Top Drawer and Home kick-started the 2013 buying season on an optimistic note, hosting the largest number of British and international design-led brands in the shows’ history. Final visitor figures ended on a par with those of 2012 – with approximately 14,000 retail professionals in attendance, subject to audit.
The combined event saw an 11% increase in overseas buyers, attracting buyers from over 57 countries. According to organiser Clarion Events, many exhibitors reported their highest levels of orders at the shows to date.
The 2014 edition will see the continuation of the carefully-considered growth and development of both shows, with the addition of new exhibitors and the expansion of key sectors including kitchenware, tabletop and lighting in Home, and fashion accessories, gifts and greetings in Top Drawer. A third show, Craft, developed in response to increasing demand for high-quality hand-made products, will also make its debut.
“We are extremely pleased with the outcome of Top Drawer and Home in 2013,” says Clarion’s retail portfolio director, Neil Gaisford. “Despite a cautious market, we saw positive levels of orders being placed, and enthusiastic support for the shows from both visitors and exhibitors was prevalent throughout. We look forward to the addition of Craft for 2014, as we look to expand the shows into an even more exciting, all-encompassing buying destination for retailers from the UK and abroad.”
