Vegas and New York Gear up for Winter Markets

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 1/27/2011 12:07:52 AM

BLH introduces its Trafalgar duvet set during the Gift Fair this week.LAS VEGAS AND NEW YORK - With signs that retail continues to improve, if slowly, and that hospitality orders are strengthening, suppliers are hopeful going into the New York International Gift Fair and Las Vegas Markets, which both kick off this week.
     The Home Textiles Market Week portion of the New York International Gift Fair at the Javits Center as well as in showrooms participating in Gift Fair Week will feature more than 600 bed, bath, linen and home fashions suppliers. In addition to Javits, they will be located at at Pier 94, 230 Fifth Ave., and 7 W. 34th St.
     Nearly 60 exhibitors will be new to the show, and among the exhibitors returning after an absence are Forza and Gerry Nichols. Among those expanding their space are Blissliving Home, Dransfield & Ross, Fino Lino, Libeco Home and Versai.
     "The Market's concurrence with NYIGF, and the showrooms' gift markets, provides buyers with overall access to more than 100,000 complementary gift, lifestyle and home lines. No other U.S. market offers such a depth of home textiles and breadth of related products," said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president.
     Las Vegas is debuting the Gift + Home segment of the show on the 5th Floor of Building C in additional to more than 1,200 exhibitors from other home furnishings product categories participating in main event.
     Also boosting the participation of interior designers, The Interior Design Society will hold its two-day national leadership conference in tandem with the show Jan. 22-23.
     "Our goal is to exceed the expectations of design professions by not only serving as a comprehensive, stae of the art home furnishings resource, but also as a hub for timely, relevant education and entertaining programming and events, "said Las Vegas Design Center vp Randy Wells.
     The Vegas show's special programming kicks off Monday, Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. with "First Look" on the 16th floor of Building B. Designer Monica Pedersen of HGTV and home products/ rends editor Julie Smith Vencenti will guide a virtual tour highlighting hot new products at the market.