With Spielwarenmesse having opened its doors this morning (30 January) and running until 3 February, PreschoolNews.net chats to several exhibitors with strong preschool showcases at the event.
“Getting back to shows after the pandemic was so refreshing for us – there’s nothing like doing business face to face,” begins Dominique Peckett, director at Smiffys, when asked about the importance of Spielwarenmesse for the company. “Building relationships with our customers is important to us and Spielwarenmesse brings a great opportunity to catch up with our European customers. Seeing the products in the flesh is something that can’t be replicated with a Teams call. The show gives buyers the opportunity to see the quality of our products, and how they can be merchandised as a range, bringing the costumes to life.”
Smiffys (Hall 9, D-29, E-28) has exhibited at Spielwarenmesse for “literally decades”, says Dominique, explaining that it is the number one trade show in the dress-up calendar.
Preschool wise, the company will be showcasing a number of lines including its Poppy costume from Trolls Band Together; styles from Disney’s Wish including basic and deluxe versions of Asha’s embellished dress; and a new launch for The Little Prince. Alongside these will be its everyday and Halloween ranges with new styles for 2024.
Dominique continues: “At Smiffys we have noticed a move to accessories over costumes and we expect to see this continue into 2024. To reflect this, we have introduced new accessory lines across the range for 2024, as customers continue to be increasingly conscious of their spending habits. We also expect our licensed product ranges to continue to soar in popularity, and we have seen this reflected in orders for 2024.”
To find out more from Smiffys, plus Infantino, Hunter Price International and The Mouse Mansion Company, click here to read the full feature in the latest issue of Progressive Preschool.
Plus, we highlight a raft of new preschool product ranges launching at Spielwarenmesse, which can be found by clicking here.
You can also read our interview with Christian Ulrich from Spielwarenmesse eG, by clicking here.
