MONTRÉAL COLLECTIONS HEADLINES OCTOBER STYLE RUNWAY FASHION SHOW

Posted on September 28, 2010 by ksantry

Atlanta Apparel will once again have the honor of featuring Montréal Collections as the headlining sponsor of the October Atlanta Apparel Style Runway Fashion Show. And, to top it off, Montreal Collections will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in Atlanta. To highlight this monumental anniversary, Montréal Collections has a few surprises planned for the show, including spotlighting renowned designer Samuel Dong.

Samuel Dong will present 30 outfits from his spring 2011 collection. This Montréal designer, originally from China, is famous for his creative and artistic designs, whose inspirations come from nature. His magnificent masterpieces featuring elaborate fabrics, embroidery combinations and big ruffles will take center stage at the show.

Montreal Collections Style Runway is set to take place on Friday, October 15 at the October Market. The party begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception, proceeded by the debut of Samuel Dong’s collection, along with 20 other Montreal designers, at 6:30 p.m. It all takes place in the atrium.

Plus, there will be a cocktail reception after the show in Samuel Dong’s showroom: Diane and Alan – 11-N-106.

Be sure to not only make it to the fashion show, but also the pre- and post-parties!

For more information on the fabulous designer, visit. www.samueldong.com.

To read the entire release and get more details on all the designers, click here.

Holiday/Floral & Home Decor Center Blooms as January Nears

Posted on September 23, 2010 by ksantry

As the January 2011 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market nears, AmericasMart is poised to welcome new companies and celebrate the expansion of existing showrooms throughout the 13 permanent product centers staged in its four-building campus. One major product center spanning five floors in Building 1—the Holiday/Floral & Home Décor center—is currently experiencing this growth with recent expansions, renewals and additions.

Two new companies have secured space and are set to open their first Atlanta showrooms in the Holiday/Floral & Home Décor center, enhancing the already rich product offered within the half-million sq. ft. of this category. Egyptian Museum will be staged in a showroom on floor 20 (20-D-3) in Building 1, and d. Stevens will be located on floor 18 (18-A-10).

Further adding to the category momentum is the recent recommitment of two anchor showrooms in the Holiday/Floral & Home Décor product center: Accent Décor and Hill’s Imports. Accent Décor will relocate from floor 20 to 18 (18-A-23), enabling the company to more than double its current space. Hill’s Imports will now be housed on floor 17 (17-a-15)—moving from floor 19—in nearly 7,000 sq. ft of space.

The Holiday/Floral & Home Décor products, special offerings and events can be discovered on floors 16-20 of Building 1—the destination for everything HOME—this January.

To view the entire release, click here.

IN LIVING COLOR…Expert Thoughts From Designer Rebecca Ewing

Posted on September 17, 2010 by ksantry

Is Rebecca Ewing a creative genius, design guru or a little like Doctor Phil? Perhaps she’s combination of all three? In a recent seminar she hosted at the Fall Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market last weekend, Rebecca showed retailers the value of creating an environment with design and color that is aesthetically pleasing as well as calming to the senses. Rebecca believes that physiology and interior design go hand-in-hand. The industry leader showed her expertise and knowledge of the world of interior design with intricate details on how she can match a room to one’s personality. After listening to her, you are convinced that colors and their hues can change behavior and alter moods.

During her seminar, Rebecca went beyond interior design and talked fashion–and how to leverage certain clothing and colors to accomplish specific goals. She explained how wearing the right color palette can make one more approachable. She was a perfect example of this theory as the crowd was extremely attentive and responsive to her thoughts and insight. Many were there for to learn more for their store and personal insight, but the course was also offered to those seeking .2 CEU credits.

The event was a hit with comments such as:

“Rebecca’s knowledge and experience is incomparable.”

“Absolutely fabulous! She was fantastic!”

“Rebecca is always informative and showing new views and perspectives of color and the impacts.”

“Wonderful seminar. I loved the presentation, and I hope to learn more.” “Very interesting and informative. Thought provoking.”

Want to know more about Rebecca and discover additional ideas? Visit Rebecca’s website: www.handsonhues.com

Day in the Life of a Gourmet Judge

Posted on September 16, 2010 by ksantry

I thought it was one of those “you won the lottery” pranks but the request was real, AmericasMart Atlanta wanted a judge for The Atlanta Gourmet Market, and they wanted me for the job. They asked if my calendar was free that day. What a strange question, of course it would be free that day.

I was a bit nervous about the assignment, five hours on two gourmet floors, tasting dressings, rubs, candy, snacks, soups and condiments. Was I up to the task?

Upon arrival I met Todd Mussman from Muss and Turner’s http://www.mussandturners.com/ We were given 20 pages of entries, and we stared walking the floors with Bri, our guide from AmericasMart. In an oddly stoic gesture, I did not eat breakfast to save room for all the delectables. What a misguided decision that was. I immediately ate too much toffee at our first stop. Pecans, sugar, nuts and butter, sounds like breakfast food to me. Toffee to Go’s Dark Chocolate Pecan Toffee melted in my mouth and made me smile. http://www.toffeetogo.com/ This day was starting off just as I had hoped.

At Strawberry Patch, we snacked on Vidalia® Onion Cheese Grits Bits. Diane Justice makes these cheese bits with real Vidalia® onions, and you can taste their gentle sweetness. After tasting the other entries, we quickly decided that these grits bits were worthy of a prize. http://www.gritsbits.com/

With a bit of trepidation, we approached Mother Shucker and we had a pleasant surprise at her booth. Old Mother Shucker is not at all old ,and she has a comedic presence that just makes you want to stay and listen. Lucky for us, her sense of humor was matched by her delicious original cocktail sauce and I have been dreaming about making a Bloody Mary with her mix ever since. This cocktail sauce is worth the trip to Columbia, S.C., and back. http://www.oysterbarcolumbia.com/

After enjoying Miss Jenny’s Habanero Bread and Butter Pickles http://www.missjennyspickles.com/, Raven’s Nest Specialties’ Original Raspberry Jalapeno Jam http://www.ravensoriginal.com/ and Sugar Marsh Cottage’s http://www.sugarmarshcottage.com/ Bittersweet Chocolate Fleur de Sel Toffee Bits, and all of the other specialty foods, I think I ended the day having completed the food pyramid! Delicious and exciting food, what more could a food judge ask for?

(Elisa Gambino is the owner of Via Elisa Pasta Sauces. http://www.viaelisa.com/ Her sauces can be found in Whole Foods Markets throughout the southeast and Florida.)

Best of Gourmet Honored at Atlanta Market

Posted on September 15, 2010 by ksantry

One of the most significant highlights of fall Markets was the recognition of the gourmet industry’s crème de la crème in the Best of Atlanta awards. This honor is exclusive to the annual September Market, spotlighting superior gourmet products and celebrating achievement in taste, originality and packaging.

AmericasMart invited Atlanta’s top culinary experts to judge more than 60 gourmet products for the Best of Atlanta awards. Sampling product from the permanent and temporary product centers, the team of independent judges visited the booths and showrooms to experience the product in its unique environment and interact with the creators and representatives. The judges selected winning product that excelled in distinctive tastes, innovative packaging and display in 10 individual award categories.

The winners were unveiled during the Best of Atlanta reveal on Saturday, September 11, and continued to be on display for the remainder of Market on Floor 7 in Building 1. The 2010 Best of Atlanta winners are:

Best Candy: Indianola Pecan House – Southern Praline Pecans
Best Chocolate: Sugar Marsh Cottage Confectionary – Bittersweet Chocolate Coastal Collection with Fleur de sel Toffee
Best Beverage: Raven’s Nest Specialties – Original Mulling Spice
Best Condiment: Mother Shucker’s – Original Cocktail Sauce
Best Dessert: Toffee To Go – Dark Chocolate Pecan Toffee
Best All Natural Product: Miss Jenny’s Pickles – Miss Jenny’s Habanero Bread & Butter Pickles
Best Jam/Preserve: Raven’s Nest Specialties – Raven’s Original Raspberry Jalapeño Jam
Best Snack: Strawberry Patch – Vidalia Onion Grits Bits
Best Extra: Oak Leaf at Belmont – Thousand Island Dressing
Best Soup: Plentiful Pantry – Roasted Tomato Parmesan Bisque

We congratulate our winners on a spectacular showing this Market!

Pictures of all the winners can be found on the AmericasMart website and on our Facebook page.

Changa Named ‘Best of Show’ at September Markets

Posted on September 14, 2010 by ksantry

The Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market together with The Atlanta Gourmet Market closed yesterday, ending the three-day Market run. At Market, one spectacular company was recognized as the Best of Show for outstanding visual display in the gift and gourmet temporaries. Out of all the temporary booths, this company stood out above the rest. The Best of Atlanta winner demonstrated excellence in visual display above all others across the entire temporary gift and gourmet categories-staged on floor 7 in Building 1.

A first-time exhibitor at AmericasMart, the winner took its booth to a new level, using only handmade product created by friends and family. Featured product included handcrafted bark wood frames, flowers in a beautiful arrangement from a friend’s yard, rod-iron displays, handsewn drapery and table linens and custom clipboards. The 2010 Best of Show award was presented to the Changa, a new line of changeable jewelry headquartered in Hendersonville, NC.

More information about Changa can be found on their website: http://www.changajewelry.com/.

Great Start to September Market!

Posted on September 11, 2010 by ksantry

Saturday was a great kick-off to the Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market and The Atlanta Gourmet Market. Temps were busy. Showroom folks were helping buyers fill in last-minute, pre-holiday orders. Presenters were teaching the basics of using social media as a marketing tool and creating fabulous gift baskets. Plus, there was an ice cream social and the highlight of the day – the Best of Atlanta Reveal Reception. Stay tuned to learn results!

Tomorrow morning, grab a cup of complimentary coffee at 9 a.m. on Floor 7 of Building 1, check out the Temps, then head over to the Demonstration Kitchen to see popular chef Virginia Willis at 11 a.m. Still lots of time to walk showrooms!

Come Say Hi and See What I’m Cookin Up, Y’all!

Posted on September 8, 2010 by ksantry

Hello to the 8th Floor Gourmet Gallery and all gourmet/housewares buyers!

I’ll be at AmericasMart on Sunday, September 12 and am encouraging you to visit and bring your guests and clients. I’m hosting Farm to Table, Y’all, and you won’t want to miss it!

Plus, samples will be served!

We will also have a drawing for a My Southern Pantry gift basket that includes a signed copy of Bon Appétit, Y’all!

I’ll be walking around before my demo, It would be a pleasure to meet you and talk to each of you on how we can work better together, so I can learn what you need me to do to help you sell your product and help you generate customers.

See ya’ll soon!

Don’t forget:
Sunday September 12
AmericasMart
Farm to Table, Y’all with Chef Virginia Willis
11:00 am -1:00 pm
Building 2 WestWing Floor 8
Demo Kitchen

“Small and Beautiful” Jewelry Company Contributes to Global Village

Posted on September 6, 2010 by ksantry

Part of the Global Village concept of products created by local craftspeople to support local economies, Kazuri’s hand-painted, ceramic jewelry is made in Nairobi, Kenya. “Kazuri” is the Swahili word for “small and beautiful.”

Founded by Lady Susan Wood in 1975, by teaching two women the painstaking process of making ceramic beads using clay taken from near the base of Mt. Kenya. The company now employs more than 350 women, providing good salaries, excellent working conditions and a sense of self-sufficiency in a country where financial security for women is rare.

The women earn enough to pay for their children’s education in a positive environment that includes an on-site clinic, educational seminars and access to a savings and loan to help them achieve goals such as buying housing, land and cattle.

Every bead used to make neclaces, bracelets and earrings is shaped by hand without using molds or forms before being polished, kiln-fired, painted and fired again before being strung. Kazuri designs are created to work with fashions around the world. As word of the company inspires success, a growth plan is already in place — at least 20 women are constantly in training to be ready for full-time employment as demand warrants.

Kazuri is available in the Diana Warner Studio at AmericasMart Atlanta (Bldg. 3, 8-E109B), or additional information is available at www.kazuriunlimited.com.

Caravan Recommits to AmericasMart

Posted on September 3, 2010 by ksantry

Caravan Rug has reaffirmed its commitment to Atlanta and the industry by renewing its multi-year lease at AmericasMart. After 15 years in Atlanta, Caravan has ensured its future success with the renewal of its 5,700 ft showroom on floor 4 in Building 1—the 20-floor destination for all Home products. The showroom has allowed Caravan to spotlight some of the world’s finest designs in the world’s largest collection of area rugs.

Be sure to check out Caravan at the January 2011 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market.

More details on Caravan’s renewal here.

AmericasMart Blog

Monthly Archives: September 2010