Spring FORWARD: Empowering UK Jewellery Makers and Forging Department Store Partnerships at Jewellery & Watch 2020

The esteemed Jewellery & Watch event, a pivotal gathering in the global jewellery calendar, is set to introduce a groundbreaking initiative at its 2020 edition: the Spring FORWARD scheme. Developed in close collaboration with the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ), this pioneering programme is meticulously designed to forge direct, meaningful connections between Britain’s most talented jewellery brands and independent makers and the discerning procurement teams of leading department stores across the UK.

A Strategic Vision: Cultivating British Craftsmanship and Local Sourcing

At its core, Spring FORWARD addresses a crucial and evolving need within the contemporary retail landscape: the increasing consumer demand for authentic, locally-sourced, and ethically-produced goods. As preferences shift towards supporting local economies and appreciating unique craftsmanship, department stores are actively seeking partnerships with UK-based creators. The NAJ, a revered advocate for the British jewellery industry, highlights that the Spring FORWARD scheme is not merely a trade initiative but a strategic move to invigorate the domestic market, celebrate the rich heritage of British design, and bolster local manufacturing capabilities.

This exclusive, application-only programme represents a significant commitment to elevating homegrown jewellery design talents. By positioning these innovative makers directly in the path of influential department store buyers, Jewellery & Watch 2020 aims to transcend traditional networking. Participants will benefit from a dedicated exhibition space, meticulously designed to showcase their unique collections, coupled with invaluable on-site appointments that pave the way for tangible business relationships and lucrative partnerships. Crucially, the support doesn’t conclude with the exhibition; successful applicants will receive 12 months of sustained assistance from the NAJ, ensuring continued growth, market integration, and strategic guidance long after the show doors close.

Bridging the Gap: A Catalyst for Dynamic Retail Collaborations

The synergy between department stores and local suppliers offers a wealth of benefits, from enriching brand narratives to offering customers genuinely unique and compelling product ranges. Kirsty Broere, Event Director for Jewellery & Watch, eloquently articulates this growing retail trend: “We know that British department stores have a strong desire to source UK-made products and tell these stories to their customers. Many stores are choosing to work with brands and businesses in their local area, or city, to inspire customers with homegrown and local product they can relate to.”

This insight underscores a fundamental shift in retail strategy, where provenance, authenticity, and narrative play an increasingly vital role in consumer engagement. Modern department stores are evolving beyond being mere distributors of global brands; they are becoming curators of local talent, offering a more personalised, sustainable, and relatable shopping experience. The Spring FORWARD programme is perfectly positioned to facilitate this evolution, providing a structured platform where exceptional quality meets unparalleled opportunity. It’s about creating genuine connections that resonate deeply with both buyers and the end consumer, fostering a vibrant sense of community and robust support for local artisans.

The Art of Curation: Ensuring Quality and Impact

The careful curation of participants is paramount to the scheme’s anticipated success. By selecting only the most innovative, commercially viable, and promising UK-made brands, Spring FORWARD ensures that department store buyers are presented with an exceptionally high calibre of design and craftsmanship. This selective approach maximises the value of both the dedicated exhibition space and the pre-arranged, focused meetings, effectively transforming Jewellery & Watch into a powerful hub for strategic retail partnerships. For the chosen brands, it represents an unparalleled opportunity to gain significant exposure, secure major retail accounts, and scale their businesses with the invaluable backing of established retail giants, moving from independent workshops to national prominence.

NAJ’s unwavering Commitment to the “Created in the UK” Initiative

Lindsey Straughton, NAJ Jewellery Industry Ambassador, enthusiastically reinforced the association’s unwavering dedication to British excellence: “Having recently launched Created in the UK, we are delighted that Jewellery & Watch is keen to shine a spotlight on UK designed and made product. The Spring FORWARD programme will bring department store buyers and a carefully chosen group of Jewellery & Watch exhibitors together to do business.”

The “Created in the UK” initiative stands as a testament to the NAJ’s ongoing and comprehensive efforts to champion British manufacturing and design excellence. Spring FORWARD serves as a potent and tangible extension of this broader mission, translating advocacy into direct, actionable business opportunities. It provides a robust, streamlined mechanism for department store buyers to achieve stronger, more sustainable relationships with British and local makers, thereby fulfilling a crucial strategic objective for both retailers and the wider industry. The open call for applications for Spring FORWARD is therefore a clear invitation to the nation’s most inventive, interesting, and commercially ready homegrown talent to step into the well-deserved spotlight.

Unlocking Growth: Comprehensive Benefits for Selected Brands and Makers

Participation in the exclusive Spring FORWARD scheme offers a comprehensive suite of distinct advantages, all meticulously designed to propel UK jewellery brands and individual makers into the competitive mainstream retail market:

Prime Exhibition Space: Selected individuals and brands will be allocated premium, strategically located exhibition real estate at Jewellery & Watch 2020. This ensures maximum visibility and high footfall, allowing them to showcase their unique collections to a diverse and influential audience of industry professionals, potential collaborators, and key retail decision-makers.
Direct & Targeted Buyer Engagement: Beyond general industry exposure, participants will benefit significantly from pre-arranged, highly targeted meetings with influential department store buyers. This invaluable opportunity streamlines the sales process, creating a direct and efficient channel for presenting products, discussing commercial terms, and forging crucial wholesale relationships without the usual market entry barriers.
Year-Long NAJ Strategic Support: Following the conclusion of the event, the National Association of Jewellers will provide 12 months of invaluable, ongoing assistance. This long-term mentorship and practical support could encompass a wide range of critical areas, including advice on business development, sophisticated marketing strategies, regulatory compliance, efficient supply chain management, and further exclusive networking opportunities, all designed to ensure sustained growth and deeper market penetration.
Enhanced Credibility and Elevated Brand Visibility: Being chosen for such a prestigious and highly curated programme significantly boosts a brand’s profile and establishes immediate credibility within the competitive jewellery industry. It serves as a powerful signal of quality, innovation, and readiness for large-scale retail, making it considerably easier to attract future opportunities, investment, and media attention.
Invaluable Market Insights and Direct Feedback: Direct, one-on-one interaction with experienced department store buyers offers a unique and unparalleled chance to gain invaluable, real-time feedback on product ranges, pricing strategies, market trends, and consumer preferences. This critical intelligence is essential for refining existing collections, developing new lines, and strategically aligning offerings with prevailing consumer demand.

Learning from Success: The John Lewis Blueprint for Local Sourcing

The efficacy and potential impact of programmes designed to connect local talent with major national retailers are well-established, with Spring FORWARD strategically building on proven models of success. The initiative draws significant inspiration and practical experience from previous successful collaborations between the NAJ and prominent, high-street retailers, most notably its highly impactful campaign with John Lewis. A standout example of this successful synergy was a targeted initiative specifically designed to source Birmingham-based jewellery talent for John Lewis’s magnificent Grand Central store, strategically located within Birmingham’s bustling New Street Station.

This previous campaign powerfully demonstrated the immense potential for focused local sourcing initiatives to invigorate both the retail offer and the local creative economy. By successfully integrating regional makers into the supply chain of a national retail giant, the NAJ and John Lewis unequivocally proved that bespoke partnerships could yield significant commercial benefits, foster local economic growth, and enrich the cultural fabric of the region. Such compelling precedents provide a robust and optimistic foundation for Spring FORWARD, suggesting a high likelihood of replicating and even surpassing similar successes in connecting a wider array of outstanding UK jewellery designers with leading department stores nationwide.

The Broader Impact: Reshaping the UK Jewellery Retail Landscape

The implications of the Spring FORWARD initiative extend far beyond individual business deals and immediate sales. This scheme is poised to contribute significantly to reshaping the entire retail landscape for jewellery across the UK, fostering a more dynamic, diverse, and sustainable industry:

Empowering Small and Independent Businesses: It provides a crucial, otherwise inaccessible platform for smaller, independent designers and nascent brands who often struggle immensely to gain visibility and market penetration in a fiercely competitive environment dominated by larger players.
Strengthening Local Economies: By actively facilitating local sourcing and domestic manufacturing, the programme directly helps to retain and generate wealth within UK communities, thereby supporting job creation, fostering entrepreneurial spirit, and promoting regional economic resilience.
Diversifying Retail Offerings and Consumer Choice: Department stores can offer more unique, distinct, and ethically compelling products, enabling them to effectively differentiate themselves from mass-market competitors and appeal to an increasingly discerning and consciously-minded consumer base seeking individuality and provenance.
Preserving and Advancing Craftsmanship: Robust support for UK-made jewellery plays a vital role in preserving traditional skills, encouraging innovative techniques, and nurturing new talent, thereby ensuring the continuity and evolution of British excellence in both design and manufacture for generations to come.
Inspiring Consumer Confidence and Loyalty: Modern customers are increasingly drawn to products with clear provenance, transparent production processes, and a compelling narrative. UK-made jewellery, expertly sourced through initiatives like Spring FORWARD, offers precisely that, fostering deeper trust, enhancing brand loyalty, and building lasting customer relationships.

A Call for Innovation: Apply for Spring FORWARD 2020

As Jewellery & Watch 2020 rapidly approaches, the call for applications for the Spring FORWARD programme stands as an urgent and exciting invitation to all innovative and inspiring homegrown talent across the United Kingdom. This is a rare and invaluable opportunity to connect directly with the pinnacle of British retail, gain unparalleled industry exposure, and secure a brighter, more prosperous future for your brand within the dynamic and ever-evolving world of jewellery. The collaborative partnership between Jewellery & Watch and the NAJ through Spring FORWARD is poised to be a pivotal, transformative moment for the UK jewellery industry, fostering significant growth, driving relentless innovation, and cultivating a renewed, profound appreciation for exceptional British design and craftsmanship.

New Source : professionaljeweller