After the success at Autumn Fair over the past few years, our partnership with Theo Paphitis's #SBS Small Business Sunday initiative has extended to Spring Fair. Our Content Editor, Lina Vaz, talks with Theo Paphitis about how he selects the winners. The retail magnate and entrepreneur also advises on the best way to navigate current challenges and drive business growth, without neglecting ESG. 

Spring and Autumn Fair, the UK's leading marketplaces for wholesale Home, Gift and Fashion, has partnered with Products of Change to create a set of five whitepapers to assist retailers and brands with their journey to operating a more sustainable, ethical, and regenerative business as part of its Power of One® campaign.

Spring Fair, the UK's leading marketplace for wholesale Home, Gift and Fashion, closed on a high with buoyant feedback highlighting the variety and diversity of retailers in attendance creating a very optimistic outlook for the industry as international buyers and normality returns and cross-buying opportunities create newness and excitement on the show floor.

It was great to learn more about personal branding at Spring Fair with Kubi Springer. She is a planning specialist with over 25 years of brand marketing experience, having worked with many brands over the course of her career such as Beyonce, Nike, Rolls Royce, UBS, Vogue... Kubi is also business media personality who has appeared in several media including Forbes, Sunday Times, and The Guardian, and has a bi-monthly column in Harper's Bazaar magazine.

The second day of Spring Fair, the UK's leading marketplace for wholesale Home, Gift and Fashion, continued the high from day one with packed halls and busy stands with retailers including Next, Argos, Sainsbury, Tesco, Asda, Hello Fresh, Natural History Museum, TK Maxx, Funky Pigeon, John Lewis, Scribbler, Fenwick, Blue Diamond, Hallmark, Dobbies, Poundsaver, Quiz Clothing, Dunelm, Deichmann, Waterstones, WHSmith, Wowcher, Soletrader, Poundland, Paramount, HMV, Boots, QVC, V&A, Harvey Nichols, and many more independents in attendance.

The high street is going through a restructure, as the previous model of long commercial contracts is no longer fit for purpose. An interesting proposition is to open a pop-up shop for a limited period of time in a popular location, to test the market and drive brand awareness. Charley Crocker, Founder and Lead Agent of The Pop Up Shop Agents answers the most common questions about pop-up retail.

Jewellery & Watch (J&W), the UK's biggest returning jewellery showcase taking place at Moda, has announced the finalists of the inaugural New Jewels Bursary in collaboration with the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ), and sponsored by Curteis Creates, which will offer an up-and-coming jewellery designer access to invaluable advice and support.

Spring Fair, the UK's leading marketplace for wholesale Home, Gift and Fashion taking place at the NEC Birmingham from 5th – 8th February 2023, has announced it will host the Gift of the Year 2023 judging featuring the shortlisted products in a dedicated showcase and welcoming over 70 expert judges from across the industry during the four-day show.