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Styles in Season
Canadian wholesalers weigh in |
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Written by Amanda Ryder
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Now that you’ve had a look at the hot holiday trends hitting Europe this year, you’re probably wondering what products and styles Canadian wholesalers have to offer for the coming season. We talked with experts from three companies to see what they have in store.
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| Product credit , clockwise from top left: Florists Supply, Westbrook
Floral, Florists Supply, Westbrook Floral and Smithers Oasis. Centre
image: Smithers Oasis. |
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Now that you’ve had a look at the hot holiday trends hitting Europe this year, you’re probably wondering what products and styles Canadian wholesalers have to offer for the coming season. We talked with experts from three companies to see what they have in store.
Harvesting the autumn shades
Fall décor trends and styles typically reflect the changing Canadian landscape – think leaf motifs in rusty orange hues, browns and burnt reds. Karen Tuck, hard goods purchaser at Westbrook Floral, suggests that although these colours will always play a part in the autumn theme, a new, bold hue is being added to the mix. “We’re starting to see purple fall into home décor and clothing, and I think that’s going to be more predominant in fall this year because it’s a popular colour.”
Neville MacKay, design director for Smithers-Oasis, goes one step further and says florists can expect to see more metallic colours come this October. He says retailers need to push the boundaries and find new ways to spice up the autumn palette. “When we say autumn tones, we automatically in our heads, as floral designers and florists, think of rust chrysanthemums and orange lilies and red carnations. We have to get away from that and use bolder colours, mixed in with some strong coppers,” says MacKay. Like Tuck, he predicts that purple will serve as a great accent colour and even recommends florists try a bright pink.
In terms of materials, florists only need to look outside for inspiration. MacKay says non-floral items like rocks, heavy wood, moss, fresh fruits and vegetables are unusual, yet unique additions to a floral design. It’s a great way to bring in natural elements to a design and offer a custom look.
Derrick Hollar, aifd, cafa of Florists Supply confirms this trend towards natural materials and adds berries to the mix. Not just for Christmas, Hollar says they’ve stocked up on berries in greens, oranges, wood tones and holiday colours so the product can be used in fall designs and then carried over to Christmas.
The return of the candle
Our experts all agree that candles and related products will be big sellers this year. “People are getting back into using candles because we’re doing more home parties and home décor. We are seeing a lot of candles,” says MacKay. To take a candle from ordinary to customized, MacKay says florists should use the accessories they have on hand, like decorative wire and diamante pins. The wire can be wrapped or curled around as an accent or to make a decorative pattern. “It’s unbelievable what you can do just to add to the candle. Just upgrade it a bit!”
Candleholders are a great add-on for candle sales and Tuck says that consumers are in search of something a little more upscale. They want the item to look a little more chic without having to spend more.“They want a big bang for their buck. We’re trying to keep prices reasonable but have a more dramatic effect with the products we are offering,” says Tuck. At Westbrook Floral, Tuck says they’re carrying holders full of shine and glamour, with beading on them done with faceted crystals or acrylic beads. “They really break up the light when the candles are in them – there’s still that glitzy look that everyone likes.”
Hollar at Florists Supply says they’ve also witnessed demand for candleholders and containers that can host a candle. More and more containers can now be used as vessels to hold both flowers and a candle to give consumers greater use of the product.
Holiday hues move past tradition
Christmas just isn’t Christmas without the tried and true traditional red and green. MacKay says florists can encourage shoppers to spice up these classics by combining the hues with other colours or by finding variations in the tone. “Instead of using the pine green, try using a lime green in it. It’s still green but it is a richer, more vibrant look that will
appeal to the younger generation.” The lime, chartreuse green was a hit last year and the colour carries over into 2010 as well. MacKay says you can also play up red by opting for a bolder cherry or bright pinky red.
At Westbrook Floral, Tuck says they’ve brought in a new, emerald green this year to try and mix up the traditional palette. She says silvers also remain a popular selection and she’s seeing more containers with a nice metallic finish on them. This also applies to ornaments and décor accessories like leaves and twigs, which are covered in sparkles this season.
Embracing comfort
Nothing evokes the feeling of comfort and cosiness more than a Christmas night spent socializing around the fire with friends and family. Tuck says this ‘woodsy’ and cottage-style concept is appearing in the types of materials used to complement designs and even containers. “We’re seeing vases and things covered with cable knits. They’ll slide a ‘cozy’ or cable knit sock over glass and give it texture with the heavier fabric. We’ve brought in some burlap-type ornaments and things like that just to draw in on that actual textural feeling.”
Branching out to new colour stories
For those shoppers that aren’t set on the classic green and red colour scheme, there are plenty of new shades to experiment with. Tuck says they are seeing blues building more for the holidays. “We’ve actually done a blue look this year and it’s more on your aquas because this has been a popular colour in different industries. Between that and turquoise, we’ve thrown them into our mix just to see how people respond this year,” says Tuck. “It’s a nice look and it mixes well with whites and silvers.”
Hollar also cites turquoise as a popular hue, but says one big trend that Florists Supply is seeing is the emergence of the Victorian theme. “We’re showing soft pinks and rose tones in the Victorian line and it’s really selling,” says Hollar. “Young people like it and kids like it because it’s fluffy and fairy-like and people remember that it’s much like the Victorian look that we had 15 years ago. They welcome it back.” Purple is another colour that’s growing in popularity and Hollar says they are gradually building more inventory in this tone, as he expects it will continue to take off.
Black can also be a stunning colour to incorporate into a holiday theme and it is an idea that younger clients and shoppers in urban areas will be more willing to try out. “Black, charcoals and greys are strong when combined with red. It’s very sharp and very smart,” says Hollar.
For the real trend-setting customers willing to take decorating risks, Hollar says coloured Christmas trees are back. Pastel trees in pinks, mauves and greens, adorned with matching lights, will really mix up the holiday decorating scheme. Novelty is also in – Hollar is seeing more funky Christmas trees. “They are wobbly, trees with bendy stems like the size that you can put three on a hearth or display. Instead of standing straight and upright, they twist and turn,” says Hollar.
It’s clear that when it comes to getting your shop ready for Christmas, it’s all about having fun and creating a welcoming experience for your shoppers. And it’s never too early to get planning!
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