Las Vegas Market announced that steady buyer and designer attendance and strong order-writing set a positive tone at the largest-ever Winter 2017 Las Vegas Market, which ran January 22-26, 2017.
Overall attendance surpassed last Winter's all-time high, with 13% gains in gift buyer attendance and 3% gains in interior designers, plus traffic increases from categories of strategic growth and from key U.S. regions - Midwest (6%), Southeast (9%) and Northeast (14%). On the resource side, total brands and lines represented topped 4,000 for the first time ever, solidifying Las Vegas Market's position as the nation's fastest growing gift market and the leading home furnishings destination in the western United States.
“Across the board, this was the busiest Las Vegas Market since we launched more than ten years ago,” said Robert Maricich, chief executive officer of International Market Centers. “Winter market certainly reflected the overall health of the industry, with heightened business activity reported from showrooms across the furniture, home décor and gift categories.”
The Winter 2017 Las Vegas Market boasted a record total of 4,003 exhibitor resources, with a total of 170,000-square-feet of new and expanded showroom space debuting in January. Notable showroom additions were returns to market by Arteriors and RAZ Imports; expansions and relocations by Abbyson, Anne McGilvray, CDI International, Feizy, Fine Lines and Keena; and Market debuts by newcomers including Sales Producers and Destination Gifts. In total, the Market showcased more than 5 million square feet of product resources across 40 showroom floors and in 600 temporary exhibits.
Buyer representation spanned both the United States and the globe, with buyers from 50 states and some 80 countries attending Winter Market. Within the U.S., the highest attendance hailed from California, Nevada, Texas, Arizona and Washington. In line with the Market's recent strategic efforts to build housewares, seasonal and casual/outdoor resources, commensurate attendance increases also were recorded in those categories: housewares up 11%; seasonal up 11%, gourmet up 8% and casual/outdoor up 6%.
Las Vegas Market also experienced an increase in designer attendance, with notable cross-category benefit for furniture, home décor, gift and tabletop exhibitors alike. Jesse James, founder and creative director of Aesthetic Movement, a multi-line sales agency that relocated from C10 to C1 this market, commented, “This is our fifth Las Vegas Market, but this is a really new experience this time. We are drawing designers, as well as lots of furniture retailers. Our market-to-market growth is much higher this time, because of the growth of Las Vegas overall and because of our new location.”
The furniture category presented the largest breadth and depth of resources this winter, including more than 115,000-square-feet of renewed showroom space and 55,000 square feet of new and expanded showrooms in Buildings A & B. Highlights included a significant expansion of the Building B lobby, to showcase new spaces for Abbyson Living and CDI Furniture; line expansions by major bedding brands that complement the 60+ mattress & bedding companies featured at market; and increasing numbers of casual furniture suppliers, including many new-to-Market firms, such as leading brands Winston Furniture and Noble House.
Furniture exhibitors were overwhelmingly upbeat about their business at Winter Market. “We had a phenomenal market,” asserted Claudio Fraschetti, vice president sales North America for Amalfi Home Furniture. “Market a year ago was fantastic and this one topped it! The buyers we saw were ‘cream of the cream’ and commitments were made at the show on the spot.”
Home décor continues to be a growth category, particularly in the better home fashions segment, and Winter 2017 marked a complete remerchandising of the design-driven décor on floors C3, C4 and C5. Cody Ables, CEO of national sales management team CODARUS, enthused, “We love our new and expanded location on C3! We are having our best market in the five years we have been in Las Vegas. We are seeing home accessory buyers and designers from Texas to the West Coast and all around the USA. We are hopeful that the Las Vegas Market can maintain its upward trend!”
Gift was one of the fastest growing categories this winter, with 37 new and expanded showrooms bringing an additional 250+ lines to Las Vegas Market. “We had a great show and great traffic!” remarked Bob Caldwell, Jr., president of Grace Management Group, representing high-profile home fragrance brands including Bridgewater, Greenleaf, Heartstrings, Votivo and Willowbrook. “There was a different level of traffic and excitement than I’ve experienced at prior markets here. Las Vegas has felt like the up-and-coming market for the past few years - but now the future is here!”
Winter Market also featured a tremendous surge in temporary exhibits, with more than 500 gift and home lines located in The Pavilions, including 180 first-time participants. Pavilion 1 spotlighted resources in five distinct sections-GIFT, HOME, B HOME, HANDMADE and DESIGN—with the GIFT and HANDMADE segments completely sold out. Pavilion 2 featured DISCOVERIES: The Antique Vintage Marketplace, which grew by more than 50% this market. Other sold-out exhibits included: home furnishings temporaries on B2, at full capacity for the eighth consecutive Market; and casual and outdoor on C12 and C13.
Buyers lauded the Market's resource diversity and positive energy. “I attend design markets around the world, and the Las Vegas Market is one of the best,” said internationally-recognized furniture and interior designer Timothy Corrigan. “I’m always inspired by the growing number of resources and there's a great energy here. I encourage everyone in our industry to come and discover what the Las Vegas market has to offer!” In addition to shopping showrooms, Corrigan received the 2017 Design Icon award during a standing-room-only reception co-hosted by Las Vegas Market and Traditional Home at Winter Market.
A full slate of special events, awards programs, seminars and guided tours of the market with top designers, magazine editors and industry professionals were presented during winter market. Other highlights included the first-ever hosting of the 2017 Housewares Design Awards recognizing design excellence by leading brands in 12 core housewares and home categories and honoring West Elm LOCAL as the inaugural “Design Influencer of the Year;” and the 12th edition of the signature FIRST LOOK program, offering exclusive insights into the latest color, design and style trends, and highlighted by a fresh, new display showcasing those trends in the Grand Plaza.
Coming off Winter Market's record-setting performance, anticipation is high for the Summer 2017 Las Vegas Market. which is scheduled for July 30-August 3, 2017. In addition to continued expansion, summer market highlights will include the annual “Up on the Roof” gala charity event benefiting Gift For Life; the third annual ANDYZ design awards, recognizing the year's best interior design projects; AHEAD OF THE CURVE presenting a design influencer's view of market; and the exclusive FIRST LOOK trend presentation spotlighting directional trends with the best new-to-market products.
“With a strong start right out of the gate in 2017, we anticipate further growth for our Summer market,” said Maricich. “As we continue to add categories and resources across furniture, home décor and gift, more buyers are seeing the tangible value our market provides - a one-stop-shop with unlimited opportunities to ‘Discover the Extraordinary’.”
Furniture exhibitors were overwhelmingly upbeat about their business at Winter Market. “We had a phenomenal market,” asserted Claudio Fraschetti, vice president sales North America for Amalfi Home Furniture. “Market a year ago was fantastic and this one topped it! The buyers we saw were ‘cream of the cream’ and commitments were made at the show on the spot.” 
Buyers lauded the Market's resource diversity and positive energy. “I attend design markets around the world, and the Las Vegas Market is one of the best,” said internationally-recognized furniture and interior designer Timothy Corrigan. “I’m always inspired by the growing number of resources and there's a great energy here. I encourage everyone in our industry to come and discover what the Las Vegas market has to offer!” In addition to shopping showrooms, Corrigan received the 2017 Design Icon award during a standing-room-only reception co-hosted by Las Vegas Market and Traditional Home at Winter Market. 
Coming off Winter Market's record-setting performance, anticipation is high for the Summer 2017 Las Vegas Market. which is scheduled for July 30-August 3, 2017. In addition to continued expansion, summer market highlights will include the annual “Up on the Roof” gala charity event benefiting Gift For Life; the third annual ANDYZ design awards, recognizing the year's best interior design projects; AHEAD OF THE CURVE presenting a design influencer's view of market; and the exclusive FIRST LOOK trend presentation spotlighting directional trends with the best new-to-market products.