The Jewellery Show see 10 percent rise in footfall
BIRMINGHAM, England, February 15, 2011 – The organiser of The Jewellery Show, Emap Connect, reported that the exhibition saw visitor numbers rise by 10 per cent compared with last year’s show.
Collaborations with pre-eminent jewellery buying groups including Houlden Group and CMJ – which both launched awards during the show – and exclusive sponsorship arrangements with industry giants Ti Sento and Pandora, put this year’s exhibition into a class of its own.
Commenting on the huge success of the 2011 exhibition following its much-lauded re-edit last year, event director Julie Driscoll said: “The phenomenal success of the Jewellery Show 2011 is the result of collaboration.
“Our dedicated team at Emap has consulted with exhibitors, buyers, buying groups and trade associations over the last year to deliver an event which The UK Jewellery Industry can be truly proud of.
“Going forward into 2012, as we continue to grow the exhibition, we will continue to focus on the wants and needs of the industry.”
Julian Zuchouwski of headline sponsor Ti Sento was delighted with the reception given to his brand at the show: “For Ti Sento this has been a runaway success,” he said.
“The general feeling here is very good and the service is the best I’ve ever experienced.
“Overall this has been an extremely positive and delightful experience and for sure we have to be here next year.”
At the heart of the exhibition the Pandora sponsored Catwalk Café provided a constant buzz for trend-spotting visitors, and was a fabulous platform for exhibitors to present their most dazzling jewellery designs to throngs of buyers.
Runway shows ran three times a day, interspersed with a variety of seminars designed to help retail jewellers remain ahead of the competition in the trading year ahead.
British Jewellery Association (BJA) director Lyndsay Straughton gave The Jewellery Show a resounding seal of approval, saying: “It’s the second year of the new Jewellery Show experience and they’ve raised the stakes yet again, it’s expanded, improved and focused.
“I’m particularly encouraged by the Design Quarter section which is supporting great British talent producing wonderful jewellery that’s designed and made in Britain.”
The BJA presented its annual award during The Jewellery Show 2011, on this occasion to reward outstanding Cuff designs.
Yu Lan Burkmar of Burkmar Jewellery and Jenny Hattersely of Dark Horse Ornament won the prestigious accolade for ‘Precious Jewellery Cuff and Fashion Jewellery Cuff respectively, which was sponsored by The Jewellery Show organiser Emap Connect and the British Jewellery Giftware and Finishing Federation (BJGF Federation).
In collaboration with Houlden Group, The Jewellery Show featured an exclusive Design Quarter Gems area within the existing Design Quarter, where some of the most exciting young jewellery talent working in the UK showcased their most cutting-edge new designs.
Babette Wasserman, Alexander Davies, James Newman, Rachel Galley, Katie Rowland, Ana de Costa, Burkmar Jewellery and Sarah Ho all took part in this part of the event, where The Houlden Group chose the winner of its inaugural Designer of Excellence Award.
On Monday February 7 the award was presented on the Pandora Catwalk to a delighted Sarah Ho by Houlden Group founder and chief executive Stuart Laing.
Celebrations continued into the night at a fantastic party held at The Jam House in Birmingham, where luminaries of the trade danced the night away and Retail Jeweller magazine promoted the launch of its prestigious Buying Power list.
