Attire Accessories - Feb/Mar 2019 (Issue 74)

AMBIENTE PREVIEW 61 W: ambiente.messefrankfurt.com Who are next year’s standout newcomers for the gifting sector? We’re very pleased to welcome a whole range of new and exciting Giving exhibitors at Ambiente in 2019. In Hall 11.0, we’ll be able to view products from Lexon (France), Meri (UK), Secrid (Netherlands) and Balvi Gifts (Spain), to name but a few. However, there are far more to discover, so be prepared for lots of surprises. Who are the must-see returning brands? Giving exhibitors that have enriched Ambiente with their range of products in previous years include Gift Company, Hoptimist, Lakrids, Kikkerland, Reisenthel, Remember and Volker Lang. How did last year’s business matchmaking service work out for the show? In 2018, more than 5,000 business meetings were planned with the help of the business matchmaking service, which shows that there is a definite need for it. Business matchmaking will also be available again for Ambiente 2019. Being able to plan meetings with the right contacts is a vital part of coming to a trade show, as buyers want to make the most of their limited time. We are now a digital step ahead of this trend. In offering our exhibitors and visitors business matchmaking, we have a contemporary program that gives major added value to all business partners. How and when is the business matchmaking service best utilised? The great thing about the business matchmaking program is that it is helpful for finding the right business partners both before and during the trade show. Manufacturers and retailers can save specific search parameters to the web portal, and then they can contact each other and arrange appointments at Ambiente between 8 th and 12 th February. Anyone with an Ambiente ticket is automatically included in the business matchmaking program and can log in with the trade fair access details they have already been given. All other specialist dealers and buyers can register for the program in advance free of charge. It will go live at the beginning of 2019. Which events at the show are most important to the gifting industry? Over the years, we’ve developed an extensive complementary programme for Ambiente that benefits distributors from all segments. There are some events I feel retailers should not miss, such as the Ambiente Trend Presentation, the Ambiente Academy and the special presentation Point of Experience. The Trend Show at Galleria 1 consists of hand-picked contemporary products from our exhibitors, together with details about where a retailer can find those goods at Ambiente. This makes it easy to create a customised trend shopping guide and then to place your orders while you’re still at Ambiente. The trade show will also feature some exclusive guided tours and talks by the design studio, offering in-depth glimpses of Ambiente trends. At 11:30am and 2:30pm each day, Annetta Palmisano will be demonstrating the dominant styles of tomorrow. This will take place on the Ambiente Academy stage in Hall 9.1. Following the talk, she and Claudia Herke will give a guided tour of the trends showcased at Galleria 1. On all five trade show days, Ambiente Academy will provide opportunities to gain insights into market developments. Trade specialists will be on stage in Hall 9.1, demonstrating some great ways to create attractive product groups. They will be showcasing ideal product placements, as well as the best e-commerce strategies. The special presentation Point of Experience in Hall 4.1 is also worthwhile. It will show high street retailers how to present their products so that they can stay competitive in these times of increasing digitisation. What’s the biggest change being made for this year’s show? The opening of Hall 12 has given us an opportunity for a complete restructuring. In Living and Giving, we’ll be arranging product groups under stylistic aspects and in market segments, and we reckon that this will appeal even more to the two target groups: buyers and end customers. We’re hoping to provide fresh stimuli among both national and international buyers to open up opportunities and synergies and to strengthen these growing product segments. In Giving, we are making the most of the trend for concept stores. Our focus is on a carefully curated selection of products from a range of sectors aimed at specific target audiences. Hall 11, for example, will feature a large span of different products, including pure gift items, jewellery, personal and decorative accessories, office ideas and souvenirs. All these products will be grouped together under two stylistic headings: Urban Gifts and Gift Ideas. What is the expected impact of the new hall? Now that we’ve opened Hall 12, Ambiente will have a new structure and, indeed, a wide range of further opportunities and benefits. Architecturally, the hall is impressive, as it can be used in a variety of ways. We have made a positive investment in the quality of our premises here in Frankfurt so that we can give exhibitors and retailers an exceptional experience when they come to our trade shows. The main benefits include high-performance data networks and visitor channelling, which makes perfect sense in logistical terms. Also, we have used state- of-the-art materials, so the energy consumption of the hall is extremely efficient. I want to encourage visitors to come to Ambiente and find out for themselves what it’s like to be in the most modern exhibition hall in Europe. In preparation for the show, we asked Yvonne Engelmann, director of Ambiente’s Living and Giving sector, about what to expect from Ambiente 2019