Ambiente, The Frankfurt Fair (Part One)

Ambiente Fair, Frankfurt, February 2012

Coral At the Pomeroy Showroom, Atlanta

While the Ambiente fair, held in Frankfurt,  Germany each February, is the single largest design event in the world for retail buyers and sellers of home categories, it holds particular interest for a small group of people who both participate in, and create for the various companies exhibiting there; Designers.

If I was going to compare it to a food related event (as I often do) then I would have to say it’s like Mario Batali going to a farmers market;   you can enjoy an tremendous variety of raw materials on display and even try finished dishes cooked in the small eateries which always seem close by.  Ambiente for the designer is like a wonderful cacophony of textures, smells, colors, and form, all positioned nicely in eleven buildings with multiple floors. Fortunately they do have moving sidewalks!

For myself, there are two main aspects to Frankfurt; aside from the fact that Pomeroy shows there for our international customers, as a designer my focus is twofold;  to meet any factories that I am currently working with; as well as new ones,  to see if they have any new finishes or materials, which I can use in my collections; and to visit the European designer exhibits; which are usually impressive, if not only for the fact that they are of a scale like nothing we can ever imagine in the United States.  

Indeed one can become intoxicated by the sheer enormity of these exhibits; not only by their physical size but by their vision of the design story they are telling.  Herein lies the seduction, which is easy enough to spot; there will be a theme for the exhibit and everything will support that particular theme; worked out to the last detail, including great design, rich and sophisticated color stories, and of course, cocktails!  The Champagne notwithstanding, it is easy, as an American, to become swept up in the strength and dynamism of these displays, but we always have to use our American filter to analyze the viability of the product.  That is to say, on the whole a presentation might be incredible,  but what happens when you take an item out from its cozy display and put it on a table by itself; is it still as interesting; is it still valid (at least for the American market)?   And while I do love these exhibits and at times cannot seem to get enough of them it is always the pull of my home market that drags me back kicking and screaming to the central question: “ Can we sell a vase that modern?”  If I teleported it to Dallas, Texas would it still “fit”.  Is orange really the new pink anywhere but Europe?  Why exactly does it appeal to me anyway?   These are all important and thorny questions which must inevitably be answered with cold hard analysis, and sometimes relaxing with your feet up, sipping an orange cocktail, like a mimosa.    

New Is Old and Old is New

Todd Taking A Tea Break

I return every year to the factories that I deal with the most for a couple of reasons; one is to renew our acquaintance and compare notes on our experiences with the business climate and their condition in particular, another is to walk through their showroom;  again.

At first blush it seems redundant to go back to a factory just to review a bunch of samples you have already seen.  I mean, what’s the point;  why would anyone do that?  First of all the factories are working for other customers as well as myself, which gives me a look into what competitors are thinking, which allows me to gauge myself against what they are doing.  In a competitive environment like our industry, I have to constantly re-evaluate what I am doing; in taste level, style, and price point.  

Something else interesting happens when I visit the factory again, I see things I did not notice before.  That’s not to say they were not there before but I just hadn’t noticed them.  This is a phenomenon which goes back to a changing fashion industry.  Two years ago, the thought of doing something in coral for example would never have crossed my mind, therefore had I seen something in this coloration I would have breezed past, simply because I had other things on my radar at the time.  On the next visit coral had indeed been added to my radars menu of items to focus on and I was able to take advantage of some decorating techniques on glass to capitalize on this new fashion color for one of my collections.

This is a dramatization of course, but coral has in fact become more important and I began to add it to the collection last year.  At any rate you get the point; something that was not important a year ago, old in fact, can become important again overnight, provided we do not take the item as it is; an update is always necessary when taking an older look and applying to current fashion.  Vintage is a good example.  If we take a sheer layered lace encrusted white dress and put it together with Victorian mid ankle lace up boots then we have an “antique” or a historical replica of vintage, and let’s throw in a cameo broach for good measure. If we however combine taller lace up (combat) boots and some newer interesting jewelry with some current color accents, we have an updated version (urban vintage) that could even handle a cameo broach and survive.

So, you might ask why this discussion is even necessary. Mainly it’s because there are not many truly new techniques (save perhaps fish leather), that come onto the market very often; therefore we are left with the same basic raw materials to work with (and our imagination of course) and must always look for new combinations, techniques, or manipulations to render something fresh that might remind someone of something they saw once but is new, fresh with a twist, and definitely not their grandmothers prom dress. So, yes I suppose you could say I go back to factories every year looking for vintage and perhaps a technique that will elevate it…   

The Small Things

Todd Working In India

More often than not I find interesting details in odd places; like dusty corners, of dusty shelves, in dusty showrooms of dusty factories, which so happens to be my favorite environment.   When I see something interesting, I may react to it immediately and start to make notes for samples of the finish or sit and draw something appropriate for that finish, while other times I will continue to wander the factory until I catch myself staring at that same finish again.  A rule of thumb for me is, if I can’t take my eyes off of it,  then I have to do something with it.  The next instinctive question is;  what should I do with this; is it best suited for serve ware;  is it translucent (good for lighting);  or just plain beautiful.  In the case of the later I  generally  let logic play a role and use the finish on a number of pieces that coordinate together as a small decorative collection.  It may seem adolescent, but I still get chills when I see the “right” finish.  Sometimes the “right” finish is in fact a mistake,  like champagne.  Although to date none of my mistakes has turned into a new food group, I have stumbled onto some wonderful techniques on glass, iron, and wood, that have propelled my collections in meaningful new directions.

I like to visit the glass factories in India, even though they are located on the main highway from Delhi in a very rustic town south of Agra (the city where the Taj Mahal is located), called Firozabad.  I was there once (by accident) on election day and it was like being in Dodge City.  After that experience I understood why the bars all closed on election day!  Every time I go to Firozabad I find some detail or finish that I have not seen before or at least have not yet taken advantage of.  The Indian glass factories are very simple and uncomplicated affairs as they are in Mexico.  They use live electric wires to cut the blown glass (unllike Mexico), whose edge is then polished smooth.  

Over the years, by trial and error, I have learned that the Pomeroy customer accepts the edges finished in a couple of ways which depends on the finish on the glass as well.  If it is clear glass, they (she) prefers that I finish the glass with a sheet metal trim piece which is glued in place on the rim and finished to match the iron base on whatever the  item might be; such as a hurricane.  If however, I have the glass engraved then    

I can leave the raw (semi polished) edge of the glass exposed and the item is acceptable as it is.  My assumption has been that because we are cutting the glass anyway by engraving;  it is consistent to use a similar cut for the top of the glass, and that by doing so the details compliment one another. 

When trying a new technique (like engraving), finish, or color story,  my method is to start with baby steps, because lets face it no matter how much I may like something, I do not posses the crystal ball of fashion and good taste.  We are in the end only designers suggesting ideas to the consumer, and they will either accept (the suggestion) or not;  therefore it is very important to step lightly into a new area and react accordingly, which was the case with engraved glass from Firozabad.  I found myself as I often do, staring at some amazing engraving (with adolescent chills) and (fortunately), had the good sense to exercise my rule of thumb.   

Game Changers

Riviera Set of Two Wall Sconces

When I begin to look for a new category to design and develop product for, the first thing I do as part of my process is to look at the marketplace in as many retailers as possible to determine what is missing, that is what techniques, or function, or even scale are the current offerings not representing.  This can be the seed of an idea which will transform a given category even if only a little in the beginning.  

We, as designers cannot always transform the world with game changing ideas; most of the time we are lucky if we can move the needle one mark at a time until we have transformed a category.  A car is ultimately a thing that carries people from place to place and has a steering wheel, motor, and four wheels.  No matter how many design changes take place, in the end the final product is still a car.  The same is true for most mature categories;  in this case wall sconces.

Many years ago, we at Pomeroy, had tremendous success with a very simple wrought iron wall sconce called Riviera.  This was a new idea at the time; not that a wall sconce was a something new;  it was new because we came up with the idea to create a set of two and include candles to create more value in the box, and to this day I am convinced that the item sold as well as it did because of the added value of the candles.

This product concept would be the beginning of a long line of gift box decorative candle lighting products which would transform our industry and continues as a product category to this day; and while there are products which will be game changers for categories of product, more often it is small continuous innovations which breath new life into a mature line of product.   

Showing At Shows (part two)

Pomeroy Showroom, Atlanta 2012

While that first show experience in San Francisco yielded modest results, it was encouraging enough to go further, especially considering my sales rep (we’ll call him A.M.) was very patient with me, even letting me crash on his couch in the basement (with the dalmatian).

Trade shows are a double edged affair;  while you are exhibiting to meet customers and write orders, you are also the target of other vendors, especially if you have come up with something unique. It used to upset me greatly in the early years when they would come by the booth;  retail in those days was healthy and competition intense.  After several years in the business I realized that a good offense is more important and effective than a good defense;  and actually in our business there is no defense anyway;  there is no real way to stop someone from copying your ideas or designs.  

When I did start designing product (a year or so after I started), I decided to follow a fashion strategy; that is I would develop product for two major introductions (Spring and Fall), and move fast; ALWAYS.  The idea being to cover every major account that I had with my new introductions and get orders placed as soon as possible.  When a company moves at this speed it is hard for a competitor to keep up, and when they do copy you, they only have price to compete with and by then you have moved on to new territory (designs), and their offerings are, well, just knockoffs.

Shows are still as exciting for me now as they were twenty years ago.  I still become excited, emotional, nervous, and generally hard to live with, prior to the first show of the season in Atlanta.  It is, for me a fashion show and I will live or die (metaphorically of course) based on the reaction to the new product.  I love the honesty of the marketplace;  something good is really good and something that doesn’t work needs to be re-thought or dropped altogether.  After a market you always know where you stand.  So while there is always competition about, whether it is another vendor or a large retailers product development team; I have learned to rely on my product game plan, designed to keep Pomeroy unique and different, and alway, S P E E D!   

Showing At Shows (part one)

Handblown Mexican Glassware

There are several important reasons to exhibit at a trade show, and the number of reasons expands as does a new company’s  customer base.  In the beginning when a company is just starting out and there is perhaps one key category of merchandise or even just one product, it is still the quickest, most effective way to get a market read on a new item, concept, or service.  Of course one must overcome the fear factors; such as, does my product serve a purpose; is the price something someone will pay; and who the heck will buy it anyway?

When it comes to customers, I always recommend that one start selling to specialty retailers first.  The specialty retailer is generally an individual or small chain of stores, who is as interested in a good value as any major “big box” retailer;  the difference is that the specialty retailer does not compete with a larger competitor on a particular item and certainly not on price.  They may, for instance sell the same category of goods; such as dog beds, but the specialty retailer will sell a better product; and while the bed will certainly be more expensive, the quality will also be higher than what one typically finds at a “big box” retailer;  the name of which provides a hint of what to expect inside.

The first Trade Show that I participated in was the Gourmet Show in San Francisco around 1990.  A sales representative that I convinced to help me sell my first handblown line of glassware from Mexico helped me set the booth with some cardboard pedestals and some wooden shelving he already had from previous shows.  As I recall, I didn’t really have enough merchandise to fill the booth, but then I wasn’t sure how much merchandise one should have anyway!

I don’t remember exactly how it went but I do remember that we wrote some orders; which were in the range of $150. each.  It was very exciting.  In my mind it had been a success as I knew definitively that there was a market for the items I was trying to sell.  I had not begun to design stemware yet, I was merely selling some existing styles from a factory that I was working with in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, a small town on the Texas border.  And while this was a small beginning,  retail in the U.S. was strong and there were many players and opportunities, just waiting for a little creativity, which I was more than ready to provide.

Filtering Design

Serengeti Mosaic

When starting a trip as I am now, even after twenty years, I am still filled with anticipation of the things to come.  While there is the list of things that I must review to make sure actual production is looking like the initial samples, which in this industry can be tricky; as well as a myriad of other, gritty details, mostly I am thinking about the new things I have in the works, both on paper and in my head; as well as, the fun surprises which usually turn up.  

The hunt for something new and fresh which has not yet been seen in the marketplace is basically the Holy Grail for a designer;   like looking for truffles in the forest lurking just beneath the surface.  And like a truffle; on its own, without a skilled chef who understands how to unlock its true flavor, a new finish or technique would be just that, something raw and wonderful with unrealized potential.  This becomes the challenge; to take this potentially fresh new technique and create something that will resonate with the marketplace.  

Let’s face it, it’s hard enough for an American designer to divine what might appeal to the American consumer, let alone a factory thousands of miles away steeped in its own history, and customs. The American taste level is not a global certainty; that is, what works in America will not necessarily work in other countries; and what works in other countries will certainly not always work in America;   which is why I routinely question whether a factory should devote resources to product development per se, or rather work on developing new techniques and finishes which can be used by designers everywhere, regardless of culture or country.  This is where the role of what I call the “tinkerer” becomes so critical.  Someone who is usually directly connected to the factory, and quite literally tinkers with different techniques, components, and finishes at their disposal. 

I remember walking into a showroom not too long ago, and being hit by the familiar and wonderful aroma; a mélange of paint, spice, dust, incense, and in this case the unmistakable air of the tinkerer.  There was a lady in the showroom who unlike the other factory people kept her distance.   She seemed to sense that I preferred to be alone when working in a showroom (which I do) so that I can ponder the possibilities.   I finally plucked up the courage to ask her if she was the creative genius responsible for all of these marvelous investigations, and of course she was (the tinkerer), along with being the owners wife.    

A really great tinkerer is like a great actor; they come at a problem from a variety of perspectives; making investigations if you will, and this lady was as good as I have ever seen.  In her case, that of mosaics, there are many types of materials to play with and combine using gold leaf, transparent color, patinas, and shell; a virtually limitless palette of colors, materials, and techniques.  Without the tinkerer they would just be bottles of paint, and bits of glass and gold.   And while I might not be able to use the items in their current form, they can lay the groundwork for what will become new items in my collections; as soon as I’ve made some decisions that is.

 A businessman, who’s achievements I admire greatly (we’ll call him D.R.) once referred to me as a filter.  As you might imagine, my first thought was, oh great a filter; thanks a lot D.R.!   Coffee anyone!   After thinking about it for a while I realized that it was in fact a compliment.  When a designer is traveling overseas visiting factories (some with tinkerers and some without), he or she is being bombarded with a shower of visual information; shapes, colors, fabrics, metals, glass, ceramic, jewelry, etc., and must able to assess each item, see any potential, and take something to the next level or leave it lay; hence the filtering process.  It’s not a very glamorous thing to be sure but crucial to a good designers work, because nearly everything I see on a trip has some potential of one kind or another; the question becomes, can I use it effectively?  Is it new enough or will it only be a variation on something that I’ve already done? Will it work for the American market, or should I use it for our other customers overseas; perhaps South America or the Middle East?  In the end it’s the combination and synergy of many components to bring an item to fruition; a great new technique or finish (from the tinkerer), a bit of filtering with some design acumen, and hopefully some market savvy thrown in for good measure, but alas this cannot be accomplished at home.

Therefore; once again, I find myself, this New Year’s Eve, on a fourteen hour flight racing across the Pacific at 40,000 feet, because I have a show coming up, and meetings with customers who expect to see something fresh and exciting.  On arrival, I will, as always pour over the usual tedious production details; which must be “poured over” as they ARE important, but in the back of my mind, what I’m really thinking about are the new factories I’m going to visit, because it’s there that I will find a tinkerer, if I’m lucky, so that I can filter, and design the next new thing.