A LOOK IN PICTURES International <strong>Jeweller</strong>y Fair IKECHO DURAFLEX GROUP <strong>2023</strong> INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY FAIR Change is inevitable, progress is optional The Sydney Trade Show has been hailed as a success by buyers and suppliers despite the reports of retail doom and gloom, SAMUEL ORD reports. In the blink of an eye, the International <strong>Jeweller</strong>y Fair has come and gone for another year with exhibitors and visitors alike departing Darling Harbour with a clearer picture of the state of the industry. The opening day was frantic, with visitors spilling through the entrance to take in the latest products and designs. At 5 pm when the traditional happy hour commenced in the centre of the venue, one could be forgiven for expecting the trading to slow; however, spirited negotiations continued with a glass of champagne. As is typical for a Sunday, the opening hour of the second day was quiet; however, it wasn’t long before the floor fair was full again, with ordering continuing into the afternoon. The third day began with a typical relaxed atmosphere; however, as the clock ticked down and the closure of the fair drew near, a surge in lastminute enquiries and orders kept many busy. Expertise Events managing director Gary Fitz-Roy said that the changing nature of the industry and the multi-dimensional role that trade shows play for different participants were important insights. “The common theme we’ve heard all weekend has been about change, and I smile when I hear that because it feels like we’ve been talking about this with our exhibitors for years. Businesses need to be willing to change or they risk being left behind,” he said. “Fairs serve multiple purposes for different people and after the pandemic, it’s clear that a large component of these events for many people is personal engagement and relationship building. Sales are always the core objective, but it’s really about connection.” Fitz-Roy added that retailers have changed their approach to trade shows in recent years and said that suppliers needed to be flexible to meet new demands. “Retailers are clearly coming to these events with a refined strategy. They’re coming with more knowledge and research than ever before because they can ill afford to overspend in this climate,” he explained. Hot demand In the final minutes of the Sydney Fair, one supplier was particularly jubilant – Timesupply and its managing director Ken Abbott. “This would be close to a record year for us, it’s really been an incredible fair. We are somewhat overwhelmed to be completely honest,” he told <strong>Jeweller</strong>. “You always hope for the best, but I don’t think we could’ve anticipated that things would go this well. Every brand that we represent has been well received." In the lead-up to the fair, Timesupply had identified Danish brand Sif Jakobs <strong>Jeweller</strong>y as one brand likely to shine in the spotlight. “Sif Jakobs has been fantastic. We’re thrilled with not only the number of orders we’ve received but also the feedback from visitors,” Abbott explained. The importance of presentation at trade shows was highlighted by the popularity of Ikecho, which received praise from visitors and fellow suppliers for its stand design. Ikecho CEO Erica Miller said that the Sydney Fair reinforced the popularity of Australian gemstones such as opals and pearls. “We’ve received a lot of compliments about our stand which is really pleasing for everyone to hear. We are really happy with the design, we feel like it says a lot about who are and what we do,” Miller said. “Over the past 12 months or so we’ve had a new focus on opals and the feedback we’ve had about our jewellery has made it clear that we are heading in the right direction.” It was an action-packed fair for Duraflex Group Australia (DGA), with new offerings from both watch and jewellery brands proving popular with retailers. DGA recently partnered with Swedish brand Daniel Wellington and managing director Phil Edwards said his staff was taken aback by how in-demand the brand was. “The IJF was very well-organised again this year. While market conditions are challenging, the retailers attending were positive and open to buying and considering new brands,” he said. “With Daniel Wellington, retailers really embraced the opportunity to take on the brand, and existing retail partners were very positive about the latest collection.” Duraflex also introduced a new collection of labcreated diamond jewellery. “Our lab-created diamonds were well-received, and definitely exceeded expectations – due to t he competitive pricing and quality of product,” Edwards explained. “We also received positive feedback about the 38 | <strong>September</strong> <strong>2023</strong>
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