Hello from February Atlanta Apparel!

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For the next five days I will blogging LIVE from our February Atlanta Apparel Market! As a part of our AmericasMart Marketing team, I am excited to bring you a behind-the-scenes look at the new trends and fashions. Plus, I will be attending all of our exciting events and seminars…and of course, reporting back to you with all the good information!

Get a head start and check out americasmart.com/apparel for line listings, showroom/booth locations and event schedules!

See you at Market tomorrow!

Amanda Macy Cheek

NEW at AmericasMart! Our very own Fashion Blogger’s Lounge

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NEW at AmericasMart!

Come see what the bloggers are saying about Atlanta Apparel! Or just stop in for some refreshments, a place to sit down and relax or log in to catch up on what’s going on back home while you’re at market.

The blogger’s lounge is sponsored by Yepser, a Social Media/Internet Strategy Company that can help you build and market your brand through digital media. Find the lounge in Building 3, Floor 9, Southwest Quadrant, Showroom 354

Fresh February Lines in Atlanta

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February Apparel Market means fresh looks for summer. From top accessories to timeless materials, new looks and new names abound in Atlanta.

To discover the latest in contemporary and designer fashions, don’t miss the evolving Temporary collections on Floors 2, 3 and 4. With 50 percent more exhibitors than February 2011, the Temps offer boundless opportunities to expand into new lines.

Check out hot fashions from labels including Robins Jeans, Brian Lichtenberg, Matt and Nat, Beija-Flor Jeans, Minnie Rose, Cambio, Repeat Cashmere, Magaschoni, Mavi, Elaine Turner, Dolce Vita, Old Gringo, Renee C, Ark and Co, Via Spiga, Free Endearment, Calvin Klein Performance, Fresh Produce, ZAD, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Minuet, Miilla, Marrakech Clothing, Go Silk, Grace Hats, By Phillipe Illia, Darling and MUCH MORE.

Temporaries are open February 2-4 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and February 5 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Full Market information is always available online.

Celebrating the Best of the Best

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The undeniable beauty of rugs was celebrated at the 2012 America’s Magnificent Carpets® Awards, recognizing the newest area rug introductions. A rug pulls together a room and makes a strong statement, much like how we pull together the best of the best in the industry for this grand annual evening event. With entertainment by Dancing with the Stars and set in the world’s largest aquarium, AmericasMart pulled out all the stops to celebrate the rug industry in a BIG way!

A coveted award that has only been given out three times over the years was presented to David Harounian, a principal of Harounian Rugs International. The surprise of the evening was that Jeff Portman welcomed to the stage Lucille Laufer (Executive Director at Oriental Rug Importers Association) and Gene Newman (a retired importer/wholesaler of Oriental Rugs [owner of Noonoo Rug Co.] and Managing Director, EDEN Consulting Group, Ltd.) to present the ORIA Award to Chas Sydney, former senior vice president of AmericasMart leading the rug franchise.

Emcees Lynne Russell (former anchor on CNN Headline News ) and Chas Sydney announced the winners one by one in classic product categories such as Handmade, Hand-Knotted and Power-Loomed and in two new categories: Indoor/Outdoor and Licensee. The area rug winners—selected from the Museum of Introductions (MOI) gallery by an independent panel of renowned tastemakers—were announced and presented by AmericasMart. Click here to see all of the winners.

Ready to Tango?

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The good folks at Pantone named Tangerine Tango as THE color for 2012, declaring it as an energetic red-orange with the ability to infuse any design with cheerful drama.

“Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy” - Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute

Whether you’re looking for a quick infusion of color into a traditional pattern or a jolting pop for a new paint color, this hue can work across channels – home, gift and apparel. Look for it to be used as a component in the more vibrant interior design options slowly emerging in the home category as well as an immediate infusion into fashion, from staple pieces to accessories.

AmericasMart exhibitors already had myriad options available at the January 2012 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market® to ensure retailers can be at the forefront of what’s “new” for their customers. From full groups in soft goods to accent case goods to lighting to decorative accessories, showrooms showed off brilliant displays, sometimes complete orange-toned settings and sometimes a burst of bold color in a traditional product.

Whatever’s happening in design – it’s at AmericasMart, from color to style.

Kitchen Inspiration in January

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The kitchen is the heart of the house, so AmericasMart created a forum to showcase some of the latest housewares and home entertaining concepts at the January 20120 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market.

The Kitchen Inspiration Gallery included five high-style, inspirational kitchen vignettes featuring Kitchen & Housewares as well as Living & Entertaining: Gifts, Tabletop & Accessories products from a variety of exhibitors. Located in Building 2, near AmericasMart’s state-of-the-art Demonstration Kitchen, buyers could see a variety of styles: casual family, formal elegance, traditional European, modern oasis and metropolitan wet bar.

The vignettes supported AmericasMart’s position as a leader in the Gourmet & Housewares segment with more than 400 of the top lines, representing  the industry’s best. As consumer demand grows, the nation’s premier global market continues to entice premium brands to be part of the product center.

Vignettes were sponsored by Founders Kitchen & Bath, Blanco, Cowan Plumbing Supply, Delta, DuPont Corian, Cosentino Silestone, Dacor Appliances and Top South Countertops. 

Visual Excellence: Showrooms Created an Award-Winning Impression

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words…well, so is a window display.  It gives buyers a taste of what they’ll find inside and sets the tone for a showroom. The window display’s personality may determine whether a buyer comes into the showroom or simply passes by. It’s the showroom’s first impression. The display can grab buyers’ attention, inspire their creativity and spark their interest in a showroom within mere moments. If it mirrors their personality and style, it will speak to them in a way that draws them inside for more.

We saw so many amazing visual displays in the showrooms during the January 2012 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market! Each showroom has a different feel, and you could sense the amount of passion behind the creation of each one. The ambience of each showroom starts with visual display. That’s why it’s important to recognize the use of creativity, space, product placement, signage, flooring and lighting with AmericasMart’s Visual Display Awards (VDAs). This year’s winners blew us away with their fantastic displays!

The VDA winners were selected by an independent panel of design and display experts with decades of combined industry experience. Find out who won and see some of the award-winning displays from the 2012 January Market. What was the spectacular Best of Show booth? Drumroll please…