British Designers strutting their Stuff on the Catwalk Stephen Welfare, Partner, reports from Spring Fair 2013.
The Jewellery Show (“TJS”) at Spring Fair 2013 has been in full swing at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, this week (3-7 February). A regular feature of the show is the TJS catwalk, this year sponsored by Retail Jeweller Magazine.
Taking to the catwalk runway three times a day, professional models show off some of the new jewellery pieces and collections that British jewellers have been busy designing and making. Royds IP lawyers had more than a passing interest in the catwalk this year, owing to the number of Royds’ clients who had their products featured, and the connections with the British Jewellers Association (“BJA”) for whom Royds operates the intellectual property advice and protection service; COPYWATCH©.
The joint winners of the BJA’s Annual Design Competition took to the catwalk; Lucy Q and Pautinka (contemporary chunky neckwear), along with runners up, Cabinet of Somerset and Royal College of Art student, Rui Bao. The BJA Awards were presented on the catwalk stage which also hosted a daily programme of seminars from industry experts offering advice.
Included amongst the many varied products displayed, ranging from the sophisticated, glamorous and exotic, to the downright bizarre and unfathomable (to me at any rate) were designs from many of Royds clients, including Tresor Paris, Balagan, Midhaven, Hockley Mint and others. TJS is the ideal place for jewellers to launch new season designs, one off pieces and to highlight future trends, but it is also therefore the opportune forum for plagiarists to operate in. The Royds IP Team were on hand to provide advice and assistance.
Elsewhere at SF 2013 away from TJS, the twenty halls of the vast NEC complex were packed with businesses exhibiting all manner of giftware, housewares, greetings cards, toys, bath and body products, Christmas novelties and fashion accessories. There are over 300,000 new launches, from 3,100 exhibitors, at the largest tradeshow in the UK. Notwithstanding the much broadcasted gloom of the double dip recession in the economy and the advance of virtual commerce, the traditional tradeshow still offers a worthwhile marketplace that brings buyers and sellers together. Meet your customers, engage with your clients, display your wares and whether on a catwalk or exhibition stand, my advice is “strut your stuff!”