During its seven years, the London Stationery Show has evolved from an office products dominated line-up to a retail stationery show. This year will see its biggest programme of show features, live talks, along with new design and trend initiatives.
Stationery Awards
Each year the London Stationery Show plays host to the prestigious Stationery Awards.
Judged by a panel of leading independent and multiple retailers on the first day of the show, the Stationery Awards’ entry is open to all exhibitors across 11 categories: Art & Crafts, Diaries, Organisers & Calendars, Everyday Writing Instruments, Writing Instruments over £25 RRP, Gift Packaging & Wrap, Novelty Stationery, Social Stationery, Notebooks & Journals, Licensed Stationery, Filing & Storage and Desk Accessories. All the entries are displayed on the New Product Showcase at the front of the exhibition which greets visitors on arrival, and is the ideal place to see a snapshot of the new products coming into the market.
New Trend Display and Trend Tours
This year the show is working closely with Design Trend Forecasting team from Scarlet Opus, to create a Trend Display in the new ‘Designer Area’ and offer visitors the opportunity to take a 30 minute trend tour of the show. Scarlet Opus has identified three global consumer and design trends, which it feels will have a significant influence in the UK stationery market and will be using exhibitor products and stories to show visitors how these might manifest themselves. The team will also present details about each trend as part of the show’s programme of live talks.
Led by event manager Hazel Fieldwick, the organising team, is currently finalising the details of what promises to be the UK’s biggest specialist retail stationery trade show to date. Running over two days at the end of April at the Business Design Centre in London, this year marks the show’s eighth year. “We’re introducing some great initiatives this year, which included a special pre-show briefing session in January for exhibitors and any other suppliers interested in taking part in our workshops and ‘On Trend’ initiative, or just finding out more about the show and who visits,” says Hazel.
Live Talks and Workshops
The show will present two days of live talks, retailer workshops and hands-on ‘Creative Stationery’ workshops. The live talks will be a series of quick fire, 30 minute long presentations held alongside the On Trend Display and Designer Area. The retailer workshops will each last approximately 1 hour and offer more in depth topics aimed at assisting and training retailers with key issues.
The Creative Stationery Workshops are a chance to sit down and try your hand at calligraphy, paper art and much more! Great ideas to try out in store with your own customers. A full programme for each area will be published shortly.
New Designer Area
Global consumer and design trends are quickly reflected by the stationery industry. The new designer area ensures that this sector of stationery design is well-represented for visitors, and supported by the On Trend display identified and curated by Scarlet Opus. The introduction of a Designer Area is a clear signal to stationery buyers that a full range of great stationery gifts, irresistible treats and smart stationery essentials will all be on offer at the 2018 London Stationery Show.
Launchpad London Competition
So far, this initiative has introduced 18 new designers and suppliers to the stationery industry. Aimed at encouraging new blood into the sector – the competition is open to individuals and companies who have a new product or service they would like to launch to the industry. Their prize is a free stand at either the London or Manchester stationery show. This year’s judges are Sidonie Warren, founder of design-led stationery retailer Papersmiths, Daniel Mark Carr, global brand director of international art supplies company Colart and award-winning textile and stationery designer Nikki Strange. The winners will be announced at the end of February.
Brands exhibiting of interest to the Creative industry include: Abrams & Chronicle, Amodex, Colart, Daler Rowney, Derwent, DKL Marketing, Exaclair, Eposti, Edding, Envelopes, Hex & Ginger, Kaisercraft, Jakar International, JPT Europe, Katy Sue Designs, Kodak, Kuretake, Magnetips, Lime Stationery & Art, Maped & Helix, Mustard, Pagani Pens, Paer Mirichi, Pentel, Quadrille, Reliable Source, Royal Talens, Staedtler, Stabilo, Stone Marketing, Thames & Hudson, Tapepal, Treewise, Uniball, West Design Products and Zebra Pen.
For a complete listing of exhibitors visit the London Stationery Show’s new website.
