Page 4 - Toy & Hobby Retailer Magazine May-July 2019

EDITORIAL
BY IMOGEN BAILEY
Whirlwind around the world
THE start of the year heralds the beginning of toy fair season. Kicking the season off is the Hong Kong show, followed by Nuremburg, then New York and finishing off the season is the Melbourne Toy Fair. 2019 was my first go at the international toy fair trek and my word, it was nothing short of a whirlwind.
From the information sessions at Hong
Kong, to the millions of products on show in Nuremburg, to the frivolity in New York, to the familiar faces in Melbourne, I was in equal parts, overwhelmed, exhausted, inspired and energised from each of the shows.
I learnt so much about the industry, I met
so many new people, I saw millions of new, innovative products and I had an absolute blast along the way! It really is the business of play.
From my travels, I can tell you that flamingos - or any sort of exotic bird, but mainly flamingos - are in, or back, in a big way. The pink, long- legged, long-necked bird has crossed categories from plush to slime to outdoor furniture and is no doubt making waves.
Llamas, as you probably already know,
are also a big motif, again being seen across multiple categories. There also seemed to be a micro-trend happening with Donald Trump themed products, which did not depict him in any sort of loving way. That's not surprising though, as from what I can tell, most people in the industry aren’t fans of him and don't want to see any tariffs imposed on finished toy products.
However the products form just one pillar of these complex trade shows. There's also informative seminars, entertainment spectacles, awards presentations and day-to-day play - it is a jam- packed time! Plus, the colours, the conversations and the connections I made overseas and at home are vital to building my knowledge about the industry which will help me to serve you, the reader, better through this magazine.
It seems like so long ago I was at the fairs, but as it is with every year, the exuberant toy fair season will be on us in a flash and I will again be jetting off around the world to cover the shows for you. ❉
Imogen Bailey – Editor
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4 TOY & HOBBY RETAILER MAY / JULY 2019