AGHA sydney gift fair – The Interiors Addict

Sponsored by AGHA Sydney Gift Fair

The largest industry-led gift and homewares trade exhibition, the AGHA Sydney Gift Fair is almost upon us. And with more brands than ever, a plethora of stylish new retail products and access to the latest design trends, it’s no wonder all of the exhibitor stand space has already sold out!

But it’s easy to forget that the fair is about more than just sourcing new products – from workshops to events and feature areas, there are plenty of opportunities to further your retail skill set and network with industry experts also. Don’t forget, it is free to attend this trade event, you just need to register online here.

Interiors Addict meet & greet
Our very own Jen Bishop will be imparting her unique wisdom on all things marketing and social media at an exclusive meet and greet at 2pm next Saturday 23 February. A free event, it’s a great opportunity to learn more about marketing your products and using social media to grow your business – all with a complimentary glass of bubbles in hand. Get there early as space is limited.

The Styling Well
Running from 9am until 3pm daily, The Styling Well is a free interactive workshop led by experienced visual merchandiser Natalie Coulter. Offering hands-on support to retailers and industry professionals wanting to learn about the latest in visual merchandising and product styling, The Styling Well sessions are suitable for everyone from the novice to the more experienced. Natalie will also teach you how to engage online customers with a raft of simple styling and flat-lay photography techniques.

The Trending Home
Brand new and a truly immersive experience, The Trending Home allows you to walk through a carefully curated and styled space that will teach you how to take your customers on a visual journey to create maximum impact within your store. Curated by the aforementioned Natalie Coulter, The Trending Home will run throughout the entire fair and promises to be a true celebration of modern home décor. And the best part is that if anything catches your eye, the featured products are all available from exhibitors at the fair!

To register to attend for free or for more information, visit sydneygift.com.au.

AGHA Sydney Gift Fair | Sydney Olympic Park | 23-26 February 2019 | Saturday-to-Monday, 9am-to-6pm. Tuesday, 9am-to-3pm

Sponsored by Sydney Gift Fair

If we’re honest, most interior professionals (buyers and designers) head to gift fairs to find the next big thing. And while there’s nothing wrong with checking out your old favourites, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of uncovering something new. Run by the AGHA (the peak industry body for gifts and homewares), the Sydney Gift Fair hits Sydney Olympic Park on February 24 to 27 with more than 80 new exhibitors joining the ranks for the first time. And with so many fabulous new brands getting on board, we have picked out a couple of our favourites.

Darlin (Aust)
Established in 2009, homewares purveyor Darlin (Aust) brings with it a wealth of gorgeous product organised within four distinct aesthetic categories – relaxed contemporary, nautical, plantation and coastal. “Overall, we want our products to make people feel at home. We take care in building collections that reflect that,” says director Michelle Lawson.

“I think a point of difference for us is that we don’t necessarily follow yearly trends – our products are carefully selected to emulate care, warmth, uniqueness, and meaning,” says Michelle. Aside from creating on-trend pieces, the brand is environmentally conscious too. “The excellence in our products comes through a combination of hand crafted elements, high quality materials, and the sustainable element of the majority of our products,” says Michelle.

The Nonsense Maker
Inspired by old books and etching techniques, The Nonsense Maker caught our eye too, with its whimsical, nostalgic illustrations that are turned into greeting cards and art prints. “The Nonsense Maker started out as a way to express my own alter ego – a caffeine fuelled adventurer and professional maker of nonsense. I am a self-taught artist and have always loved to draw. My imagery is fun, whimsical, and sometimes a little sad, and over time I have realised that the more nonsense that sneaks into my drawings, the more sense and meaning they have to me,” says Emily Ziccone, owner of The Nonsense Maker.

“All our products are hand illustrated with fine liner pen and then coloured digitally. This process means we can have highly detailed images working with extremely vibrant colours, which is a combination you don’t find all that often,” says Emily of the brand’s ever growing range that is produced entirely out of her Melbourne studio. “We are very particular when it comes to quality, and regardless of whether something takes us 5 or 50 hours to create, we make sure each piece is wonderful in its own way,” says Emily.

The Luminaire Collective
Specialising in importing unique, high quality decorative table and floor lamps, The Luminaire Collective came about when the company director Matt Gillis was searching for a statement lighting piece. “I have high standards when it comes to lighting so I was prepared to spend a decent amount of time looking for the right product. Unfortunately the lamps that I discovered were generic, low quality and for the most part, overpriced,” says Matt.

“The trends pushed out by the big box stores appeared to have also saturated independent retailers. I became increasingly frustrated and lost in a sea of beige, white and timber lamps stripped of all personality,” says Matt who set out overseas to source statement lighting where the lamps were a feature of the room, and not just an afterthought.

“Our point of difference is that we import lighting in styles and designs currently missing from the marketplace. Our ethos ‘Beige is Boring – Make A Statement!’ is reflected throughout our entire collection. Each lamp has been selected for a specific reason ranging from an amazing use of colour, to an underutilised material. Every lamp in our collection brings something new to the lighting space,” says Matt.

Sydney Gift Fair is presented by leading industry body the Australian Gift & Homewares Association (AGHA). Located centrally in Sydney’s retail heartland at Sydney Olympic Park, it is easy to get to AGHA Sydney Gift Fair. AGHA are providing free shuttles and free P5 parking. Simply start each day at AGHA Sydney Gift Fair and take your P5 parking ticket and entry badge to the Transport Hub in Hall 3 between 11am and 3pm to validate your parking.

Find all the transport and accommodation information you need for AGHA Sydney Gift Fair.

Register for Sydney Gift Fair.