The New York International Gift Show has landed in NYC. This semiannual show is open only to the trade and hosts over 2,800 companies exhibiting their wares within the home, lifestyle, and gift arenas. In other words…time for all stores to restock their shelves with the newest and the best.
The Fair is big. BIG. So big that it is held in three vast venues: Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Pier 92, and Pier 94. 400 product categories and 46 countries are represented and over 35,000 eager buyers are expected to attend. Because of it’s size, this year the fair has been broken into multiple divisions, including Accent on Design, At Home, Baby and Child, General Gift, Ex-Tracts (personal care), Handmade, Tabletop, and more. The Gourmet Housewares Show, with 150 additional exhibitors, is running concurrently.
This post, the first of two, highlights a number of exhibitors from the two Handmade divisions: Handmade Designer Maker, 360 limited-production designer/makers across all categories and media, and Handmade Global Design, 150 global import exhibitors with a focus on fair trade status and local craftsmanship.
Rhadi Living is all about blending contemporary design with traditional quality. With a burst of color, their booth was filled with an endless number of treasures from pillows and throws to bags and tabletop accessories. Based in New Jersey, Radika Eccles sources her wares from artisans and designers throughout the world. Think color, imaginative graphics, and just a touch of humor. The standout for me…the large assortment of graphic pillows.
Carol Farrow brought her unique wares all the way from London. Her booth included both paperwork art and paperclay objects. Her wall hangings are made from handmade paper, paint and wax and offer a special combination of color, texture, and shape.
Farrow's ceramic sculptures are actually made from high fired paperclay with oxides and represent utilitarian objects with a stunningly distressed patina.
The hand-woven textiles from Creative Women are created by six women-owned textile design studios in Ethiopia, Swaziland, Afghanistan, and Mali. The company, based in Vermont and run by Ellen Dorsch, not only imports an exceptional line of products but also promotes equitable trading practices and supports women’s economic independence. Among the many beautiful products, their ‘Beyond Burlap’ line is a standout – rustic as burlap but soft and lustrous as the Tussah and Gicha Silks the products are made from.
Kiondo is an importer of African art, artifacts, textiles, and furniture. They had a booth with a collection of objects that would have looked at home in a gallery of African art. Based in Toronto, the sculptural objects on display included small-scale, abstract statues, masks, headrests, textiles, baskets, and bowls. Their selection of mounted African masks was the highlight.
Ria Charisse’s love of nature and background in art and sculpture is evident in her designs showcased by the Brooklyn-based Swallow. She has created a line of jewelry and art objects that are both elegant and edgy. Along with her necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and cufflinks, she highlights distressed mirrors with drawn animals and antique frames, as well as casted objects such as thorny branches, skulls, anatomical hearts, and bird feet.
The New York International Gift Fair runs through August 18th and is being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and on Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92, and 94. Fair hours are August 13th to August 17th from 9am-6pm and August 18th from9am to 12pm. Entrance is to trade only who can now register onsite. Information about division locations, special events, Fair exhibits, and individual participating exhibitors is available online and within the 304 pages of the market directory available at the Fair.
