Rubies Latest
As Rubies continues to expand and strengthen its National Accounts selection, the company sees Claire Barkwith join as the new National Account Manager- Fashion & Apparel.
Claire will be responsible for managing and growing Rubies National Accounts including giants such as Sainsburys, George, Dunnes, Matalan and Morrisons.
She has a wealth of experience, having worked in the apparel and textile industry for over 16 years. During this time, Claire has worked with the majority of high street retailers and supermarkets throughout. As part of her career, she has specialised in design, pattern cutting and sourcing in the Far East and Europe. Her experience and knowledge will be a key asset in supporting the growth in the Apparel and Fashion channel.
Graham Gardiner, Commercial Director, UK, Central, Eastern and Northern Europe at Rubies, “With Claire’s experience of every facet of account management and garment design from pattern cutting to sourcing, she is a perfect fit for the role of National Account Manager- Fashion & Apparel. As a business we’re growing to unprecedented levels, especially within our Accounts department, and we need someone who is consistently focused on proactively growing relationships and developing our existing accounts, and we have no doubt Claire is the right person for the job.”
On a different note, as the world leader in fancy-dress costumes and accessories, Rubies is branching out into new product categories with the release of Kidrobot plush for the first time.
The officially licensed collectible plush come in a range of sizes and characters, all from the biggest brands in entertainment including Marvel, DC Comics, Warner Brothers and Sega.
Known as The Phunny range, hand-held collectibles, are ideal for fans of any age and include Marvel characters such as Doctor Strange and Spider-Man, DC Comics characters like Wonder Woman and classic horror icons like Jason, Beetlejuice and Pennywise. The larger Hugme Plush toys are perfect for cuddles and vibrate when held. The Hugme range includes characters such as Sonic, SpongeBob, Groot and Minions.
Whether they’re for gifting during the festive period, birthdays, or collectors, these plush make the perfect gift for pop-culture fans of all ages, especially the expansive ‘kidult’ market of consumers which has grown exponentially in recent years.
Graham Gardiner, Commercial Director, “As the industry leader in fancy-dress costumes and accessories, we are extremely excited to be branching out into brand new territory. It’s a great step forward for the company and a step in the right direction as the target audiences for these plush, from little children to kidults, are two of the biggest markets in toy and entertainment. The excitement around this Kidrobot range has resulted in strong pre-orders and unprecedented demand, making this one of the most successful product launches we have ever had. The popularity will only grow as consumers and trade customers alike come to realise Rubies is not only the home of costumes but also the home of licensed merchandise.”
