Photo by Oscar Einzig
The country’s best manufacturers and designers in the hospitality industry descended upon Miami Beach for this year’s HD Boutique, September 13-14. The event featured more than 3,500 registered attendees who had the chance to peruse and discuss the hottest new designs-including fabrics and textiles, furniture, accessories, lighting, flooring, artwork, bath fixtures, window treatments, and many more hospitality-related products-from more than 375 industry producers, artisans, and craftsmen.
The attendees were a creative and dynamic mix of designers, architects, and hotel and restaurant owners from across the globe who browsed the hottest trends and participated in the informative seminars. Attendees like Jennifer Ramsey, president of Ramsey Purchasing, were able to maximize their impact at the event. “This year’s HD Boutique in Miami was a great experience for us,” she says. “I really like the intimate feel of the smaller vendor booths, which gave me more access to reconnecting with old friends, clients, and suppliers, as well as meeting new industry colleagues.”
This show’s turnout was even better than years past, according to Michael Dobin, senior vice president of exhibitor Valley Forge Fabrics. “We went into the show slightly worried as industry indicators pointed to the show being slow,” he says. “We were amazed at how wrong we were. HD Boutique was the best turnout we have had at a show in over three years.”
In addition to the latest designs on the show floor, HD Boutique offered attendees informative conference sessions and discussions on the industry’s most pertinent topics. The event hosted celebrated designer Tony Chi, founder of tonychi and associates, as the keynote speaker. Chi engaged in a keynote discussion on his life, work, and inspiration with Hospitality Design magazine editor in chief Michael Adams. Other highlights included a Latin American update from panelists, Party at the Palms, the presentation of the Boutique & Lifestyle Hospitality Awards, and the 10th anniversary of Wave of the Future awards.
