Trends Up West 2026 – Areal Böhler, Düsseldorf
The people behind the brands – exhibitors share their passion, their drive, and what brings them to TUW.
Khadem und Sarah Hossini von chic.mic
48 greeting cards on pearlescent cardstock. That was the beginning.
A small product that set an entire community in motion in a Thai village. Driven by the desire to bring something beautiful into the world, Khadem develops new ideas together with his daughter Sarah—sometimes arguing over them until they are perfect—and travels the globe in search of inspiration.
A conversation about courage in difficult times, the passion behind every product—and why a buyer once said that absolutely no one needed coffee cups to go.
Christian Schmidt from Gift Company
Some products change everything. For Christian Schmidt, it was doormats. When he walked past a row of particularly dull examples in a Hamburg stairwell in the early 1990s, he had no idea that they would lead to one of the Gift Company’s first major successes.
Today, 35 years later, the company ranks among the best-known providers of home accessories and gift items. In this HEROES interview, the founder and managing director discusses his early adventures in Asia, the role of color as a recipe for success, economic setbacks, major product hits, and why—to this day—a Hamburg merchant’s word of honor means more to him than many a formal contract.
Dr. Christina Jaglas von Dr. Jaglas
From medieval monastic elixirs to non-alcoholic, Riesling-based mulled wine: at Dr. Jaglas, centuries-old recipes meet modern drinking culture. While the family pharmacy has its roots in the Bergisches Land region, pharmacist Dr. Christina Jagla drives the ongoing development of her lifestyle brand—founded ten years ago—from her base in Berlin. In this interview, she explains why, for her, the experience of enjoyment is about far more than just a drink.
