Just returned from the NEC, total round trip of 180 miles, lots to see ran out of time really. That's not the disappointment.
As someone starting out designing making and selling my own silver jewellery I was shocked at the negative attitude of around 50% of the people I have spoken to today. Considering the target audience at the NEC in the jewellery halls I was shocked to find that staff on many stalls were more than happy to cut conversations short and walk away once the word 'student' was mentioned. This was dispite me genuinely wanting to talk about their jewellery on show. One guy even so much as told me that if he had known I was a student he wouldn't have sold me the silver chains I had bought from him. After initially thinking it was just me I thought I'd test the water and make up a complete story about who I was and that I was looking for stock ideas. Surprise, surprise how that changed reactions.
Needless to say not sure I'll be baack next year....What is wrong with supporting people in your own field of interest, we should be encouraging creativity and individuality surely?