What REALLY went on at Top Drawer SS25

We're still relishing over our time at Top Drawer last week. It's always a highlight for us, full of creativity, inspiration and a little bit of chaos. 

But this year? Oh, this one was extra special.

It was our very first time showing off ALL of our shiny new products at a tradeshow. Sure, you might've seen some snaps online or flipped through the catalogue, but let's be real - some things just can't be captured on camera. That's why we were so excited to finally let you see the finishes on our new pieces in person. They really come to life when you're up close.

From the buzz of new releases to catching up with old friends and meeting new ones, it was a whirlwind we didn't want to end. So, what REALLY went down at Top Drawer this year?

Let's pull back the curtain, spill the tea on what stole the show, and give you a peek at what's next for us.

 

The Building of our Stand

Building our stand for Top Drawer? Not exactly a walk in the park, but we had a blast doing it.

It all began in a meeting between Mark, Jamie and Edd, where ideas were thrown around like confetti. There were sketches, drafts and a fair amount of head-scratching, but one thing was clear: we needed to bring our new licenses and our existing ones (hello, Cath Kidston) together in one stunning space. We wanted it to be easy for our customers to shop the entire range, without needing a map. Everything all in one spot.

We also knew we wanted fridges this time; mainly because we wanted our drinks to actually be cold for once. After years of being asked for water at shows where we only had soft drinks or iced coffee, we finally partnered up with a water brand. To make this happen, we built a massive bar. The build team? Let’s just say they weren’t exactly thrilled about hauling it around. It was seriously heavy. But, in the end, it meant we could squeeze in two lovely fridges. And somehow, despite all this, it’s the first year in a while that we didn’t trip the lights during the show. Progress!

Building the stand before the show was eventful to say the least. It was very cold; so cold that Mark was walking around like Darth Sidious with his hoodie up.

And just when we thought we were finally getting there, some man with a trolley came and crashed into us.He did apologise... whilst walking over all our new cards. 

We did go all out with some fancy new vinyl for our back wall, giving a shout-out to a bunch of the artists and licensees we work with. Now that we’ve figured out how to make vinyl this big without it looking like a tacky billboard, we’re planning to go even bigger for future shows. Watch this space!

And then there’s Edd, who spent an entire week in the warehouse on his own, painting the boards with multiple coats to make sure everything was good to go on the day. And let’s just say, he spent so much time with those boards, they’re practically his new best friends. Big thanks to Edd for putting in the graft so we didn’t have to pull an all-nighter!

We're pretty pleased with how our stand turned out, don't you think?

Once the stand was built, it was showtime! Enter Mark, Phillip, Harry, Angeline, Jake, and Philippa. Even Jamie and our creative crew, Hayley, Talia, and Liam, popped down on Monday to see all their hard work brought to life.

Then it was time to welcome you lovely lot.

It was amazing to hear how much you loved the new products. We’ve poured so much into making them the best they can be. This year, we introduced new in-house ranges like Marble Kingdom, Stripe, and Picture This, alongside exciting new licenses with the V&A, Natural History Museum, and Danger Bois.

One of the best parts of the show was getting to meet so many of you, both familiar faces and new ones. Catching up with long-time customers felt like a proper reunion, and it was brilliant hearing about how our products have been working for your shops. And for those of you we met for the first time, welcome aboard! We loved sharing our ranges with you and hearing your thoughts. It’s always exciting to see fresh perspectives and ideas.

Whether you were dropping by for a chat, stocking up on your favourites, picking up one of our free tote bags, or just curious about what we’re all about, it was an absolute pleasure having you at the stand. You definitely made all those hours of setup worth it.

Mark had to leave at about 1PM on Monday to catch a flight to America for Atlanta Market. What he didn't realise was that he left his passport on the stand and had to cancel his Uber, just as it arrived, and get Phil to run it out to him. But hey, he got there in the end!

Anyway, we'll stop being soppy now. Time for the nitty gritty. What you're really here for. Our best-selling products.

Best-Selling Products

Well that's it folks. Safe to say you really like our V&A Neon Floral range, hey?

We're looking forward to seeing your orders hit your shelves - do let us know how your new items are performing.

As ever, if you have any questions about anything, or need any assistance with what ranges to buy, you can drop us a call or an email and we'll always be more than happy to chat to you.

Our next UK Tradeshow will be Spring Fair between 2nd and 4th of February on stand 3Q10-R11. We look forward to seeing you there!
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