Porland of Turkey, one of the five gia Global Honorees this year, has a long, rich and colorful history. We look into what makes this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain stand out from the rest. by Michelle Hespe Porland’s logo features a ballerina executing a perfect pirouette. This elegant symbol conveys both beauty and strength, reflecting the grounding philosophy of this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain. The word…

CHESS 2019 – Retail’s Seismic Shift: Understanding the Forces Changing Housewares Consumers

Presented by: Michael Dart, Partner, Consumer/Retail Practice, A.T. Kearney Retail specialist and visionary, Michael Dart advises retail and consumer companies on how best to navigate retail’s seismic shifts. He combines his economics and finance training from Oxford University and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, with more than 25 years of experience consulting with A.T. Kearney and Bain & Co. to provide a unique…

Global Retail Intelligence – April

April 14 – JD.com Creates Offline Catering Supply Chain SolutionJD.com with Juqi, a dinning chain in Beijing, announced a supply chain cooperation, positioning JD.com as the first platform in China capable of providing a one-stop supply chain solution covering both the full category of food and materials supply, and integrated warehousing and distribution services. Through the cooperation, JD will also provide intelligent inventory…

Navigating The Wild West of Ocean Shipping

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Good Judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment." — Will Rogers Here is how the modern shipping business mirrors the Wild West: 1. The “Gold Rush” Boom and Bust Cycles The Old West was defined by the gold rush with sudden, explosive wealth that created overnight millionaires, followed by devastating busts that left ghost towns behind. Shipping operates on the exact same…

IHA Plans Sourcing Mission to Vietnam

To help members investigate alternatives to sourcing from China, the International Housewares Association will hold a sourcing mission to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, next year. The 2020 Vietnam Sourcing Mission will be offered in two sessions: April 20-22 or April 23-25. Each session is limited to just six companies to provide a high level of service and allow for private meetings and factory tours. The dates were chosen to allow…

Guide to Effective Retail Store Design

by Martin M. Pegler If RETAILING is your chosen path of livelihood, here are some simple guidelines you might like to consider when planning your retail store. 1. Let There Be Light! Without the proper light the merchandise cannot be seen or judged, colors cannot be appreciated, coordinates cannot be assembled, nor buying decisions made. Let your light be the best you can afford to install and use—or, if necessary, skimp on…

Inspiration Magazine: Design

Useful tips and resources prepared by business, industry and design experts to help retailers grow their businesses!

Discovering Design: Stelton

Forming a Design Brand More than 50 years ago, two friends, Stellan and Carton, merged their first names to form Stelton, which became one of Denmark’s best-known design brands. Niels Stellan Høm and Carton Madelaire partnered to start a trading company in 1960. After marketing sports shoes and furniture, they learned about a small factory in Fårevejle, Denmark, Danish…

Incorporating Technology Into Your Independent Homewares Retail Mix

Technology is no longer isolated to tech-heads and gadget nerds. There are a large range of products that integrate technology into your décor, going by the category name - fashtronics . These design-focused objects integrate technology for function – not for technology’s sake. Fashtronics is a growing category in home décor. Examples of this fashtronics trend include…

Discovering Design: Eva Solo

Known for its distinctive functional and stylish products for kitchen, bath, home and garden, each Eva Solo products begin with an idea for an item that enhances life at home. Such good design results in beautiful products that are a joy to use and to own. Now under the leadership of the founding family’s fourth generation, Eva Solo builds on its heritage while exploring new…

From the World of Design And Fashion

For any company, branding is what everything else hinges upon. And as a CEO, founder or director of a business, to become a true success story, you have to personify that brand and literally become a part of what it conveys to the world. In an ideal scenario, the creator is the brand—their very essence is personified in everything about which the company produces, promotes, and…

Design Stars – Design Highlights from the gia Product Design Awards

Discover Design, the premier design destination at the International Home + Housewares Show, offers a collection of companies showcasing the latest products, product design, and collections found in housewares. Exhibitors are based on recommendations from and approval by the retail and design community. At the 2016 Show, several exhibitors from Discover Design were selected…

Inside Discover Design: Magisso

Simple and smart, Magisso home goods products reflect the attitude and atmosphere expected of Scandinavian design. Their hand tools and kitchenware reduce the complexities of daily tasks; tableware inspires harmony and calm. Legendary Finnish design infuses innovation with comfort in modern interpretations of form and function. IHA: Juhani, where do you find inspiration when…

From the World of Design and Fashion: Thomas Lundgren

Meet a ‘Creative Emotional Originator’ (CEO), Thomas Lundgren, who not only aims to improve people’s lives through affordable home fashion, but also passionately strives to make the world a better place. Thomas Lundgren is the founder and CEO of THE One (Total Home Experience) — a fashion-focused homewares chain in the Middle East with 21 stores across eight countries that…

Find Your Style

Selecting a color palette and design for decorating can be difficult when finding a style that reflects your life. Consumers are bombarded with different ideas, so it can be hard to settle down to find one’s own style. Here are several simple suggestions you can share with your customers to get them started on their own design style and color palette. Use these tips to…

Inside Discover Design: black + blum

Based in London, black+blum is an Anglo-Swiss design partnership who joined forces in 1998. The black+blum designs have won numerous awards, including a gia Global Honoree award for the best product design in 2011, and are sold through selected stores all over the world. IHA: Where do you find inspiration when designing new products? DB: We get inspired by everything and…

Perfectly Porland