Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60SPRING//SUMMER 2017 15 14 SPRING//SUMMER 2017 FROM SMIGGLE, with its vibrant, eye-catching designs which have fast become a classroom status symbol, to Fabriano Boutique, where lessons in calligraphy and origami frequently sell out, the appetite for international stationery brands shows no sign of abating. Australian stationery chain Smiggle’s expansion on the British High Street has been particularly dramatic, with a roll out of 90 stores to date and more in the pipeline. But it is far from the only international brand targeting customers over here. What these newcomers offer across the board is a distinctive in-store experience as With ever-increasing numbers of international stationery stores on British high streets, CHARLOTTE KEMP, editor of Femail Magazine at the Daily Mail, asks what keeps the Smiggles and kikki.Ks of the world flocking to the UK? STATIONERY GOES GLOBAL well as a strong design ethos, be it the bright colours of Smiggle or the Danish humour at Flying Tiger. Typo, another Australian import, centres stationery at the heart of a quirky, affordable lifestyle brand, with tech accessories and home office products on offer alongside novelty pencil cases, pens, scrapbooking and craft. To enter at the luxury end of the UK market, Italian brand Fabriano Boutique and Swedish kikki.K focused first on flagship stores in central London. While developing an online presence, they both made sure their stores became cult stationery destinations with stylish interiors designed to reinforce the brand image. Targeted publicity and social media also helped build the brands. Kikki.K has since branched out with a store in Guildford and a Little Boutique in Birmingham, as well as other pop-ups and a concession in Fortnum & Mason. Fabriano Boutique also has plans for expansion, both in terms of its own stores but also through wholesale, selling to top department stores and concept stores. Far from Brexit casting a shadow, it seems that international brands have every intention of staying and developing their brands, as these interviews reveal… What attracted you to the UK High Street? We have seen that the UK customer loves our stores! Whilst the UK high street is tough and highly competitive, it is a sophisticated and curious market that seeks and tries out new ideas and experiences – perfect for Flying Tiger. We currently have 84 stores here.    Who is your target market?  The core of our customer base are what we like to call ‘Playful Explorers’ who make up just under 60 per cent of our customer base. They are mainly younger women who live in the city or suburbs, and they love to visit our stores primarily to see interesting and exciting new products that they may not necessarily need. Our Office department is within our top three selling sections and has been going from strength to strength due to the nature of our unconventional, quirky stationery lines, which change at least four times a year to reflect the changing seasons and trends.   Is stationery part of the home offer or for gifting or both? Our office products consist of small to medium stationery items to larger office items such as bins, small shelves, desk lamps and quirky shaped chalk boards which cater for home and gifting. Many of our quirkier stationery product lines are purchased as gifts. Flying Tiger’s design aesthetic? Danish, quirky, colourful, relevant, simple.   Has Britain’s decision to leave the EU affected the market? It has affected the pound and that affects our purchase prices and margin but our customers remain robust and attracted to our prices.   Do you have plans to continue expansion in the UK? Yes, absolutely. We still have a big opportunity in the north of England where we are under-represented.   Best sellers in stationery? Currently our colour and wood clip boards, colourful faux leather notebooks, A1-sized world maps, lollipop-design and heart-shaped pencils and a colourful fabric-covered notebook with pom-pom page marker. Richard Boyd, managing director of Flying Tiger FlyingTiger, Hedgehog pencil holder FlyingTiger,A4 folders for paper STAND M620