The International Casual Furniture & Accessories (ICFA) Market is held during fall in Chicago each year, and it provides valuable insights to industry professionals regarding the latest casual (outdoor) furniture lines, trends and styles.
Part of the panel’s goal was to help audience members (designers, retailers, manufacturers, etc.) uncover trend information – both past and forthcoming. Since that time, it has been inspiring to see casual furniture and accessory manufacturers continue to develop their lines based upon trends. In essence, we are seeing the forecasted trends taking shape in the field. Many of our clients and industry friends are telling us the overall marketplace is rebounding for spring 2010, with sales exponentially increasing over last year. Indicators are pointing to a prosperous year, and we are already gearing up for the fall 2010 ICFA market. So, designers, retailers and manufactures alike, keep up the good work and send us your trend findings via emails or posts, and your product releases and images through email. If they are used, we will surely feature the product and credit the company. We’ll also track any magazine articles for everyone that stem from our trend research / writing.
I also wanted to share a great current article with our blog readers including helpful information from Jaclyn Kotzum, MMPI’s marketing director for the International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market. In the article, About.com’s furniture editor Abe Abbas asks Jaclyn for her take on the last market / show and this year’s trends and development in casual furniture.
The show, by the way, is fully dedicated to the casual furnishings industry and is recognized and formally endorsed by the International Casual Furnishings Association and Casual Furniture Retailers Association. It is managed by MMPI, and that is where Jaclyn comes into play. – And, as a side note, both Jaclyn and Abe are incredible industry enthusiasts. You can read Abe’s article here…
The article in mention (linked above) provides solid exposure to ICFA and all of us in the industry, because it supplies us with exposure and endorsement to the consumer audience on one of the most viewed Web sites online. Alexa, a top site ranking tool, places About.com as the 25th most viewed site in the U.S. and specifies that it spans 10 different countries with over 31 million global site viewers daily.
Register for Abe’s newsletter at this link: http://furniture.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm
Last, take a look at two of our “Best of Show” picks for 2010. Yes, we selected a few “Best ofs…” though in varied categories.
Mondecasa’s Porcelain Bowl (dining set) was selected as our “Best of Creative Design.”
Jardin de Ville’s Terrace Concept pavilions were chosen as “Best of Combined Form and Function.”
Members of the media, touch base with us if you’d like to interview any of our casual furniture or designer clients and / or industry acquaintances. You can also learn more on our site, www.eberlycollardpr.com.
~ Don
