Prospects for Christmas Trends 2015: decorative trends amongst Christmasworld exhibitors.
A snugly fleece over the chair, an elegant bouquet on the table, pink and bronze-coloured baubles on the Christmas tree, cushions set with sequins on the sofa – that is how Christmas 2015 might well look. From 30 January to 3 February 2015, in Frankfurt am Main, 924 exhibitors from 42 countries presented their latest creations for the most visually attractive festival of the year. The trends for the coming season are already on display at the leading international trade fair for seasonal and festive decoration at the beginning of the year – and they are many and various.
Copper and pink make the running
“There is no longer any such thing as ‘a single trend’,” says Christian Fischer from Goldbach, with some authority. Nevertheless, there are products that generally raise the pulse of buyers and end consumers alike. As far as colours are concerned, copper and pink will be clearly making the running in the coming winter season, but black and white, too, are set to be popular. “Moreover, copper and pink are doing outstandingly well for us,” says Fischer. The colour is to be found on glasses, lanterns, porcelain figures, candle-holders and window decorations. “Copper, pink and brown are very popular,” says Katrin Seubert from Gala Kerzen, too. Along with these elegant colours, candles in a huge variety of reds are also highly prized by both buyers and end consumers.
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Timeless beauty: red, gold, silver
That typical Christmas colours remain a major feature of the scene is confirmed by Ferry Mulder of Cor Mulder. “Red, gold and silver tea lights always go down well.” Jessica Muller from Kaemingk also lends her voice to this view: “Traditional colours, shapes and materials continue to play an important part.” And recently, moreover, the Dutch company has seen increasing demand for luxury products. Elegantly worked covers, knitted items, cushions and accessories with glitter effects in gold, white, blue or grey are being well received by customers.” Timm Exner from Exner is also very clear that the trend is towards glamorous products: “Cushions and covers in lambskin are in vogue.” Another Christmas trend this year is to combine the simplicity of nature with something a little special. Creative Director, Katja Biebow, from Boltze: “Warm tones of wood are creating a cosy Christmas atmosphere in the family circle this year; they are complemented by icy or snowy surfaces, which bring the varied winter scenes of nature into your living room.
Hot commodities: celebrate with elegance and glamour
The desire for unusual combinations and for exclusive effects is also manifest in black vases, as successfully marketed, for instance, by Duif, and can, in the end, be seen on the Christmas tree as well. Inge Glas, for example, are enjoying considerable success by manufacturing Christmas tree baubles in the form of tins of caviar, lobsters, Champagne bottles and Parmesan cheeses. “The spirit of the age is reflected on the Christmas tree,” explains Birgit Müller-Blech from the company’s product development division. In her view, the traditional trend remains predominant, however: red baubles with gold stars are the products that stay the most popular, she says.
Always attractive; natural features such as pine cones
Together with stars, hearts are always a perennial favourite amongst the shapes. Also in great demand are hanging decorations in the shape of pine cones, acorns, chestnuts and, of course, the traditional angels and father Christmases. Goldina have had considerable success with traditional stars, too: “Our narrow cotton ribbon with a white star is very popular,” says Andrea Leonhardt-Nierlinger. The reason she gives is that the ribbons are discreet, easily combined with other things and can even be used to make wreathes. But the company’s photo-print range has also been well received, where the ribbons adorn natural representations of stags, wolves and foxes.
Looking good; animal companions
That things will get ‘wilder’ for Christmas 2015 can be inferred from the number of animals that appear on a wide variety of products. Animals are to be found on ribbons, cushions, Christmas-tree decorations and stand-up displays for table decorations. Cor Mulder, for instance, include in their product range almost life-size black dogs in porcelain, Kaemingk offer decorative penguins, polar bears and reindeer in wood, say, or fabric, too.
Loud and trendy celebrations in the Netherlands
Which colours, shapes and materials are found enchanting by end consumers is also culturally determined. “In the Netherlands, for example, Christmas decorations are significantly more ‘in your face’ and garish,” explains Wim Dekker from the Dutch company, Othmar Decorations. Rather different from what is happening in Germany, Christmas trees and tables in the Netherlands, and also in Belgium, Scandinavia, France and Italy, are likely to be decorated with baubles and accessories in pastel shades. Pink Christmas-tree baubles are popular everywhere here.
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The Germans like tradition re-interpreted in a modern way
The products from Räder show clearly that people in Germany can still enjoy their beloved Christmas celebrations, yet keep an ironic twinkle in their eye. Here we find, on plain baubles, funky witticisms with modern graphic elements in black. And even if it remains true that the traditional Nativity scene is, in many regions, as much a part of the celebrations as the tree, it found a more modern manifestation a long time ago – for instance in abstract form as a stand-up display in concrete.
The next Christmasworld will take place from 29 January to 2 February 2016, in Frankfurt am Main.
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