I recently attended Top Drawer a gift trade show in London. I find British design quirky, understated, occasionally outrageous and mostly fabulously crafted. It reflects the long traditions of fabric design and printing and pottery craft, I find particularly inspiring.

• While there are seismic shifts to online shopping, the independent store can hold its own if it offers a memorable experience and unique range.

As a producer of Israeli gifts and Judaica I find it critical to look at the general trends and look at integrating these into my work.

Four Trends by Flamingo

• 1.Powerful Florals - Intensive reds oranges and purples clashing with acid lime and tempered with soft peachy coral. Both soothing and exciting.
• 2.Playful Chromatics - Fun filled, bright rainbow pallets of block colors, bring fresh modernity. Mixed materials are used and Mint is dominant.
• 3.Serene Warmth - A relaxing natural theme with touches of glamour. Sun Warmth and cool shade colors are juxtaposed in raw fabrics, rich prints and smooth pale marbles.
• 4.Unadorned Tactility - New Interpretations of traditional materials and techniques for a new decade. Aged natural patterns in blues and bright greens. Layered organic prints and textures.
• Pantone’s color of the Year is classical blue, which can be well integrated into Judaica – a traditional colour for Judaica.
• Throughout there is an appreciation of the imperfect, away from the mass produced perfect look, the idiosyncratic and personal, inline with the “Me Me” generation.
• The question I ask myself each day is why should someone buy from me. I feel I must know what is going on beyond the studio, and clearly there is an expectation that the wider world design themes will find their place in our new designs.