Trend Forecasters Share Expertise at Las Vegas Market
(LAS VEGAS)—July 15, 2010—World Market Center Las Vegas will have some of the country’s premiere trend forecasters provide attendees with a road map to the hottest and most vibrant selections of the year August 2 – 6. The programs, tailored to the offerings of Summer Las Vegas Market, will also highlight top items from the Gift + Home and Vegas Kids shows.
Industry Pros Help Attendees Maximize Buying Time by Highlighting Top Picks
Trend tracker Julie Smith Vincenti will be sharing her professional insights. Smith Vincenti is president and manager of Nine Muses Media LLC, a content and marketing firm with more than 40 years of proven trend-tracking expertise in the home furnishings industry.
She gave a brief preview of what she expects to see this summer at World Market Center during the August Markets:
“The consumer seeks comfort and refuge—given economic challenges, global events and an overall mood of uncertainty, there’s little question as to why,” says Smith Vincenti. “In home furnishings, this translates into well-worn finishes, most especially gray and washed effects that mix well together. Reclaimed woods are key, too, as are linen fabrics and neutral palettes. Decorative accessories are then called upon to bring elegance, materials diversity and texture. This is an easygoing look that immediately evokes a feeling of relaxation, restraint and nostalgia … ultimately it conveys a more simple time, yet in a sophisticated way.”
Smith Vincenti will discuss these and more trends, in-depth, during the presentation “First Look” (Monday, August 2, 9 a.m.- 10:30 a.m., Building B, World Forum), where she and HGTV’s Monica Pedersen will preview the summer’s finest products and give attendees a front-row view of the movers and shakers at Las Vegas Market. The showcase will revolve around fast-paced visuals highlighting new looks in top performing categories, such as bedroom furniture, upholstery, accent furniture, lighting, area rugs, wall décor and more. In addition, the hosts will discuss trendsetting designs featured in World Market Center Las Vegas’ new Gift + Home and Vegas Kids shows. Attendees will receive a “First Look Book” to guide them on through the showrooms.
Smith Vincenti went on to say that vibrant swatches of color won’t take the back burner. “If neutrals reign in upholstery, then area rugs, textiles and wall décor are providing energetic bursts of color. A range of blues, from teal to deep-sea blue, as well as orange tones look especially right, right now. Exotic influences are evident in these categories, too. In area rugs, texture—created through the use of art silk, high-low piles, chunky textures and interesting effects in wool—is especially important. Larger-scale florals remain relevant in area rugs, too.”
She said the Gift + Home show will be an added bonus to Summer Market. “For the gift store buyer and boutique storeowner, Gift + Home will serve up a diverse and well-timed assortment of new and affordable products that are certain to make shopping easy and efficient,” says Smith Vincenti. “The new, multi-floor venue is a one-stop shop, boasting everything a store needs to round out its vignettes and merchandise mix leading into the Holiday 2010 sales season.”
Margaret Casey, director of programming for World Market Center Las Vegas, says the trends category is one of the most exciting aspects of the Market. “Las Vegas Market showcases thousands upon thousands of new products biannually. Thanks to our trend experts, buyers are directed to the most anticipated items,” says Casey. “We want to help everyone make smart choices and find the items that will fly off their shelves. In addition to educating attendees, we’re also attuned to helping their bottom line. Showcasing the season’s hottest trends is just one way of doing that.”
The trends at Market also serve as a source of inspiration to designers. Kishani Perera, an interior designer and owner of Kishani Perera Inc., says she will be attending the show to get a better idea of what will be hot in coming months. Perera refers to Las Vegas Market as “a fantastic one-stop shop in which to preview the latest and greatest products.”
Perera and fellow acclaimed designers Darryl Carter and Mary McDonald will scour World Market Center searching for the season’s hottest home trends. Perera says that she’ll be looking specifically for fresh and unique trends. “Ones that will have a fair amount of longevity and are also cutting-edge and cool,” she says.
The designers will present their findings at “Ahead of the Curve” (Wednesday, August 4, 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Building C-888). Moderated by design author and frequent “Today” show regular Susanna Salk, this highly anticipated trend-spotting seminar will give attendees unfettered access to the pros’ predictions. Perera says the timing of the shows couldn’t be better.
“Fall seems to be the busiest design season, because clients are anxious to glam up their homes before the holidays,” says Perera. “Summer Market promoting the latest trends just prior to this season is vital. It gives designers and clients the opportunity to not only view, but develop ideas and designs based on these new looks or concepts in time for the holidays.”
The experts won’t just introduce the season’s hottest items—they’ll also show how to merchandise them. Amelia Ellenstein, Art Van Furniture’s vice president of visual merchandising and store design, will hone in on just that with “Precision Merchandising: Designing and Executing Profitable Visual Narratives” (Monday, August 2, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m., Building B, World Forum).
Ellenstein says that quirky accent items with a strong style point of view will be big this fall, and the way that they’re displayed is imperative. “Teaching your sales team to confidently mix these pieces into a room will build the sale, demonstrate some of your style expertise and bring guests back to see what’s new for many months to come.”
A visual merchandising and store design expert, Ellenstein will detail how to create a unique brand story and exciting store display. Her unique 1-2-3 system teaches retailers how to truly distinguish their look and broaden their appeal.
Attendees can tailor their Market experience online by visiting the newly launched websites to create a custom profile and to get news and information tailored to their needs. Additional event information is available at www.lasvegasmarket.com/events.
Las Vegas Market will be held August 2-6, 2010, accompanied by the launch the new Gift + Home™and Vegas Kids™. For a list of additional events scheduled, visit the online website www.LasVegasMarket.com. Attendees can book discounted rooms online now at www.LasVegasMarket.com.
About World Market Center Las Vegas
World Market Center Las Vegas is an integrated home and hospitality contract furnishings showroom and trade complex. The state-of-the-art campus showcases furniture, decorative accessories, gift, lighting, area rugs, home textiles and related segments, as well as the Las Vegas Design Center open daily to consumers and designers. World Market Center currently hosts the biannual Las Vegas MarketTM, the preeminent total home market along with INSPIREDESIGNTM, Gift + HomeTM and Vegas KidsTM. For more information on World Market Center Las Vegas and its shows, visit www.wmclv.com. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.
