California Gift Show Debuts Hundreds of Innovative New Products and Lines

Press Release

Beginning Wednesday, January 18 California Gift Show (CGS) welcomes retailers with another year of enticing, on-trend sourcing opportunities to satisfy today’s aspirational consumer. As the West Coast’s largest Gift + Home Market, CGS continues to emphasize the region’s distinction for both product innovation and its influence on consumer purchasing habits. CGS reinforces the mystique of the California lifestyle with a robust product presentation of 1,200 temporary exhibitors and permanent showrooms at its two show locations, L.A. Mart and Los Angeles Convention Center.

Buyers in search of the latest money-making products can expect a powerful line-up of West Coast inspired trends and product innovations. A wide variety of product categories are represented, including: gift, seasonal, fashion accessories, jewelry, personal care, home décor, tabletop, stationery, plush, baby & kids, handmade, and much more. Unique offerings from emerging local craftsmen, artists and independent manufacturers exhibit alongside the gift industry’s most respected leaders.

Enhancing the Market’s access to 10,000-plus products, CGS will celebrate approximately 50,000 square-feet of new, expanded and recommitted permanent resources available year-round at L.A. Mart. Flagship showrooms reinvesting in their businesses and the Los Angeles marketplace include Fine Lines Company, Stephen Young, FEM Sales and Joanne & Company, joining new resources such as Dosvella, Home & Beyond, The French Bee, Simoni Designs and India Handicrafts, Inc. to serve CGS buyers and designers. Buyers will discover a vibrant mix of new-to-market, regional and regionally-inspired offerings.

The January market will showcase important looks that buyers expect to discover at CGS. “We are seeing a few significant design statements emerge this January,” said Jeff Sampson, vice president marketing, L.A. Mart, CGS and L.A. Mart Design Center. “For 2012 we will find a cross-section of organic, nature-inspired themes to brilliant, bright, richly hued colors and bold graphic patterns to the elegantly subdued monochromatic black, white and silver metallic color stories, offering something for every taste.”

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS AT CGS DESTINATIONS:

CGS at Los Angeles Convention Center

South Hall Gift: Presenting an extensive collection of contemporary and traditional gift resources including fashion accessories, gourmet, seasonal, garden & home, kids, spa, gift, resort and stationery, special focus is given to emerging products unique to California that inspire consumer trends worldwide.

Encore Classics @ Shirley De Marco, Los Angeles, CA. Encore Classics offers a collection of wood bottle stoppers, napkin rings and bookmarks, all designed and made by a classical musician with the L.A. Philharmonic. Shirley De Marco represents over 20 lines, many hand-made and unique to the California Gift Show www.encoreclassics.com. South Hall Gift, Booths 1710-1711.

Clippin’ Fabulous, Los Angeles, CA. Hair accessories, brooches, hats and hat accessories, already designed or customized, these versatile goodies can add a romantic or fun and funky statement to any ensemble. The designers at Clippin' Fabulous can make any design vision come to life.www.clippinfabulous.com. South Hall Gift, Booth 1609.

Kentia Global Marketplace
An international exhibitor mix featuring original artifacts, ethnographic art, home décor, accessories and fair trade merchandise among a collective of world style, jewelry (cash+carry) and vintage offerings.

Amberman, Los Angeles, CA. Amberman is the biggest importer and wholesaler of amber jewelry from the Baltic region. Amberman has been in this business for more than a decade providing products of excellent quality, and offering unique styles from the world’s best jewelry designers. Amberman is a member of the American Amber Association, an association of amber industry professionals dedicated to promoting amber and other organic gems. www.amberman.com. Kentia Global Marketplace, Booth 218.

Soul Notes, Los Angeles, CA. Affirmational jewelry designed by owner and craftsman Barbara Doust. Designs include organic one-of-a-kind pieces and a line of affirmation vessels. Each vessel comes with ten to fifteen affirmations and blank strips to write your own heartfelt wishes, intentions, desires, dreams, and/or affirmations. A choice of five different designs (sizes) in seven different affirmation kits. www.iamsoulnotes.com. Kentia Global Marketplace. Booth 401.

Fair Trade
As consumers gravitate towards global products and embrace social responsibility, it has become an imperative for retailers to include ethically produced merchandise in their offerings. In economic partnership with the Fair Trade Federation (www.fairtradefederation.org), CGS will present exhibitors who promote Fair Trade in a dedicated pavilion area.

The Vintage Jewel, AZ. One-of-a-kind button, bead and other art jewelry that is weaved, stitched and wrapped using vintage buttons, beads, elements and objects into bright, colorful, fun pieces. Owner/designer Lori Kirsch started by collecting Bakelite jewelry. The hunting, collecting, gathering and organizing of the vintage elements that go into making her jewelry inspire her designs. www.lorikirsch.com. Kentia Global Marketplace, Vintage Section, Booth 662.

CGS at L.A. Mart

Gift + Home Showrooms
Permanent showrooms featuring premium product lines, from boutique to internationally branded gift, home and lifestyle merchandise.

Paperthinks, Fine Lines Company. The recycled leather goods company that asks us to “think color, think green” continues to believe strongly in color and in (self) organization as it introduces its best seller recycled leather folder in smaller formats. Delivering good value continues to be an important theme for 2012 as the company also brings out its largest notebook in a slim format delivered at a value-conscious price point. www.paperthinks.com. Fine Lines Company, Suite 449.

SunnyLIFE, Karen Alweil Studio. SunnyLIFE, Australia’s leading premium lifestyle brand, offers beach products for children and adults that are unique, functional and stylish. The summer 2012 collection includes beach towels and accessories, outdoor living, kitchen, dining, home fragrance and the incredibly popular water and sand resistant BeachSoundsradio and speaker. All products are inspired by the best of Australian living: the environment, the love of the ‘good life’ all with a distinct style. www.sunnylife.au. Karen Alweil Studio, Suite 338.

Beckman’s Handcrafted Show™ L.A.
Fresh and functional artisanal, handmade products offering contemporary apparel and jewelry to classic home accents.

Amery Carriere Designs, Silverlake, CA.Romantic jewelry with an edge, all hand-carved in wax and cast using the ancient art of lost-wax casting. Amery’s inspirations come from nature, architecture, old world icons and the world around her. www.amerycarriere.com. Beckman’s Handcrafted Show L.A., Booth 203

CALIFORNIA GIFT SHOW DATES/HOURS
Wednesday, January 18 – Tuesday, January 24

L.A. Mart
1933 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Gift + Home and Design Center Showrooms: January 18 - 24
Hours: Wednesday - Thursday and Saturday – Tuesday: 9 am - 6 pm
Friday, Late Night Shopping: 9 am - 8 pm

Beckman's Handcrafted Show L.A.: January 20 - 23
Hours: Friday - Monday: 9 am - 6 pm

Los Angeles Convention Center:
1201 South Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90015
South Hall Gift & Kentia Global Marketplace Temporaries: January 20 - 23
Hours: Friday - Sunday: 9 am - 6 pm
Monday: 9 am - 4 pm

For a complete listing of CGS show information, please visit: www.californiagiftshow.com.

For information on L.A. Mart Gift + Home, visit www.lamart/gift.com. Image downloads are available at:www.pressroom.mmart.com/cgs/image-gallery/ and at www.facebook.com/californiagiftshow

ABOUT L.A. MART and CALIFORNIA GIFT SHOW
L.A. Mart® is a registered trademark of MMPI. The California Gift Show® is a registered trademark of MMPI. Beckman’s Handcrafted Show™ L.A. is a registered trademark of MMPI. L.A. Mart is home to nearly 200 permanent year-round, residential, decorative accessory and gift showrooms serving the retail and interior design industries. The California Gift Show Temporaries feature over 800 temporary exhibitors of lifestyle merchandise, home décor and furnishings, in the newly enhanced and expanded Temporaries at L.A. Mart and Los Angeles Convention Center, making the California Gift Show the preeminent market for gift and home furnishings products on the West Coast. L.A. Mart is located at 1933 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90007. For more information call 800.LAMART.4 or visitwww.californiagiftshow.com or www.lamart.com.

MMPI is a trade show and property management firm, specializing in managing buildings devoted to wholesale showrooms and commercial office space. MMPI produces more than 300 trade shows, market events and conferences each year.

MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart and 350 W. Mart Center in Chicago; Architects & Designers Building and 7 W New York in New York; Boston Design Center in Boston; L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; and Washington Design Center and Federal Center Southwest in Washington D.C.

Vornado Realty Trust, owner of MMPI, based in New York City, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust. Vornado’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO.