Progressive Party Europe September October 2015

Sept/Oct 2015

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CONTENTS The home of market leading trade magazines

The home of market leading trade magazines max-publishing.co.uk The Thehome homeofofmarket marketleading leadingtrade trademagazines magazines March/April 2013

The home of Exhibitions The home of Exhibitions The Thehome homeofofExhibitions Exhibitions

The home of market leading trade awards The home of market leading trade awards The Thehome homeofofmarket marketleading leadingtrade tradeawards awards 10-11May See you next year!

Busi nes s Design Centre, London The International G reeting Ca rd S how

Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP T: 020 7700 6740 F: 020 7607 6411 www.max-publishing.co.uk

Welcome to the Party We knew it was coming, and we knew why it was coming.

The party industry is very much in the spotlight following Claudia Winkelman’s daughter suffering from burns while wearing a costume during Halloween 2014. Allegedly purchased from a supermarket retailer (though no confirmation has been given despite repeated requests), the costume - tested to toy standards as all fancy dress is, caught light when exposed to a naked flame in a pumpkin.

It was a terribly unfortunate incident which has now, aided by Winkelman’s position in the media, ensured the industry’s suppliers and retailers reposition the standard of testing for this product.

Above: Progressive Party’s Rob Willis.

One thing has been clear - the industry are absolutely united in accepting that if we need to change, we will. Not one supplier has questioned upgrading standards if they need to be changed. However, there’s a very low level of clarity as to what the end goal is. Initially, suppliers were being pointed towards raising the testing from EN71-2 to BS5722, used for nightwear. All well and good, but with an abundance of similar product on the market not subject to the same testing, are we being punished unfairly? A shop purchased school uniform was recently (unofficially) tested by Jokers Masquerade, and proved to have frighteningly poor flame resistance - becoming totally ignited within 60 seconds.

The British Retail Consortium has said: “As responsible retailers we’re committed to ensuring that the testing for all the products we sell is robust and appropriate and that safety standards are constantly under review to ensure they are sufficiently rigorous. Retailers already go a step further than what is required in testing children’s costumes according to more stringent nightwear flammability standards and have worked with British Standards to have the existing toy flammability standard (EN 71-2) reviewed. In addition, we are developing new codes of practice for testing on flammability safety and also safety labelling.”

Further, Business Secretary Sajid Javid has requested a nationwide investigation into the product sector, with the results due to be collated for analysis before the end of 2015. Javid has also given Trading Standards the power to carry out spot checks. You can read more on this on news page 7.

The Government’s Health and Social Care Information Centre show that in 2014, 21 children were admitted to hospital as a result of their clothing either igniting or melting.

There is no breakdown to show the numbers of fancy dress versus traditional clothing, but this does show what a very, very minor issue this is. Nightwear testing does carry a tougher test for flammability, but is lower in other elements compared to toy testing.

It’s easy to see what a mass of confusion can do to damage a sector. That confusion will be compounded further as National Burn Awareness day is highlighted on 21 October, where once again we’ll see fancy dress being unfairly implied as a fire risk.

We’re still many months away from having a clear resolution on what standards are going to be the long term expected level for fancy dress, how retailers are going to work with suppliers towards this, and having to be mindful that consumer press will - rightly or wrongly - fill parents with dread that fancy dress is unsafe. As a parent myself, I am all for children’s product being the safest it can possibly be. That said, my first focus would be the flame, followed by some perspective.

Thankfully, a lot of product isn’t subject to this spotlight and we must indeed focus on the real reason we’re here this month, Halloween. With a weekend dateline and the High Street holding its own, the increase on consumer confidence will put us in good stead for a great trading season. You can read PPE’s guide to trading as well as product still available for last minute ordering from page 29.

Finally, please join me in wishing Jacqui Parr huge congratulations on the safe arrival of her baby boy, Taylor.

Above: Progressive Party’s Jacqui Parr Mum and baby are doing fantastically well, and you’ll see and her new bundle of joy, Taylor.

Jacqui back at party HQ in just a few short months.

@Prog_Party_Eu

Rob Willis – Publisher, Progressive Party Europe

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Keep a step ahead of the competition. Discover the latest trends and top exhibitors for your future business on an international stage. Start a successful year at the world’s leading trade fair for seasonal and festive decorations – with the best the industry has to offer.

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CONTENTS

What’s inside: Sept/Oct 2015

22

24

29

39

45 NEWS

The latest happenings from the world of party, costume, balloon and retail.

THE JESTER

Progressive Party’s columnist tells it like it is.

LICENSED TO PARTY

The newest officially licensed party products.

NEW PRODUCTS

You’ve never seen anything like it!.

FEEDBACK

Experts talk party innovation.

07 15 19 21 22

24 29 39 42 45 52

AGE OF ANGELS

Celebrating 175 years of costume magnificence.

HALLOWEEN

Your last minute guide to product and survival.

MUSTACHES

They’re hairy and they sell like hot cakes.

WILBERS

One of Europe’s leading party firms opens its doors to PPE.

KIDS PARTIES

Well, we’re all big kids really, aren’t we?

BEST SELLERS

Retailers share what’s been keeping their tills ringing.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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New Party & Balloon ranges available to order now!

Minions

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Paw Patrol

Barbie See our full collection of partyware, balloons & costumes on our website!

TEL: +44 (0)1908 288 500 E-MAIL: sales@amscan-uk.co.uk WEB: www.amscan.co.uk ©Amscan 2015, ©Anagram 2015 All rights reserved

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NEWS PAGE

NEWS UPDATE Supermarkets Lead The Way As Costume Debate Continues As Halloween gets underway, the BBC's Watchdog has confirmed that Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Lidl will now only stock costumes that have been subject to BS5722 nightware standards, where the former standard was EN71 toy testing. Subsequently, Sainsbury’s has announced its commitment to upgrade its expected standard to nightware too.

These significant developments have followed the Watchdog programme based around the burns sustained by TV personality Claudia Winkleman’s daughter Matilda. The accident occurred last Halloween, when Matilda's witch costume caught fire as it brushed against a pumpkin containing a real candle.

Suppliers and retailers have since reported that product lines are beginning to be removed until they reach nightware regulations.

However, to date, it remains unclear as to what the new long term standards will be, or when

Character Costume Collaboration The LEGO Group has partnered with Disguise, the Halloween costume division of toy manufacturer Jakks Pacific, to create children’s Halloween costumes, role play items and accessories based on LEGO characters.

"This is a great opportunity for us to enable children to truly become their favorite LEGO character and engage in their favorite LEGO play experience in a new way,” states Andrea Ryder, senior director, licensing, the LEGO Group.

Under the multi-year, multi-category agreement, Disguise will distribute the LEGO line in North America, Europe, Korea and China.

The first LEGO costumes from Disguise are scheduled to arrive at retailers in Autumn 2016.

they will be announced as a permanent measure. Business Secretary Sajid Javid has requested a nationwide investigation into the product sector, with the results due to be collated for analysis before the end of 2015. Javid has also given Trading Standards the power to carry out spot checks on retailers in a nationwide crackdown on counterfeit product – which will come as good news to major suppliers.

Meanwhile, ministers are also backing efforts to highlight risks 'associated with fancy dress' at Halloween through National Burns

Inset: Sajid Javid.

Awareness Day on October 21, a campaign led by the British Burn Association and the Children's Burns Trust. Suppliers will hope that the emphasis is on the naked flame, which is the root cause of the initial incident. Claudia is reported to be "extremely happy" with these developments.

There is still no official statistic to suggest that fancy dress, tested to toy standards, has a pattern of injury or incidents, with reported figures only showing incidents relating to all clothing that has become unsafe due to exposure to fire or heat.

Fun Shack Takes On The World A global stage beckons for Leeds based fancy dress manufacturer Fun Shack following its appointment of Chamber International. The company runs the We Are International Export initiative, part of Leeds City Local Enterprise Partnership.

"So far, overseas sales represents 8% of turnover, but we want to do more," explains Fun Shack's managing director Jeffrey Fearnley. "Our research and design centre allows us to understand local markets and to create outfits specifically for local cultures which, although they may differ, have a common factor of appreciating quality and value."

Adds Jeffrey: “We face similar challenges to the fashion industry. We need to anticipate what is going to be popular a year or so ahead and avoid sensitivities in different cultures. We have initially sought help in locating potential trading partners

and compliance issues, as well for market reports for countries that include the USA and Germany.”

Fun Shack is currently selling its costumes in the EU, Australia and New Zealand and will be exhibiting at Spielwarenmesse for the first time in January.

Happy Halloween Following a record month for sales, Fun Shack is heading for another record year, says managing director Jeffrey Fearnley. "Halloween has been fantastic, with Christmas looking to be the same." Adds Jeffrey: "The children’s range of Book Week costumes is bigger than ever and is selling extremely well.”

People ■ Mel Beer has re-joined Amscan as licensing director for EMEA, with responsibility Above: Mel Beer. for licensing acquisitions across the region. A well known industry veteran, with over 18 years experience gained as a licensee and licensor, Mel’s previous employers include Watermelon (M&S), Hallmark Cards, HarperCollins, Warner Bros. and BBC Worldwide.

■ Pioneer Europe has appointed two new sales consultants, Alan Macpherson who will handle Qualatex sales in Scotland and Ireland, and Charles Dyson who will look after the North East territories.

Their roles will include Top: Alan Macpherson. developing Above: Charles Dyson. new business, supporting existing customers, and meeting training needs. Both Alan and Charles plan to go through the Qualatex Balloon Network (QBN) programme and earn their Certified Balloon Artist (CBA) designations.

■ Fun Shack has added to the team with the appointment of Brogan Hayes as the company's new sales account manager.

Up, Up And Away Balloon professionals are being invited to the latest NABAS event which takes place from October 18-19 in Knebworth.

Delegates will receive two full days of education, along with the opportunity to network and have fun.

The complete package costs £349 and includes all classes, food, refreshments, accommodation and an exhibition.

Alternatively, day passes cost £139 and cover classes and refreshments throughout the day.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Your One Stop

Christmas Shop

dy a e r t Ge e for th e festiv n! o s a e s

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See our full collection of partyware, balloons & costumes on our website!

TEL: +44 (0)1908 288 500 E-MAIL: sales@amscan-uk.co.uk WEB: www.amscan.co.uk ©Amscan 2015, ©Anagram 2015 All rights reserved

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PARTY NEWS

Theatrical' Retail Venture

Rubie's Scoop Top Licensing Award For the second consecutive year, Rubie's walked away with the coveted Best Partyware or Dress up category trophy, which was awarded for the company's Frozen Light Up Princess Dress range.

“To have been endorsed by the licensing industry for a second year in a row, at such a prestigious event, is a huge accolade for us and we are very pleased with what The winners line-up at we have accomplished,” enthused this years Licensing David Wootliff, commercial Awards, hosted by director at Rubie’s UK. Alexander Armstrong.

Other finalists in the category included Amscan, Creative Party, Icon Live, Morph Organised by Max Publishing, Costume Co and Smiffys. publishers of Progressive Adding to the excitement of Party Europe, the Licensing the night was an appearance Awards took place at London's

by Man of Steel Henry Cavill.

Grosvenor House, and were

attended by over 1400 retailers, licensors, and licensees.

Host for the night was comedian, actor and TV presenter Alexander Armstrong.

Party On For PG Live 2016 Progressive Greetings Live, the largest greeting card and gift wrap exhibition in the world, will be taking place for the eighth consecutive year on May 10-11 at London's Business Design Centre in Islington.

This unique exhibition, which focuses on a vital category for most party retailers, will also feature some strong party product brands, to include Amscan, Gemma, Simon Elvin and Mask-arade, as well as key giftwrap suppliers such as Glick and Giftwrap U.K. A must for any party retailer, all buyers receive free refreshments throughout the duration of the show, as

Having last dipped a toe in retail with the opening of a candy store in 1951 by Tillie and Rubin Beige, Rubie’s Masquerade has opened two retail premises, which, says, the company, gives the outlets a deep-rooted heritage and meaning.

"A visit to these stores is unlike anything you’ll ever see," enthuses Rubie's ceo Marc Beige. "We’ve put our hearts into creating a really special experience, not just a store visit.”

At 17,000 feet, the Westbury store is pure theatre and drama, highlights Rubie's, and includes The Dark Zone – a haunted house for visiting customers. A second store is opening in Melville. . GO International has been placed on the prestigious Rubie’s approved wholesaler list and will now offer their retail costumes and the full line of Rubie’s licensed costumes and accessories, to include Frozen, Batman, Robin and Superman.

Dressed By Angels

well as a free hot lunch.

“There is a very strong relationship between greeting cards and the party products," points out joint show director Warren Lomax. "Both are based

on emotion and sentiment, with more and more party retailers augmenting their product mix with greeting cards and giftwrap.”

Above: There's always a real party atmosphere at PG Live.

Toy Fair's Sunday Opening 2016 marks a significant change for Toy Fair, which takes place earlier in the month from January 24-26. Breaking with tradition, the show will be opening its doors on Sunday to avoid a direct clash with the Nuremberg Toy Fair. The exhibition will return to its original Tuesday to Thursday format in 2017.

"The change of dates has created a logistical challenge for some exhibiting companies who we will work with to alleviate any issues where possible," explains Majen Immink, Toy Fair's head of sales

& operations. "However, the high percentage of returnees has been very encouraging and cements Toy Fair as a key event in the industry’s calendar. The expansion of the Greenhouse will also provide more opportunities for start-up companies to showcase their unique products as they look to establish themselves in the industry.”

Visit www.toyfair.co.uk

Angels the Costumier is celebrating its 175th year in business, with a Dressed by Angels exhibition which runs until January 2016 at The Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch.

The company, which has been part of the Oscar, BAFTA, Olivier and Tony awards scene since its inception, is offering visitors the chance to view dress-up from Victorian London up to the present day. In addition, interactive digital games will allow visitors learn about the details of the costumes and the productions, and there will also be workshops where visitors can get ‘hands on’ and learn the intricate craft of costume progress from design to finished product.

See PPE’s full opening night report on page 24. www.dressedbyangels.co.uk Below: The costume for Lawrence of Arabia featured in the Dressed by Angels exhibition at The Old Truman Brewery.

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Dress to impress this Halloween C

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See our full range of costumes & wearable accessories from tots to children, teens & adults online!

Over 250 spooktacular Halloween Costumes!

TEL: +44 (0)1908 288 500 E-MAIL: sales@amscan-uk.co.uk WEB: www.amscan.co.uk ©Amscan 2015, ©Anagram 2015 All rights reserved

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PARTY NEWS

Nothing Despicable About This Event

'Happy Birthday William' Initiative The Card House and Balloon Room in Makerfield recently supported Heart North West Radio in a true heartfelt appeal to make one little boy with terminal cancer’s wish come true.

When Richard Aylett, co-owner of The Card House and Balloon Room heard the radio appeal about five year old William Magee’s wish to receive as many birthday cards as he could for his sixth birthday, he jumped at the chance to get involved: "When I heard Heart Radio put out the appeal to card shops to be 'collection stations' for

William’s cards, we just had to get involved. We decided we would give free cards to anybody that wanted to send him a card. All they had to do was to call in to the shop to collect one, write in it and we would deliver them."

Richard appeared on the radio station pledging his support, which was heard by Pigment sales rep Andrea Caspar who then told the publisher’s sales director Steve Baker, who immediately donated 200 cards for Richard to use in the quest.

The Card House and Balloon Room also took the opportunity of a recent Minions event it ran - see

Canadian Venture OppoSuits recently opened its fourth distribution centre in Canada. The new facility will be located in Toronto, Ontario, in order to supply retailers across the whole of Canada.

"With more and more Canadian retailers coming on board, it made sense to open a local warehouse facility in

Above: William and Kelly Maggee.

Nothing Despicable About This Event - to get everyone present to write a card for William. The shop then filled a huge box with over 300 cards and personally delivered them to William on his birthday, along with a selection of Minions balloons.

Canada to save cost and transit time for both ourselves and our customers," explains Jelle van der Zwet, the company's cofounder and director.

The company also has distribution centres in the UK, the Netherlands and the US.

Left: Jelle van der Zwet, Opposuit’s company's co-founder and director.

Till Talk Balloon Shop Pro, an EPOS system launched with the party retail market in mind, has been launched by Mike Harris of Every Occasion Balloon Artists, a collaboration between Mike and his brother, who brings a wealth of over 20 years of IT to the table.

Explains Mike: "Balloon Shop Pro is a fully comprehensive EPOS solution designed to make running a balloon and party retail shop easier, allowing the retailer to concentrate on generating new business."

The new EPOS system, which has a customer loyalty card scheme built into it, has been designed to work with the Qualatex Balloon Boutique.

Visit www.balloonshoppro.com

Despicable Me fans were out in force when the Minions visited The Card House and Balloon Room in Makerfield. Over 200 children came along to have their picture taken with their favourite Minions, as well as Rapunzel and Elsa. "We try to run a free event like this two or three times a year," confirmed Cath Hutchison, co-owner of the shop. "We find it raises community spirit and also helps to keep customers shopping local."

Minions licensee Icon Live donated 200 Minions wristbands as giveaways at the event. “We ran out in two hours, as the children really liked them, so we then gave out Minions bubbles and other Minions stock."We genuinely believe in making the high street a fun place for the next generation and for generations beyond that. Days like these are very hard to do but we get an enormous amount of pleasure from them and seeing all these children become one with the community they live in,” adds Cath.

FACEADE ACADEMY DATELINE The following classes are now running: Nov 5: Face Painting Module 1 Beginners Nov 12: Face Painting Module 2 - Beginners Nov 19: Girls & Swirls Nov 26: Boys & Monsters Dec 3: Henna Learning Day (more details to follow)

In The Frame Revealing how creative people can be, Saunders Displays has highlighted a trend in its innovative balloon wire display products, which are being used for officially licensed product use.

“We always get excited when a customer purchases our balloon frames for a child's party," comments managing director Mark Saunders. "The pictures we have been sent are always phenomenal, in that, just from our basic Base and Pole product, the most amazing characters have been made. We have had customers decorate them into Easter bunnies, animals, toy soldiers, Scooby Doo and many more.”

According to Mark, the most popular character is Frankenstein which is popular at Halloween.

Dec 10: Face Painting Module 3 - Progression Dec 17: Brushwork Skills and Tribals Visit www.facadeacademy.co.uk

Calling All VIP Buyers Halloween and Party Expo, which takes place from January 22-25 in New Orleans, is extending an invitation to key buyers in the UK and European party sector. A VIP visitor programme offers exclusive show content previews, hotel discounts, and many other benefits.

Contact Liz Irving at lirving@ urban-expo.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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PARTY NEWS

Balloons At The Heart Of Art Some 70,000 Qualatex Balloons recently featured in Heartbeat at Covent Garden's Art Installation, with the public treated to a rare opportunity to see the first-ever public art installation by renowned French artist Charles Pétillon.

It featured white latex balloons in all sizes, from 5" up to 3', with Charles commenting: “I always use white balloons for contrast and to express purity.” Pulsing lights within the balloon sculpture expressed the 'heartbeat', pulsating rhythm, and energy of the Covent Garden.

Charles, a commercial photographer, has been using balloons as a form of artistic expression for several years.

“I find balloons are universal," he states. "Everyone knows and recognises them and I like to express a deeper meaning with them.”

He confirmed that he chose Qualatex balloons having previously discovered that their high quality and durability are ideal for long-lasting displays.

Some 20 people - including his core team from France, students from the Royal College

70,000 Qualatex Balloons feature in Heatbeat by Charles Pétillon. of Art, and balloon professionals from London - helped to inflate and install the 70,000 balloons.

He also partnered with the Alliance Balloon Company, a Qualatex distributor in France.

“They gave me a lot of advice along the way in the planning for

A Belgian Balloon Fantasy Following on from the recent Covent Garden Art Installation, balloon professionals will have another opportunity to help with a similar large scale project next month.

Held in conjunction with The Millennium Jam, the Amazing Maze build will take place from

Exciting Trends At Christmasworld Visitors to Messe Frankfurt's Christmasworld, which takes places from January 29-January 2, should be on the look-out for some key trends for Christmas 2016.

Among them are glittter and glamour, as well as shades of copper and gold, which will all be helping to create a festive and luxurious look.

"Christmasworld unites emotion and business," states Cordelia von Gymnich, vice president, Messe Frankfurt.

"Not only does it focus on the

this project,” Charles stated.

The Heartbeat installation, which was 54 metres long, was seen as a symbolic representation of Covent Garden’s history and cultural role as London’s first public square.

most emotional period of the year but also on the seasons outside of the festive season."

The exhibition will be showcasing products from over 920 brands, with an anticipated 33,000 trade visitors attending.

Right: It is a lot of copper, gold and black at Messe Frankfurt’s Christmasworld.

On The Move

A Fond Farewell It is with deep sadness that the party industry says goodbye to one of its longstanding stalwarts, John Lee, chairman of Nabas, the Balloon and Party Professionals Association.

John had been in troubled health for a period, and despite high hopes of a recovery, sadly passed away on July 24. Speaking highly of John, popular balloon industry supporter George Oustayiannis of GO International said: “John truly loved our industry. He was a true pioneer, and we must not forget the innovative training that John and his wife Jane started providing over 25 years ago. Their training is as relevant today as it was then, and you would be hard pressed to find an instructor or balloon decorator that wasn't influenced by them in some way.”

November 3-7 in Belgium.

The project, led by Didier Dvorak of Canniballoon, Switzerland, will feature thousands of Qualatex Quick Link balloons, with the company promising that it will "transcend imaginations" with its colossal size!

The Source of Licensing Knowledge October saw the launch of licensingsource.net, a new industry website for all retailers and suppliers in the business of licensing. Offering a daily newsflash, industry analysis, jobs board and more, it is a must-read for those who wish to be kept in the know.

The site was launched by Max Publishing, the parent company of Progressive Party Europe.

“We know just how important licensing is to every core product industry, especially the party and costume trade," commented Rob Willis, publisher of PPE and business development manager for Max Publishing. "It’s important that we join the dots by offering a truly cross category website to help suppliers and retailers stay informed.”

Sign up for daily newsflashes at LicensingSource.net

FOR SALE Well established fancy dress and party shop in west London.

All enquiries email agent: hans@huntersnet.co.uk

Following another successful year, Party Plus is on the move to larger premises and will shortly be announcing details of its new Winchester location.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Balloons for all occasions

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09/10/2015 11:19 20.2.2015 10:42:18

The Jester Says

THE JESTER SAYS

Writing freely, from behind a magical cloak of confidentiality, The Jester draws on an entire lifetime of party experience to bring us controversial opinions, interesting viewpoints and all the latest industry gossip, fresh from the grapevine...

Happy Halloween!

We also find ourselves under the spotlight from the media and trading standards. After last year’s tragic accident with a child unfortunately suffering from horrific burns after wearing a Halloween costume which caught fire while out trick or treating. I am sure that the press will bring this story to the fore once again, in the same way they revisit previous accidents with fireworks and bonfires at this time of year.

Maybe it is time for the industry to have a common statement, presenting all the facts and relevant information so that when are local newspapers or radio station ask for a comment we can quote from this. That way we can be sure we are sharing the correct

Inset: Classic horror fodder will always sell well, but there’s also plenty of room for ‘new blood’.

one of two ways for the party industry.

They could either up their game with Halloween, offering a comprehensive range with sustainable prices, or they could go back to stocking the end-ofaisle cardboard stands selling cheap capes, plastic teeth and bottled blood.

Unfortunately I think they will go on blindly making a mess of the greatest party date of the year. If they would only just go back to selling food. It will be an interesting time to see how they progress over the next few years, particularly with Morrison’s closing some of its larger branches. If you are lucky enough to be in one of those towns you may find that with less competition your seasonal sales will increase.

information and can assure them that we are taking all possible care and are complying with current legislation.

Looking on the brighter side of things, what do we think is going to be a hot seller this Halloween? No matter how long I have been in this industry it still surprises me how much white make-up and blood we sell at this time of the year.

Each year I carefully increase our stock of these items and each year I sell out, and the thing that really upsets me is the time after Halloween it takes me to get these items back in stock - and the sales I have therefore missed out on!

A few years ago I decided the best approach was to add up the amount of white make-up and blood I sold in

the whole year and order it in one go, safe in the knowledge that if I had stock left over I would easily sell the surplus within that year. Needless to say I still sold out! As a result I am still trying to work out what stock I need to order, and I’m sure that if I ever get it right I will be able to retire a very wealthy person.

Below: Vampire teeth, spooky lenses, white face paint and fake blood are sure-fire best-sellers at Halloween.

Other items that we sell in large volume are ceramic vampire fangs obviously vampires never really never die, they just wear their teeth out!

Colour-changing eye lenses are another great seller, with both the one-day and one-year lenses selling well.

With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, it will be a good weekend for all of us, but looking forward to next year, and sales will undoubtedly be harder.

What we really need is for Hollywood to come up with a great new character.

We have all done the classic ghosts, devils, vampires and witches, and then we have had Scream, Jason, Freddy and John Kraymer to fill in the gaps.

These all sell well but a new horror character would really help. Maybe a Halloween double act, with a man and a woman! Now that would be truly unique, and would mean we had something new for the ladies as well.

Well, it’s time for me to get on with making sure I have lots of bats, rats, spiders and spider webs in stock, so I’ll leave you with another Halloween-themed joke...

“

“T

hree ghosts walk into a bar, and they all ask for a drink. The barman says, ‘Sorry, you will have to leave - I do not have a licence to serve spirits.’

Sorry, I know that this joke is a little lame, but it is the best I can come up with at this very busy time. Joking aside, I am sure that your seasonal stock is already mostly delivered, and you are no doubt busy preparing this year’s Halloween store layout and dramatic window displays.

There are a few things cropping up in the news at the moment that might have an effect on this year’s Halloween sales. The biggest - and most important - are the sales figures from the leading supermarkets. This could go

Q. What happened to the guy who could not pay his exorcist?

A. He got repossessed!

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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New machine very fast to load latex balloons to printing machines. Production speed 1000-1300 pcs.

It can load latex balloons from 9� to 14�. It can be combined with: RA-01A, RA-01DUPLEX, RA-01F, RA-01G, RA-01HPP

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n y counter

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RA-01A

RA-01 DuPlEx

RA-01G

OFFSET printing

one color printing

one color printing

one color printing

This machine can print latex balloons in more colors 4 sides in one time.

It can print from 9” to 14” and punchballs. Production speed 2000 pcs per hour. The machine is available in 2 or 3 colors printing model.

This machine can print latex balloons one color two sides simultaneously.

It can print from 9” to 14” and hearts.

With some accessories it can print also punchballs and 5” . It is available in 3 models according the production speed. According the model it can print 1000,1500,1800 pcs per hour.

It can print 1 color on 2 sides simultaneously + different prints on 2 different latex balloons (duplex printing process). It can print from 9” to 14” and hearts. With some accessories it can print also punchballs and 5” .

It can print 2500-3000 pcs per hour.

This machine can print latex balloons one color all around from 9” to 14” and hearts. With some accessories it can print also 5” and punchballs.

Production speed 1500 pcs per hour.

automatic

balloons printing machines

NEW

RA-01B

two colors printing

RA-01F

RA-01D

four colors printing

CMYK printing

RA-01HPP

This machine can print latex balloons one or two colors first side and one color second side with a very good print log. It can print from 10” to 14”.

Production speed 1200-1500 pcs per hour.

This machine can print latex balloons one color two sides or two colors two sides simultaneously with a very good print log. It can print from 10” to 14” and hearts. With special accessories it can print also punchballs and 5”. Production speed 1200-1500 pcs per hour.

This machine can print from 1 to 4 colors one side latex balloons with a very good print log. Good to print on latex balloons color photos.

It can print from 10” to 14”.

Production speed 1100-1200 pcs per hour.

This machine can print latex balloons from 1 to 6 colors one side with a perfect print log. It can print form 9” to 16”. Ideal to print on latex balloons color photos. It is available in 4-5-6 colors printing model. Production speed 800-900 pcs per hour.

NEW

RS-00SP one color printing

R-04

RS-00 one color printing

With this machine you can print semiautomatically latex balloons deflated up to 4 colors with a perfect register! You can print also foil and PVC balloons and other objects!

It can print 1 colour from 1 to 4 sides and all around the balloon, also giant balloons and foil balloons.

Adding some accessories to this machine, will make it possible to print other objects like pens, t-shirts and mylar balloons.

CMYK printing

This machine is well-appreciated for its handiness.

It’s small and manageable, easy to carry, easy to use and offers very good print performances. It’s cheap and versatile: it can print on latex and foil balloons in one color, and also on other objects.

semiautomatic

two colors printing

RIFCO World Group srl via Fallena, 5 - 03034 Casalvieri (FR) Italy Tel. (0039) 0776 617197 - info@rifco.it

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Feeling The Force

Super Suits

As the new Star Wars film approaches, Unique Party has introduced a new partyware ensemble. The set consists of; plates, cups, napkins, table covers, flag and die cut banners, party bags, invites and envelopes, print balloons, masks, door banners and hats.

The first licensed lines have now been added to the ever-increasing OppoSuits collection. These official Batman and Superman suits are already proving to be extremely successful and are in stock now, in plenty of time for both Halloween and Christmas.

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She’s In Fashion Amscan has added to its licensed Barbie range with a new Barbie Sparkle ensemble of partyware and balloons. The new range contains over 25 items from tableware to accessories and decorations to foil balloons – so Barbie fans can party in style!

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Licensed to Party Spring Fair

Progressive Party rounds up the latest licensed releases.

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Bear Necessities This fantastic range of co-ordinated Paddington Bear cake decorations from Creative Party were shortlisted in the Best Dress Up and Partyware category in the Licensing Awards 2015. The range includes everything from toppers and wafers to cutters and cello bags – there’s even a recipe for marmalade cookies!

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Character Crazy

Minion Madness

Pams is always adding more lines to its fancy dress costumes, accessories and party supplies (check out New Lines online). Its range of licensed products now includes Paw Patrol costumes, Inside Out balloons and party tableware and a new range of Star Wars party supplies, all coming soon.

New from Rubie’s is a wide range of updated licensed costumes including great new Minions for adults and kids – perfectly timed for the new movie – and brand new Super Hero costumes including Marvel’s Spider-man and Thor, DC’s The Flash and great new Arkham Batman, Robin and Harley Quinn.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER DECEMBER/JANUARY 2015 PROGRESSIVE 2010/11 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE PARTY

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Feel The Love Further exciting additions to the evergrowing Betallic balloon range include these brand new designs, ideal for Valentine’s Day and other early spring events. The lines include new 21” Mighty Bright shapes, along with holographic 18”, large shapes and mini shapes.

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What’s New?

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Season Of Style

Amscan’s new casino-themed balloons are a winning party decoration. The Place Your Bets jumbo balloon perfectly matches the existing range of casino tableware and decorations. Complete the setting with the fab junior shape Black Club, Red Heart, Black Spade and Red Diamond.

With a number of new arrivals to the OppoSuits and Suitmeister collections, it has become increasingly difficult to narrow down the fantastic selection.

For 2015, Quilty Pleasure, Snowflake and Gangstaclaus have been added to this year’s Christmas collection – Santa suits have nothing on these.

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Creative Christmas

Getting Seasonal

Ride ‘Em!

With creative Christmas Eve kits and fun, DIY decorations, Neviti’s Christmas Craft range is perfect for bringing a fun element to families’ festive preparations.

The Christmas Eve Kit includes ‘Santa Stop’ and ‘Reindeer Parking’ signs and a selection of pictures and paper chains ready to be decorated for the big day itself.

Keep an eye on Pams website for the latest in party events – which focuses on big seasonal party themes such as the Rugby World Cup and Oktoberfest. Pams always has plenty of exciting new stock for the themed parties and events which take place throughout the year.

The popular Dress up by Design range – which includes over 120 different styles – now includes a number of new ride-on designs include the Ride-on Dinosaur, Ride-on Dragon and the gorgeous Rideon Unicorn. Other new generic lines include classic princesses, rustic pirates and magical fairies.

+ trav Tel:

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Talking Heads

TALKING HEADS

The Modern Inventions The party industry has been around, arguably for centuries in some guise or other – while products considered evergreen classics provide a strong bedrock – innovations, inventions and market developments have been in abundance in recent years.

PP puts industry experts on the spot as to what they consider have been the most notable innovations to have hit the party market.

IMPROVEMENTS ON OLD CLASSICS “The party industry has been around for many years, and while old classics remain key, there are also some fantastic innovations and market developments out there, but it’s not all about the new. I would also argue that there is an improvement of the old classics. ‘Old hat’ doesn’t mean ‘bad hat’ but ‘hat with room for Improvement’.

Examples such as make-up, where we have been used using basic elements/commodities (white make-up cream, latex, blood) can be improved by presenting a great packaging and ideas for their use.

I think it’s about quality these days.

The most exciting new products recently have been Morphsuits and Opposuits as they have created something unique and different.”

Sergio Battaner marketing director of Palmer Agencies 22

TECHNICAL FABRICS ARE THE WAY FORWARD “There have been several big innovations in the costume market in the last few years: prosthetic make-ups to allow people to make every more gory monsters; Opposuits which take costume nearer to fashion; and Digital Dudz, which put the power of your smartphone into a costume.

Going forward, I think the evolution of technical fabrics, which respond to temperature, mood or your mobile device, will have a big impact. However, there is a long way to go until those types of materials are cheap enough to work in the party industry.

After the success of the Avengers movie our biggest sellers have been our Marvel range of Morphsuits.”

Fraser Smeaton director of Morphsuits Left: Morphsuits Ironman.

PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

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Talking Heads

TALKING HEADS C

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Above: For Every Occasion - T-Rex MK2 Balloon Stuffing Tool.

BALLOON STUFFING FOR THE FUTURE “We are now proud suppliers of the T-Rex MK2 Balloon Stuffing Tool, under our sister company of ‘Stuff It’. This has made a welcome return to the market this year following an absence of a few years. The T-Rex is fastest, most efficient way to create stuffed balloons in the world.

We switched to using the T-Rex in February and haven’t looked back since. So much so, that we are now suppliers of the T-Rex MK2 to the UK and Europe.”

“Also something which is brand new and which we will be distributing in the UK are the Supersize Balloon Lites from Sparklelites. For a long time now the industry has been crying out for wireless lights that are bright enough to illuminate a 3ft balloon as well as smaller balloons in decor. (This has only even been achieved previously by the Conwin Balloon Lights, which were mains- operated).

These new lights are brilliant. They are battery operated, remote-controlled, colour-changing if you wish, with a choice of 16 different colours to choose from. They can be static, fading or flashing and the effect is quite brilliant.

They will be available in the UK at the end of September/beginning of October.”

Sara Harris co-owner of For Every Occasion BALLOONS THAT DON’T GO POP! “For us, the most exciting innovation has been Qualatex bubbles. I am not sure how long they have been on the market, it seems forever, because I wonder how my décor team managed without them. They brought a new lease of life to a part of the business that, at that time, was declining. They look fantastic and can be used in loads of different ways and customers still wonder why they don’t pop. Our balloon business is flourishing at the moment and one of, if not the biggest seller is the Qualatex bubbles.”

Quick Links from Qualatex are the next big thing. It is a product that has caused

our décor department to go from strength to strength.

Helium costs are increasing and we, the industry as a whole, are coming under scrutiny for our ‘non-essential’ helium use. Quick Links, along with the ideas from Qualatex, help with air-filled designs. We use them in décor and delivery pieces. Who knows what the future really holds for helium within our industry, but more ideas are needed for use without it, or a huge hole could appear in many people’s turnover figures.

We have had many strange costume requests in store, from cans of Coke and beer to tables and chairs. It’s safe to say we won’t be doing these, but what I’d like to see is the Rubies’ superheroes range in larger kids’ sizes. I’m sure many of these costumes only go up to a large (7-8 years old) and we often have customers ask for sizes in-between this and the standard adult size.

Hawaiian accessories ranges have stood out for us this Summer, like Smiffy’s leis and grass skirts – they always sell well. We have suggested these for people who are having BBQs and summer parties, so we can not only get the sale of disposable tableware, but the added sale from their costume bits and bobs.”

Dan Parsons director of Fun n Frolic PRINTED FABRIC BRINGS NEW LEASE OF LIFE TO COSTUMES “The main innovations that have brought about most change to the industry over the past few years are the developments in fabrics and materials which have enabled new ideas for costume design and construction.

Printing on fabrics has become more refined and allows interesting effects on costumes that couldn’t previously be achieved. Rubies uses this to great effect with costumes such as Iron Man. Smiffy’s use sublimation printing with the female Zombie costume being a good example of what can be achieved using this process.”

“The use of EVA is another innovation that has led to changes in both costumes and masks. EVA can be used to create soft moulded masks and many companies now produce some great clown, zombie and life-like faces. EVA has also been used to produce costumes with interesting details and effects.

Palmers Skeleton Zombie is a great example.

Another interesting development is latex prosthetics and special effects kits which let customers create interesting effects in an easier way than in the past. Many companies, such as Smiffys and Palmers, are producing a great range of easy to use kits and prosthetics, which allow people to experiment and produce something different and individual.

“Going forwards, there seems to be an increasing trend towards individualism. The shop environment allows us to show people new products, make suggestions and explain how to achieve certain effects. A lot of our customers come to us specifically for this reason. From our point of view it is vital that suppliers continue to produce new and innovative ideas in all areas of the industry.”

Barbara Goldsack director of BK Fancy Dress & Party Shop Left: BK Fancy Dress - Smiffy’s female zombie T-shirt featuring a sublimation print.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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l e g n A Face To Face: Angels

D re s s e d by a n

Inset:

Angels Costumes has dressed some of the biggest names in showbiz from Noel Coward and Laurence Olivier to Johnny Depp, Daniel Craig, and Keira Knightley. Progressive Party caught up with Tim Angel as he prepares to celebrate 175 years in business with a new book and an exhibition at The Old Truman Brewery in London.

A

ngels is one the most well respected and celebrated companies in the industry, providing costumes for everything from stage, film and TV, to photo shoots, advertisements and music videos.

Established in 1840 by Morris Angel, the business – Morris Angel & Son as it was back then - had its roots as a second-hand clothing shop. Morris noticed that many of his existing customers were actors who, in the 19th century, were expected to provide their own costumes for both auditions and performances. Often a part would go to the individual who had the best costume rather than the best acting skills. Morris quickly realised that if actors were willing to pay a small deposit and fee, then they could hire clothes rather than buy them. With this, Morris Angel & Son no longer just sold clothes; it hired theatrical costumes.

Angels Costumes is now a seventhgeneration family business, led by chairman Tim Angel OBE. Tim explains how the company has remained at the cutting edge of the costume industry: “The story of Angels charts the history of popular culture as the era of mass entertainment evolved - as the stage was eclipsed by cinema in the twentieth century, and cinema overshadowed by television at the start of the twenty-first. Angels has been at the forefront of this journey, constantly adapting as the costume industry has grown over the last three centuries, and will continue to grow. 175 years for any business is remarkable; that Angels is a family business, and still flourishing in the entertainment world, makes it even more so.”

Today film work makes up around one third of Angels’ business. Angels has

See The Exhibition Dressed by Angels in an interactive exhibition telling the story behind the world’s greatest costume house, presenting visitors with an irresistible mix of costumes, drama and history. Over 120 costumes have been carefully selected from Angels’ illustrious back catalogue for display.

Visitors will see bespoke costumes made for Fred Astaire, Noel Coward, Laurence Olivier, Tom Baker, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep, to name just a few. Alongside

24

Inset: Over 120 costumes are on display at the Dressed by Angels exhibition, including those from Wicked.

the costumes will be photographs and fascinating letters and artefacts,

Right: Halloween is one of the key seasons for the fancy dress market.

worked on 36 productions that have been awarded an Oscar for Best Costume Design, including Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet, Cleopatra, Star Wars, Titanic, The Great Gatsby and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Theatre makes up about 20% of the business and over the years, Angels has provided costumes for a large number of productions such as Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, The Commitments and the Tony-winning production of The King and I. providing an insight into showbiz history.

“Dressed by Angels is an exhibition documenting costumes from theatre, film and TV, interwoven with the Angels family story, showing how the entertainment industry has changed over the last 175 years, and how costumes have evolved along the way,” says Tim. Dressed by Angels is at The Old Truman Brewery, London E1 6QR until 3 January 2016. See www.dressedbyangels.co.uk for more information.

PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

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Face To Face: Angels

Left: Making costumes is still an important part of the Angels’ business. Below: Morecambe and Wise are among the many names dressed by Angels. (Image courtesy of Getty Images)

Angels has also worked on a number of award-winning television shows such as Brideshead Revisited, Dad’s Army, Morecambe and Wise and, more recently, Poldark, Call the Midwife, Downton Abbey, Cilla and Wolf Hall.

“From the beginning of the 19th century, my family collected clothes that other people no longer wanted,” says Tim. “They also made and hired costumes. It’s extraordinary that 175 years later we’re still at it, making and hiring costumes, buying unique pieces and occasionally even acquiring entire collections.”

It is from this extensive collection (which actually spans eight miles of hanging rails and is made up of around one million items of clothing) that most costumes can be drawn from.

However making costumes is still an important part of the Angels’ business. New stock is created in the Ladies Making and Tailoring workrooms, with the skilled staff benefitting from the unique resources that can be found among Angels’ existing supply of clothes.

In 1990, Angels turned its Right: Angels Fancy Dress is one of the UK’s largest suppliers of packet fancy dress costumes from its London shops and online. Below: Costumes for Lawrence of Arabia (left) and Indiana Jones (right) in the Dressed by Angels exhibition at The Old Truman Brewery. Middle: If you’re after a military uniform, Angels is the place to come.

Far right: Chairman of Angels, Tim Angel.

attention to the growing fancy dress market.

In just 25 years, Angels Fancy Dress has become one of the UK’s largest suppliers of fancy dress costumes, operating from its two London shops on Shaftesbury Avenue and in Hendon, as well as a successful online business.

“Fancy dress in the UK has always been popular, and its origins can be traced back to when we first started to dress up in the Victorian era for elaborate balls, and later, events such as the Chelsea Arts balls,” says Tim. “But over the last 25 years fancy dress has grown at a remarkable rate with the appearance of packet costume.”

Tim continues: “About 25 years ago, fancy dress hire was very popular, and it still has its place in film and television. However manufacturers have managed to produce everything including sexy, affordable and comfortable packet costumes for the mass market, and these are understandably popular. The huge growth of Halloween, fuelled in part as a result of generation Y growing up watching American culture on film and TV, has also expanded the fancy dress market in a way that we could not have anticipated.

Equally, the rise of online shopping has also very much changed the game in terms of the fancy dress market in terms of accessibility and choice, and who knows where it will go in the future?”

One thing’s for certain though, no matter what the entertainment industry looks like in the future, Angels Costumes are sure to be there.

Above: Behind the Seams is a new book out now to celebrate 175 years of Angels Costumes.

Read All About It Celebrating 175 years of Angels Costumes, Behind the Seams is written by James Bellini and Sally Angel and is a unique, backstage journey through history to present day of Angels Costumes. The book reveals extraordinary stories about the costumes with Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, Judy Dench, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Helen Mirren, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Eddie Redmayne all walking through the company’s doors.

Behind the Seams interweaves developments in the costume industry – the way special effects have influenced its work, new techniques to achieve authenticity, and recycling methods – with significant moments in history which Angels has been part of: silent films, theatre, film and the development of a vast TV-drama industry. It also shows some examples of the way costumes are made, giving practical details about the craft of costume-making.

Behind the Seams is available from www.angelsbehindtheseams.com for £30.

Inset: Tim Angel, OBE.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Halloween Special

Trickery And Treatery The trick at Halloween is to make sure you offer your customers the right products to match this year’s trends – with the treat being a boost in sales. With Halloween expected to notch up £240 million for UK business this year, PP delves into the heart of the pumpkin to find out what Halloween 2015 has carved out for us.

O

nce upon a time, Halloween was viewed as an American tradition, well suited to our extravagant and sometimes excessive cousins from across the pond. So when exactly did we Brits take on the custom for ourselves?

Interestingly, while its popularity in the UK has been growing steadily for some time, it was actually at the height of the recent recession that the UK nation really embraced the occasion.

The New York Times claimed (back in 2013) that UK sales of Halloween-related products were expected to grow by 12% that year. It would seem the prediction was correct as marketing intelligence agency, Mintel, reported that more than twofifths of adults in the UK (43%) splashed out for Halloween products in that year.

That percentage rose even higher for certain age groups – 58% for 16-34 year olds and 55% for those aged 25 to 34.

With numbers like that, Halloween can literally bring your profits back from the (un)dead!

A Hairy Tale While the facial hair trend may be growing, we aren’t silly enough to think that people won’t still want the horror and gore. Tomas of Mustaches says: “A bit of mangy hair on the face - perhaps dampened and coloured with fake blood – goes quite well with an axe or some vampire fangs!”

Right: Is she witching the pumpkin a happy Halloween?

So, what are the best top tips for ensuring a supernaturally good year?

Gary Vincent, Bristol Novelty’s business development manager, has a top tip... stock up! He says: “The big question is, when will the retail shops reach fever pitch for buying last minute Halloween items, will it be Friday or Saturday?

Considering Halloween hasn’t fallen on a Saturday since 1998, you really need to stock up with the basics this year.

“Make sure you have built in some extra contingency. You don’t want to have a bumper Friday and then have limited stock left for Saturday.”

Gary also cites a growing trend among retailers on how best to manage the flow of customers during busy periods. He says: “Some retailers are actually redesigning their shop space, ensuring a quick customer turnaround on high volume items while allowing other consumers to browse and try on products without causing

Left: Bristol Novelties’ Mr Bone Jangles costume for boys will bring voodoo to life this Halloween!

too much congestion.”

Furthermore, he thinks that most party retailers understand how good quality props can transform the look of their retail shop, encouraging customers to invest in products that will enhance their Halloween parties.

“There’s your third top tip – dress up your shop and your customers will dress up their party. Get your rubber masks, horror sound machines and hanging skeletons out!”

What about trends for the fancy dressers themselves?

One prediction for 2015 is false facial hair. Mustaches’ ceo, Tomas Siuipys, says that fake moustaches, beards, sideburns and eyebrows are now almost outselling fake blood as Halloween styles shift from ‘scary’ to ‘hairy’ – a trend that he feels will continue this year.

Tomas says: “What’s a dwarf or a wizard or a pirate or a gangster without the right bristles in the right shape and colour? Or Pancho Villa? Fu Manchu? Or a sad little red devil or a weird bearded lady?

Each one needs their costume ‘tache.”

It seems that Halloween 2015 is all about the accessories. Carl Taylor, Pams sales director, tells us that make-up and hair sprays are proving popular so far.

This includes Pams’ fantastic range of Paintglow make-up. Carl says: “We offer these products at brilliant prices, so make sure you have a full range available.”

Sharing his top tip for retailers is: “To ensure you have a varied stock of accessories to cover all Halloween characters.” Pams offers a next day delivery service so, if you do sell out, help is at hand!

A Ghoulishly Good Weekend The general consensus is that Wednesday is the worst day for Halloween to fall, with trick or treaters less likely to venture out and fewer parties as it isn’t the weekend. Well, hurrah for this year – as Halloween 2015 falls on a Saturday for the first time in almost 20 years, so retailers can expect sales to be lucrative!

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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28_PP_September October 2015.indd 1

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09/10/2015 11:21

Halloween Special

But common sense tells us it’s not just accessories that will sell well. Amscan is expecting celebrations to be on a huge scale throughout the weekend, thanks to trick or treating, parties and events for all ages.

Marketing manager, Charlotte Cox, says: “This year, there is a ‘fangtastic’ variety of Halloween trends to suit all tastes; from cute, family-friendly designs, to the trendy Day of the Dead collection and gruesome zombies at the other end of the scale.”

In agreement, Delights Direct say that Halloween has already started strongly, and tells us that costumes are particularly popular. Its account manager, Stuart Wheeler, says: “Choice seems to be a big aspect this year. We have stocked our biggest range of costumes to date and have added a much wider range of larger props and decorations. The Saturday factor should be a big win!”

Apparently, the ‘Saturday factor’ is exciting everyone! Rubies is hoping it results an uplift in sales of its Halloween related ranges. Trade marketing and digital manager, Struan Robertson, says: “So far we’ve seen our licensed ranges selling well, especially when linked to iconic horror blockbusters, such as Ghostbusters,

Haunted House “This year, due to frequent customer requests, we have stocked up on more house decorations than ever before, and it is worth thinking about the fact that people are increasingly hosting their own parties at home rather than going out.”

Emma Angel, director, Angels Fancy Dress Edward Scissorhands, IT, Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street.”

Then again, he also says their new range of generic costumes for women - witches, ghosts, vampires and various other spooky costumes - which come in at a lower price, have shown strong sales too, so it Below: Looking very dapper, Opposuits Halloween Costumes. Pictured are the pumkin and bat suits.

Left and below: As if zombies didn’t really does look many themes have enough issues with their looks! like choice is the as you can fit Fake night stalker skin from Pams. key. Something for in your shop. everyone is a pretty In addition good rule to live by! to the classic When it comes to themes, costumes for men, Holly Forder, Opposuits are always marketing popular for events manager of like Halloween. Its Creative Party, director, Jelle van der is a fan of the Zwet warns that, sugar skull, the way sales are synonymous with going so far, it looks the Day of the like they may well Dead theme and be sold out when it predicted to be big comes to the big day! for 2015. Holly Jelle says: “Our says: “The sugar best-selling Halloween skull has made Opposuit is the new Skulleton. After that, an appearance Bloody Harry, Zombiac and El Muerto in festival are all very popular. We have taken the fashion, and approach this year to create a more scary even homewares where the emblem is and gory OppoSuits Halloween collection, coupled with supplementary traditional as opposed to scary and funny.”

Aztec surface pattern, really cementing OK, make-up and fake facial hair, the popularity of this design.” check. Costumes, check. What about She points out how the Mexican décor? Mintel also reported that, while tradition brings a whole new bright colour 8% of people in the UK attended a palette to Halloween. “While incorporating Halloween party in 2013, 10% bought the traditional orange and black, fashion decorations. Well, who doesn’t like a skull colours such as bright lime, purple and or pumpkin on the doorstep to welcome aqua blue have also made an appearance.” those delightful trick or treaters?

Holly is perfecting her sugar But Halloween décor is so much skull make-up this Halloween. So more than that. There is a whole world is that top tip number five? of tableware, balloons, banners and So that’s Halloween 2015... Day of props out there to make sure your the Dead, fake facial hair and the biggest Halloween party is the scariest ever! money-making Halloween since 1998.

Charlotte Cox, marketing manager of Happy Halloween to all our retailers...

Amscan, says that: “The tasteful orange it’s going to be ‘spook-tacular’! and black colour scheme, as well as classic characters such as witches, will continue PP’s top ten tips for Halloween to perform well this year.” Amscan offers 2015 in a handy check list! the complete party 1. Stock up... on everything! It’s range for these and going to be a busy weekend. many other themes, 2. Order now! You don’t want to miss including tableware, out on the best sellers of the year. decorations, costumes, wearable accessories 3. Allocate a dedicated Halloween space and balloons. It’s a good in your shop to avoid congestion. idea to cater for as

4. Dress your shop with props to entice your customers.

5. Fake facial hair... it’s going to be popular this year.

6. Themes range from cute, family-friendly designs to gruesome zombies. Be prepared!

7. The BIG theme of 2015 will be Day of the Dead. Stockpile your sugar skulls in a choice of bright colours!

8. Offer as many costume options as you can – choice is the key this year.

9. Have the full range of tableware, decorations, wearable accessories and balloons available.

10. Enjoy yourselves and reap(er) the benefits!

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Halloween Special

Trick or treat

Premier’s Dungeon Collection is guaranteed to provide the spook at every Halloween party and not least this 1.5 metre ghoulish LED battery operated colourchanging ghost.

A 7ft hanging skeleton from Bristol Novelty?

We’re not making any bones about it!

Piñatas makes an ideal game for Halloween and Amscan has a great range, including this new Jack o Lantern piñata.

Simply fill with treats!

Delights Direct has its biggest range of Halloween costumes and accessories to date, including this very Neon Pop Witch.

Fuller figured party-goers will love the ‘Fitting Characters’ collection from InCharacter, offering an exceptional range of high-quality costumes including the Plus Size Vampire.

If you want more gore, Rubie’s is launching a range of creepy costumes based on a fantasy Circus of the Undead. The Circus Hell collection arrives in October.

Coulrophobia is the medical term for a fear of clowns. Fun Shack’s Creepy Clown might just start an epidemic!

For a ghoulish twist on a top seller, the Halloween range from Rasta Imposta includes lightweight foam costumes such as Zombie Hot Dog, Zombie Penguin and Zombie Banana.

Sancto’s Special FX make-up pieces are always top sellers and with more items added to this range for 2015, there’s even more to take your pick from.

Leg Avenue added new styles to its Cozy costume collection after it’s initial success.

This ‘Cozy Villain Maleficent’ costume is available now.

If the zombies attack this Halloween, disguise yourself as one of them with these Tinsley transfers.

A perfect addition to all Halloween parties, Unique Party has a range of tissue decor puff balls in all traditional Halloween colours.

Best-selling Halloween Opposuits, Skulleton and Bloody Harry, are in danger of selling out. Get your orders in now!

Would you say boo to a ghost? This friendly ghost tunic from Palmer Agencies is available up to 24 months.

Cute Lil Ghost, Flying Witch, Pretty Scary Spider.

Betallic have just the balloon for your spooky soiree.

Morphsuits are the latest thing in fancy dress and Pams are stocking a large range just for Halloween - stock still available at time of press.

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a mexican wave The big Halloween theme of 2015 is Day of the Dead.

Día de los Muerto, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday held in central and southern Mexico on 1 and 2 November to honour deceased loved ones and to teach children to respect that life is brief. In turn, they learn there is a circle to life and not to fear death, leaving them free to enjoy and appreciate every moment.

Sugar skulls are part of the offering left at altars on the Day of the Dead for the weary spirits that will return for one day from the gates of heaven.

Day of the Dead and the sugar skull tradition looks to be THE big trend for 2015, with many of our retailers stocking everything from costumes, make-up and accessories to tableware, decorations and balloons.

It’s even possible that, in the future, combining Halloween on 31 October with Day of the Dead on 1 and 2 November will turn Halloween into a three day event.

We like the sound of that!

Here’s what our retailers have to say about this year’s big theme...

CARL TAYLOR, sales director of Pams “We expect the Day of the Dead ranges to be ‘the’ thing for 2015.”

GARY VINCENT, business development manager of Bristol Novelty “Day of the Dead is finally going to it make its grand entrance in the UK Halloween costume market as the fresh new face for this seasons Halloween parties.”

MARK BRETT, UK agent of Boland Party “What we do know is that the reaction from our customer base for our brand new ‘Day of the Dead’ range has been terrific. Its popularity suggests that 2015 is the beginning of an exciting new trend that may even go beyond Halloween. The official celebratory dates of Day of the Dead are 1 and 2 November, meaning it could have a really positive effect on the entire Halloween season if it catches on.”

HOLLY FORDER, marketing manager of Creative Party “We really saw the trend for the Mexican Day of the Dead start to cross the pond last Halloween. The trend for all things sugar skull started to be seen across the country at Halloween parties, covering décor and particularly fancy dress and face painting.”

EMMA ANGEL, director of Angels Fancy Dress “As a theme, the focus on sugar skulls and all things Mexican has increased steadily in popularity over the past few years, and as parties are likely to roll over into 1 November, the expectation is that this will continue.”

JELLE VAN DER ZWET, co-founder of Opposuits “El Muerto is a Mexican Day of the Dead themed Opposuit, which is a trend that we currently see across Europe. This colourful suit is not only great for Halloween but also for the Carnaval season where Day of the Dead has been pretty popular.”

CHARLOTTE COX, marketing manager of Amscan “Day of the Dead is a theme that we feel will be a hit this year.”

Colourful and dark, these swirl decorations from Amscan will add to any Day of the Dead party.

wicked wardrobe

This Día de los Muertos female costume from Palmer Agencies is available in two sizes and comes complete with accessories.

Creative Party says the trend for all things sugar skull has made its way to the UK, so they are covered the tableware and decorations.

Gary at Bristol Novelty says Day of the Dead is making its grand entrance as the fresh face for this year’s Halloween. Does he mean this face?

Boland’s Mrs Day of the Dead dress comes complete with head dress. Now that’s one scary bride!

Day of the Dead skull tombstones from Palmer Agencies include hang hole and most importantly, chalk!

What a way to welcome guests to the party!

This colourful suit from Opposuits is not only great for Halloween, but also for the Carnaval season where Day of the Dead has been pretty popular.

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COSTUMES FROM A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY… THE NEW STAR WARS RANGE FROM RUBIE’S IS AVAILABLE NOW

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Must-Have Moustaches

For a party look that works anywhere, false facial hair is hard to beat. PPE spoke to Tomas Siuipys, owner and ceo of mustaches.eu, one of Europe’s most inventive fake moustache suppliers, to find out more.

Ten Tips

“

Inset: The appeal of the humble moustache is not limited by age or gender.

FOR TOP LIPS U

nless the invite expressly states a certain theme, customers attending a fancy dress event can often find themselves at a loss when faced with the impressive contents of a modern party shop.

With everything from full-on costumes to realistic latex overhead masks, it can be a lot to take in.

But that’s where retailers can really come into their own – most party goers will always

Right: Some customers need an idea or two to help fire up the imagination.

Facial Facts Mustaches.eu makes more than 600 facial hair party items and customised orders. The self-adhesive products are EU-certified and easy to apply and remove, yet stay in place and 1. Watch the calendar.

“In the run-up to Christmas put the white beards in front and at Halloween display your whiskers beside fake blood and other scary stuff. Go with patriotic colours for sport events and national holidays – yes, we can do the colours of any flag or team.”

2. Wax it up.

“For just the right look, it’s simple to mould any fake beard or moustache into whatever shape you want with a little bit of water or hairspray or styling gel.”

3. Use special effects.

“Ooze some fake blood on the piece if you’re evil, spray a bit of black paint for a ‘singed Santa’ effect, add sparkles for a fairy godfather touch... the options are infinite.”

appreciate a creative nudge from a friendly shop attendant. Of course, each customer will require a personal response, but among all the possibilities, lurk the often underrated fake moustaches and beards which can offer hugely versatile potential.

“The ‘stache is a standard item that’s always performed well,” explained Tomas Siuipys, the owner and ceo of Mustaches. eu, a Lithuanianbased producer of

keep their shape. The company is growing in the UK and has recently added Morris Angel & Son as a dealer. Mustaches.eu UK warehouse also delivers direct to stores in 48 hours, and an online order system is available at www.mustaches.eu.

4. Stickiness counts.

“For happy customers, make sure you offer products with quality adhesive strips – the kind that are certified as safe, and that stick on easily and really stay in place.”

5. It’s a stick-up.

“Moustaches-on-a-stick are good for those who want a chuckle and some facial hair to hide behind, but prefer not to commit all evening long.”

6. Women and children first.

“Don’t limit the possibilities. Kids love something furry on their face – and even if they’re grumpy the whiskers will suit their expression. Nor are ladies immune to the lure of moustache mania.”

7. Pick your poison.

“Customers can choose a party pack of many different

I always carried a jewel-studded cigarette case in which, instead of tobacco, were carefully placed several moustaches... I offered them politely to my friends: ‘Moustache?

Moustache? Moustache?’

Salvador Dalí, surrealist artist.

”

Above: In a 2010 poll, Salvador Dalí’s facial hair was voted the most famous moustache of all time.

original nose ticklers, beards, sideburns, eyebrows and the like. “But they are getting even more attention these days with the Movember campaigns and moustache madness seemingly sweeping the globe.”

He continued: “It’s an easy gag that always works, whether on its own or as part of more elaborate costume, as a one-off choice or as a wider theme for a particular event.”

With that in mind, PPE asked Tomas – who also runs his own chain of party goods shops in Lithuania – for his top ten tips for helping customers looking for the perfect ‘tache. ´staches and let each guest choose one when they arrive. They can also have some special effects options available, like fake blood or styling gel.”

8. Immortalize the moment.

“A ‘photo booth’ is ideal for moustache parties, and fits the bill for any dress-up event.”

9. Flying nose ticklers?

“Decoration is key for any theme party.

One of the more crafty innovations for a ‘stache bash is to hang little moustaches on a thread from the ceiling or light fixtures. It’s a great addition to moustache-printed napkins, etc.”

10. Take it away!

“For memorability, there’s nothing like a party favour and moustaches or beards are perfect for this!”

Left: A truly great beard and moustache can make the whole costume.

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Face To Face: Wilbers Inset:

Costumes

For

Carnival Fancy dress company Wilbers has been meeting the ever-growing demand for carnival costumes and associated products for over 70 years. UK sales director Mark Smits gave Progressive Party Europe an insight into the company behind the creations.

A

s a leading producer and supplier of carnival costumes, fancy dress and party accessories, Netherlandsbased Wilbers specialises in high-quality fancy dress fashion. The company - which is currently being overseen by thirdgeneration managing director Sander Wilbers - was first established as an independent family business back in 1932 The Wilbers of 2015 is a very different beast. It currently operates from a modern 100,000 sq ft office, showroom and warehousing facility and and exports to most European countries. With separate in-house design, European sales and customer service teams, Wilbers is fully equipped to meet the demands of an ever-evolving global marketplace as well as individual customer Right: Colourful kids costumes are top sellers.

42

requirements, such as bespoke, exclusive lines.

According to Sander, the company’s mission statement is; “To supply distinctive upper-medium to high-quality party fashion, competitively priced, with an efficient and dependable service.” It does this by recognising that individual geographical markets can differ dramatically – with their own particular sales styles, buying patterns and consumer tastes – and then catering for them accordingly.

Uniquely, Wilbers’ production facility is based in Northern Africa, where its modern computer systems and supply chain management offer seamless, real-time integration with the European head office.

It is from this manufacturing base that the company is able to offer a wide range of costumes while also ensuring consistent and accurate quality and sizing.

“We pride ourselves on offering a wide variety of ranges right across our product portfolio,” explained Mark.

“With over 7,000 items in stock, we are able to list everything from traditional and classic lines, right through to the most

Not-So-Silly Seasons

“For us carnival is still the most important season, followed by the Octoberfest craze,” said Mark.

“Turnover-wise, Halloween still stays behind but it is gradually catching up, especially in our Scandinavian markets.

Since our main focus has always been on carnival, which is celebrated in February/March, we build up our stocks towards this season. Our stock level tends to reach its absolute peak around September/ October, which is a very nice side effect for our customer base in the more Halloween-oriented countries!”

Left: One of Wilbers high-quality costumes – perfect for Carnival.

modern exciting styles and trends.”

Wilbers’ complete offering consists of costumes, hats, wigs and other various party accessories. “Our costumes are characterised by well-priced products in an assortment of attractive and elegant styles,” Mark continued. “It’s a broad, freshly-styled and fun to wear range, featuring quality tailored standards. We’re very proud of how well the market has responded to what we offer.”

TERRITORIAL TRENDS The European fancy dress and party market itself has changed dramatically in recent years, and Wilbers has responded accordingly. The company initially focused its core business on the carnival festivities which take place across Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France, where generic fancy dress tends to form most of the costume trade, but this has changed as the market has developed.

“Generic carnival lines are still key for us,” said Mark, “but in other markets – like the UK – licensed fancy dress seems to have a larger share. Children’s costumes are still

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Face To Face: Wilbers

Fashion Forecast “As we supply to so many different markets it remains hard to forecast which styles are expected to sell best,” Mark commented. “Overall, there’s still a large demand for sexy costumes but the demand for more modest, subtly sexy costumes continues to grow. The subtlety comes from longer hemlines, covered midriffs and the overall cut.” very successful in our core markets but we’ve seen less demand for better quality children’s fancy dress elsewhere.”

Mark acknowedges that this is likely to be a direct result of the competition the UK party trade faces from supermarkets and discount chains, particularly during the key party seasons. Wilbers has addressed those concerns by carving out a niche for itself in the market, focusing on its strong design capabilities and innovative generic costumes.

“Since broadening our market into other territories, we are increasingly designing generic costume styles to meet the expectations of the clientele in these specific markets,” Mark explained. “We believe that our strength lies in offering these quality generic costumes, but of course we remain open to all opportunities!”

DESIGN DETAIL An essential part of any costume business is new design, and Wilbers’ focus on fresh lines and creative styles means that hundreds of new items are available each year. Approximately 200-250 new costume designs are shown at the Nuremberg Toy Fair each year, along with a complete collection of new party accessories.

Unsurprisingly, fashion and high street trends play an important role in creating the portfolio. “The head of our design department used to work for several well-respected fashion houses,” Mark said, “and we constantly monitor these trends, along with movie and television themes and internet hypes, which are

Right and below: The Wilbers’ range really does cover all genres.

another important source of inspiration and are all reflected in our designs.

“Offering a continually updated portfolio has allowed us to build long-term relationships with our customers,” Mark explained. “Quality, innovation and sensible pricing have always been key, and have contributed greatly to our success over the years.”

Other contributing factors include a modern in-house design department and a fully-equipped workshop where Wilbers’ own designs are created and put together. The high-quality product is made by skilled craftspeople, using the finest fabrics, trimmings and embroidery.

Choosing which of the new designs will go forward to form the annual collection is far from easy, as the catalogue has to satisfy as many different territories as possible. “We compile the final collection after discussing current fashions and trends with our partners,” Mark explained.

“We also carefully analyse our sales figures,” he continued. “For our costume range it generally holds that we discontinue an equal number of lines as we are adding new lines, in order to keep control on the number of SKU’s. Our range

Price Points “The Wilbers costume range can best be described as uppermedium to high-quality, yet still at a medium price level,” said Mark.

“Within our range we have a good mix, with some more expensive deluxe costumes and a wide range of items in the lower price regions.

We understand that it’s important to remain competitive and believe that fancy dress in general should not rise above a certain price point.”

Inset: Wilbers Nurnberg stand.

of hats, wigs, party and Halloween accessories meanwhile is growing every year and can now be considered as one of the most extensive ranges available in Europe.”

SHOP TALK Independent retailers always have been very important to Wilbers’ business. “They are generally better equipped with knowledgeable staff, who add value to the customer experience with their advice,” Mark pointed out. “This customer service engagement and product knowledge will in the end determine those who continue to thrive in the rapidly changing fancy dress and party markets.”

Despite the fact that most of Wilbers’ fancy dress lines are still sold through independent bricks and mortar shops, the trend towards online sales has not gone unnoticed. “Until recently, online sales have been primarily price-focused,” said Mark, “but online retailers are now showing a greater appreciation towards costumes of a better quality with better and more constant sizing. These features will significantly reduce the often outrageous return rates that online resellers currently experience!”

Mark believes that fancy dress competition from large online resellers, supermarkets and discount chains such as Tesco and Lidl is likely to continue to increase, resulting in a pressing need for the independent retailers to distinguish themselves and to create added value by offering their customers an original and persuasive shopping experience. “Retailers who continue to offer the exact same product ranges as their competitors and use pricing as their only point of difference face tough times ahead,” he warned.

FACING THE FUTURE With 70 years of growth already behind it, it’s no surprise that Wilbers’ has big plans in place for 2015 and beyond. Further international expansion into new countries and markets will be key over the coming months, as will fine-tuning and improving the service it already offers to existing customers in current, expanding markets.

“We also expect to see further growth of the online sales of fancy dress and party products,” said Mark. “We are convinced that there’s sufficient growth potential for those retailers who want to differentiate themselves and create added value for their customers. Combining on- and offline activities is proving to be a good and promising way forward.”

By offering a wide range of product which appeals to a number of different territories, Wilbers has secured itself a strong place within the European party industry. It’s clear that as the party consumer becomes more demanding and in turn the market becomes even more varied, Wilbers will be one to watch.

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Themed Parties Inset: Disney princesses like Anna and Elsa are always popular choices for children’s themed parties.

The UK kids party market is worth a hefty £1.2bn.

Parents are spending £135 on an average child’s party, according to parenting website Netmums. Throw in themed costumes, goody bags, décor and a themed entertainer for good measure, and that cost further escalates, with one-in-six parents admitting to splashing out over £300. Happily, that doesn’t seem to have put people off as themed parties are rapidly taking over the children’s party market - music to the ears of party retailers.

THEM(E) AND US P

icture the scene... your child’s birthday is coming up.

Jelly and ice cream, pass-theparcel and musical chairs just won’t cut it these days... every other kid in their class has thrown a themed party this year. For your son or daughter to be able to face their peers for the remainder of their childhood, you know this party has to top them all.

Our top tip for themed “ ensembles is to carry the

full range; stock the added extras to encourage up selling and maximise the spend per basket. Pocket money addons such as themed cookie cutters and latex balloons are perfect - themed party foods really bring the party to life, and balloons make perfect favours as a memento.

Thank goodness for party retailers coming to the rescue!

But as a party retailer, how do you choose which themes to cater for? While PP is not an advocate of applying specific gender roles, children themselves tend to opt for traditional girl/boy themes. There is an almost endless range from which to choose: superheroes, pirates, jungle safari, science, space and dinosaurs for the boys; princesses, Disney, sweet 16, Barbie and fairies for the girls.

Indeed, Emma Angel, director of Angels Fancy Dress, believes that

children’s parties still seem to have a very distinct gender split in terms of themes. She says: “It’s a generalisation, but most little girls come in to the shop wanting to be a Disney princess (and it’s always Anna, not Elsa!), and the boys want to be their favourite superhero.”

But in addition to the traditional, Emma also thinks that, across the board, films are currently a big driver as to what is popular with kids, with the Avengers: Age of Ultron and Teenage Mutant Hero

Below:Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron costumes are currently a big driver for Angels Fancy Dress.

”

Holly Forder marketing manager, Creative Party

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Themed Parties

Turtles movies both causing spikes in demand. As Emma reveals: “We always try to manage our stock to coincide with new releases. For example, our new Cinderella costumes were available as soon as the film hit cinemas.”

Charlotte Cox, Amscan’s marketing manager, agrees that films now have a huge impact on themes. Thanks to the launch of Jurassic World recently, the classic dinosaurs trend has seen a recent boost in popularity, something which has prompted Amscan to develop a new dinosaur themed ensemble to launch early next year.

As Charlotte points out: “With Disney’s The Good Dinosaur launching later this year the trend is sure to continue as a firm favourite into 2016.”

So, the theme has been chosen.

Now, it’s time to focus on costumes, décor and tableware.

How important are these factors at a themed party?

Well, it wouldn’t be a themed party if you had princess costumes, pirate balloons and Above: Pams Child Stormtrooper costume from Star Wars. Just one of the kids thems that seems to be getting bigger and bigger. Below: The Pow Wow range from Talking Tables, part of their unique themed parties. Right: Amscan’s The Good Dinosaur balloon proving that films now have a huge impact of themes.

cowboy tableware, now would it?

Helen Hornsby, marketing manager at Talking Tables, feels that styling in themes is the key to any special occasion or party.

With such a wide variety in themes for children’s parties, what does Helen think will be the biggest trend in 2016?

“We have seen a surge in popularity for stylised and premium themes as parents choose more aspirational decorations for their children’s birthday parties. The party must be photograph-worthy as parents will be Instagramming it!”

With that in mind, Talking Tables has created three new unique themes: Pony Party, Pow Wow and Magic, all of which appeal to both boys and girls, though Pony Party would be considered more feminine.

Explaining its approach in these Helen says it wanted to create an alternative to licensed characters and typical colour themes already available, moving towards something more “aspirational. Just because it’s a child’s party doesn’t mean the partyware cannot be design-led. All three designs have been popular with our retailers.”

Whatever themes retailers decide to stock, having the full range of tableware and decorations available will

One of Leg Avenue’s “team members

mentioned that her niece of seven prefers to play ‘pirates’ in the garden. Stories like these are rising everywhere around us. It only confirms the trend of little girls wanting to be, and look, tough.

”

Joyce Mallo marketing and communications, Leg Avenue Left: Leg Avenue’s cool pirate girl.

make parents lives easier when it comes to theming a party, which in turn should make for a happy loyal customer!

Carl Taylor, marketing director at Pams has noted how: “Birthday parties for kids seem to be getting bigger and bigger and that means that the pressure is on for parents.” He suggests offering a broad range, from banners, invitations, balloons, novelties, tableware and more, as well as keeping up-to-date with the latest trends in what’s hot for the kids.

Looking to its own product portfolio, Carl says: “Our latest releases include Star Wars, wrestling and The Avengers. Of course we always keep stock of the firm favourites Disney princess, Peppa Pig and Minions. New themes are introduced regularly and as soon as licences are signed by suppliers, we always try and make sure we are the first to receive the stock for our customers.”

All that said, here’s one to think about... could buying a theme ‘in a box’ be a thing of the future? New for 2016, toy boxes and dress-up boxes from Pretend to Bee could be the newest phase of the theme trend.

Harrison Palmer, its sales and marketing director elaborates: “We will be packing up assorted sets of our costumes in value buys, ideal for parties.

These will include a safari set, jungle set, occupations or ‘people who help us’ sets, pirates, princesses and more.”

So, from pirates to princesses, dinosaurs to ponies – the thrust for kids’ parties really are variations on a theme. And long may it continue.

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Themed Parties

Selling fast, the recently unveiled Block Party range from Creative Party, makes a great party theme for any young budding builders with it’s bright colour palette.

Ahoy, Matey! Pirates are a big seller many retailers. These costumes from Pretend to Bee are sure to float your boat!

Quirky costumes from Rasta Imposta include Get Real Cheeseburger and a rainbow of colours from the Crayola range for kids aged 3 to 10 years.

A little pirates dream... from Unique Party comes this pirate ensemble with all party favourites including a pirate piñata.

Baby and toddler costumes from InCharacter include the Precious Pixie and Dinky Dino, with non-slip grips on the feet, and poppers to allow for easy nappy access.

Ever popular cowboys and indians costumes for ages 4 to 12 are part of the high quality, affordable range from Fun Shack.

Pirate Kit transfers from Tinsley Transfers are a party bag filler with a difference. Easily removable so everyone even grandparents and tiny tots can join in the fun.

From giraffes and sharks to turtles, Rasta Imposta has an adorable array of creature costumes for little ones, with matching adult and children’s versions.

New for 2016 - beautiful designs and unique products from Talking Tables. The Pow Wow theme is perfect for boys and girls who love to be an indian or cowgirl. Yee-haw!

No themed party is complete without balloons!

These foil balloons from Betallic will complete the theme perfectly!

Disney Princess tableware and decorations from Pams – what little girl doesn’t want to a princess for the day?

From tableware, to decorations, bakeware and favours, Amscan’s accessories add a sense of fun and inspiration to children’s birthday parties.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Market-leading title Progressive Party has extended its readership to become Progressive Party Europe.

Following the huge increase in UK exports to Europe, the magazine now reaches party and costume buyers in all European countries, both online and in print format.

This hugely extended readership allows UK-based suppliers to reach their total possible buying audience, while also giving European manufacturers the opportunity to include the UK retail market as part of their target market.

Progressive Party Europe is read by retail buyers and distributors within the European Union.

• Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Croatia • Republic of Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • United Kingdom

“

Like most major manufacturers to the costume trade, the UK is just one market we serve. As a global business, the news that Progressive Party has become a UK and European magazine is thrilling. It will act as a vital tool to help us promote to such a huge territory, and we also completely trust that the usual high level of content the magazine offer will also help us better understand these international markets”

Fraser Smeaton, director, Morph Costume Company

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“

This is an exciting time for Progressive Party Europe as we develop our offering further in order to continue serving the party product market to it’s fullest potential, recognising the advancement of international trading.

To find out how to be a part of Progressive Party Europe, or to discuss this exciting development further, please contact me directly on 0203 370 4752 or Jacqui Parr on 07742 822425”

Rob Willis, publisher

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Jan/Feb 2015

New Orleans, LA February 6–9

behind

the mask.

The circulation and reach of Progressive Party Europe encompasses all European countries. The complete database currently stands at just over 1,600 party and costume buyers. This isRin addition to @ the egisteR foR fRee H alloweenPaRtyexPo.com market leading UK circulation already achieved.

PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

■ CIRCULATION & REACH Come see what’s

“This is where the industry shops!”

If it’s not Smiffys, it’s not fun!

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/smiffysuk

1/16/15 11:51 AM

trade.smiffys.com

Phone us on 08453

@smiffysuk

14-371A_PROG_PARTY_Cover3.indd 1

www.rubiesuk.com

19/12/2014 16:31

March/April 2015

■ CONTENT European content in the news, product and retail pages of Progressive Party Europe act as an information point not just for suppliers, but also retailers who may seek inspiration from events outside of the UK.

FC_PP_March April 2015.indd 1

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vv

May/June 2015

■ ADVERTISING Progressive Party Europe advertisers benefit from this huge additional visibility to advertisements without having to take additional space. In addition to traditional retail leads, it also paves the way for new distribution enquiries.

CARNIVAL, PARTY & HALLOWEEN New Catalogue Out Now  +44 28 9064 7119

+44 28 9064 5655 @palmeragencies

 sales@palmeragencies.com  palmeragencies.com FC_PP_May June 2015.indd 1

29/05/2015 11:46

For further information please contact Rob Willis on 0203 370 4752 or Jacqui Parr on 07742 822425 50-51_PP_September October 2015.indd 3

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Best sellers All Dressed Up CAT E G O R Y

The tail end of festivals and garden parties, Rugby World Cup and the Great Gorilla Run. These are just some of the events in August and September that had us dressing up. We talk to our retailers to find out what sold well for them.

Diana Penrose / Chalfont St. Giles

M A N UFACTURE RS / RANGES

Located on the Chalfont St. Giles village green, free parking nearby, offering sales and hire.

COMMENT

Balloons

Abbey Cards

Lots of parties and weddings in August, so balloon orders have rocketed. Frozen has gone mad, so we’ve had lots of orders for those.

Male costume

Magic, (BCA Show), Bristol Novelties

The 70s theme has been big this summer frilly shirts, flares and platform boots have been big sellers.

Accessories

Bristol Novelties

Wigs and masks – mask parties and ‘wig and hat’ parties are popular in our area. Masks are also popular for proms. People like our collection.

Snazaroo

White and black make up always sell well.

Female costume

Bristol Novelties, trade shows, Must Believe, Pams

70s again – women go for catsuits, platform boots and mini dresses. Abba and all 70s stars are also popular costumes.

Children’s costumes

Bristol Novelties, Pams

Vikings, Romans, Elizabethan and Victorian themes are popular with schools for dress up days.

ABC Costume Hire Ltd CAT E G O R Y

Male costumes

Accessories

52

Nicky Hannell / Berkhamsted

M A N UFACTURE RS / RANGES

Pams

Bristol Novelty

ABC has a convenient high street location, next to Papa Johns Pizza, with parking nearby.

COMMENT

Opposuits

Braveheart and Skulleton have been our best sellers so far with everyone preparing early for Halloween.

Morphsuits

These are rising in popularity. Halloween, animals and superheroes have all sold really well recently.

Bristol Novelty

We’ve had a spate of 1920s themed parties locally so we’ve just about sold out of our accessories!

Marvel 3D lights, Phillips

These have been selling fast since we introduced them in March.

Opposuits

PROGRESSIVE PARTY SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

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Best sellers

continued

Angels Fancy Dress CAT E G O R Y

Emma Angel / London

M A N UFACTURE RS/RANGES

Family run business celebrating 175 years this year.

Stores on Shaftesbury Ave, in Central London and Hendon, as well as online at fancydress.com

COMMENT

Costumes & Accessories

Rubies

With the release of the new Star Wars movie getting closer, we have seen a rise in the sales of Star Wars related costumes and accessories.

Accessories

Bristol Novelty

Steampunk accessories, including Aviator Goggles, were popular this festival season.

Adult Costumes

Baywatch, Smiffys

Baywatch, certain festival themes, summer and hen/stag parties helped this range of costumes be top sellers in August and September.

Accessories/ make-up

FaceLace by Phyllis Cohen

These ready-to-wear make-up designs are so simple to use, it is easy to see why they were so popular for festivals this year.

Adult Costumes

OppoSuits

Proving popular all year round, for both men and women. These stylish suits are the perfect mix of sophistication and fun, and have been particularly popular for stag parties.

Antrix

Male Costumes

Smiffys

ABC has a convenient high street location, next to Papa Johns Pizza, with parking nearby.

Peter Rigby/ Maidstone

CAT E G O R Y

Rubies

M A N UFACTURE RS/RANGES

COMMENT

Rubies

Local party with Disney Pixar theme. Shrek was popular but people didn’t seem to want the green face paint though.

JJ Fancy Dress

Another local party with the letter B as the theme. Our Beefeeter costume is part of a set – male/female. Older costumes like these are less common so tend to be popular. Saves having the same outfit as someone else!

Female Costumes

Make Believe, Dandys, Funny Fashion

The 60s and70s were our most popular but we have noticed the theme seems to be losing some enthusiasm. Movies are becoming more popular.

Accessories

Bristol Novelty

We had a local Bollywood event so turbans, sashes and swords to go with costumes sold well.

Children’s Costumes

Bristol Novelty

Children’s costumes are usually related to book days, eg Cat in a Hat. We use Bristols as they offer quality costumes and we are able to look at the merchandise at their open days.

Make Believe

Bristol Novelty

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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