The show provides the perfect opportunity for specialty stores to place their orders in preparation for their highest sales period of the year
Expohogar looks towards Christmas with over 30,000 new products in gifts, costume jewellery and decoration
From 26 to 29 September, Expohogar Autumn returns to Montjuïc with a view to the upcoming Christmas season, the peak sales period for gift and decoration specialty stores and retail. Featuring 150 exhibitors, the Fira de Barcelona offers industry professionals a selection of over 30,000 new products and innovations in the world of decoration, costume jewellery, gifts, fashion accessories, leather goods and luggage, crafts, stationery, dry and artificial flowers. An extensive selection to adorn your shop windows, link up with suppliers and preview the trends for the season.
With an 8% increase in the number of companies taking part in the event compared to last year, the show brings together brands from all over Spain, as well as companies from Germany, the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands and the USA looking to distribute their products in our country. More than 9,400 professionals are expected to attend Expohogar Autumn from Catalonia, Aragon, Andorra, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country and southern France.
“The quality and originality of the product lines being exhibited combined with the care with which Expohogar is put together make it a very attractive and effective showcase for professionals seeking objects that will fly off their shelves this Christmas, reflecting this season’s trends and bringing individuality and exclusivity to the gifts, costume jewellery, fashion accessories and home decoration for this autumn-winter”, explains show director, Josep Alcaraz. The Expohogar exhibitors are committed to quality and design, marked out by competitive pricing, presenting a selection of objects to suit the tastes, expectations and budgets of different consumer profiles.
The major companies from the associated Expohogar market sectors will be represented, such as Foimpex, Proflor, Ixia, Item International, Amadeo Novell, Signes Grimalt, Natural Selección, Lozano Import and Deco Home & Garden in the area of interior design and home decoration; Crafts San José, Dein Interdecor, Pobra and MMM in Christmas articles; Manufacturas Clima, Costa y Soler, Novadis, Salvador Mulet and Miguel Ángel Díaz Navarrete in accessories and jewellery; Cerabella, Wax Design and Boles d’Olor, in candles and fragrances; and Comercial Framan, Cromática Regalos, Exclusivas 2R, Artesavi, Roymart, Noguera y Vintró, ad Helio Ferretti in the gifts section.
Crafts also take centre stage, with the presence of the Asociación de Oficios Artísticos y Artesanos, ASOART (Association of Art and Crafts professionals) showing the creations of a number of Catalan craft companies specialising in areas such as ceramics, decorative glass, jewellery, costume jewellery, textiles, wood, painted silk and enamels, among others. The design, creativity, innovation, originality and exclusivity of these objects position them as quality gifts. There are also the accessories from Draps Dissenys as part of the same area, along with basketry by Esteve Garrido, organic cotton garments from Kupu Kupu and the bright ceramics from Galician artisan Alfonso Otero.
Another regular exhibitor is the public company of the Department of Justice Social Rehabilitation Centre (CIRE), this year exhibiting the new ‘Pyrenees’ collection of furniture made from treated wooden pallets. Its classic ‘Farcell’ collection also sees some new additions in the form of a pouf and some lace tablecloths, both made using Catalan fabric. These ‘Made in Cire’ products -made by Catalan prison inmates in their production workshops- also include typical Christmas decorative items (coloured hanging decorations, stars, hearts, Christmas trees and the classic stocking).
Floral art and gift wrapping
Besides the commercial side, one of the show’s additional features are its activities and workshops which are open to visitors, allowing them to try their hand at floral decoration, window dressing and gift wrapping, all with a Christmas theme, a period which accounts for 60% of annual sales.
This year, the daily floral art demonstrations are based on the creations of the Escola Rosa Valls, providing instruction on how to combine flowers, plants and seasonal fruits in order to create autumnal and Christmas displays and centre-pieces, as well as those of the Escola Floral d’Art de Catalunya, which introduces the concept of ‘floral craft’, combining flowers and plants with materials such as wicker, wood and textiles. The workshops are put on in collaboration with the Catalan Confederation of Ornamental Horticulture, the Catalan Florists Guild, Mercabarna and the Vilassar de Mar Flower and Ornamental Plant Market.
The Celorama company will similarly be giving practical classes on gift wrapping and presentation using a variety of techniques and materials focused on inspiration, colour and appeal with regard to product presentation for the Christmas season while working on commercial image development.
Barcelona, 22th September 2014