09/05/2011

GRAND DESIGNS LIVE 2011

Well, well...what a show. I have just returned back up north after 10 days in London at the Grand Designs show and all I have to say is.....I'm knackered. With less than 24 hours before I depart for New York I will keep this post as short as possible. Sorry in advance for the grammer...i'm rushing!
So, just incase your not aware. I shared my stand at Grand Designs with snowhome. I showed embrace and snowhome had the word map. A nice collaboration between Angus @ snowhome and Alison Hardcastle, Click here to view
This was my first time at Grand Designs so I didn't really know what to expect. The biggest difference with this show to the others I have done is that this is a Retail show rather than a trade show. So I was expecting to be selling direct to customers, market stall style! Man......what a rollercoaster. I don't think I'm cut out for market stalls, too stressful.
To sum up the show: the first few days there were no embrace sales (Maps were moving slowly) and then mid-way through the show I found myself up on stage with Kevin McCloud being presented with the Grand Designs 'Highly Commended' Award for Product of the Year 2011. (a pic of me on stage will follow at some point). After this Embraces started to sell like Hot Cakes. Good show in the end.
9 days was a long long slog, but ont he bright side it gave me enough time to chat to some of the other exhibtors and I met some great designers you should check out: JamesUK, Tandem, and AssemblyRoom  
Sorry the pictures aren't too good, i was hoping for much better but the poor lighting made it difficult!
Right I have 23 embraces to pack up now for collection in the morning, a coat stand prototype to finish off and my bags to pack for New York, I'm sensing an all nighter on it's way :( at least I can sleep on the Plane. 

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