Attire Accessories - Mar/Apr 2020 (Issue 81)

35 BCTF INTERVIEW Tell us a little about the British Craft Trade Fair. BCTF will return for its 46 th outing this April. As always, the show will dedicate itself to excellence within the handmade sector, showcasing the work of both established creatives and up-and-coming talent, all under one roof. The event will feature a business mentoring programme, which is free to all our exhibitors and ensures that makers are ready and confident to supply their goods to the retail sector. How did you end up working the craft industry? My passion for art and craft started young. I’d be found scribbling on the back of leftover wallpaper rolls even before I started school and that passion has continued to this day. At 19 I moved to London to work in Covent Garden, where I spent time chatting to the artisans who would regularly exhibit in the piazza. Through these conversations I found out that there were several regional collector fairs that needed a new lease of life, and so my journey began. Little did I know this weekend hobby would soon become BCTF. What can retailers expect from the event? Retailers will find collections of work from many types of artisans, ceramicists, sculptors, artists, jewellers, glassmakers, fashion and homeware designers, woodworkers and metalsmiths. Whatever your budget, there will be plenty on offer. All collections bear the maker’s mark, if not literally then by design. How are preparations shaping up for the 2020 show? Plans are running smoothly, with plenty of interest from new makers. There is always work to be done in the run-up to the event, but come April everything will be in place and the doors to this iconic fair will open once again. The large-scale gallery will return, with more makers taking advantage of this free space to submit work that’s too big for their stands. The buyers love these unattended displays where there is freedom to study the contents undisturbed and up close. Are there any new features for this year? The introduction of a public day will be a new addition and will raise awareness of the scale of homegrown talent working and producing in the UK today. What are your thoughts on the current British craft industry? The sector is growing strongly, with more and more creative individuals setting up shop to earn a living from their craft. I have seen many changes over the years, not only with the skills that are taught and learned, but also the attitude towards art and craft and what it can offer the purchaser. Consumers are becoming more discerning and want their choices to say something about them. More stockists are buying British and tapping into this emerging trend, which can only be a good thing for BCTF exhibitors. What are you most looking forward to about the show? I always look forward to the British Craft Trade Fair. For me it’s an opportunity to see all the amazing products that I’ve only viewed on screen. There is nothing better than being in a hall with hundreds of talented designers and being in awe of what their hands and imaginations have managed to achieve. T: + (0)1444 246 446 W: bctf.co.uk BRITISH CRAFT TRADE FAIR CELEBRATES 46 TH ANNIVERSARY Organiser Margeret Bunn reveals what’s coming up at BCTF 2020