Showcase

Showcase

Last weekend I exhibited for the first time at Showcase Ireland. It was the 50th anniversary of the show and by way of background Showcase is Ireland's leading trade fair to bring Irish Artists, Crafters, Designers and all types of creatives to the domestic and international stage. 

For many years I have walked the halls of this show absolutely mesmerised by the talent under one roof and thinking to myself 'one day'...I found myself in November receiving a message that I had been accepted and the planning began. I applied through @LEODublincity a fantastic organisation which I have been involved with since the beginning of my business and who offer amazing support through mentoring and training programmes for Irish start ups. They provided in house and online training which was invaluable to prepare for this stage. More importantly the contacts I made during training with LEO and @Ninearchconsulting was really a huge support as we all worked through our preparations knowing we were not alone in the process. 

It is not just what you are bringing to market but how you bring it which makes all the difference. What are your key messages? What makes your brand stand out in the busy crowd of Showcase? Are you competitively priced from a retailer's point of view? The background finance and budgeting aspect of the preparations are equally as important as the the product itself as you need to be confident that the time and effort you spend producing is worthwhile and on the other hand retailers need to be assured that your product is positioned at the right price point to fit in with their other lines. A fine balancing act!

It was a busy 6 weeks before the event with Christmas markets in Farmleigh. However given the great opportunity which is Showcase, I decided to follow my plan to launch my original designs into a brand new product range including 100% silk satin and chiffon scarves, ceramic mugs, greeting cards and framed prints. There's nothing like a 6 week deadline to focus the mind and get the creativity flowing.  Thanks to Alison and Fran @smartimaging in Dublin 8 who were incredibly brilliant at producing some of  my products ready for Showcase. I met Alison on the LEO training course which shows how great the Irish network is for passing business along and keeping it local. 

I am absolutely delighted how the range developed and is now since Showcase is available for sale. I have 25 designs which will translate eventually across the whole product range. The one featured above is 'Colour My World' which was the piece which was the central focus and title of my first official solo exhibition in July 2023. The minute I painted this piece I felt it would be lovely as a scarf so here we are ;-) #visionboard #justdoit

So on opening morning last Sunday it was both a relief and an exciting buzz to finally get to day 1 of Showcase. I was surrounded by the loveliest group of entrepreneurs who kept me company for the three days. These ladies are really worth checking out as they have fantastic products @naturesalchemy @Unaheaneydesigns @mojo&co @soakwellnessritual @donna.magee.irish.artist @pawpear and @myforevertoothfairy. So many others too so take a look at the Showcase website to see the full array of talent.

The Show itself was fantastic ...just a total immersion into Irish creativity. There is something deeply satisfying just knowing that all of these Irish skills and high standards of craftsmanship are creating products for the home market and abroad and these skills which are part of our native heritage will be fostered and passed down to the next generation. 

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my stand to chat about my work and product range. I met a great group of American ladies Ronnie from @rmirishjewels and Christine from @thefrithteam who were attending Showcase and liked my silk scarves so much they took them off the mannequins and wore them home to New York and North Carolina. Does that make me an International designer??? ;-) I am hoping to connect with buyers who will appreciate the themes relating to nature and the connection with the Irish landscape and coastline which runs through my designs and Art. So 2025 is off to a great start..here's to a great year ahead for all exhibitors of Showcase 2025! Let's see where this takes us! 

 

 

 

 

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