With the physical Autumn Fair cancelled next month due to the pandemic, show organiser Hyve Group is inviting buyers to attend a two-day digital experience taking place on Tuesday September 8 and Wednesday September 9. In tandem with its digital approach to Autumn Fair (as well as a virtual GLEE Gathering and Fashion Together), Hyve is also gearing up its plans for Spring Fair 2021, under the banner #RefuellingRetail21, with the tagline ‘Driving UK retail forward for 2021’.
As Julie Driscoll, Hyve’s UK regional director described: “Our market-leading shows are a vital cog in UK retail, our physical shows are places of discovery and dynamic environments where business is done – we want our virtual forums to offer a similar environment. There is no doubt that Covid-19 has impacted retail this year, however, we believe that now is the time to help refuel retail and help our community to bounce back. We hope that the free forums that we are offering to our customers this September really help to kickstart product discovery.”
In addition to Autumn Fair’s virtual showroom (which provides all exhibitors the opportunity to showcase their latest collections, product updates and news), there will also be up to eight hours of exclusive live content (spanning three-four sessions a day) across product, trends and industry news with speakers including Trend Bible and Colour Hive.
In addition, there will be two dedicated product showcase streams (collectively amounting to up to 10 hours of new product presentations) – The Gift Showcase and the Home & Living strand. The former will include a Greetings & Stationery Edit, The Gift Edit, The Beauty & Wellbeing Edit, JWF Edit and The Play & Tech Showcase. The Home & Living stream will feature The Summerhouse collective; The Everyday Edit; The Design & Source Showcase and Home, Living & Décor Showcase and Home as well as a Living & Décor Showcase).
Attendees will also be able to search exhibitors and products by sustainability, Made In Britain provenance as well as look for clearance lines.
Registration will open shortly.
You can find out more by clicking on this link.
While Hyve’s Julie Driscoll believes Autumn Fair @ Home “will offer a brilliant way to connect our community in September” she is also very much looking forward to opening the physical doors to Spring Fair 2021 (February 7-11). “What digital has shown us is that whilst it’s a great tool, there is no substitute to face-to-face meetings and being able to touch and feel product again,” she said.
Top: The entrance to the greeting card hall at last year’s Autumn Fair.
