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New Year, New Start
Listed under: One Voice
Published: Thursday, November 12, 2009
With the year finally drawing to a close and the prospect of a new, and hopefully more profitable year, on the horizon, retailer Robert Bamberger, of Fabric8 in Colchester, reflects on the events of 2009
“What a topsy-turvey year it has been! Over the past 12 months, we have been bombarded with stories about the doom and gloom of the credit crunch, death of the high street store and swine flu, but now with Christmas fast-approaching, I am pleased to say that things haven't looked this good in a long time.
Over the past month or so, we have noticed a distinct rise in interest from the younger generation, particularly from 16 to 20 year olds, who are becoming a much more regular group to be seen browsing our products. Teenagers are definitely far more aware of how they look these days and, whereas in the past, they were happy to stick to the status quo, now they are looking for new and unique ways of making themselves stand out from the crowd. As such, we're seeing a growing number of them come into the store looking for materials that will allow them to customize their everyday clothing. Homemade bags and jewellery-making are also becoming increasingly popular.
It’s not just the kids though! There has been a general shift in consumer behaviour over the past year. Nowadays, rather than spending money on weekend jaunts or expensive electric gizmos, a growing number of people are turning to craft-related activities they can do in the comfort of their own homes – something which has inevitably translated into the market, seeing the number of beginners enter the sector rise rapidly over the past year.
Knitting has grown particularly popular over the last 12 months, appealing to people of all ages and professions. The new Debbie Bliss range, Donegal, has had a terrific response and sold especially well.
Talking of new ranges, I simply must commend the work that Bryan Taphouse is doing at Fabric Freedom. I had a sneak peek at the new designs for 2010 this week, and was very impressed. The new Christmas ranges were particularly eye-catching and, while I know 2010 is still some time away it’s certainly something to look forward to.
But, first we have this Christmas to get through. I am expecting it to be a bumper time for us all, and I think we should all be looking forward to celebrating the start of the new year in style.”
Over the past month or so, we have noticed a distinct rise in interest from the younger generation, particularly from 16 to 20 year olds, who are becoming a much more regular group to be seen browsing our products. Teenagers are definitely far more aware of how they look these days and, whereas in the past, they were happy to stick to the status quo, now they are looking for new and unique ways of making themselves stand out from the crowd. As such, we're seeing a growing number of them come into the store looking for materials that will allow them to customize their everyday clothing. Homemade bags and jewellery-making are also becoming increasingly popular.
It’s not just the kids though! There has been a general shift in consumer behaviour over the past year. Nowadays, rather than spending money on weekend jaunts or expensive electric gizmos, a growing number of people are turning to craft-related activities they can do in the comfort of their own homes – something which has inevitably translated into the market, seeing the number of beginners enter the sector rise rapidly over the past year.
Knitting has grown particularly popular over the last 12 months, appealing to people of all ages and professions. The new Debbie Bliss range, Donegal, has had a terrific response and sold especially well.
Talking of new ranges, I simply must commend the work that Bryan Taphouse is doing at Fabric Freedom. I had a sneak peek at the new designs for 2010 this week, and was very impressed. The new Christmas ranges were particularly eye-catching and, while I know 2010 is still some time away it’s certainly something to look forward to.
But, first we have this Christmas to get through. I am expecting it to be a bumper time for us all, and I think we should all be looking forward to celebrating the start of the new year in style.”
