Monday, October 24, 2011
THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY
Park B. Smith Home Textiles Today’s new series Living — & Working – Legends, interviews with SEE executives FACE PAGE who 1 have spent their careers in the home textiles industry and continue to manage the companies they own or help run, returns this week. Each interviewee is asked the same eight questions, reflecting both their experiences and their thoughts on the future … their own and the industry’s.
BY WARREN SHOULBERG
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here are very few people in the industry who are instantly recognizable by just one name. Park is one of them. Both his formal name and the name of the company he founded nearly 40 years ago read Park B. Smith, but over the more than half a century that he has called textiles home, Park has created a persona unlike virtually anybody else. Always impeccably dressed and groomed, the ex-Marine still has his legendary flair for showmanship: Nobody presents product quite the way Park does. That taste for developing merchandise is only matched by his taste for wine, Chateauneuf du Pape specifically, the French red wine that is the focal point of his 81,000-bottle collection, reputed to be the second-largest such private one in the country. Enough that he owns his own restaurant — the three-star Veritas in the Flatiron district of Manhattan — which tries to put a dent in the six wine cellars at his Connecticut home. Park recently sat down with Home Textiles Today in his showroom office adorned with plaques, photographs and more than a few empty trophies of his pursuit of the ultimate 100-point wine. SEE LEGEND PAGE 6
Walmart Returns to ABCs BY CECILE B. CORRAL B ENTONVILLE , A RK . — Three words sum up Walmart’s approach to going forward: back to basics. Walmart U.S.’s chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton said the retailer is working to boost basics across the board — merchan-
dise assortment, price and instore message — as a key tenet to improve business and streamline expenses. Home will follow the same path as apparel, which was recently revamped to center on core necessities like socks, underwear, jeans and tops, he said during the company’s 18th Annual Meeting for the Investor
Community event this month. “What you will notice is a focus on improved quality and a focus on basics,” he continued. “Our value here is unmatched and resonates well with customers. They come to us for basics in home because that is what we are good at.” Home is also being given a
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1888 Bucks Up One-Stop Status BY JENNIFER MARKS OAKBROOK , ILL . — With its acquisition of window manufacturer Beacon Looms last week, longtime towel manufacturer 1888 Mills added to its product portfolio in a move designed to make it more of a one-stop resource for major retailers. 1888 Mills was the 14th largest home textiles supplier to the U.S. market in 2010, with total sales of about $240 million. It is the country’s second largest supplier of bath towels and fourth largest of kitch“We want to be a whole en textiles with 2010 sales home solution. This just of approximately $180 makes us more valuable million and $32 million, to our customer base.” respectively. —FULTON ALLEN, 1888 The company expanded into bedding previously and debuted a bedding and bath collection under license from HGTV celebrity David Bromstad during last month’s New York Home Fashions Market. It also manufactures bedding and bath under the Wild Olive brand. Terms of the transaction for Beacon Looms — a family-owned company established in 1914 — were not disclosed. “We want to be a whole home solution,” said Fulton Allen, president of retail sales for 1888. “This just makes us more valuable to our customer base.” SEE 1888 PAGE 23
Inside This Issue JCPenney Acquires Liz Claiborne Brands ............................................................. page 2 Going Back to Basics ............................................................. page 4 Holding Sears Holding .......................................................... page 4 High Priced Dec Pillows Move at Retail as Consumers Look to Dress up Home Affordably ............... page 8 The Business of Bridal ........................................................... page 10
SEE WALMART PAGE 22
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10/21/2011 3:53:35 PM
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Home Textiles Today
Retail Briefs ShopNBC Names New Chief Merchant
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hopNBC vp of softlines Annette Repasch has been promoted to chief merchandising officer by the company’s parent, ValueVision Media. She joined the company in May after two decades of product and brand development with specialty and department stores including Saks Inc., Lane Bryant and Bon-Ton.
October 24, 2011
News
> hometextilestoday.com
JCPenney Acquires Liz Claiborne Brands P LANO, TEXAS — JCPenney — which last year signed a 10-year agreement to be the exclusive licensee for all Liz Claiborne and Claiborne brand merchandise in the United States and Puerto Rico — has signed a deal with Liz Claiborne Inc. to acquire those brands along with the company’s Monet jewelry
brand. Former Apple retail store chief Ron Johnson, who officially becomes JCP’s ceo on Nov. 1, described Claiborne and Monet as “classic brands that resonate deeply with consumers.” JCP will acquire the worldwide rights and intellectual
property for Liz Claiborne, Claiborne, Liz, Liz & Co., Concepts by Claiborne, LC, Elizabeth, LizGolf, LizSport, Liz Claiborne New York (LCNY) and Lizwear along with Monet. The Liz Claiborne design team will join JCP under the agreement. The transaction is expected to close within 30 days. HTT
H&M’s Versace Pop Includes Home
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ast fashion retailer H&M for the first time will include home goods in a limited run collection in its U.S. stores with next month’s launch of Versace for H&M. Versace’s home pieces include two pillows and a bedspread in a multicolour floral Japanese fan print. The pillows will retail for $26.96 and $29.96, while the bedspread is priced at $149. Launch is set for Nov. 19 online and in about 300 U.S. stores.
Gilt Launches Dedicated Home Site
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uxury flash site retailer Gilt has created a new site, Gilt Home, dedicated to high-end hard and soft home goods. For the debut, Gilt Home’s landing page features Missoni Home — the brand’s true luxury collection as opposed to the quick-hit sub-brand that recently blew out at Target. Other home textiles brands called out on the home page include Sferra (bedding, bath and table linens), Zambiatti throws, RoomService decorative pillows and area rugs from WorldScape. “We’re expanding our selection of luxury merchandise from top brands like Missoni, Frette, and Michael Aram, organized by theme and viewable by category,” Gilt Home editorial director Tom Delavan wrote in the site’s welcome letter.
Online Home Furnishings Retailer Dering Hall Debuts
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arly October saw the debut of Dering Hall, an online design marketplace that connects interior designers, architects, artisans and dealers with consumers shopping for high-end and custom home furnishings. Hearst Magazines has taken an equity position in the venture and is providing and online media collaborations with Hearst’s leading shelter titles Elle Décor, House Beautiful and Veranda.
Williams-Sonoma Launches Co-Branded Visa Card
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illiams-Sonoma has introduced a co-branded Visa Signature card that allows holders to accrue points wherever they shop. The card rewards three points for every dollar spent at Williams-Sonoma and 1 point for every $1 charged to the card elsewhere.
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Orian Opens DC in Ontario A NDERSON , S.C. — Domestic area rug manufacturer Orian Rugs this month opened a new distribution facility in Ontario, Canada, and is set to double its square footage by yearend 2012. Added Wim De Pape, coo:
“The location of our distribution facility will allow us to provide our customers with the fastest delivery times possible; since the product will be made, shipped and sold all within North America. Our new warehouse enhances our cost-efficient logis-
tics structure, positioning us to handle the increase in volume we are seeing from our strong Canadian customer base.” Orian’s Canadian headquarters will also be relocating to the new distribution facility over the next several months. HTT
Carpenter Reteams With Singer, Songwriter Jewel R ICHMOND , VA . — Carpernter Co.’s consumer-oriented sleep information site SleepBetter.org has launched a campaign for new mothers with tips developed by first-time mom Jewel and sleep medicine expert Dr. Shives, known as The Sleep M.D. “Carpenter is thrilled to be working with Jewel again who during her years of touring had
to overcome the sleepless life of a recording star”, said Dan Schecter, Carpenter’s senior vp, sales and marketing of consumer products and creator of www. sleepbetter.org. The sleep tips developed by Jewel and Dr. Shives, “The Sleep M.D.” are the featured information on SleepBetter.org along with information about the triple
Grammy winner’s new album, “The Merry Goes ‘Round.” Jewel has been promoting her new album and sleep tips during appearances on The Dennis Miller show and on hundreds of morning shows across the country. Her sleep tips are also being promoted on all of SleepBetter and Jewel’s social media platforms. HTT
AmericasMart Atlanta, Georgia Retail Association and Florida Retail Federation Align ATLANTA — The AmericasMart
here along with the Georgia Retail Association and the Florida Retail Federation have joined forces to give the Southeast region’s major retailers preferred access to marekt events. Jeffrey Portman Sr., AmericasMart president and coo, and Rick McAllister, president and ceo of the Georgia and Florida entities, described the move “a historic alliance giving top retailers from the Southeast’s fastest-growing states preferred access to the nation’s singlelargest home, gift and apparel wholesale marketplace.” Highlighting the new alliance
is the Georgia Retail Association (GRA)--Florida Retail Federation (FRF) AmericasMart Business Center open for the exclusive use of GRA/FRF members shopping AmericasMart’s 13 annual markets. Located on the sixth floor in showroom space 677B of the mart’s Building Two West Wing, the Business Center affords members private lounge facilities and networking opportunities, with GRA/FRF staff associates present during market to address questions and field member input regarding various business, education, service and legislative initiatives. Additionally, the alliance
“opens the door to new education, innovation and business-growth opportunities for thousands of Federation and Association members” who as credentialed retailers currently attend or are open to attend AmericasMart markets. “This alliance affirms our Southeastern heritage and celebrates the inspired innovations of those retailers who serve our region’s diverse and burgeoning population,” said Portman, adding that the new partnership comes in tandem with the 50th anniversaries of both AmericasMart Atlanta and the Georgia Retail Association. HTT
10/21/2011 3:43:05 PM
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Home Textiles Today
October 24, 2011
> hometextilestoday.com
OPINIONTodaY Going Back to Basics
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OM E 15 Y E A R S OR SO AGO, McDonald’s was doing some soul-searching and trying to class itself up, as it does from time to time. (This was well before McCafe came along.) An opinion piece in a trade newspaper covering the food industry offered the following advice: McDonald’s key driver is cheap kiddie meals stocked with cheap toys, and McDonald’s should focus on being the best provider of cheap kiddie meals stocked with cheap toys that it can. In other words: Embrace your essence. I thought about that piece recently when Walmart’s chief merchant told investors the EDITOR-IN-CHIEF company is bending its efforts toward being the best retailer of basics that it can. In soft home, that means bedding and bath, he said. I would interpret that to mean sheets and towels. Price reductions are a key part of this strategy, natch. But keep in mind that strategy is set against recent cycles of cost-driven price hikes. The cost of labor in China as well as the value of the yuan against the U.S. dollar are still signifi cantly higher than they were four years ago, but they’re better than they were eight months ago. It’s also worth noting that when you sort sheets by best sellers at walmart.com what tops the list is a polyester (excuse me, “microfiber”) set with a lead price of $14.88. Clearly, basics already resonate with Walmart’s customer, and it doesn’t get more basic than an all-poly sheet. Walmart has understandably fretted as the recession shifted a chunk of its core customer base over to the dollar store channel – whose leading retailers deserve credit for adding the fast-turning food and sundries to their mix that drives traffic. The challenge for Walmart is to find of way of doing basic that isn’t boring. And now that Walmart is fighting to get its customers back from Dollar General, Family Dollar et al, that ups the stakes for those folks as well. As Shakespeare advised: To thine own self be true. P.S. The Happy Meal ranks among the Top 5 most popular McDonald’s menu items of all time. HTT
Jennifer Marks
Holding Sears Holding
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K, E NOUGH ’ S E NOUGH . After yet another round of news stories and commentary about what’s wrong at Sears and how the end is coming and, hey, why can’t they be the way they used to be, or at least the way others think they should be: After all of that, I can’t take it anymore. What part of cash flow management don’t you all get? While just about everyWarren one laments about the comShoulberg ing demise of Sears Holding PUBLISHER/ as a viable retailer, what they EDITORIAL DIRECTOR all seem to fail to realize is that Sears and Kmart stopped being viable retailers years ago. The corporate strategy is not about being retailers. It’s about managing cash flow and draining said flow out of that corporate body. It’s not about making money retailing. It’s about making money managing money. And that’s it. Not spending enough money on capital investment in the stores? Why should you when the objective is to save money which you can then throw off to shareholders? Especially when the main shareholder is Fast Eddie Lampert, who stands to gain the most from all the special dividends, stock buybacks and other assorted financial smoke and mirrors going on there. Opening up distribution of the cornerstone brands like Craftsman and DieHard to competing retailers, seemingly taking away your point of differentiation? Of course, because you can then get licensing royalty checks on a regular basis from stores that actually have customers buying things. Besides, Sears has already moved owner-
ship of those flagship brands into a third party entity called KCD (Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard – get it?) which collects a royalty from Sears ultimately payable back to Lampert’s ESL Investments for the privilege of using those names. It’s all rather convoluted, but suffice it to say, there’s cash being sucked out of this thing in a process that would embarrass Trump. Buy back your stock, reducing the float and pumping up the share price? Sure, because the main beneficiary of the stock buybacks is none other than Lampert, the largest shareholder. He wins coming and going. Rent out space to competing retailers inside your four walls, further reducing your merchandising presence? Of course, because that’s a monthly rent check you can collect, and checks are as good as cash in Lampertland. Barely keeping up a merchandising front to the general public? Yup, you do need to keep the body alive so you can keep draining out cash. So if you throw a merchandising bone out there every now and then – iPads for salespeople, layaway plans, some B-level celebrity brand – it’s enough to keep some warm bodies coming through the door. So what if the top and bottom lines are declining? Doesn’t matter. So what if the stock price continues to deteriorate? Doesn’t matter. So what if the stores look like crap? Doesn’t matter. What matters is that there’s cash to be flowed. Eddie Lampert is smarter than all of us put together, as evidenced by the continued failure of most people who know better to…well, know better. His ability to make money is only matched by his ability to make most analysts and business journalists look eminently stupid. The only ones not being fooled are shoppers: They gave up on these stores years ago. HTT
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10/21/2011 3:48:08 PM
News
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October 24, 2011
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Home Textiles Today
Larry Brill: The Expert on Export BY WARREN SHOULBERG C OLUMBIA , M D . — For much
of the past four decades whenever anyone in the home textiles industry needed help exporting, they turned to the export expert: Larry Brill. In his role at the Department of Commerce’s textiles and apparel office, Brill logged millions of air miles and helped generate tens of millions of dollars of business for American companies looking to do business overseas. This month, Brill hung up his government shingle and retired from the Commerce Department. Not to worry, he has immediately gone into business for himself, opening up Export Trade Consultants, a company based here that will continue to aid U.S. suppliers interested in creating or expanding business in Europe, Asia and around the world. “Even though the economy is troubled, this is the time for U.S. companies to begin planning and looking at export,” Brill told HTT from his new offices, only a few weeks after retiring from more than 35 years of government service. “Currency rates are still perfect for U.S. exports. “And people should be looking not just at China, but places like India, Singapore, Hong Kong and even Japan. There are still plenty of opportunities out there.” Brill, whose last title was senior international trade specialist, should know. He joined Commerce as an intern after graduating from Syracuse University, electing to go to Washington when his girlfriend — now his wife — Rita was studying at the University of Maryland. With a degree in business administration — he subsequently got his law degree too — government wasn’t necessarily his first choice, but it seems to have worked out. In the mid-1970s, he was chosen to help create the department’s first sector-specific export program, for textiles and apparel. He rose to become director of
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the program, maintaining that position through 2007, when a downsizing eliminated the title. As a key member of the program he spearheaded the department-sponsored pavilion at the annual Heimtextil fair in Germany, as well as trade missions around the world. “I think my biggest accomplishment in home textiles was the partner-country program we did at Heimtextil in 2003,” Brill said. That featured the largest American representation at the fair ever. His trade missions to China — the first for the department — as well as to other regions like South America “opened up whole new markets for American companies. It put them on the map, and many of them are still there.” Brill estimates he logged more than a million miles in the air working the department. Heimtextil has changed over the past few years, and American exhibitors are a far less common sight at the show, which has increasingly turned to Asian companies. “Some of these changes are inevitable as the nature of the industry changed,” he said, ‘but it’s still a good show for start-up companies” whose executives can see many people in a concentrated time and place rather than traveling around the world. Brill says many American companies have made a classic mistake of not giving the export market enough time. “I know it’s expensive to show, but many companies should have stayed longer. It’s more cost effective, and I’m still a big believer in trade shows. “You just need patience and commitment. If you don’t have that, you won’t make it. And once you leave, it’s even harder to try and come back. I think you need a minimum of three years.” Brill said American companies that try to base their international export strategies around price alone are making a huge mistake. “You can’t compete just on price, you can’t just sell a commodity. Americans need
to sell their premium products, not what they sell to discounters here. Asians, particularly the
“Even though the economy is troubled, this is the time for U.S. companies to begin planning and looking at export.” —LARRY BRILL
Chinese, are all about brands, and American companies need to build their brands there.” Brill’s new venture already has a few clients signed up, but he is open to work with anyone in the business who wants to expand exporting. The website for the company is not quite live yet, but Brill can be reached at brilllaw@aol.com. In the meantime, he’s hoping to do some pro bono legal work and maybe even some travel — but strictly for pleasure, not to trade shows. Brill may have retired from the federal government but his passion for helping to promote American companies overseas remains as strong as ever. HTT
Brill’s Law Larry Brill is arguably the leading authority in the country on exporting U.S. home textiles products, so his tips on how to do export right are as good as they get: 1. Plan on a five-year model for developing your export business. In the first year, you will lose money, break even in the second and third years and start to make a profit by the fourth and fifth years. Anything short of that and you are wasting your money…and your time. 2. Use your better products in export. American companies cannot compete on price in the world market, so they should be trying to sell premium products and brands. 3. You must have a local partner on the ground in the country you are trying to sell to. It can be an agent, a joint-venture company or anyone who truly understands local business. 4. China is a huge, attractive market, but you should also consider other Asian countries like India, Singapore and even Japan. 5. This is the time to begin planning your overseas business strategy.
10/20/2011 4:45:16 PM
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Home Textiles Today
October 24, 2011
News
Legend: Park B. Smith
> hometextilestoday.com
When we did Eco-ordinates, one pattern called Eco Jewel Square did $52 million at cost in two years. It was my biggest success story ever.
LEGENDS FROM PAGE 1
HTT: How did you get started in the home textiles business?
HTT: If you had to do something over, what would it be and how would you do it differently?
Park B. Smith: I joined my father’s company, Craig Creations, in 1957 following graduation from Holy Cross College and the United States Marine Corps.
PBS: I really can’t think of anything I’d like to do over or do differently. I made my mistakes all my life, but nothing earthshattering. In the early 1990s I was offered $80 million for the company, and I turned it down. Regrets? I don’t think so. HTT: What’s the single biggest change you’ve seen in the industry?
“I had no idea I was good at sales, but I found that I loved selling. I knew I’d be successful in this business if I were involved in selling.” —PARK B. SMITH
HTT: If you hadn’t gone into this field, what would you have done? PBS: I would have joined General Motors, which offered me a job as a junior member of their negotiating team. My major in college was labor negotiations. HTT: When did you know you were going to be successful in this field? PBS: I took a job as a Fuller Brush Man for two summers when I was in college. I was assigned to Jersey City (N.J.), which I had been told was a difficult and tough area. Well, I exceeded my quota, even when Fuller ended up doubling it. I had no idea I was good at sales, but I found that I loved selling. And if you can sell door to door, which was what you did at Fuller, you can sell anything. I knew I’d be successful in this business if I were involved in selling.
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HTT: What single accomplishment are you most proud of in your career? PBS: It was “Eco-ordinates,” the first entire collection of bedding, curtains, rugs and table fashions all made from vegetable dyes. I had started Park B. Smith Ltd. in the early 1970s and I was one of the first people to go to India. Up until then all products coming out of India were natural, and I said: “Why can’t we use color?” On my first trip, I had no appointments, but I met with an Indian company that liked my idea, but I told them I had no money. They said they would give me one order with 30-day terms. I bought it and then sold it and then went back and forth. I made 13 trips to India that year. I knew India would work because of the hardworking nature of the people and the culture. I’ve made over 200 trips to India in my life.
PBS: Partnership with retailers, in the truest sense and meaning of the word, is gone. In business, one expects hard bargaining, that’s a major part of a retailer’s job. However, what is not fair is where they want to change the deal once made or want more than the initial agreement. Fortunately, there are still some whose word is their bond: With them, a deal once made is sacrosanct. HTT: If you could do one thing to improve the industry’s overall business, what would it be? PBS: I don’t give a damn what anybody says, the consumer is tired of sameness. I’d try to convince the industry that their business would flourish were it to concentrate on creating merchandise which is fun, fashion, fabulous and affordable. This is what the consumer wants, responds to and continues to buy. HTT: What is your exit strategy? PBS: I’d like to take more time off. I’d like to spend more time with my wine in Connecticut. I’m still in the office at 6 a.m. every day. I’ll be 80 in January and intend to decide my exit strategy on that day. HTT
10/20/2011 10:32:01 AM
Wendy Keryk Passes NYACK, N.Y. — Funeral services were held last weekend for longtime home textiles industry veteran Wendy Keryk, who passed away Oct. 17 following a six-month battle with cancer. For more than 35 years in the industry, Keryk worked for some of the leading window and bedding companies in the business, including Cameo Curtain, National Curtain, CHF, Burlington, Richloom, Victoria Classics and Peking Handicraft. According to Art Engel, who hired her at Cameo in the 1970s as his assistant, Keryk was born in Kenya where her father worked for the United Nations. She was an English citizen but eventually became a naturalized American. At Cameo, she rose to become vice president for mass merchandising before moving on to senior positions
with other companies in the industry. She left the business in the mid-2000s. Along the way, she was active in the Home Fashion Products Association, serving as its president for several years in the 1990s. According to her sister Jackie, “In recent years she devoted her time to championing favorite projects and community work at her church.” Maria Scozarro, a longtime friend and also a former industry executive, called Keryk “a woman of varied and limitless talent. Wendy embraced life with a spirit of joy and enthusiasm that radiated to all those she loved and with whom she came in contact – always eager to lend a hand, provide comfort or offer her unique brand of gentle kindness and inspired council.”
She is survived by her husband John and two sisters, Jackie and Lindy. The family has asked that any donations be made to: Hi-tor Animal Care Center Inc., 65 Fireman’s Memorial Drive, Pomona NY, 10970. HTT
Loloi Names Austin Craley vp-sales DALLAS — Loloi Rugs has hired Austin Craley for the position of vice president of sales. Craley will be responsible for managing the company’s sales team and will report directly to Amir Loloi, founder and president, and Steven Loloi. He will remain based in New Jersey. Craley most recently was vp of sales at Momeni Rugs, since 2001. Prior to that he held the same position at KAS Rugs, and before that he was the buyer for both handmade and machinemade rugs at Macy’s. He has more than 26 years of experi-
ence in the rug industry. “Austin is highly respected by ret ailers throughout the country, and his extensive wholesale and retail experiences will help our company as we continue our climb to new levels,” said Amir Loloi. “I am excited and proud to be joining the outstanding Loloi team,” Craley said. “The company has achieved remarkable success in just a brief period of time, and I look forward to helping them reach new heights in the years ahead.” HTT
cushioni ng am o f &
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Home Textiles Today
October 24, 2011
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From super-soft play rugs and nap mats to a padded stepping stool and booster pillow, Aquatopia’s innovative memory foam line brings a new level of comfort and convenience to playtime, naptime and bathtime.
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10/20/2011 4:00:45 PM
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Home Textiles Today
October 24, 2011
News
> hometextilestoday.com
High Priced Dec Pillows Move at Retail as Consumers Look to Dress up Home Affordably BY CECILE B. CORRAL N E W YO R K — It was once said by an industry veteran that decorative pillows are like lipstick for the sofa. Nail polish might also work as a metaphor here. The parallels between home fashions and cosmetics, especially in a sluggish economy, make perfect sense. According to Time magazine’s recent “Special Money Issue” of Oct. 10, lipstick sales have increased 14% this year and nail polish sales are up an even more impressive 54%. “Makeup is a cheap thrill for penny-pinched shoppers,” Time noted. The same theory holds for dec pillows when consumers are looking to affordably liven up their surroundings at home — after all, they are spending more and more time there because their dining-out budget has shrunken. That’s what some of the major decorative pillow suppliers are seeing this year and have been experiencing for almost two years. “Dec pillows are indeed lipstick for the sofa,” said Loren Sweet, president of Carson, Calif.-based Brentwood Originals, long a top category player in the industry with $138 million in dec pillow sales in 2010. “People are still shopping as they did, but they are spending more money, which drives them into decorative acces-
sories. And within that pocket, they are trading into nicer things,” Sweet said. “That is one reason the dec pillow business is good now — people are willing to buy a $15 or $20 dec pillow because it’s a new look but still cheaper compared to new drapes or a new sofa or painting the house.” He said Brentwood’s sales have had “the best month in September since August 2008. It’s the combination of some strong fashion that has really kicked in for us at higher price points and some nice performance by updated basics that are also kicking in well,” Sweet continued. “We are selling higher price points across board — from basics and fashion merchandise.” Sweet explained the higher price point trend is not occurring strictly at more upscale retail venues. Rather, channels ranging from discounters to department stores are testing and then committing to better goods at higher tickets — and selling them. “If you go to any of [two mid-tier department store retailers] stores, you will see their fashion people want looks you’d typically find at [two high-end specialty retailer] stores. It’s the conventional retailers who more and more want to achieve that kind of look but develop that look in house. It’s essentially our same customers buying the new products and trading up in dec pillows.”
Joy Stewart, president of the second largest dec pillow supplier in 2010 with $61 million in category sales — Los Angeles-based Spencer Enterprises Ind. — confirmed “trade up” in process “is definitely happening, and happening at every level of retail, from close-outs to higher-end people.” This incline began when the costs of cotton and raw materials and other manufacturing and sourcing expenses started to escalate about a year ago. “I have been in dec pillows for 10 years, and I can remember in 2004 when we used to be able to sell a $39.99 pillow to [a mid-tier off-price department store chain] and [a major off-price chain] all day long,” Stewart recalled.
But 2008’s recession knocked price brackets down to the $14.99 and $19.99 levels for fashion product. Until now, Stewart continued. “We’ve started seeing success again at $24.99 and $29.99 as well. Everyone is trading up, increasing by about $2 to $5, depending on the retailer and where you work.” Offering more color on the trend at retail was David Frankel, president of New York-based Arlee Home Fashions, which in 2010 posted the third highest category sales at $52 million. “The decorative pillow retail market place is divided between those that are pure planogram and those that flow an ever-changing mix of product. Obviously, the second group provides us with more
HFI
Newport-Layton Home Fashions
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opportunity to try new items more easily and regularly,” he said. “We have focused more effort on the highly designed pillows as they have greater perceived value and hence can garner higher retails. As retailers work to freshen their assortment they are looking to add more pattern and print in a less embellished way. ‘Safer’ patterns, mainly in chenille, give the consumers pops of color while not being too design-specific.” But there are other things to consider and be concerned about lately that have some negative impacts on the category, Frankel noted. “The marketplace continues to be challenging. The yuan continues to move up against the dollar at a steady rate. The mills and vendors in China have reduced their own design and development efforts, so it is more challenging to find new and different products.” Stewart is experiencing the same sourcing challenges. Even though the consumer is willing to pay higher price points, she said, “you still have to make it the right size and fill for that retailer. It’s just become more difficult from a sourcing perspective because it means now we have to take a fabric that is too heavy or expensive and change it into something that can sell for the right price.” But the effort pays off ultimately in most cases because it is encouraging the retailer to hit higher prices that haven’t been touched for several years. “You can’t force [a mid-tier department store] into selling a $29.99 pillow,” Stewart explained. “But they have a new threshold they can still meet, and if we reconstruct the product make it a little less heavy or use different yarns, we can get them to maybe $17.99 — which represents a step up for them from where they use to be, which was at $12.99 and $14.99.” Weightier fabrics are just some of the new styles working in favor of increasing price points. Prints are back after a hiatus of more than a decade, noted Neil Zuber, evp of New York-based HFI — last year’s fourth largest dec pillow supplier with $31 million in sales. The company recently doubled its dec pillow assortment by adding new
News
outsourced varieties that retail partners requested from the company. Among them are printed linen styles. “Our customers asked us to be more diversified. They were seeing these kinds of looks in India and China and so they asked us to add them to our line, so we took it upon ourselves to seek out and find lots of new designs,” Zuber said. “It’s a business that has become important to our customers. Jacquards and tapestries are not so important now as they were three years ago. Instead, the demand today is for prints again. I remember 15 years ago you couldn’t give them away. But now, prints are making a big revival.” Corey Faul, president of Portland, Ore.-based Newport/Layton Home Fashions, commented on the evolution of the recent demand for printed pattern in the category. “For a while, people seemed to find more perceived value in wovens and not in prints,” said Faul. His company ranked in 2010 as the 2010’s fifth largest category player with $22 million. “But now seeing and more interested in decorating with pattern and you can certainly make more impact with pattern and print than you can with wovens,” he continued. “And what has happened because of it is that business has absolutely improved. Our top-line sales are outstanding. Our margins are under pressure, and they are smaller than they were. But my volume is bigger.” Manual Woodworkers and Weavers (MWW) in Hendersonville, N.C. is seeing a different kind of trend emerging in its product sales. Saverio Barbiere, vp of sales and marketing, said its shopper is bent on MadeIn-America goods, which explains the company’s bump up in sales of its new “ClimaWeave” all-weather indoor/outdoor pillows. “[They] are gaining in popularity as more and more consumers look to expand their living spaces and time outside,” Barbiere said. “The fact that our ClimaWeave pillows are made and printed in the USA is another strong selling features, as ‘Buy American’ is gaining traction and resonating with consumers.”
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October 24, 2011
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Manual Woodworkers and Weavers, Inc
Another fashion trend moving for MWW lately, he noted: “Animal prints in their natural color or in wild neon chartreuse and purples and pinks are also very strong.” Because it targets the juvenile, tween and teen market segments, Dallas-based Brunton International sees a similar kind of design trend moving in the marketplace. Roy Brunton, owner and president, said faux fur looks make up most of his sales, interpreted in a core palette of six bright colors — hot pink, aqua, lime, yellow, orange, and purple — with one recent “hot” addition: “Black. It’s become very strong now for us, too,” he said. What Brunton does have in common with other dec pillow suppliers is that he, too, has achieved gains in retail price points. “Our pillows run from $6 to $25 at retail, and we work with everyone from [single-price discount chains] to [mid-tier department stores].” Brunton noted two forces in his business’ favor in this otherwise negative eco-
nomic climate. “Parents and grandparents will do without themselves in tough economic times, but they will not do without for their kids or grandkids. And that gives us a unique niche in the business,” he cited. Secondly, Brunton said he has steered his business beyond the back-to-school season into a “year-round” category. “Over the past seven years, we have been we have been working to change the perception that this is only backto-school business,” he explained. “We broadened our sales range by getting stores to test those same ideas in fuchsia, yellow, purple, lime in the fall when retailers were hesitant. But they tried it, and were successful enough so that the category has warranted a year-round presence. Brunton added that his youthful and bright pillows “are sold more heavily in the holidays than back-to-school. Whereas our largest sales in the category used to be back-to-school, our sales are now higher in the” HTT
Offerings from HFI
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October 24, 2011
Crate & Barrel
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Pottery Barn
The Busine Macy’s
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W
BY WAYNE MARKS
here can you find the bulk of the bridal registry business? Look no farther than Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, and Macy’s. Among all primary bridal registries, 70% of couples register with one or more of the three, according to a study by The Knot. Wedding registries generate roughly 3% of all home textiles sales, according to consumer research firm NPD Group. Research compiled by Design Research Reports showed that Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, and Macy’s also led all registries for towels and sheets – which rank among the four most requested products on registries. Leading gift categories, in order, were cookware, towels, sheets, and bakeware, according to Design Research’s Richard Babick. The recession had some impact, he said, with signs of a reversal. Data compiled by The Wedding Report, a sister company, “found that gift spending declined significantly in 2009 versus 2008 and recovered somewhat in 2010,” said Babick. According to Tim Yap, fashion expert at Tobe, a fashion trend consultancy, “Consumers, be it the guests or couples, are certainly more focused on living within their means and maintaining budgets. That said, registries can be as varied gift-wise and price-wise as couples make them, so there’s even more opportunity for retailers across a wide spectrum to cash in.” Yap estimates the size of the registry market for sales across all
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October 24, 2011
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Bed Bath & Beyond
Target
ness of Bridal categories at $10 billion. Annual bridal registry sales of sheets run to $107.4 million, according to Design Research Reports. The leading brands, in order, are Hotel Collection (Macy’s house brand), Martha Stewart (a Macy’s exclusive), and Wamsutta. Annual towel sales from bridal registries amount to an estimated $39.3 million. The top three brands are Martha Stewart, Fieldcrest (a Target exclusive), and Wamsutta.
The average value of a registration in towels is $38; in sheets it’s $97, according to Design Research Reports. New technology is a significant and growing part of how couples manage their nuptials, including registry. According to The Knot’s 2010 study, 61% of couples set up a personal wedding website (versus 53% in 2009) and 12% used social media such as Twitter and Facebook for wedding planning (versus 5% in 2009). SEE BRIDAL PAGE 12
Wedding, Bridal Shower, and Engagement Related Purch ases
57%
52%
Sept. '08-Aug. '09
48%
Sept. '09-Aug. '10 Sept. '10-Aug. '11
22%
30%
24% 8%
Bed
Bath
12%
10%
Kitchen & Dining
13%
18% 6%
Window Treatments SOURCE: THE NPD GROUP
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Home Textiles Today
October 24, 2011
News
BBB Bridal Biz is Boffo
The top three registry retailers, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target and Macy’s, represent nearly 70% of primary bridal registries Geography impacts store selection.
1 Northeast: 1 4
More likely to register at Macy’s, Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma and Bloomingdale’s
2 South:
3
More likely to register at Bed Bath & Beyond , Target and Walmart
2
3 Midwest: More likely to register at Target and Kohl’s
4 West: More likely to register at Macy’s and Crate & Barrel SOURCE: THE KNOT MARKET INTELLIGENCE 2010 BRIDAL REGISTRY STUDY
The Business of Bridal
BRIDAL FROM PAGE 11
In 2010, 33% of engaged couples created a registry online. An even greater number of couples, 77%, chose only the Internet to manage their registries, up from 69% from 2009, based on The Knot Market Intelligence 2010 Bridal Registry Study. And The Knot should know. It is one of the most popular sites used by young brides and grooms to be, employing some of the latest functionality for planning that special day. One of the more interesting features of the The Knot’s website is its “Gift Registry 360.com” a tool that allows couples to aggregate the lists they’ve created with retail partners such as Macy’s, Target, Crate & Barrel, Bloomingdale’s, JC Penney, and Kohl’s. Gift Registry 360.com also gives couples the option to download an application to their computer’s toolbar that makes it possible to add gifts from virtually any e-commerce site on the Internet. The application is also available at WeddingChannel.com in the My Registry section, and is designed with the tech savvy in mind. “You can be standing in a retailer like Crate & Barrel, take a picture with your smartphone of the bar code on a gift and add it to your online registry,” explained Sarah Newell, WeddingChannel.com lifestyle editor, “It turns your smartphone into a [gift selection] gun. It’s the coolest thing ever.” As cool as it is, major retailers don’t leave customer assistance solely to outside planning sites. Tools to help couples with the big day such as guides as well as customer reviews are available on most major retailers’ wedding registry website sections. Couples can generally add products to their gift lists from anywhere on a retailer’s website. Most major registries present featured products deemed popular with customers. So what are they recommending? Bed, Bath and Beyond – Featured towels include: Suite Collection Micro Cotton bath towel at $7.99; Avanti Premier Ivory Script Monogram bath towel at $19.99, available in mocha with ivory script only; Amy Butler 100% Cotton Organic Blend patterned bath at $16.99. The featured items found in the registry are also featured in general store offerings. Non-featured towels include all online offerings and are categorized into solid, print, decorative, monogrammed, and beach. Price points range from Color Solutions Bath Towels by WestPoint Home, 100% Cotton at $6.99 to Sublime Bath
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Towels, 100% Egyptian Cotton at $39.99. In bedding, the registry highlights queen-size sheets from varying price points such as the Simply Organic Sheet Set, 100% Organic Cotton, 250 Thread Count at $79.99 and the Amy Butler Work Sheet Set, 100% Organic Cotton 300 Thread Count at $119.99. Crate & Barrel – One of the more unique aspects of the Crate & Barrel registry is an online chat facility. The Marimekko brand is prominently displayed in the registry’s features. Sheet sets run from $69.99 on sale to $139.99. Marimekko bath towels are also featured at $24.95. In-store availability can be checked online. Macy’s – Customers will find many tools to choose from at this registry in addition to a well-organized array of products. Reviews are posted on the site and a fivestar rating system provides an at-a-glance view of customer sentiment for each product listed. In sheets, 17 selections in queen size include the Hotel Collection Bedding, 600
Most Popular Categories Driven by Necessities Towels and sheets are eclipsed only by cookware as the most frequently requested items.
1 Cookware 2 Towels 3 Sheets 4 Bakeware SOURCE: DESIGN RESEARCH REPORTS, INC.
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October 24, 2011
Home Textiles Today
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Most Popular Towels on Registries Brand names matter in bath to those selecting product for their registries.
1 Martha Stewart 2 Fieldcrest 3 Wamsutta SOURCE: DESIGN RESEARCH REPORTS, INC.
Thread Count Stripe Sheets at $135, which are available in cool hues. Also among the inventory are Tommy Hilfiger “T-200” Solid Sheet Sets in bright colors at $107.00. Examples of offerings in the bath towel space feature Hotel Bath Towels, Turkish Collection in a range of cool hues at $40.00 and Lacoste Bath Towels Crocod’il Collection at $27.00 in bright colors. Both the sheet and towel spaces list sale prices which make discounts available of approximately 30-40%. Pottery Barn – This registry is arranged somewhat differently than others with an “Organic Bedding” section which offers a 400 thread count sheet set at $189.00 with monogramming available and a flannel set without a monogramming option. The “Design Your Own Bed” section includes the Plaza 400 Thread Count Set at $170.00 and the Henri Ticking Stripe Organic Sheet set at $129.00. The overall selection for bedding and bath is more limited than other retailers surveyed and some products are offered only online or through a catalogue. In bath towels, Pottery Barn offers both solid and patterned varieties with solids
at $29.00 and patterns at $30.00. Patterned brands include titles such as Postcard, Clara, and Snow Flake and all are at a 650 gram weight. Target – Club Wedd, Target’s wedding registry, quotes different prices depending on whether the purchase is to be made online or in the store. The site gives couples the option to sort through 142 products in the sheet section by best sellers, price and customer ratings. A price sort from low to high starts with Room Essentials Sheet Sets in 17 solid colors and various patterns at $29.99. As of 10/19/2011, the low to high prices sort ends with 22 out-of-stock sets. Available at the high end is the queen Sky Collection, Elm Sheet Set – Multi at $159.99. Availability in sheets between online and in-store is mixed. The low-to-high sort of bath towels on the Target wedding registry begins online with Circo Multicolor Circo Bath ABC Multi Bath Towel at $9.99 and ends with Fieldcrest Luxury Bath Towel at $12.99 ($11.00 on sale). Most bath towel options are only available in stores. HTT
Most Popular Sheets on Registries
Two of the three top sheet brands on bridal registries are exclusive to Macy’s.
1 Hotel Collection 2 Martha Stewart 3 Wamsutta SOURCE: DESIGN RESEARCH REPORTS, INC.
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PEOPLETodaY Ian Sears Named Ralph Lauren Home President NEW YORK — Ian Sears, who has
been chief marketing officer for Restoration Hardware, has been named to one of the most high profile jobs in home furnishings: president of Ralph Lauren Home. The announcement was accompanied by the news that William Li, currently vp of marketing, advertising and communications for Ralph Lauren Home, has been promoted to senior vp, overseeing sales and merchandising as well as retaining his current responsibilities. Both appointments come
with the pending retirement of Frank Guzzetta as president. He will assist in the transition, the company said. Under Guzzetta, Ralph Lauren Home undertook a number of significant moves including taking over direct control of most of its home textiles program from licensee WestPoint Home, as well as new licensees in furniture and floor coverings. Sears, who has also been senior vp in charge of direct-toconsumer business at Restoration Hardware, is a home industry veteran who earlier held senior positions with Macy’s
and Williams Sonoma. He will oversee all Ralph Lauren Home brands including Lauren, Chaps and American Living and report to Jackwyn Nemerov, executive vp of wholesale brands, licensed products, sourcing, merchandising, home and Asia Pacific. Li, who joined the company in August 2010 following 18 years with Conde Nast, will also oversee planning and European business development for home. He reports to Sears and David Lauren executive vp of global advertising, marketing and communications. HTT
Orian Appoints Culpepper for Sales and Business Development ANDERSON, S.C. — Orian Rugs has expanded its executive team to include Brandon Culpepper as the company’s new vp of sales and business development. He brings more than 15 years
of experience in the floor covering industry to Orian. In his new role, he is responsible for building the company’s account base and growing existing business. “Brandon will thrive in this
new position,” said Wim De Pape, coo. “His industry knowledge, relationships and expertise will play a vital role in the future growth and development of our company.” HTT
Perfect Fit Promotes Grimsby to svp, Operations CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Utility bed-
ding manufacturer Perfect Fit Industries LLC has named Gary Grimsby senior vice president of operations, promoting him from his former post as senior vice president of global sourcing. Reporting now to Dan Hammer, president and ceo, Grimsby is responsible for customer ser-
vice, production planning, sourcing, purchasing, and manufacturing/distribution at the company’s facilities in Whittier, Calif., and Monroe, N.C. Grimsby has been with Perfect Fit since 2008. Prior to that, he served as vice president of sales for American Homes and Textiles.
“Gary brings a wealth of knowledge to his new position,” said Hammer. “He has tremendous experience leading teams and his unique blend of retail and supplier side experience will allow Perfect Fit to further enhance its position as the premier supplier of sleep solution products.” HTT
McKenzie is Hollander’s New vp of Sales BOCA RATON, FLA. — Hollander Home Fashions has appointed Mark McKenzie sales vp. He reports to Kay LeGrange, president of sales. “Mark is a respected player in the home textiles category and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Hollander,” said LeGrange. “With
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terrific experience on two fronts - as both merchandise manager and as a sales manager - Mark is a valuable addition to our expanding team at Hollander.” Based in San Francisco, he assumes management responsibility for Hollander’s key accounts on the West Coast McKenzie began his career in
retail with Bullocks prior joining Springs Industries as a sales representative in 1983. During his 24 years at Springs he held various sales, management, and merchandising positions. He went on to hold regional management positions with West Gate Home before launching Full-McKenzie, a sales firm in 2009. HTT
Feizy Hires Hannigan as Territory Manager DALLAS — Allen Hannigan has joined Feizy Rugs as the territory manager for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In his new post, he will be responsible for developing and maintaining existing relationships with accounts as well as targeting and growing new clients. He reports to Dale Sweary, vp of sales. “Allen’s tenacity and unique ability to build relationships will be major contributors to his success ALLEN HANNIGAN in the ever-evolving marketplace,” said Sweary. Feizy Rugs Hannigan brings more than 11 years of career experience to his new post, having worked in both sales and management positions. HTT
Pacific Table Linens Taps Rebsamen for Sales and Marketing O CEANSIDE , C ALIF . — Pacific Table Linens (PTL) has brought Chris Rebsamen on board as its director of sales and marketing. He will be responsible for building the PTL brand as well as the base of partnering companies, the company said. “To accomplish these goals his responsibilities will include interviewing, hiring and managing sales representatives as well as directing marketing activities.” Rebsamen brings experience in account management and business development in whole-
sale and retail sales, including extensive experience with home décor products. “We at Pacific Table Linens are very excited to welcome Chris to the PTL team. Our growth over previous few years has brought us to an exciting point of expansion. With Chris’ retail and wholesale experience guiding the way, we hope to bring the PTL line of table linens to many more partner companies and in turn to more consumers,” said Cindy Bittick, president and ceo. HTT
ShopNBC’s Repasch Promoted M INNEAPOLIS — ShopNBC vp of softlines Annette Repasch has been promoted to chief merchandising officer by the company’s parent, ValueVision Media.
She joined the company in May after two decades of product and brand development with specialty and department stores including Saks Inc., Lane Bryant and Bon-Ton. HTT
Eastman, Leaves Target.com M INNE APOLIS — Target Corp.
recently announced that Steve Eastman, the president of its online operation Target.com, is no longer with the company. The 1,767-unit discount chain said Eastman left “to pursue other
opportunities.” Eastman has held the post since June 2008, and prior to that served as Target’s vp gmm - consumer electronics from February 2000 to June 2008, according to Eastman’s LinkedIn page. HTT
10/20/2011 12:07:51 PM
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December 19, 2011 Special Preview and the January 9, 2012 Show Issue, the only English-language home textiles newspaper distributed at the Fair itself.
Contact your Home Textiles Today sales representative to reserve your space now! www.hometextilestoday.com
TEXTI L ES IS O U R MID D LE N A ME
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October 24, 2011
BUSINESS TodaY NRF: September Sales Jump proves Consumers are Shopping Despite Economy WASHINGTON — Consumers kept retailers’ cash registers ringing in September, as sales increased a modest 0.4% from August but more impressively jumped a better-than-expected 5.7% over the year-ago period. This is according to the National Retail Federation, which noted “shoppers continued to show strength during a weak economic recovery.” September retail sales released by the U.S. Commerce Department show that total retail sales -- which include nongeneral merchandise categories such as autos, gasoline stations and restaurants, increased 1.1%
month-to-month and 8.6% over last year, partially due to strong auto sales. “The American consumer and the retail industry continue to lead this recovery, and strong September retail sales are just what the economy needs right now,” said Matthew Shay, NRF president and ceo. “The unexpectedly strong sales increase in September may work to dampen fears of a double-dip recession and could indicate an economic and employment rebound.” M u c h o f S e p t e m b e r ’s strength came as a result of retail sales increases due to Hurricane Irene and an influx of
Healthy Comp Trend Persists in October’s Second Week NEW YORK — Same-store sales rose 4.6% in the second week of October, following a 4.8% gain the prior week, according to The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index. Comps climbed 5.1% in the discount channel and increased 3.6% in the department store segment. Month-to-date, September was up 4.7% compared to October of last year, relative to a target of a 4.6% gain. Month-overmonth showed a 0.6% drop compared to September, relative to a target of a 0.7% drop. Redbook analyst Catlin Levis said that at the beginning of the week, consumers took advantage of Columbus Day promotions. “Cooler weather combined with the holiday provided the consumer with the opportunity and motivation to shop,” she added. “Sales on Halloween merchandise started slightly later than last year and have picked up gradually as this year’s Halloween falls one day later than last year. We expect a significant portion of Halloween sales to come in the final days before the holiday.” HTT
Johnson Redbook Index Second week of October, year-over-year % change DED EN
10/8
Department stores* 3.9 Discounters 5.2 Redbook Index 4.8
10/15
10/22
3.6 5.1 4.6
*Including chain stores and traditional department stores Source: Johnson Redbook Index
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the labor market and consumer confidence, both of which continue to experience weakness.” Earlier this month, NRF forecast holiday sales to rise 2.8% this year to $466 billion. NRF defines holiday sales as retail industry sales in the months of November and December. Other highlights of September sales: • September sales were strong across the board. Sales at clothing and clothing accessory stores increased 1.3% seasonally adjusted month-to-month and 8.3% unadjusted year-over-year; • Electronics and appliance stores sales increased 0.2% sea-
sonally adjusted over the previous month and 0.7% unadjusted year-over-year; • Health and personal care stores also performed well. Sales at these stores increased 0.3% seasonally adjusted over August and 4.8% unadjusted year-overyear; • Furniture and home furnishing stores’ sales increased 1.1% seasonally adjusted from the previous month and 4.3 % unadjusted over last year; • Building materials and garden equipment stores sales decreased 0.1% from August but increased 6.3% unadjusted yearover-year.
Equity Group Picks up JCP Outlets
Same-store sales
WEEK
shoppers who chose to complete back-to-school shopping later this year. Building materials stores rose 6.4% over last year, sporting goods stores were up 7.2% and clothing store sales increased 8.3%. August retail sales were revised upward to 0.4 from July, which was originally reported as 0.1%. “Despite st agnant unemployment figures and a shaky stock market, American consumers are holding their own,” said Jack Kleinhenz, NRF chief economist. “While September’s sales figures were strong, retailers’ fourth quarter growth will continue to depend heavily on
MONTH TARGET
3.7 5.2 4.7
3.6 5.1 4.6
C O L U M B U S , O H I O — Schottenstein affiliate SB Capital Group has acquired 15 JCPenney Outlet Stores from J. C. Penney Company Inc. and will rebrand them as JC’s 5 Star Outlet, which will be run by Penney veteran Glen Gammons. Under the terms of the sale, Penney will continue to supply
the outlets with overstocks and end-of-season merchandise, and SB Capital Group offered positions with the new business to all 1,600 eligible employees of the JCPenney Outlet Stores. Gammons, who has spent 40 years with JCP, ran the retailer’s outlet division for the past 11 years. He becomes ceo of JC’s 5 Star Outlet.
Tuesday Morning Sales Slip in First Quarter DALLAS — Closeout home furnishings chain Tuesday Morning Corp. reported declines in sales and comps for its recently ended first quarter. Sales fell 1.2% to $170.7 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30. Comps dropped 4.1% as a 1.1% increase in average ticket failed to overcome a 5.2% decrease in traffic. Based on these results, Tuesday Morning said it currently expects the loss per share for the first
quarter to be in the range of 12 to 13 cents compared to the year-ago period’s loss per share of 6 cents. Kathleen Mason, president and ceo, said: “We remain focused on our previously announced initiatives and believe that these initiatives will positively impact customer traffic and our overall business in the back half of our fiscal year.” The company will report its full first quarter results Oct. 24 HTT.
“The announcement marks the culmination of our efforts to acquire a business we greatly admire. We’ve watched this operation for a number of years, and in doing so, could not be anything short of impressed with the business and the value offered to consumers,” said Scott Bernstein, coo of SB Capital Group. HTT
Lowe’s Shuttering 20 Stores M OORESVILLE , N.C — Lowe’s is
closing 20 underperforming stores in 15 states and said it will open 10-15 North American stores per year going forward as opposed to a previous pace of about 30 openings annually. Ten of the targeted locations are already out of business. The closings are taking place in California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. HTT
10/20/2011 12:11:47 PM
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Home Textiles Today
October 24, 2011
Calendar October
29 – February 1
8 – 10
22 – 27
Intirio Flanders Expo, Gent, Belgium +32 9-243-84-50 www.intirio.be
Expofil Parc des Expositions, Paris-Nord Villepinte, France +33 (0)-472-606-500 www.expofil.com
High Point Market International Home Furnishings Center (IHFC), High Point, N.C. (336) 869-1000 www.highpointmarket.org
29 – February 2 CGTA Gift Show Toronto International Centre; Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto (416) 679-0170 www.cgta.org/Assoc/Home.aspx
November 12 – 15 International Hotel/Motel Show Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York (914) 421-3200 www.ihmrs.com
29 – February 3
Showtime Fabric Fair Market Square, Textile Tower, High Point, N.C. (336) 885-6842
New York Home Textiles Market Week At the New York International Gift Fair, Jan. 29 - Feb. 3 At 230 Fifth Avenue, Jan. 30 - Feb. 4 At 7 W New York, Jan. 28 - Feb. 3 (800) 272-7469 www.nyhometextilesmarketweek. com
January 2012
30 – February 3
11 –14
9 – 10
Las Vegas Market World Market Center, Las Vegas (702) 599-9621 lasvegasmarket.com
ASD Las Vegas Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas (310) 481-7300 www.asdamd.com
December 4–7
Dallas Fabric Show Dallas Market Hall, Dallas (214) 655-6100 www.dallasmarketcenter.com
February 2012
11 – 14
15 – 18
20 – 23
5–9
14 – 16
Heimtextil Frankfurt Fair & Exhibition Center Frankfurt am Main, Germany (770) 984-8016 heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com
National Retail Federation Convention & EXPO Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York (202) 626-8162 www.nrf.com
F!NDS Dallas Temp Show World Trade Center, Market Hall, Dallas (214) 655-6100 www.dmcfinds.com
Spring Fair The National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, UK (609) 921-0222 www.springfair.com
20 – 24
7 – 10
Interstoff Asia Essential— Spring Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. (852) 2238-9917 www.interstoff.messefrankfurt.com
Maison & Objet Parc des Expositions, Paris-Nord Villepinte, Paris (888) 522-5001 www.maison-objet.com
Texworld Paris Le Bourget Exhibition Centre, Paris +33-155-268-989 www.texworld.messefrankfurt.com
22 – 25
10 – 14
Interiors Birmingham The National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, UK +44 (0) 20 7921 8408 www.interiorsbirmingham.com
Ambiente Frankfurt Fair & Exhibition Center, Frankfurt am Main, Germany (770) 984-8016 www.ambiente.messefrankfurt. com/frankfurt
11 – 18 Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market AmericasMart, Atlanta (404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com
16 – 20
12 – 15
18 – 20
The Atlanta International Area Rug Market AmericasMart, Atlanta (404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com
Texworld USA Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York (770) 984-8016 www.texworldusa.com
14 – 17
18 – 24
The Canadian Home Furnishings Market (TCHFM) The International Centre Mississauga, Ontario (514) 866-3631
Dallas Holiday & Home Expo Dallas Market Center, Dallas (214) 655-6100 www.dmcfinds.com
Surfaces Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas (866) 860-1975 www.surfaces.com
18 – 24
28 – February 2
Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Dallas Market Center, Dallas (214) 655-6100 www.dallasmarketcenter.com
New York International Gift Fair Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Passenger Ship Terminal Piers, New York (800) 272-7469 www.nyigf.com
imm cologne The Exhibition Center Cologne, Germany (773) 326-9920 or +49-221-821-0 www.imm-cologne.com
24 – 26
14 – 17 Domotex Hannover Hannover Fairgrounds, Hannover, Germany (609) 987-1202 www.domotex.de
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March 2012
22 – 25 Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Dallas Market Center, Dallas (800) 325-6587 www.dallasmarketcenter.com
27 – 29 Domotex asia/CHINAFLOOR Shanghai New International Convention Center, Shanghai, China +86-21-6247-7668 www.domotexasiachinafloor.com
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April 2012
Home Textiles Today’s New York Winter Market Kickoff Party (646) 805-0226 www.hometextilestoday.com
6–8
5–8
21 – 26
New York Home Fashions Market Home Fashion Products Association (212) 297-2122 (Kellen Co.) www.homefashionproducts.com
High Point Market International Home Furnishings Center (IHFC), High Point, N.C. (336) 869-1000 www.highpointmarket.org
Lineapelle Fair District, Bologna, Italy +39-02-880-7711 www.lineapelle-fair.it
10/20/2011 3:01:01 PM
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Home Textiles Today
October 24, 2011
News
Calendar 26 – 28 gulfBID Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Manama Kingdom of Bahrain +973-1729-3131 www.gulfbidexhibition.com
Interior Lifestyle (Ambiente/ Heimtextil/HomeDesign) Japan International Exhibition Center (Tokyo Big Sight), Tokyo +81-3-3262-8453 www.interior-lifestyle.com
3-6 26 – 28 Vision10: International Window Coverings EXPO Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta (651) 293-1544 www.wf-vision.com
May 2012 8 – 10 Proposte Villa Erba in Cernobbio, Como, Italy +39-02-643-4054 www.propostefair.it
15 – 17 Hospitality & Design Show Sands Expo Center, Las Vegas (508) 743-8502 www.hdexpo.com
16 – 20 Evteks CNR Expo, Istanbul, Turkey +90-212-465-74-75 www.cnrevteks.com/
Showtime Fabric Fair Market Square, Textile Tower, High Point, N.C. (336) 885-6842 www.itma-showtime.com
12 – 14 Licensing International Expo Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas (212) 951-6612 www.licensingexpo.com
11-13 NeoCon World’s Trade Fair The Merchandise Mart, Chicago (800) 677-6278 www.merchandisemart.com/neocon
13 – 15 American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) National Conference at NeoCon The Merchandise Mart, Chicago (202) 546-3480 www.asid.org/foryou09
(214) 655-6116 www.dmcfinds.com
New York (914) 421-3200 www.thegourmetshow.com
27 – 30 & July 4 – 7 New Designers Business Design Centre, London 020-7288-6738 www.newdesigners.com
July 2012
27 - 30 Textile House South America Anhembi Exhibition Pavilion São Paulo (SP), Brazil (+55 11) 2105-7000 www.grafitefeiras.com.br
11 - 13 Global Sources China Sourcing Fair Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami
11 – 18 The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market AmericasMart, Atlanta (404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com
12-15 The Atlanta International Area Rug Market AmericasMart, Atlanta (404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com
29-31 Intertextil Show Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China (852) 2238-9983 www.messefrankfurt.com/hk
September 2012 9-13 Maison & Objet Parc des Expositions, Paris-Nord Villepinte, Paris (888) 522-5001 www.maison-objet.com
12 – 14 Domotex Middle East Dubai Airport Expo Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971-4-337-6072 www.domotex-middle-east.com
13 – 14 HD Boutique Exposition & Conference Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, Fla. (770) 291-5400 www.hdboutique.com
13 – 15 Indigo (Home Furnishing Edition) Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium +33 (0) 1-70-38-7000 www.indigo-salon.com
18 Home Textiles Today Market Kickoff Party New York 6-8 p.m. (646) 805-0226
19-23 New York Home Fashions Market Home Fashion Products Association New York (212) 297-2122 (Kellen Co.) www.homefashionproducts.com
30 – August 3 ASD/AMD Las Vegas Sands Expo Center & Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas (310) 481-7300 www.asdamd.com
21 – 23 30 – August 3
Heimtextil Russia IEC Crocus Expo Exhibition Center, Moscow +7 (495) 721-1058 www.messefrankfurt.ru
Las Vegas Market World Market Center and Pavilions, Las Vegas (702) 599-9621 www.lasvegasmarket.com
23 – 26
August 2012
19 – 22
20-26
International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York (914) 421-3200 www.icff.com
Dallas Holiday & Home Expo Dallas Market Center, Dallas (800) 325-6587 www.dallasmarketcenter.com
20 – 22 Surtex Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York (914) 421-3200 www.surtex.com
June 2012 1–3
htt111003_018_020 20
20 – 26 Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Dallas Market Center, Dallas (800) 325-6587 www.dallasmarketcenter.com
13 – 18
10 – 12
New York International Gift Fair Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Pier 94, New York (914) 421-3200 www.nyigf.com
Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Dallas Market Center, Dallas (800) DAL-MKTS www.dallasmarketcenter.com
10 – 12 14-18 New York Home Textiles Market Week Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York At 7W Aug. 12-18 At 230 Fifth Ave. Aug. 14-19 (800) 272-7469 www.nyhometextilesmarketweek.com
22 – 25 F!NDS Dallas Temp Show World Trade Center, Market Hall, Dallas
14 – 18 Gourmet Housewares Show Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
Atlanta Fall International Gift & Home Furnishings Market AmericasMart, Atlanta (404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com
ABC Kids Expo Louisville, Ky. (210) 691-4848 www.theabcshow.com
October 2012 22 – 27 High Point Market International Home Furnishings Center (IHFC), High Point, N.C. (336) 869-1000 www.highpointmarket.org
10-12 F!NDS Dallas Temp Show World Trade Center, Market Hall, Dallas (214) 655-6116 www.dmcfinds.com
10/20/2011 3:02:57 PM
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Home Textiles Today
October 24, 2011
News
> hometextilestoday.com
360 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10010 Tel: (646) 805-0227; Fax: (646) 365-2307 www.hometextilestoday.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Marks 10 Ocean Blvd #8B Atlantic Highlands, N.J. 07716 (732) 204-2012 | jnegley@hometextilestoday.com
Heimtextil Hails the Return of European Exhibitors FRANKFURT, GERMANY — Several European home textiles companies are returning to Heimtextil 2012 after having sat out the show for a period, according to fair organizer Messe Frankfurt. They include: • Byron & Byron (Great Britain) • Chivasso (The Netherlands) • Elitis (France) • Engelbert E. Stieger (Switzerland) • Fabrics Castello del Barro (Italy) • Hijos de Antonio Ferre (Spain) • Nelen & Delbeke (Belgium) • Nya Nordiska (Germany)
Walmart Back to Basics WALMART FROM PAGE 1
“simplified in-store presentation.” The assortment’s key items include bedding, bath, candles, floor care, outdoor living and, especially, small appliances, he added. Mac Naughton offered a more complete outline on Walmart U.S.’s 5-P merchandising improvement plan — a $2 billion, self-funded effort, noted Walmart U.S. president and ceo Bill Simon — that has already begun. At the top is “price,” which represents “a big initiative,” Simon said. Walmart U.S. is focused on reducing price points throughout the store in response to shoppers’ ongoing, and in some cases, increasingly cautious approach to spending. At the onset of this effort, the retailer is focused on cutting tickets “in areas with a reasonable amount of price elasticity, so that when we make the change our gross margin dollars will go up,” Simon said. The price reduction strategy is long-term and more encompassing. Walmart is already two years into the effort and plans to continue working on it in all areas of the store. With the price reduction comes “looking to traffic-driving categories
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• Penelope (Turkey) • SAHCO (Germany) • Sarar (Turkey) • Sonnhaus (Germany) • Ter Molst (Belgium) • Vamvax/Guy Laroche (Greece) • Yebane (Spain) • Vorwerk (Germany) The premium section of the show will debut a segment called ‘new@ more’ featuring ideas for the bathroom, bedroom and table contributed younger companies, including Peppa Grace and Robespierre Europe (both from Germany) as well as La Maison Blanc (Morocco ). Also new, students from the Frank-
and areas of the store that will show price and allow customers to come in more frequently,” he added. Product marks the second “p” in the merchandising improvement strategy. “Already, more than 10,000 items have been brought back into store since we started this initiative,” Mac Naughton said. The retailer’s approach here is by phase, he explained. “The first phase was with food, consumables, dry grocery – it is where we had our biggest gap,” he said. Phase 2 turned to dairy, health & beauty items, pet products and others like hair care – the latter he cited as a small area “where we added back brands and selection and since then we’ve seen it go up 480 basis points.” Phase 3 is currently underway, Mac Naughton said, and centers on entertainment and soft lines, including home and apparel. About 75% of the work here is done, and remaining changes to these areas are expected to be wrapped up by end of year, he said. The third “p” is Place – or onshelf availability. “In-store availability ensures that when our customer comes in to look for a product, it is there,” Mac Naughton explained. “And our sales performance is directly tied to how we are able to keep on-shelf availability. So we’ve made it a priority. We’re work-
furt School for Apparel and Fashion will create models demonstrating a wide range of applications for various types of home textiles.The display will be shown in Hall 11.0. The Heimtextil goes City initiative, a collaboration of Messe Frankfurt and the Interior Decorators’ Guild (Raumausstatterinnung), Frankfurt am Main, will present the latest products from the fair in the city centre on Ssaturday, Jan. 14. Approximately 30 specialty retailers, galleries and public institutes will show textiles in a several cultural and everyday settings. The 2012 international trade fair takes place Jan. 11-14. HTT
ing with our suppliers, logistics, and our in-store execution team. And we’re making sure that when customer comes in to buy products they are on the shelf.” Promotion represents the fourth “p” in the strategy and calls for “showcasing items and prices big and bold.” Improvements here so far include bolder signage for smarter price points, expansion of national brand products “at fabulous prices,” higher gondolas, increases in capacity and others – all of which to date add up to 140 basis point increases. Finally, people – customers and Walmart’s team – make up the last “p” in the strategy. Turning to the upcoming holiday, Walmart U.S. is “very excited and very well prepared,” Mac Naughton said. A highlight is the return of the layaway program for toys, electronics and jewelry, starting October 17th. Special in-store events are planned, including new Black Friday cooking presentations and promotions and visits from Santa to take pictures and listen to Christmas lists. Walmart U.S.’s marketing effort for this holiday is “doubling from last year’s volume,” Mac Naughton said. With the debut of a new toy catalog, a “significant TV and print campaign,” a new holiday entertaining catalog, a new in-store apparel guide, daily Facebook postings, and more. HTT
PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Warren Shoulberg (646) 805-0226 | wshoulberg@hometextilestoday.com SENIOR EDITOR Cecile B. Corral 428 Bianca Ave. Coral Gables, FL 33146 (305) 661-7493 | cbcorral@aol.com MANAGING EDITOR Julie Murphy (646) 805-0224 | jmurphy@hometextilestoday.com CONTRIBUTING GRAPHIC ARTIST Desiree Nunez (646) 805-0233 | dnunez@giftsanddec.com DIRECTOR OF MARKET RESEARCH Dana French (336) 605-1091 | dfrench@sandowmedia.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, ACCOUNT MANAGER CHINA Jeff Reeves (336) 605-1009 | jreeves@hometextilestoday.com ACCOUNT MANAGER NORTHEAST/MIDWEST/ WEST COAST/CANADA Mary McLoughlin (646) 805-0227 | mmcloughlin@hometextilestoday.com CLASSIFIED AD SALES Spencer Whittle (336) 605-1027 swhittle@sandowmedia.com Karen Hancock (336) 605-1047 khancock@sandowmedia.com MANAGER, EUROPE Mirek Kraczkowski Tel: 48 22 401 70 01; Fax: 48 22 401 70 16 | kraczko@aol.com MANAGER, INDIA Kaushal Shah Cell: 91-9821715431; Tel: 91-22-6663 4597 / 24988658 Fax: 91-22-66634596 | Kaushal@kaushals.com ONLINE SALES MANAGER Penny Schneck (336) 605-1084 | pschneck@sandowmedia.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Rich Lamb Tel: (336) 605-1074; Fax: (336) 605-1143 | rlamb@ sandowmedia.com DIRECTOR, WEB OPERATIONS Chris Schultz | (336) 605-1076 | cschultz@sandowmedia.com MANAGER, CLIENT SERVICES, WEB ADVERTISING Dan Sage | (336) 605-1080 | dsage@sandowmedia.com E-MEDIA PROJECT MANAGER Missy Axe | (336) 605-1005 | maxe@sandowmedia.com DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE MARKETING Allison Ternes (704) 573-9007 | aternes@sandowmedia.com PRESIDENT, FURNITURE TODAY GROUP Kevin Castellani (336) 605-1034 | kcastellani@sandowmedia.com FOUNDING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carole Sloan 1979-2011
SANDOW MEDIA PRESIDENT AND CEO Adam I. Sandow CFO/COO Christopher Fabian VP CREATIVE AND EDITORIAL Yolanda E. Yoh EVP, GROUP PUBLISHER James N. Dimonekas SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S.A. (866) 456-0405 All other countries: (515) 247-2984 HTTcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com FAX SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1-866-310-7181 THE WEEKLY BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY® 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010 Telephone: (646) 805-0227 Fax: (646) 365-2307 USPS 497-490 HOME TEXTILES TODAY (USPS 497-490) (ISSN 0195-3184) is published 29 times a year except for the weeks of 1/3, 2/14, 2/28, 3/20, 4/11, 4/25, 5/2, 5/16/,5/30, 6/13, 6/27, 7/4, 8/1, 8/15, 8/29, 9/5, 9/26, 10/17, 10/31, 11/14, 11/28, 12/12, 12/26 by Furniture/Today Media Group, 360 Park Avenue South, 17th fl., New York, NY, 10010 a subsidiary of Sandow Media LLC, 3731 NW 8th Ave, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. HOME TEXTILES TODAY copyright ©2011 by Sandow Media LLC. Annual subscription rates: U.S. and Canada $169.97; 1 year, other countries $325.99 for surface mail and $525.00 for airmail. All payments must be made in U.S. currency. Subscription inquiries: HOME TEXTILES TODAY, PO Box 5879, Harlan, IA 51593-1379. Phone: (866) 456-0405. HOME TEXTILES TODAY and THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY are registered trademarks of Sandow Media LLC, used under license. Sandow Media LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever. (Posted under Canadian International Publication Agreement No.40624074. Sandow Media/CDS (Mint Hill) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HOME TEXTILES TODAY, P.O. Box 5879, Harlan, IA, 51593-1379 Email: HTTcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: RCS International; APC; PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Rich Hill, ON L4B 4R6
10/21/2011 2:17:31 PM
News
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Surya Enlists Di Adamo to Head Product Development C ALHOUN, GA. — Area rugs and home accessories manufacturer Surya Inc. has tapped industry veteran Eva Di Adamo to head the company’s product development team. Di Adamo brings more than 20 years of experience in product development and merchandizing within the home accessories and fashion segments, “a combination that will add a new dimension” to Surya’s product development process, the company noted. “Product development is core to our business and we are thrilled
to have attracted such a high caliber designer to the Surya team,” said Satya Tiwari, president. “Eva has designed some of the best selling and most inspirational rugs and textiles in the industry. Under her leadership, Surya will continue to develop leading designs that meet the needs of the most discerning consumers while refining the classic designs that customers expect from Surya.” Di Adamo will be attending the High Point Market this week, and will be based at Surya’s showroom at Show Place. HTT
Home Textiles Today
October 24, 2011
1888 Aims for One-Shop Status 1888 FROM PAGE 1
The deal also includes Beacon Looms’ office in China, where Beacon has been operating for years. 1888 already has owned manufacturing in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana and the United States. Said Jonathan Simon, ceo of 1888 Mills: “For us to integrate that excellence into our own growing, global operation is a win for both companies and especially for our customers.” Beacon will remain headquartered in Teaneck, N.J. Beacon executive vp Jonathan Sadi-
noff and senior vp of sales and merchandising Sandy McNeil will join 1888 along with several other Beacon associates. Beacon’s New York showroom will be consolidated into 1888’s by fall 2012. “We know Beacon is in good hands,” said Sy Sadinoff, former ceo of Beacon Looms. “From the beginning, we felt comfortable knowing our legacy of the past 97 years, as well as our dedication to our customers would be well preserved by 1888 Mills.” Beacon Looms holds over 100 patents on design and manufacturing of window curtains. “That expertise in window,”
23
said Allen, “is what makes Beacon Looms an essential part of our retail strategy.” While much of Beacon’s window business is stand-alone, the company also produces coordinates to go with its bedding designs – an expertise that 1888 will apply to its bedding business as well, according to Lexi Schladenhauffen, the mill’s vp of marketing and design. “Because we have such a great bedding platform, this is a great add-on,” she said. “We very much look forward to being part of the 1888 family and the tremendous opportunities this new venture brings to our customers,” said McNeil. HTT
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