New York Market rebrands for summer show

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 1/29/2013 7:07:00 AM

NEW YORK - The New York International Gift Fair, wrapping up a three-year strategic reorganization, will undergo a transformation as it readies for the summer 2013 show, including a new floorplan and name.

The summer 2013 market will introduce four new comprehensive market collections and a new exhibit floor layout, designed to position New York as "the defining marketplace for fashion-forward, design-driven home, gift and lifestyle resources," according to a press release about the move. The show's transformation also will include new branding, as NYIGF becomes "NY NOW, the Market for Home & Lifestyle."

"The strategic vision we articulated three years ago will become a reality this August in New York City," said Christian Falkenberg, NYIGF director and GLM vice president. "The show's reorganization into four collections - Home, Lifestyle, Handmade and New - and the repositioning of related resources not only will reinforce the depth and breadth of resources in the New York market, but also will better reflect the way retailers are shopping and sourcing today."

In line with these changes, the show will adopt a new name - NY NOW, the Market for Home & Lifestyle - beginning with the August 2013 edition. "This new identity, which not only conveys the energy of New York City but also communicates an imperative to participate, will redefine the market and its offerings," the press release stated.

"NY NOW will serve as a great ‘umbrella' brand for the market," said Falkenberg. "It is an all-encompassing name that is reflective of the Fair's 400+ gift, home and lifestyle product categories."

NY NOW's 2,800+ exhibitors will be repositioned into four broad market collections, rather than in the 10 NYIGF divisions currently categorized by product category or aesthetic. NY NOW Home will present a comprehensive collection of 1,200 home furnishings, home textiles, decorative accessories, tabletop and gourmet housewares on Level 3 of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. A juried cross-category collection of contemporary design resources will continue to be presented under the renowned Accent on Design banner and within NY NOW Home.

NY NOW Lifestyle will showcase a broad spectrum of merchandise categories, including giftware, personal care, stationery, fashion accessories and children's products. NY NOW Lifestyle's 1,100 exhibitors will be located on Level 1 of the Javits Center, with an exhibit floor layout engineered to maximize synergies and cross-category shopping opportunities.

Nearly 500 handcrafted resources - representing all home and lifestyle categories and crafted in all types of media - will be offered in NY NOW Handmade, with distinct groupings of designer-makers and global import resources. Handmade Designer Maker will continue to be presented in the Javits Center North and Handmade Global Design will continue to be presented in the Javits Center's Level 4 Galleria.

The NY NOW New collection will spotlight newcomers to the New York market in a cross-category collection of home and lifestyle products. Some 250 new-to-market exhibitors will be grouped together at Pier 94.

This multi-phase evolution, which was first outlined at the winter 2010 market, has encompassed seven distinct organizational phases, incorporating both temporary and permanent floor plan changes, which have been aligned with Javits Center renovations. These changes have included: the reorganization of Handmade into two distinct collections of handcrafted merchandise; the launch of the juried Baby & Child division; the return of the New York's Newest division; and the incorporation of the Gourmet Housewares Show into the summer market.

NY NOW, the Market for Home & Lifestyle will run Saturday, Aug. 17, through Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers. NY NOW's four comprehensive collections - Home, Lifestyle, Handmade and New - encompass 100,000 products in 400+ product categories. Some 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nynow.com.

NOTE: A exhibit floor schematic is available online at www.nynow.com/2013schematic.aspx