Attire Accessories - Dec 2017/Jan 2018 (Issue 67)

and within that the perennial favourites are stars, hearts, arrows, feathers, compasses and iconic symbols. Although we do have a lot of traffic for the quirkier items – such as game controllers, popcorn, and hamburger jewellery in silver. We’re in the process of launching occasion-driven gifting options, and I’m sure these are going to be very popular when they launch in the next month or so. We’ve put a lot of work into these, so we’re excited to launch them and see the reaction. Which trade shows do you attend and which one works best for you? Spring and Autumn Fair have always been the highlights of our calendar, with occasional seasons at Top Drawer. When was the website launched and how does it support the business? We launched our trade website in 2016. It showcases all of our collections, and really negated the need for catalogues which we used to produce annually.The website allows customers to browse and place orders easily at their convenience. Our e-commerce site is a work in progress. We’re developing it to support and give our brands recognition within the open market, promoting the brand to end consumers as Grace & Valour. We put a lot of thought into how best to retail our products, and would never undercut our wholesale customers. I believe that building a strong brand identity will benefit everyone in the long run. What have been the key milestones in the business? Key retailers coming on board has to be a landmark for our business, both for our bespoke work and our collections. It’s wonderful to have that kind of recognition. We’ve invested quite heavily into the ability to personalise our offer. With printers and engravers, this is very much a work in progress, but we’re excited about this new tenure for our business. We’re also in the process of rebranding our packing and offering, I really feel that the key milestones for us are still to come. How do you view the current market and what trends, both in product and in business, do you see emerging over the coming months? The current market is undeniably difficult, Brexit has seen to that! The biggest trends that we see in gifting are sentiment and personalisation. It’s all about design; if you have an original product then you set yourself apart from other companies.The incredible rise of online sales with companies such as Not on the High Street and Etsy are huge gifting opportunities, the traffic they attract is breathtaking. What are your future plans for the business? We’re really excited about the future of the business. We’re working on a collection launch for 2018 that we think will be a game changer in the market. It’s feminine, giftable and bespoke. We can’t wait to unveil it, so watch this space! Is there anything else you’d like to add? We’d like to thank everyone for their support over the past few years. Just as shops go through ebbs and flows, so do wholesale businesses and we feel that we’re finding our feet and looking firmly towards the future. A Contact Mercy Jewellery +44 (0)845 260 0925 mercyjewellerytrade.co.uk ATTIRE 69 PROFILE

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