With the following months key for securing that all important Christmas stock, we ask if festive products are immune to trends while highlighting just a few seasonal favourites…
With buyers turning their attention towards Q4’s retail pinnacle, otherwise known as Christmas, now is, on average, the right time to start touting your wares to focused retailers. That’s the general consensus, although larger accounts need more time, says Denby’s head of sales, Jason Maughan.
“The larger the account the more time is needed, so buying cycles need to be considered when launching new products. For example, national accounts require more time and can need eight to 12 months’ notice whereas medium to small accounts can be four to six months. For Denby, our Stars porcelain tableware and gift pieces will be given focus again in June as this works brilliantly for the festive season. All will be at INDX in September.”
It is a similar situation for Dutch brand Heinen Delfts Blauw whose sales & project manager Leanne van Doleweerd says they notice buyers starting to look at festive collections towards the end of summer – July and August. “Our goal is to launch our Christmas collection during this time so buyers can get to know our products, make up their order and then we want to deliver it in September and October.”
Each year Heinen Delfts Blauw creates a new festive collection, and 2024 is no different as they collaborate with tv personality and culinary expert Janny van der Heijden.
“A lot of time and preparation goes into creating the special Christmas collection,” Leanne tells us. “This is the first year that we put together an entire collection of tableware that has a very traditional Christmas themed decoration.”
Interestingly, the brand has ensured this festive collection pairs in both shape and design with Janny van der Heijden previous (more casual) collections. “This way we hope people will enjoy the collection the whole year round and it gives them the opportunity to add a touch of Christmas to their normal dinnerware,” Leanne adds.
For their part, Lifetime Brands Europe are “always Christmas ready”, Claire Budgen, commercial & marketing director says. “Our autumn winter launches are perfectly timed for golden quarter spending and this year include a new Mikasa x V&A Alice in Wonderland collection, as well as an extension of our bestselling Mikasa x Tipperleyhill range. Plus, we’re supporting with a printed supplement covering Christmas in all its forms for our retailers – making it easy to shop and plan the season ahead.”
So, while we know when buyers will start sourcing their festive tabletop, the question Tableware International wants to ask is; do collections need to be on-trend, or is festive tabletop exempt from fashions?
“While there’s a strong sense of nostalgia that influences the festive tabletop category, we definitely see trends play a role. For instance, trendy colours or playful themes like the ‘ugly Christmas sweater’ style can refresh traditional designs. Our Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer mini is a perfect example of tradition and nostalgia,” says Janice Christensen, president, nora fleming. Agreeing, Noelia Garcia, head designer at Pampa Bay tells us; “The festive tabletop category is not at all excluded from trends. In fact, its becoming increasingly trend driven. Each season brings new trends, and we selectively embrace them to ensure our collections remain fresh and appealing. For example, our transition from predominantly silver to the addition of gold collections echoes broader industry trends.”
Expanding on this, Lifetime Brands’ Claire Budgen adds economic factors come into play too – people want value for money. “More emphasis is placed on pieces that can be used interchangeably throughout the year. We continue to see consumer trends departing from strictly traditional Christmas motifs and colour palettes and towards tabletop ranges that transcend the seasons.”
Porcel agrees with offering a diverse collection, adaptable to many celebrations and cutures. “Even though we have a collection inspired by the Christmas season, our catalogue offers much more,” says president Ana Luísa Roque. “We currently present a range of versatile pieces that transcend the festive season and can be used on many special occasions. A key highlight of our offerings is the exquisite gold and platinum decorations, which, allied with our cultural sensitivity, allow our collections to be adapted to different celebrations.”
Giving another perspective, Denby’s Jason Maughan adds: “From a sales point of view there is a smaller window to sell in and for the retailer to sell out, so the pressure is on for forecast accuracy. For this reason, classic pieces with longevity but which still works well for the season are key to reduce the risk of post season overstocks, punctuated by seasonal items to bring a festive touch and added interest.”
So with the season just around the corner, we take a look at a small selection of festive options for buyers.
Visit the most recent issue of Tableware International to see some great options for retailers looking to boost their festive offering…
