Twelve local craft and design businesses to Showcase products
TWELVE of South Dublin’s best up and coming craft and design businesses will be part of over 100 companies from across Ireland who will get a chance to meet with buyers from all over the world as part of the Local Enterprise Showcase at the 2023 Showcase event in the RDS, running from January 22-24.
An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, the Local Enterprise Showcase, is a special area at Showcase that houses a range of Ireland’s newest design talent. South Dublin will have the following 12 companies represent them at the event: Arzu Gorbil of The Crochet Dolls, Emma Keogh of Equieire, Fiona Foran of Forager, Jennifer Leach of Little Bear’s Wardrobe, Samantha McGregor of Folk + Nest, Cristina Russell of Naturally Quirky, Ewa Wernio-Ryan of NUIT Clothing, Sharon Devlin of Sharon Devlin Art, Dervla Clarke of POND Studios, Jenny Johnson of The SUSS Edit, Audrey Corrigan of Aud Design and Sophie Cafolla of Stork.
The event, which is a pinnacle event in the global design and crafts calendar, will open its doors to thousands of buyers from across the world, including Ireland, the UK, USA, mainland Europe, Asia and Africa, generating millions of euros of sales orders during the show.
Showcase is presented on behalf of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, with support from Enterprise Ireland in promoting the trade show internationally through their network of offices overseas, and the Local Enterprise Offices nationwide.
Recent participants from South Dublin include the likes of Lucy and Me, Custom Wood Design and Thomp2 Socks.
Fiona Foran of Forager
In 2022 there were thousands of buyers from 25 countries in attendance at the event in the RDS and it is expected this will increase again in 2023 following the lifting of Covid restrictions that were still in place early last year.
Local Enterprise Office South Dublin has been working with all of their twelve clients at a specially convened workshop on merchandising for their stands, marketing, and sales techniques to ensure they maximise opportunities at the three-day event.
Peter Connolly, Senior Enterprise Development Officer believes this is an opportunity like no other for up-and-coming craft and design clients looking to make that breakthrough.
“To be exposed to this many high-quality buyers in one place is an incredible opportunity for any business starting out. If things go well at this event, a business could fill their book for the year and may well establish a partnership that could extend longer than that and help them grow,” said Mr Connolly.
“While that won’t happen for every business, just to be there, see other clients, get new ideas and develop their skills in marketing and sales will stand by them going forward.”
