NY NOW Names Selection Committee for HANDMADE Returning for the Winter 2027 Show

An independent jury of retailers, designers and industry leaders will review applications for the revived Designer-Maker and Global Design collections

NEW YORK, September 2026 — Today, NY NOW announced the independent selection committee that will review applications for HANDMADE, a juried division of the NY NOW Winter Show returning to the show for the first time in years. Applications are open now through Oct. 15, 2026, for the 75 spots available ahead of the Winter show, taking place Jan. 31–Feb. 2, 2027, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

HANDMADE will feature 75 designers and artisans, established and emerging, across two collections.
Designer-Maker will spotlight independent designers and craftspeople producing small-batch, hand-made or hand-finished work. Global Design will bring together makers and brands rooted in a distinct cultural or regional design tradition, with an emphasis on authentic sourcing and provenance.

Applicants whose products are made entirely by hand in the U.S., from raw material to finished piece,
will also be eligible for a new Handmade in America designation.

Every application will be evaluated by an independent committee of retailers, designers and industry
leaders, with selections based on provenance and origin, design integrity, workmanship and craft, story,
and small-batch production. The committee includes Michael Schultz, co-founder of Cursive, a gift,
stationery and home shop in Manhattan’s West Village; John Gilvey, co-founder of Hudson Beach Glass, a hand-cast glass studio in New York’s Hudson Valley; Colvin English, co-founder of ByHand Consulting, which helps artisan entrepreneurs enter the wholesale market; and Robin Kramer, founder of Red Boot Consulting and co-founder of Flourish & Thrive Academy, who advises jewelry designers on brand and wholesale strategy.

Once a defining part of the show, HANDMADE disappeared from NY NOW’s lineup years ago. Its return reflects the show’s broader direction under new management: a renewed focus on the categories and editorial perspective longtime exhibitors and buyers associate with NY NOW at its strongest, alongside independent industry voices helping shape its next chapter.

“We want to create a platform where the quality of the work, the story behind it, and the people making
it are truly valued. Having an independent committee select the designers and artisans gives
HANDMADE a point of view that is grounded in the industry and ensures that what buyers discover here has real meaning and a story to tell,” said Dorothy Belshaw, CEO of NY NOW.

HANDMADE is part of a broader reimagining of the NY NOW floor for Winter 2027, which will be
organized into three sections – Gift & Lifestyle, Home, and HANDMADE – designed to make it easier for buyers to shop by category. Space in HANDMADE remains limited to 75 companies. Interested brands can apply here through Oct. 15, 2026.

About NY NOW
NY NOW, recently acquired by Rockview Management Group Inc., is a twice-annual wholesale tradeshow serving the gift, home, and lifestyle industries. With more than a century of history, the show connects brands and buyers in one of the world’s most dynamic retail capitals. Guided by renewed investment and experienced leadership, NY NOW is where meaningful relationships, product discovery and wholesale commerce come together. For more information, visit www.nynow.com