When it comes to finding the stuff that makes my heart sing, I am relentless in my quest. You cannot call your company 'Chic by Design' and offer anything less than, so finding those ‘pearls’ takes drive and abundant energy, not to mention shoe leather. When I find ‘it’, I know it at once but oh! the journey getting there could be a prescription for the next great fitness workout, especially at a gift show the size of the Jacob Javits convention Center, with 675,000 square feet of exhibition space!
February’s trip to the New York International Gift Show, two days after a blizzard had blanketed the city, was no exception. I hit the aisles running, despite a sleepless night on the red-eye from San Fran. After a welcome shower and nap, I put on my winter gear and headed out on foot (my preferred way of navigating NYC), trudging happily through Hell Kitchen’s snow covered side streets, stopping for a delicious lunch at my favorite bakery on 9th Avenue, Amy’s Bread. Restored, I was primed and ready.
Last year, my first at the show, I was determined to find the ‘perfect’ wine holder, but it wasn’t until my 3rd day there (and many, many vendors of less-than-chic wine holders) that I discovered the charming duo, Holger Graf & Daniel Lantz, and their eponymous LA based company, Graf & Lantz. I instantly fell in love with their felt and leather wine holders, and returned the following day to propose a bespoke order of felt baskets with which to anchor our collections.
This time, my all-consuming objective would be to discover exceptional items to merchandise as part of a Baby Collection. With that I became obsessed with finding the perfect mobile to hang in the nursery. Two days and countless miles of aisles later, far away from the Baby/Child section, I fell upon a small company from Canada called Pi’lo . There, hanging above my head, were the most perfect mobiles - handmade, white felt, fairies, angels, birds and tiny teddies. Pure whimsy! Delightfully etherial!Eureka!
Heather
Happy Gifting!
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