Top Drawer, considered the key destination for contemporary retailers to source from a curated edit of products, runs again at Olympia London from 13-15 September 2026. Interest in the show is very high with buyers from leading brands such as Harrods, Fortnum and Mason and Oliver Bonas confirmed. To enhance retailers’ visit, the talks programme has been designed to give visitors practical ideas, trusted, advice and genuine inspiration to take back to their businesses and put into action.
Retail has never moved faster. Independent retailers are navigating rising costs, changing customer expectations, rapid advances in AI, evolving buying habits and the constant challenge of standing out in an increasingly competitive market.
In response, Top Drawer A/W26 has unveiled its most ambitious learning programme to date, bringing together the Retail Revealed Stage and a reimagined Business Hub to create three days of insight, expert guidance and meaningful business conversations designed specifically for independent retailers, buyers and growing brands.
The speaker line-up assembles founder voices, buyers, marketers, retail strategists and industry experts. They include: Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, founder of The Black Farmer; Lisa Paasche, Mentor, Coach & Advisor, Founder @ EKTE (award-winning agency sold to Omnicom Media Group); Andrea Rainsford, behavioural intelligence expert, business growth strategist, and the creator of Buyology™; Natasha Colk; the founder of Curated, a retail buying consultancy for independent retailers and product brands, Nicole Higgins, award-winning retail consultant and ex head of buying; Bilen Zeremariam, an interior designer turned Editor-in-Chief of luxury interiors publication OLISE Magazine; Kim Hulse, specialist in visual merchandising, customer journey and store layout; Charnelle Merritt , founder of Build & Bloom Management, a multi-award winning agency; brand strategist, Chris Wickson, co-founder of ReelFlow, an interactive video platform that helps brands close the gap between their social presence and their website; Laura Sawyer, founder of The Detail, a creative studio that creates immersive, human-led brand experiences and The Better Trends Company.
Retail Revealed: practical insight for modern retail
This year’s programme follows three editorial themes over the three days, taking visitors on a journey through the biggest opportunities and challenges facing independent retail.
Sunday 13th September: Independent and Unapologetic
Sunday celebrates the ambition, resilience and commercial confidence of independent retail.
Founder stories sit alongside buying, merchandising and commercial insight, helping visitors build stronger, more profitable businesses while staying true to what makes them unique.
10.15 – 11am: Natasha Colk will talk about Smarter Buying for Independents
11.15 – midday: Lisa Paasche talks about The Human Advantage: Building Businesses People Want to be Part Of
12.15 – 1pm: Nicole Higgins discusses Inside the Buyer’s Mind: What Makes a Brand Truly Retail Ready?
1.15 – 2pm: Wilfred & Alexander Emmanuel-Jones talks about The Black Farmer: Building a Brand that Stands for Something
2.15 – 3pm: Graeme Sharp discusses Protecting What You’ve Built
Monday 14th September: Human-Led Visibility and Brand Growth
Monday explores how brands can build visibility and grow without losing their human edge.
Sessions will cover customer psychology, luxury thinking, influencer marketing, ecommerce, practical AI and marketing strategies that help businesses connect more meaningfully with their customers.
10.15 – 11am: Andrea Rainsford talks about The Psychology of Buyer Behaviour: What Really Makes Customers Say “Yes”
11.15 – midday: Charnelle Merritt discusses Making Influencer Marketing Make Sense
12.15 – 1pm: Michelle Ojulah talks about From Sketch to Shelf: AI That Works for Creative Brands
1.15pm – 2pm: Steph Briggs talks about Get Noticed. Get Chosen. Get Growing
2.15 – 3pm: Bilen Zeremariam discusses The Power of Pivot: The Courage to Reinvent Yourself in Retail
Tuesday 15th September: Future-Ready Retail
Tuesday looks ahead to the trends, technologies and customer behaviours shaping the future of retail.
From consumer insight and ecommerce performance to sensory retail experiences and emerging trends, visitors will leave with a clearer understanding of where retail is heading and how to prepare for what’s next.
10.15 – 11am: Chris Wickson talks about From Clicks to Customers: How to Close the Trust Gap Online
11.15 – midday: Louise Healy discusses Trends in Action: What’s Shaping Retail Now as Seen at Top Drawer
12.15am – 1pm: Kim Hulse discusses Connected Retail: Turning High Street Insight into Action
1.15 – 2pm: Ian Downes talks about Licensing in Practice
2.15 – 3pm: Laura Sawyer Beyond the Scroll: Building Brand Loyalty through Wonder
For more information about the talks visit: https://www.topdrawer.co.uk/retailrevealedlive
Beyond the stage: expert-led Business Hub takeovers
Each Business Hub takeover will see a leading retail expert curate and host for the day, bringing their own community, specialist knowledge and unique formats into the show. From live clinics and mentoring to roundtables, workshops and practical business conversations, the Hub has been reimagined as a destination where visitors can ask questions, tackle business challenges and gain tailored advice from experts.
Catherine Erdly brings Retail Roar to the Business Hub
Retail growth expert Catherine Erdly, founder of the Resilient Retail Club, will take over the Business Hub with Retail Roar, delivering a full day of support around profitability, stock management and sustainable retail growth for independent retailers and product businesses.
Buying and Beyond launch The Buyers Club
Buying and Beyond will bring their buyer expertise to the Hub through The Buyers Club, offering retailers and brands direct access to experienced buyers, wholesale advice and valuable insight into what buyers are really looking for. The takeover is designed to help businesses strengthen their retail proposition, refine their product offer and build stronger relationships with buyers.
Additional Business Hub takeovers will be announced in the coming weeks, further expanding the programme with new expert-led sessions, workshops and opportunities for visitors to access business support.
Simone Ward, Curator and Host of Retail Revealed Stage, said:
“When we started building this year’s programme, we kept coming back to one question: what will genuinely help an independent retailer when they go back to work. Every session and every Business Hub takeover has been shaped with that in mind.
Retail Revealed brings together some of the industry’s leading voices to share insight, while the Business Hub gives visitors the opportunity to ask questions, join workshops, take part in roundtables and get direct support from experts.
Together, they create a learning experience that’s relevant, actionable and designed to help independent retailers grow with confidence.”
Retail Revealed and the Business Hub are free to attend for all registered visitors.
To find out more and register to attend, visit the Top Drawer website.
