August Issue

• It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
  - Editorial
• The Baby Boutique
  - What's hot for tots in 2010
• Up the Garden Path -
  - Quality assurance, high-design and originality . . . gardens are calling the shots
• Make it a Wrap
  - First impressions do count, which is why beautifully wrapped gifts are so enticing.
• Get Sharp
  - News from the sharp side.
• Festive Forecast
  - What's hot for this Christmas season?

Make it a Wrap
First impressions do count, which is why beautifully wrapped gifts are so enticing.

JE T'AIME HAYR REPORTS

From a consumer's perspective, quality wrapping enhances the shopping experience and adds value. “Gift wrapping has become a part of the New Zealand shopping culture,” says Kim Helas of Passion for Paper. “

Customers appreciate a thoughtfully wrapped gift and are starting to expect it as part of the service.” Retailers looking for gift wrap inspiration will find key styles spearheading the current season, with ‘eco' one of the strongest trends. “Earthy, recycled looks were highlighted in the Australian Milieu guide to the upcoming Brisbane Fair,” says Ross Gulliver of Barama.

Jayne Bone of Scarlet Ribbons has also found recycled papers and natural colours increasingly popular. “Taupe, spicy red or mocha wrap looks fabulous tied with twine or linen ribbons in shades of moss green and olive,” she says.

Oceans Floral has stocked a selection of eco-friendly paper for some time, and owner Jan Allen believes New Zealanders are enjoying the look more than ever before. “Eco wrap used to be considered drab, but these days the options are vast,” she says. “Used in combination with grosgrain ribbons, environmentally wrapped gifts are simply stunning.”

International fashion seasons also play a role in gift wrap trends, says Sharon Jackson of Pan Pacific Marketing, with increased demand Down Under for pink, lilac and purple shades which are popular in Europe.

Overseas influences also forefront Ocean Floral's designs, says Allen. “Our European designs are primarily nouveau inspired, albeit with smaller repeats in the design, and a contemporary finish. Asia is also an inspiration and we expect to see rich colour combinations of burgundy, purple and gold as East meets West,” she explains. Retailers looking for a trend to take them through to winter 2011 would be wise to err on the conservative side and pick a strong, stylish look, advises Ross Guliver. “Aubergine with silver and ice blue trim is going to be popular for 2011 – keep a lookout!”

Christmas heralds its own range of festive trends. However, gift wrap specialists unanimously agree that retailers should move away from pairing red and green. “Consider a Nordic look – red looks fresh against crisp white,” Gulliver explains. This year's festive season will also see the emergence of vibrant jewel tones, says Jan Allen. “Purple, cerise and turquoise paired with black is on the cards,” she says. “Bright chartreuse is also a chic alternative to forest green and looks wonderful as an accent to black, white, gold or silver.”

Despite the raft of trends on the horizon, retailers can never go wrong simply sticking to black, says Allen. “Black-and-white wrap, with patterns such as a variable stripe, nouveau style or gold highlights, is a strong look. Alternatively, white wrap allows the ribbon to dictate the theme of the gift.” Jayne Bone agrees. “It (black) is unisex and can be finished to suit any gift. Think pale pink or blue ribbon for a baby's gift, fuschia pink for a vibrant, feminine touch, or combine orange and red ribbons for a contemporary look.” Also a fan of finishing touches, Sharon Jackson suggests using “a huge ‘over the top' glitter-tulle bow from our new range to transform a gift into something exquisite”.

Keeping abreast of trends is one thing, but a personal approach is best. “Retailers should consider gift presentation an extension of their brand image,” says Jackson. For this reason, Kim Helas insists that their collection doesn't follow fashion. “We offer a wide variety of classic designs such as musical themes and antique fonts. I find individual requirements more important than trends.”

Jayne Bone recalls styling a gift wrap service for a minimalist design store. “The eco trend wasn't going to reflect the store's ambiance. The solution was stark white gift wrap and boldly coloured ribbon. The look needs to fit the store.”

Despite the recession, the experts believe a gift wrapping service makes good business sense. “It's a point of difference,” says Ross Gulliver. “Offering gift wrap is inexpensive, effective and builds client loyalty.” Sharon Jackson also believes gift wrapping encourages repeat customers.

“It's a huge incentive for customers to shop at a store knowing they will leave with a beautifully wrapped gift.” Jayne Bone likes to advise her clients of the cost per metre so store owners can work around the costs. “Times are tough, and while wrap may cost $1 per gift, retailers have the option of charging a small fee or putting a markup on the product. But the fact remains that no matter what, that gorgeous gift wrapping is a wonderful advertisement for your store.”