The Rollercoaster of Tradeshows: Our adventures at Maison & Objet and Atlanta Market ✈️

Phew! After a few whirlwind weeks, we’re officially over halfway through eight tradeshows, and honestly, we’re starting to feel like professional suitcase packers. There’s been a few "why did we think this was a good idea?" moments, followed by "Oh, this is why we do it" victories. From running around like headless chickens in Atlanta to unexpected encounters in Paris, we’ve survived, and somehow thrived, through it all.

So buckle up and enjoy a few highlights from Maison & Objet and Atlanta Market. Spoiler alert: it involves Cara Delevigne, £8 pot noodles, and a very unique French buffet.

Let's begin with Maison & Objet

Ah, Maison & Objet in Paris. It's a show we haven't done since 2022 and so we were excited as ever to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in the action.

Harry, Phillip and Angeline flew straight from Top Drawer in London to Maison & Objet in Paris, landing at 7AM. Angeline was absolutely convinced that she spotted Cara Delevingne in the baggage collection. Her bags came way before anyone else's and she had a man dressed all smart carrying everything for her. Sadly, no sightings were confirmed by Phillip or Harry, but hey, you never know who you might run into at the airport, right?

After the celebrity encounter, they took a taxi straight from the airport to the exhibition centre to build the stand. No rest for the wicked!

Luckily, Cliff (our new French agent) came to help them put all the stock out and saved the day, as the pallet was unpacked just in the nick of time.

Onto the actual show

Once the stand was built, it was time to head back for a good night's sleep ahead of the show. Then there was the hotel situation. Mark, in his infinite wisdom, booked them into a hotel next to the wrong airport with a glorious view of a scrapyard. Not quite the Parisian dream, but it definitely made for an unforgettable stay.

And speaking of unforgettable, Harry will never forget the hotel manager locking him out when he nipped out to get food. Picture Harry stood knocking at the door for a long time, getting sore knuckles.

But at last, the show could finally begin. It started with two ladies coming onto our stand, shouting “Anglais, Anglais!” before running away faster than we could say “bonjour.” Not exactly the warm welcome we were hoping for, but hey, at least we left an impression. There was a two-hour wait for the cloakroom on Day One (yes, you read that right—two hours!)

There was a lot of love for our V&A Neon Floral Stationery range, and it was great to see so many customers drawn to its bold, vibrant designs that really pop off the shelves. There was also plenty of buzz around our brand-new Stripe range - it's colourful and packed with playful illustrations of animals.

Then things got a bit crazy

Did someone say free champagne? The drinks reception was hands-down one of the best bits of the show. The second the bubbles started flowing, the whole vibe shifted. Business cards were swapped for dance moves, and suddenly everyone was ready to let loose. Serious shapes were being thrown, dance circles popped up, and the whole place turned into an episode of Dance Moms.

But the real highlight? Angeline managed to charm her way to a free £150 bottle of perfume from a seriously cool woman she met at the event. Between the fizz, the laughter, and Angeline smelling like a million bucks, it was an evening we won’t forget anytime soon. Who said work events can’t be fun?

All good things must come to an end

Fast-forward to the end of the show. Phil and Harry had taken so long breaking down the stand that they literally turned the lights off on them, signaling it was time to go. If that’s not a sign of a successful show, I don’t know what is.

Oh, and our new French rep, Cliff's promise of a lovely buffet in France? Let’s just say it wasn’t quite what we had in mind. We ended up at a very unique establishment that, despite the bizarre setting, served up some seriously delicious food.

Other highlights included a two-hour wait for the cloakroom on Day One (yes, you read that right—two hours!) and the discovery of £8 pot noodles. Honestly, at that point, we were just grateful for anything warm. But despite the challenges, we met so many fun new customers and only had to bust out Google Translate a couple of times. Not too bad, if you ask me.

Meanwhile, Mark and Edd were at Atlanta Market

Next up: Atlanta Market. Things were a little less chaotic here, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t some memorable moments. The main one? It took us about 12 attempts to find the fastest route from our stand to our showroom space. Sometimes, it felt like we were in a maze. Other times, it was just a case of accidentally getting lost for 25 minutes at a time. The layout of the venue was a puzzle we simply couldn’t crack, one wrong turn and suddenly we were in a completely different building. But, on the bright side, we got plenty of extra steps in, so we’re counting that as a win.

Let's talk Best-Sellers

Once we finally mastered the art of getting from A to B, we got to focus on the good stuff, showing off our products, chatting with customers, and soaking up all the excitement that comes with being at one of the biggest trade events in the US.

Now, let's talk bestsellers. America loves Ken the Cat. He was easily one of the most popular characters on our stand, with customers immediately drawn to his grumpy little face. So much so, that the Happy Bir9669 Laptop Greeting Card was the number one bestseller from the whole show, closely followed by the Fuck Your Birthday Greeting Card.

Beyond the cards, the Marble Fungi Paperback Notebook was a hit, proving that stylish stationery is always a crowd-pleaser. We're really pleased to see people's response to our brand-new ranges and just how much you love them.

We had a blast!

Despite the occasional navigational nightmare, Atlanta Market was an absolute blast. We met so many brilliant new customers, caught up with some old favourites, and had a fantastic time sharing what we’ve been working on. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by the stand, whether it was to place an order, have a chat, or just get lost with us on the way there. Until next time, Atlanta!

So, where does that leave us now? Well, we’re about half-way through our eight tradeshow marathon. Each show has had something unique, and we’re looking forward to the next round.

Next up, we’ll be at Shoppe Object in New York (stand 3-821) from 2-4 February, Spring Fair in Birmingham (stand 3Q10-R11) from 2-5 February, and Ambiente in Frankfurt (hall 4, stand E38) from February 7-11 February. If you’re attending any of these, we’d love to see you.

On to the next one!
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