Go & See Voucher

Initially when I went to get my tickets for the show there was a $300 charge from what I could tell. The website was a bit confusing, I went onto the chat and explained why I was coming over and they sent me a ticket free of charge.

I got to the NYNOW Show and the security weren’t very friendly. I went to register and was given my pass and cute tote bag and I proceeded into the show.

My first impressions were the show itself has a confusing layout. I wasn’t given a map at registration, I went to a designated information point and the lady there didn’t have any and said she’d been asking for them all morning. I asked where else I could find one, she didn’t know, I asked where the Textiles or Accent on Design section were, she didn’t know.

I found the show badly sign posted, the different sections were not marked out, there was little signage and it was very confusing. I eventually found a Directory and sat down to study it, it didn’t have a floor plan only company names with their stand numbers and sections beside it ie AD = Accent on Design AC = Accessories RA=Rising Artists. The directory was done alphabetically and the sections weren’t grouped together on it so again found it hard to navigate. The talks were labelled clearly in the directory but without a map it was again hard to find where to go.

I arrived approximately at 10:00am, there wasn’t a huge crowd but it was a Sunday and still early. I personally found it had a very cold vibe and lacked atmosphere, there were huge spaces between the stands and it seemed very impersonal. I was comparing it to Showcase Ireland which I had done earlier in the year and was expecting something similar. It isn’t solely a maker’s trade show, there was a bit of everything from handmade, to mass produced to beanie babies and Christmas stands.

There was one millinery stand that I could see, I went twice to speak to them, once no one was there the second they were busy with a client.

My top 3 business I spoke to were:

The Twentieth Decorative Arts – Stationary business, she went in on a basic level, just had a small standalone wall to hang pieces on, it wasn’t very big but good if you want to dip your toe in the water. It suited her business as she could hang pieces, I liked the idea of it but not sure it would work for me.

Fabulous Furs – They’ve come to the show for a number of years, their stand was always busy when I went past. When I went back in the afternoon I had a chance to speak to them. Their business worked in NY especially in the colder season and had a niche market already there.

Kent Stetson Handbags – Kent had done the show many times, he has his bags stocked in a number of boutiques, he advised big stores were not the way to go and to try more boutiques to stock my designs. His work was quite like mine in the sense it is not mass produced and is all handmade by himself. His stand was also beautifully laid out in an artistic way which suited his designs.

There was a second Trade Show on the same day called Shoppe Object and there was bus running between the two shows, which was very convenient.

I was very under whelmed by NY NOW so decided to hop on the bus (no one seemed to know where that went from) to Shoppe Object.

Shoppe Object had such a warm vibe the minute I walked in, it was a creative space full of makers. There were 5 Irish designers, some of which I have met before so it was great to get their experiences of coming over to America.

We were given a proper map on arrival and that made It so easy to navigate around. I spoke to several businesses who said they use to do NYNOW but this is where everyone has now come to. There is a strict selection process and they don’t just let anyone in and its quite competitive with a long waiting list.

I researched how to ship over stock etc. It takes 8-10 weeks to ship, it can be cheaper to do it via a courier company than to fill a crate, there is a lot of paper work and you need to know what’s what, it can get stuck in customs which is something you need to consider.

Some brought their wall fixtures in a suitcase because they were light, others bought theirs in Ikea in the US and had them delivered to the hotel, you can rent tables etc from the show themselves. You can bring samples in a suitcase over also. The got an American company to do their wall decals too which is something to consider.

I made 2 contacts waiting on the bus back to NYNOW, they both lived in New York and gave me some invaluable advice. The first lady I spoke to asked about my business and point blankly said neither trade fair would suit my business, she told me Atlanta was the place to go. The second lady was originally from the south and she also said Atlanta was the place for me to go, she also said Las Vegas was holding wedding fairs and had contacts there so we swapped information. She said the Kentucky Derby is huge in America, people hold parties in their homes and wear hats so that something to look into.

After Shoppe Object I went back to NY NOW on the bus, it again didn’t have a large crowd at the show later in the afternoon. NY NOW had different stand types, ie some had curtains not walls, where Shoppe Object had solid walls, its something you need to be aware of before going to plan how your stand is going to look, Eg if you want to hang you need solid shelves.

I would not choose to exhibit at the NYNOW show in the future. It does not have the vibe I am looking for. I would be more inclined to go to the Shoppe Object show over NYNOW. It had a very cold atmosphere, there wasn’t a huge crowd when I went, in the morning or afternoon which would concern me. I don’t think my brand would fit in here, I’m very much a Slow Fashion Brand and promote sustainability and handmade. I found there were a lot of businesses with mass produced products there.

I think the selection of businesses was too broad for me, I need something more specialised, bridal, fashion, occasion, handmade, makers, sustainable, etc.

I would recommend going and looking at these shows before showcasing because it is a huge cost especially outside of Europe to ship everything over. You need to do your research on customs, fees, shipping etc. The whole thing is a learning curve and you will learn as you go. It was a great experience for me to see the layout, the marketing and get an overall feel for the show. It gave me merchandising idea’s for my own business going forward.

Don’t be afraid to ask the questions and get the real answers from people already doing the show. I appreciated the honesty, feedback and advice from them all.