, honest direction in interiors, and perhaps this wave of patriotism is a result of that desire for authenticity; as well as a need, in the aftermath of the worst economic downturn seen in years, to support our local industries.
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Coach House |
Autumn Fair is held at the NEC, Birmingham, 5-8 September 2010.
WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can view our
Live Report from the fair, which highlights the three biggest emerging trends and our top three exhibitors. Our full report will be published later this week.
http://www.autumnfair.com/
Sarah Housley
Interiors
