Monday, August 8, 2011
THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY
Ann Gish Opens NYC Store Ann Gish recently opened her first New York store at 4 West 20th St.
BY CECILE B. CORRAL N EW YORK — Longtime luxury linens and home furnishings designer, manufacturer and supplier Ann Gish opened her fi rst store here in Manhattan’s Flatiron District this summer. The store is located in a 4,000-square-foot space in a landmark building at 4 West 20th St., which adds natural light and charm to the setting. “This place is beautiful,” said Gish, a 20Ann Gish, receiving the ICON year veteran of the home fashions industry. Honor from AmericasMart president Jeff Portman last “It’s got great big huge windows in the back month in Atlanta. and high ceilings.” In addition, the Ann Gish store also comes with another 3,000 SEE SPECIALTY PAGE 8
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Upscale Department Stores Tiptoe in Textiles BY JENNIFER WHITE KARP NEW YORK — The affluent consumer has a variety of department store locations to choose from when she needs to pick up another pair of shoes or slacks, but when it comes to upscale bedding or other high-end home textiles, it is a different story. While retailers Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Saks and Lord & Taylor appear to target roughly the same type of apparel shopper, when it comes to brick-andmortar stores, the home textile category is largely being ceded to Bloomingdale’s. Bloomingdale’s, a division of Macy’s Inc., operates 41 Bloomingdale’s department stores with 32 carrying an array of home furnishings deeper and broader than its competitors, and that’s by design. Joe Laneve, gmm and svp of home furnishings, sees Bloomingdale’s home department as setting it apart from the pack.
Nordstrom shows bedding from its house brand, At Home Nordstrom.
The retailer makes a deep investment in selling home textiles in its stores, and Laneve says the bet pays off, generating high revenue. That approach appears to be Bloomingdale’s alone, for now. Lord & Taylor opened a new home furnishings showcase last fall in its flagship location on Fifth Avenue and is preparing to test the
NYIGF Market Week Preview NEW YORK — At the summer edition of the bi-annual New York International Gift Fair this month, there will be several new additions. Among them will be the integration of the Gourmet Housewares Show into NYIGF, new product-focused “neighborhoods” in several divisions and continued refinement of existing categories. Also in store is the return of NY Newest, which will see an influx of some 200 new companies from 17 countries debuting new gift, home and lifestyle products, and a repositioned Handmades section that presents two collections of handcrafted merchandise – Handmade Designer Maker and Handmade Global. At left, the Union Jack Pillow is a new addition to Softline Home Fashions Travel Collection. The collection is made of organic jute and is available in feather down. See pages 12-15 for more introductions at this month’s New York Gift Fair and Home Textiles Market Week.
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| Vol. 32, No. 19 | $8.00
SEE FACE PAGE 9
Inside This Issue First Carole Sloan Scholar Named............................... page 2 Luxe Life ......................................... page 4 New Kids on the Block .................. page 4 Lord & Taylor Goes Deeper into Home ......................... page 9 More Positives Than Negatives in July ........................... page 22 Spa Goes Poof................................ page 26
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Retail Briefs Target Unfurls BTS/BTC Promotions
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side from the usual school supplies, dorm décor and apparel, Target’s Back-To-School/College promotions this year also include customizable shopping lists, online deals and digital care packages. In social media, the retailer’s “1,000 Likes” promotion offers 40% to 50% off coupons to the first 1,000 people to “Like” a deal. Next month, Target is launching “U Care Cards” at Target.com/college so students can create wish lists and make them public. And for the 10th consecutive year, Target will host private after-hours shopping events for incoming freshmen at 66 colleges and universities, including transportation, entertainment and exclusive offers.
Sam’s Club Goes Back to College with Special Products, Memberships
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am’s Club kicked off its Back-to-School/College season with an open house event at its sites around the county for members and non-members. Among Sam’s dorm essentials assortment are towels and sheets, including an Izod four-piece sheet set priced at $49.98, as well as coffee makers and “everything mom needs to stock the dorm rooms of her college bound kids at a great value.”
Amazon Flash Site Expands into Home
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yHabit.com, Amazon’s membership-only fashion site, has launched a new home category that includes bedding and bath, home décor, accent furniture, tabletop, cookware and bakeware, small appliances, lighting, and pet accessories. Items are offered at up to 60% off. Frette is among the brands featured in the kickoff assortment, and MyHabit.com said home offerings from Jura, Missoni and Swarovski will be offering in the coming months.
New York Bloomingdale’s Revamping Bedding Department
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loomingdale’s is readying a new bedding department at its 59th Street flagship location in New York, set to open after Labor Day, according to Joe Laneve, gmm and svp of home furnishings. The new department is the result of a major renovation of 6,000 square feet of selling space on the 7th floor. Updated designer bedding shops will include Ralph Lauren, Hudson Park, Barbara Barry, Vera Wang, Pratesi, Sferra and Frette.
Lowe’s promotes Reeves
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ome improvement chain Lowe’s Companies Inc. has promoted M. Lee Reeves to the posts of senior vice president, deputy general counsel and assistant secretary. He continues to report to Gaither Keener, executive vp, general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer. In his new role, Reeves’ responsibilities include leading the corporate transactions, intellectual property and information technology legal teams.
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August 8, 2011
News
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Blissliving Home Looks to Argentina for Inspiration R OCKVILLE , M D . — Argentina
provides the inspiration for Blissliving Home’s lastest collection, which will be shown during the upcoming New York International Gift Fair. “We’ve borrowed tints from colonial mansions, terracotta and sandstone, mineral hues, slategreen river rocks, and vast blue sky. Bold strokes of Buenos Aires’ internationally renowned graffiti artists partner with craft-inspired construction,” says Mei Xu, creator and ceo of Blissliving Home. The Evita duvet set employs a graphic lace motif in shades of golf, olive and slate. The Recoleta duvet set features bold-patterned stripes. Both have coordinating shower curtains. Tango Lace cotton sheets are hued in glacial ice with a generous antique gold flounce. The Paulo Coverlet is a hand pickstitched grid of dark olive velvet, contrasted by hand sewn moss cross-stitches. The Argentine theme is carried through a variety of decorative pillows as well as table linens and kitchen textiles. HTT
Blissliving Home’s Evita set
First Carole Sloan Scholar Named NEW YORK —Nancy Fischetti, a
fifth-semester student majoring in Home Products Development at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), has been named the first Carole Sloan Scholar by the college. Fischetti received $2,500 for achieving the highest GPA in the Home Products Development (HPD) program. The award is named for Carole Sloan, longtime editor and writer for Home Textiles Today and Furniture Today, who passed away this past January. “We gratefully acknowledge the generous gifts received from industry colleagues and members of Executives Working in Home Textiles that made it possible to exceed the $2,500 needed to award the scholarship this year,” said Ingrid Johnson, acting chair of Home Products
Development. Stephen Pond, founder of Home Textiles Today and Furniture Today, donated $50,000 to create the endowment. He has challenged the industry to match his gift so the Carole Sloan Fund can reach its goal of $105,000. Johnson added, “When we first met with Nancy Fischetti to discuss the Home Products Development program, she was unsure she would do well in it because of its challenging nature. Nancy has proven her worth very well. She is a perfectionist who constantly challenges herself to excel. A great team player, she gives her all to her work, the department, and the HPD Club.” Fischetti commented, “As a Home Products Development major, I am continuously chal-
lenged and motivated to work hard. I want to thank my professors for their guidance and support in helping me reach my goals. I am proud to be part of the Home Products family and the FIT community.” Tax-deductible contributions to the fund can be made to the FIT Foundation, Fashion Institute of Technology, 227 West 27 Street, Room C204, New York, NY 10001. Please note “Carole Sloan Scholar Fund” on the check. For additional information, contact Terry Culver, FIT director of Development at (212) 217-4109. FIT’s program in Home Products Development-the only one of its kind in the world-offers studies in both hard furnishings and accessories and soft textile line classifications leading to a Bachelor of Science degree. HTT
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> hometextilestoday.com
OPINIONTodaY New Kids on the Block
Luxe Life
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HE GOOD N E WS for home textiles exhibitors heading into the New York International Gift Fair/ New York Home Textiles Week at mid-month is that luxury shoppers are buying robustly. Despite the miniscule gains to the overall economy, Master Card Advisors Spending Pulse reported 10 consecutive months of growth for the broad luxury sector. The New York Times heralded the phenomenon last week with the headline: “Even Marked Up, Luxury EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Goods Fly Off Shelves.” So much for uncertainly…at least at the top of the heap. Now that the ladies who lunch are hopping onto to waiting lists for $9,000 Chanel coats and dropping big bucks on designer handbags, one hopes they may be ready to spiff up their various homes. We’ll see how suppliers are positioning themselves when the NYIGF gets underway. A preliminary look at new product suggests a firm swing back in the direction of quality – higher raw materials costs not withstanding. The event is welcoming back several suppliers who sat it out during the worst of the economic downturn as well as several first-timers, perhaps an indication the vendor side of the industry feels the climate is improving in the luxury home sector. Two years ago, in the teeth of the recession, it was quite a different story, with a number of top-tier home textiles firms introducing “opening price point” luxury goods. Of course, the story coming out of the fall 2010 and winter 2011 markets was that retailers were buying again – but only because they’d been running such lean inventories that they had to. If retailers buy this time around because they want to, that will be a very good sign indeed. HTT
Jennifer Marks
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H E MOV E B Y Lord & Taylor — nee Home Outfitters out of Canada — to open a few home superstore tests in New Jersey over the next few weeks has got to be one of the most interesting developments on the retail scene in quite some time. Home Outfitters, owned by Warren the same Hudson’s Bay parent as Lord & Taylor (they Shoulberg company were the guys who also bought PUBLISHER/ Fortunoff out of bankruptcy and EDITORIAL DIRECTOR ended up liquidating it, but hey, that’s ancient retail history), has been variously called the Bed Bath & Beyond of Canada, a moniker that I assume does not sit all that well with the Triple B Boys. Its entry into the U.S. market represents the first real affront to Bed Bath since the demise of the late, usually unlamented Linens’n Things a few years back. (And if you find a certain irony in the fact that an operation that in shorthand goes by L&T is taking not only the cosmic space but apparently the physical space too of one called LNT, well, just consider it one of those wonderful little ironies the universe is so good at supplying from time to time.) However, let’s not attach too much significance to these openings. Bed Bath is a monster, and if you look at the retailing scene in almost any general merchandising classification, there is just one dominant player left in a space, be it Bed Bath, Best Buy or Macy’s. Taking on the big dog is no easy task, and BBB’s bark is as ferocious as its bite. This represents a challenge for vendors who have been selling Home Outfitters programs in Cana-
da similar to the assortments they supply to BBB in the United States. Now that each is moving into the other’s territories — Bed Bath has several Canadian stores with plans for lots more — vendors are left with some sticky situations about how to deal with exclusivities and key products. It will take some sorting out, and while big stores generally don’t play very well with other big stores, one would think having the right merchandise that somebody else carries is better than having the wrong merchandise that’s all yours. I’ve always said that this whole exclusive thing is fine … except when you consider that the flip side of exclusive is exclusion and if your merchandising strategy is based on punishing suppliers who sell their best selling products to multiple customers, there’s something wrong with that plan. If you remember the original Marshall Field (the person, not the store) quote, it was “Give the lady what she wants,” not “Give the lady what you want.” So, we’ll see how this whole retail invasion works out. Lord & Taylor is also opening limited home assortments in a few of its core branch stores, following the launch at its Fifth Avenue flagship. As you’ll read about elsewhere in this issue, guys like Nordstrom, Neiman and Saks are still trying to find their way in the home business. Whatever the outcome, new stores coming into the marketplace is a good thing. It’s good for consumers, who have more choices. It’s good for suppliers, who have more outlets to sell their products into, hopefully opening up assortments. And it’s even good for existing retailers, who now have competition to keep them on their toes. And it’s sure going to be fascinating to watch, so that’s good for me, too? HTT
8/5/2011 3:01:23 PM
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Home Textiles Today
August 8, 2011
News
> hometextilestoday.com
tag Readies New Textiles Collections C HICAGO — Trade Associates Group, Ltd. (tag) will show two new, unique, home textile collections during Home Textiles Market Week/New York Gift Week at 7W in New York City in August. tag commissioned Santa Fe textiles designer Bianca Dresner to create a southwest-inspired collection of tablecloths, placemats, runners, nap-
kins and towels called “It’s All About Color.” The collection includes striped patterns and solid colors, as well as several waffl e weave and jacquard items. tag designers also tapped artisans in Jaipur, India, who create hand block printed textiles for a new collection called “Cedar Lake.” Each pattern is hand pressed by skilled crafts-
men in repeated applications using a carved wooden printing block roughly the size of a hardcover book. The collection inlcudes tablecloths, napkins, runners, towels and placemats. The new collections and other new items will be shown in tag’s 7W showroom. Fall and holiday themed collections will be shown in the Javits Center at booth 3458. HTT tag commissioned Santa Febased textiles designer Bianca Dresner to create a Southwestinspired collection of tablecloths, placemats, runners, napkins and towels.
IFDA to Host Color Seminar at NYIGF
N EW YORK — New York City’s
International Furnishings & Design Association (IFDA) is inviting industry players to attend a special seminar next month on color theory and its practical applications during the upcoming New York International Gift Fair ans Home Textiles Market Week. Three experts are scheduled to give presentations at the event, which is scheduled for Aug.15 starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center here. Eve Ashcraft, professional colorist and author of “The Right Color,” will explore color selection and its impact on surroundings. Linda Holtzschue, interior designer and author of “Understanding Color: An Introduction for Designers,” will discuss the experience of color and how light can affect it. And Shayna Kulik, brand strategist and founder of pattern pulp, will examine color in the digital sphere and its influence on product and design. The event kicks off with a networking continental breakfast, followed by the presentation and question-and-answer session from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. To RSVP, send an email to ifdany@verizon.net. Those who register on or after August 8th will be charged $40 for IFDA members and $60 for each guest, and $30 for IFDA student members and $40 for each guest. HTT
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Home Textiles Today
August 8, 2011
News
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First Monday: Specialty Retailing
Ann Gish SPECIALTY FROM PAGE 1
square feet of basement space to accommodate her ample collections and support her penchant for routinely updating her selling floor with new and different product displays. Officially open since June 9, the store is stocked with mostly Gish’s products — all of the linens are her own as well as the steel furniture pieces. But about 10% of the mix is product from other vendors, such as candlesticks, consigned artwork, “weird things I’ve found along the way like giant hands from China, interesting porcelain pieces,” and other items. Gish likes to keep the look and the feel of her store fresh, noting: “It’s really important to me to be able to constantly re-merchandise the store.” She observed that “a lot of stores are over-merchandised. But I like more to side with an emptier look. Otherwise my eyes don’t rest.” Also important to Gish is
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that all items carry price tags. “Some other stores don’t have price tags, and here everything is priced. If not, people are asking and not looking.” To that end, prices at the Ann Gish store range from “not expensive to things that are very expensive.” On the affordable side, a set of stationary called “One day at a time” is priced at $37. “And then, we have steel bed frames for $4,000 and an antique Italian wall light in the $4,000s,” Gish offered. In the linens area, price ranges stretch from about $20 for individual silk napkins through $1,900 for luxury coverlets. The product assortment in the home textiles category includes sheets, sheet sets, shams, duvets, comforters, coverlets, box spring covers, throws, decorative pillows and table lines. Two things shoppers won’t find at the store: themes or rules. “The theme is what I want to show right now,” Gish asserted. The 10 beds that occupy the selling floor — a number Gish said
Ann Gish shows her luxury linens and decor on 10 display beds.
will remain constant, adding “I don’t want it any fuller than that,” — are currently decked in a variety of styles. “Right now, we have summery beds, masculine beds, playful beds,” she explained. “But what they all have in common is a lot of attention to detail — French knots and tiny flanges and our trims are made of our own things.
It’s a clean look. Not a lot of ruffles or doodads.” It’s a style Gish can call her own because of her reluctance for rules. “I think my company is unique. In our [company] culture, we realize things are situational — that there is not black or white,” Gish explained. “I didn’t go to design school or business school or to
college. I didn’t know any rules so I didn’t know what I was breaking or not breaking. I just do what I feel is appropriate.” Gish summed: “Having a line that you can design yourself gives you a chance to honor a lot of different styles. I am definitely not down a narrow slot. I just like things that are beautiful.” HTT
8/4/2011 4:48:57 PM
News
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Face to Face SPECIALTY FROM PAGE 1
cept in a freestanding format (see sidebar). The next greatest selection of home textiles belongs to Nordstrom, which carries a tightly edited assortment of bedding, bath textiles and dec pillows in the home departments at 116 of its 215 total stores, by HTT estimate. Neiman Marcus has 41 stores, but it is not clear how many have home departments, which offer a very limited selection of textiles, mostly decorative pillows, linen napkins and placemats. And Saks labels its home furnishings assortment as a gift department; the retailer says it does not present home textiles. (Nordstrom declined to comment for this article; Neiman Marcus did not respond to requests for comment). While HTT focused on a comparison of home textiles at highend brick and mortar department stores as part of a continuing a series called “Face to Face,” comparing similar merchandising classifications at pairs of competing retailers, it bears mention that the Neiman Marcus catalog and website offers a vastly different shopping home experience from its branch locations. The website offers a deep selection of home textiles — in solid colored-sheets, for example, there are 18 collections from brands like Sferra, Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Diane Von Furstenberg and more. But bedding, let alone that depth and breadth of selection, is nowhere evident in store locations. Saks.com sells home textiles in a broad assortment on line, with for example, at least 11 bedding collections from brands Sferra and Matouk. Nordstrom.com’s home textile assortment appears to be only slightly broader than that in stores. While online, sheets are limited to three pale solid colors in
300 and 500 thread count, there is a more numerous selection of other items, like throw pillows. Kristina Westura, a director and an analyst at Telsey Advisory Group who covers department stores, said it’s all about knowing what works and for most retailers, it’s all about fashion, which has a higher margin than home. “They’re not trying to meet all needs,” Westura said. She cited a Macy’s executive, who called home “inventory intensive.” For that reason, she said, it makes sense for retailers like Neiman Marcus to offer home textiles online rather than in stores, as today’s high-end consumer is comfortable buying sheets and other bedding from the Internet. “You have to be committed to be in the home business,” said Laneve of Bloomingdale’s. A bed, for example, has so many components, from the sheets to the pillows to the duvet and so on. “And each sku has its own inventory,” he pointed out. As a result, for Bloomingdale’s, carrying home furnishings in its stores is exactly what sets it apart from its competitors, Laneve said. He said the fact that stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Saks don’t carry a large assortment of home furnishings is “an advantage for Bloomingdales.” He emphasized that sales of home furnishings are a very significant portion of Bloomingdale’s revenue, with textiles being one of the most profitable businesses in the store. “It’s a very fashion-driven business in terms of color and style in combination with major brand names,” Laneve said. These are brand names like Diane von Furstenberg and Lauren by Ralph Lauren, which the consumer sees in other parts of the store. Diane von Furstenberg linens, introduced in the spring,
Textiles at Neiman Marcus stores are largely limited to dec pillows.
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have been very successful, according to Laneve. Some of these new brands will get new homes when Bloomingdale’s flagship unveils its new bedding department at its 59th Street flagship location in September. Space devoted to home furnishings at Bloomingdale’s ranges from 18,000 to 65,000 square feet. The new department is the result of a major renovation of 6,000 square feet of selling space on the 7th floor. Updated designer bedding shops will include Ralph Lauren, Hudson Park, Barbara Barry, Vera Wang, Pratesi, Sferra and Frette. Unlike Bloomingdale’s, Saks does not carry home textiles. According to Sophia Brown, senior manager of public relations and special events, men’s & home, “We have gift departments in 20 stores. We have a strong but edited assortment with some select tabletop items included. At this time, we do not plan to carry more tabletop, bedding, linens, or house wares in the future.” However, at least at the Fifth Avenue flagship store in Manhattan, there is a MacKenzie-Childs store, with a smattering of whimsical textiles, including rugs, throw pillows and napkins, in a room of furniture and a fully-set table. The home departments at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus’s brick and mortar stores have a similar gift sensibility, rather than any comprehensive selection. Nordstrom offers more categories than Neiman Marcus, but still a very tightly edited selection. “It’s the law of dominance,” said retail consultant J’Amy Owens, retail consultant and a food retailer herself. “Nordstrom doesn’t have enough of the category to be relevant.” The retailer, she said, “is not known for home.” But, she pointed out, they’ve had “their toe in for a while with a gift assortment.” Nordstrom’s home department is for impulse buying, not destination shopping, Owens explained, a result likely of the retailer not going in depth or high-end enough for their consumer. So the department probably does not generate enough per square foot as apparel or shoes, Owens said. The centerpiece of Nordstrom’s bedding collection is its Westin Heavenly Bed, the Westin Hotels’ signature bed and bedding collection, which has been sold at Nordstrom since its launch there in 2005. By 2009, an article in USA Today about the Westin bed said that Nordstrom had sold
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Lord & Taylor Goes Deeper into home New York – At least one upscale retailer has seen enough demand to reenter the home textiles business, a move that is picking up steam. Less than a year after Lord & Taylor opened a new home furnishings showcase in its flagship location on Fifth Avenue, after an absence of 23 years from the home business, the retailer planned to open a pair of freestanding home stores in New Jersey. Last month the company advertised for store associates in Paramus and Shrewsbury, New Jersey for Lord & Taylor Home. The company operates 12 traditional Lord & Taylor stores in the state. The New Jersey stores were expected to open this month, according to The Star-Ledger newspaper. Like the 21,000-square-foot home floor on Fifth Avenue, bedding and bath are exclusively by Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. The return to home furnishings was the “result of customer requests,” Barbara Zinn-Moore, svp/gmm home, cosmetics, and gourmet, said in October. Customers want “more one-stop shopping,” she said. Lord & Taylor operates 48 stores nationwide. The company has also added home furnishings to its ecommerce recently. HTT
more than $20 million of Heavenly bedding. On a visit to the Nordstrom store at The Westchester in White Plains, N.Y, the Westin Heavenly Bed linens are sold open stock and in queen and king sets. There are 500 thread count queen flat sheets with piping for $81.90, on sale from $110. Also available are fitted sheets, euro pillow shams, bed skirts, duvet covers in solid colors ivory, lambs wool, and ballad blue. At Home Nordstrom, the house brand of bedding made in Portugal, is white with delicate pin tucks. King duvet covers were $118.90, regularly $178. Also available are shams and tweed dec pillows in colors like celery and ice. For consumers seeking organic bedding, there is Holista, 300 thread count sheets in 100% organic cotton percale. Queen sheet sets run $194 and include flat and fitted sheets and a pair of pillow cases in solid colors white, gray and moonbeam. For patterned bedding, there are subtle floral-patterns Sea Grass and Night Flower, 500 thread count sheets from Calvin Klein, sold open stock. Queen sheets were $65.90, on sale from $99. Nordstrom also offers Climbing Vine, a house-brand collection of duvet covers and shams. In pillows and comforters, Nordstrom’s down-filled standard pillows are on sale for $72.90 from $98. Down-filled queen comforters are $245.90, on sale from $328. Micromax, a Down alternative, comes in standard pillows for $49.90, regularly $68; and queen comforters, $147.90, previously $198. To warm up, there are also
throws in plush and acrylic for $51.90, down from $78, and chunky cable-knit for $51.90, down from $78 and animal-patterned pillows for $146.90, from $198. Rounding out the textile assortment are cotton bath rugs in two sizes and 10 solid colors and coordinating towels in four sizes. The assortment of textiles at Neiman Marcus at The Westchester is limited to a small assortment of decorative pillows and tabletop textiles like placemats and napkins. In terms of the brands they carry, Nordstorm and Neiman Marcus are very different, Nordstrom is classic luxury from big national brands while Neiman Marcus is upscale bohemian, with artistic but less known (at least to the masses) brands like Anke Dreschsel, Kim Seybert and Andrienne Landau, as well as an assortment of Mackenzie-Childs built around a set table. The decorative pillows at Neiman Marcus feature more embellishment, especially embroidery, and prices that are higher than the cost of entire bedding sets at other retailers. For example, decorative pillows with embroidery from Anke Dreschel range from $225 to $385. Furry little Mongolian pillows from Adrienne Landau are priced at $95 for a 9-by-12 to $395 for a 20-by-20. But inventory is limited and the selection is very small. “These retailers are being wideeyed and sober,” said Owens. “It’s clear they’re not going to own the market. In retailing today, if you look at the cost of inventory, it’s not a big mystery. These retailers can’t afford to do more. All they are doing is nipping around the edges.” HTT
8/4/2011 5:00:29 PM
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Home Textiles Today
August 8, 2011
News
> hometextilestoday.com
AmericasMart Industry Vet Sydney Retires ATLANTA — -AmericasMart Cen-
ter veteran Chas Sydney retired last month from his post as senior vp after more than three decades with the company. Sydney is credited with leading the area rug franchise and its predecessors throughout his 31year career at the Mart. Jeffrey Portman Sr., presi-
dent and coo of AmericasMart Atlanta and its AMC Inc. parent entity, said: “We were a very different company in 1980 when Chas first signed on. And we are a much better company today because of his incredible sales skills, his customer service commitment, and his long, hard work over these last three
decades.” Sydney’s retirement coincided with the conclusion of the July 2011 Atlanta International Area Rug Market and the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. “When you truly love what you do, how hard you work or how long you work doesn’t mat-
ter,” said Sydney. “What matters is what you’ve accomplished, the differences you’ve made and what you leave. I want to thank AMC and the Portman family for giving me the opportunity to do my best for many years. It’s been a great run.” Replacing Sydney is Kevin Malkiewicz, AMC’s newest vice
president. He assumes all leasing and management responsibilities for the Mart’s area rug product center, which occupies more than 350,000 square feet of space on the third through sixth floors in Building One. Mike Turnbull, AMC senior vice president for strategic relations, continues in his role as area rug industry liaison with chief responsibility for sustaining the Oriental Rug Importers Association (ORIA)-AmericasMart Atlanta alliance. “Kevin has helped lead our area rug and home furnishings business for more than 12 years. He is well prepared for this role and will undoubtedly reinforce AmericasMart’s commitment to the Oriental Rug Importers Association (ORIA), the rug business at AMC and the continued unparalleled customer service to the area rug industry,” Sydney said. Sydney said he plans to continue to work with AMC as a consultant on a variety of initiatives. HTT
Liz Claiborne Exec is New ceo for Lands’ End HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. — Sears
Holdings, parent company of Lands’ End, has hired Edgar Huber as the division’s ceo and president. He was most recently executive vp for global business development at Liz Claiborne Inc. Prior to that, he was president and ceo for Juicy Couture from 2008 to February of this year. He held a variety of senior roles over the course of 15 years at L’Oreal, overseeing a portfolio of brands and leading the luxury products group in more than 30 markets in Europe and Russia. He began his career at L’Oreal USA as a brand manager. He will be based at Lands’ End’s home office in Dodgeville, Wis. HTT
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1. SDH Collection is introducing Ruby & Lino bedding. Lino is a yarn-dyed twill blanket, woven in Italy of cotton and linen. Ruby is a yarn dyed jacquard blanket, woven in Italy of cotton and linen and made to coordinate with the Lino twill. 2. Sleepwell is showing Cynthia, a 10-piece bedding set. This comforter features a large-scale modern botanical print that reverses to a green-and-brown double pin stripe design. 3. Soup Home, which uses certified organic and sustainable materials, is showing the new “Blue” collection of multi-textured topof-bed and sheeting.
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4. Textillery is bringing a bevy of new fabrications to market, including this masculine plaid. 5. String Theory’s new 201 throw is constructed of 65% cotton, 28% baby alpaca and 12% bamboo. Designed by Meghan Price in Montreal, the jacquard was woven at The Oriole Mill in Hendersonville, N.C. 6. Malpaca’s eco-friendly sleep pillows are handcrafted and filled with 100% U.S. alpaca with a natural-colored organic bamboo fabric cover and an organic bamboo label. 7. Microtex is introducing a new collection of embossed and abstract floral throws and matching pillows that are made of a light plush fabric with faux mink backing. 8. Mata Traders is expanding beyond women’s apparel into the new Mata Home program with a limited edition line that includes pillow shams, bed runners, table runners, placemats, napkins, a Christmas tree skirt and holiday ornaments. 9. Bliss Living Home does some globetrotting with two opulent and complementing collections of dec pillows and duvet covers — Argentina and Belgravia, respectively. 10. Kevin O’Brien Studio’s new Silhouette Embroidered Pillow collection includes this Lady design in taupe and powder blue on a linen ground with a silk velvet appliqué and metal embroidery threads. 11. Cuddledown’s new Exclusive Design throw pillows are available in a variety of intricately embroidered designs, including this Japanese design, Geisha, which is made on a natural 100% cotton twill pillow cover. 12. Ox Bow Décor’s new fish-themed dec pillows are made in Massachusetts of 100% linen with cotton inserts containing 95% feathers and 5% down. Designs are based on old European images, and include the history and folklore on each tag. 13. Oromono’s new Orchid collection of dec pillows is handmade in England, individually hand cut and sewn to achieve floral three-dimensional designs. Made of 100% woven wool from local mills in the U.K., all pillows are handmade to order at the company’s London studio. 14. Newport Layton’s new Woodland decorative pillow collection, seen here in the ruby colorway, is made of 100% cotton with a printed face with a coordinating back and cord embellishment. 15.
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15. Rennie & Ross is showing its new Frank Lloyd Wright B. Harley Bradley House table runner and placemats collection, which was adapted from the drawing of a rug design for the living room of the eponymous house.
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1. Vietri’s Terra 2 Linens collection, made of a heavy-weight cotton, is being expanded to include new colors.
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2. Shine Handmade is introducing handmade table toppers and table runners in vibrant colors and designs, as seen here. 3. Rough Linen’s Orkney table linens collection includes this rough linen napkin wrapped around a smooth white linen napkin, which coordinate with tablecloths and placements. 4. LinenMe’s Brittany table linen collection comprises 100% linen pieces made of garment-washed linen for a soft and rustic look. It is available in more than 10 colors. 5. Wolfum’s new assortment of twill napkins and placemats as well as Baltic birch coasters and chargers are handmade in Los Angeles using a custom printing technique that was developed exclusively for the company. 6. C & F Enterprises sets the table with more than 15 new patterns, including Montpellier, a classic design available in placemats, aprons, oven mitts, pot holders, table runners, soft window treatments and luxurious bedding. 7. Creative Women’s latest offering of imported handmade home textiles from Ethiopia includes the Unexpected Burlap collection of hand-woven table linens, which are made of two textured silks. 8. Chilewich achieves a natural fabric feel on the new Rib Weave collection of table linens, which is made from synthetic fibers in a chunky construction. 9. Secrets de Provence is making its debut in the U.S. market after 30 years of manufacturing textiles for other countries with the launch of several new table linens collections, including the Anthemis collection. 10. Third Drawer Down, distributed by Fotofolio, is showing the Du Pasquier kitchen and table linens collection, which includes an array of designs interpreted on tea towels, napkins and placemats. 18
11. Studiopatro’s new line of eco-conscious tea towels is made of 100% oatmeal linen, designed and hand-printed in San Francisco. 12. Chortex USA is showing the Royal Ascot collection of 100% Supima cotton bath ensembles, spanning bath sheets, bath towels, hand towels and wash cloths. 13. Michaelian and Kohlberg is launching a new collection of hand-block printed and silk-screened fabrics by the yard, handmade of a linen and cotton blend in India. 14. Peacock Alley evokes a quaint beach town on Florida’s west coast with the new Captiva collection of 100% cotton casual woven throws that are knit with striped border. 15. Jovi Home is adding a varied selection of area rugs in organic designs and a new summer palette. 16. Soggy Doggy says “Soggy Paws Stop Here!” with a new microfiber chenille doormat the company claims can absorbs five times more water than regular cotton doormats. 17.The French Farm is showing its new Jean Vier tea towel collection, which is woven of natural cotton in the Basque Country. It is available in a broad array of colors. 18. Protect-A-Bed’s new Bug Lock mattress and box spring protection product is designed to protect bedding against bed bugs.
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Summer 2011 Rug Preview Area rug suppliers are giving retail buyers a reason to attend the various markets this summer. Their latest batch of soft floor covering offerings demonstrate varied sources of inspiration but similar efforts to execute design innovatively. From Ikats to fine art paintings to foreign lands to nature’s subtleties, the gallery of new rug styles demonstrates how suppliers are broadening their design scope, looking for beauty in sometimes unexpected places to then reinterpret it for the floor. Blue and gray shades are this season’s anchor palettes with the help of more saturated neutral like taupes and browns. Brighter pops of color – bright corals, crimsons and chartreuse -are still important, except in less overt ways. HTT
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3 1. Surya Inc. is introducing the Matmi collection of classic Ikat fabricinspired looks interpreted in bold and contemporary color palettes. The rugs are made of 100% wool and are hand-tufted in India. 2. Orian Rugs is building its Carolina Wild collection of sophisticated woven shag rugs with new colors and styles. Made in a thick 35mm pile height, these rugs are made in the USA of 100% olefin. 3. Capel Rugs is taking the animal skins trend to contemporary heights with this new interpretation dubbed Wildlife Zebra. Made in Belgium, this olefin-and-polypropylene blended rug comes in other skin styles and colors. 4. Rizzy Home is showing its Country collection of hand-tufted loop rugs made of New Zealand wool-blend in India. 5. Company C commissioned artist Jennifer Hansen to paint an abstract scenic oil painting to recreate it on this hooked and tufted wool rug titled Landscape, seen here in the crimson colorway. 6. Peking Handicraft broadens the scope of the holidays with several new hooked novelty accent rugs by artist Scott Church, whose work depicts animals in festive scenes, like these elephants toting a Christmas tree.
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1. Angela Adams’ Sea Fantasy design depicts a vivid underwater scene on a hand-tufted 100% New Zealand wool construction. The piece can be used as a rug or wall tapestry. 2. Momeni is looking to reach a meditative state with a new collection of natural-fiber rugs called Zen. The rugs are hand-tufted of 100% wool with bamboo silk highlights. 3. Safavieh’s latest Martha Stewart-branded offerings include an Oriental field of poppies in bloom. This intricate 100% wool rug, a canvas of cut-pile blossoms on a loop-pile background, is hand-knotted in India. 4. The Creative Touch is showing an assortment of contemporary hand-knotted rugs made of wool, such as Blue Modern, which is part of the company’s Ikat collection. 5. C&F Enterprises is introducing more than 20 new accent rug designs spanning coastal, nautical and lodge as well as harvest and spring styles.
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1. Jaipur Rugs’ new Barcelona collection of indoor and outdoor rugs is hand-hooked from 100% polypropylene. Designs, like Figuera here, and draws inspiration from the Catalan region in Spain’s northern Mediterranean coast. 2. Oriental Weavers’ Salerno collection of Persian patterns spans antique palettes through contemporary color stories to offer a range of interpretations on these machine-woven 100% space-dyed nylon rugs manufacturer in the United States. 3. Nourison takes its cues from nature’s organic lines to create the new Contour collection of hand-tufted area rugs in transitional and contemporary patterns in rich palettes. Design details are carved deeply into the dense, cut-and-loop pile for a dramatic texture and bold contrast on these 100% polyester rugs that are made in China. 4. 828 International Trading Co.’s Sienna collection of floral rugs is blooming with several new designs that feature flowers set on two-toned backgrounds for a space-dyed look on a 100% polyester hand-hooked construction. 5. Karastan Rugs takes wisteria vines in shades of plum and camel and lets them meander across a taupe field in this new addition – Forest Hills Taupe – to its Wilton-woven, USA-made Carmel collection of nylon rugs. 6. Kalaty Rugs’ new Echo collection of modern geometric rugs comprises tone-on-tone patterns on a handcrafted and hand-carved 100% wool construction. 7. Dynamic Rugs’ new Dynamak collection employs a construction the company created to offer the look of hand-woven Soumaks but at aggressive retail prices. Handmade in India of 100% wool yarn, the rugs are flat woven with pile thickness and the backing strength of hand-tufted rugs and feature traditional Oriental and transitional designs.
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BUSINESS TodaY More Positives Than Negatives in July BY CECILE B. CORRAL N E W YO R K — Dillard’s and
Duckwall-Alco continued climbing the comp-sales ranks in July while some that typically dominate, like Kohl’s, took a back seat over the four-week period. Although Dillard’s was the one of the biggest gainers with comps up 6.0%, home was not a sales driver last month. In fact, Dillard’s said sales in the home and furniture category were significantly below trend. However, Duckwall-Alco cited domestics as among several categories that contributed to its 10.6% same-store sales gain. “Six consecutive months of positive sales performance have given Duckwall-Alco a solid growth trend for the first half of this fiscal year. This achievement is a result of improved merchandise assortments, stronger value proposition, and better customer service,” said Rich Wilson, presi-
10.0%
value-focused customers continues to drive healthy traffic to our stores,” added Balmuth. Also once again exceeding expectations in July was Macy’s, which attributed its 6.7% comp increase to strong store and online sales at both Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. “This is especially encouraging given the comparison to our robust same-store sales perfor-
WINNERS AND LOSERS Same-store sales % change
WINNERS Dillard’s Duckwall-ALCO Ross Stores BJ’s Wholesale Club Macy’s Target Corp.
9.0% 7.6% 7.0% 5.4% 5.0% 4.1%
LOSERS Kohl’s Corp. The Bon-Ton Stores Stein Mart Fred’s
(4.6)% (1.6)% (1.5)% (0.5)%
4.6%
8.5%
2011 year-over-year
7.0% 5.5%
JULY SALES FOR KEY RETAILERS Four weeks ended June 30, 2011 (dollar amounts in millions) a
b
BJ’s Wholesale Club The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. Costco Wholesale Corp. d e Dillard’s Inc. Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. Fred’s Inc. J. C. Penney Company Inc. Kohl’s Corp. Macy’s Inc. Ross Stores Inc. Stein Mart Inc. Target Corp. The TJX Companies Inc.
2011 SALES
2010 SALES
TOTAL % CHG.
$854.8 $173.6 $6,740.0 $458.5 $33.2 $129.7 $1,173.0 $1,122.0 $1,612.0 $635.0 $104.5 $4,840.0 $1,600.0
$760.9 $177.6 $5,860.0 $425.2 $30.8 $129.0 $1,161.0 $1,156.0 $1,525.0 $573.0 $107.2 $4,585.0 $1,500.0
12.4 (2.3) 15.0 8.0 7.6 1.0 1.0 (2.9) 5.7 11.0 (2.5) 5.6 8.0
SAME-STORE % CHG.
5.4 (1.6) 3.0 9.0 7.6 (0.5) 3.3 (4.6) 5.0 7.0 (1.5) 4.1 4.0
26 WEEKS BJ’s Wholesale Club c The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. Costco Wholesale Corp. f Dillard’s Inc. Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. Fred’s Inc. J. C. Penney Company Inc. Kohl’s Corp. Macy’s Inc. Ross Stores Inc. Stein Mart Inc. Target Corp. The TJX Companies Inc.
2011 SALES
2010 SALES
$5,753.9 $1,245.4 $80,180.0 $2,885.5 $236.2 $937.1 $7,849.0 $8,410.0 $11,829.0 $4,164.0 $506.5 $31,475.0 $10,700.0
$4,444.5 $1,270.0 $70.4 $2,790.5 $221.1 $921.1 $7,867.0 $8,135.0 $11,111.0 $3,847.0 $506.9 $30,284.0 $10,100.0
TOTAL % CHG.
SAME-STORE % CHG.
10.5 (1.9) 14.0 3.0 6.8 2.0 (0.2) 3.4 6.5 8.0 (0.1) 3.9 6.0
3.1 (1.4) 5.0 4.0 5.2 0.4 2.7 1.6 5.9 4.0 0.7 2.9 3.0
4.0% 2.5% 1.0% -0.5% -2.0%
July Same-Store Sales Johnson Redbook Index
-3.5% -5.0%
a. Reporting periods vary from chain to chain. b. These comp results exclude the impact of gasoline. Including a contribution from sales of gasoline, merchandise comps increased in the month by 9.2%. c. These comp results exclude the positive impact from sales of gasoline. Including a contribution from gas sales, merchandise comps increased year to date by 7.1%. d. Total sales results in July include sales from the company’s Mexico joint venture; without those sales, the increase year to date by 12.0%. e. These comp results are for the U.S. division and do not include Costco’s Mexico operations or the positive impacts of inflation in
gasoline prices and strengthening foreign currencies. Including those impacts, comps for the month were up 6.0% in the U.S. division, 22.0% in the international division, and 10.0% for the total company. f. Because it is on a different fiscal calendar than the other key retailers on this list, Costco’s year-to-date sales and comp results reflect the past 48-week period. Year-to-date comp results here are for the U.S. division and do not include Costco’s Mexico oprations or the positive impact of inflation in gasoline and strengthening foreign currencies. Including those impacts, comps were up 7.0% in the U.S., 16.0% in the international division, and 10.0% for the total company.
JUl AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL Source: Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Average, a unit of Instinet, a Reuters company.
dent and ceo. “Sales growth was balanced across many categories in the store, including apparel, consumables, electronics, housewares, domestics and outdoor furniture.” Ross Stores turned in betterthan-expected July and secondquarter sales with monthly comp up 5.0%, said Michael Balmuth, vice chairman and ceo. “Our ability to capitalize on our strong position as an off-price retailer by delivering a wide array of name brand bargains to today’s
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mance in July and second quarter last year,” said Terry Lundgren, chairman, president and ceo. Online sales for macys.com and bloomingdales.com combined were up 36.7% in July and 39.2% in the first half of 2011. The company’s online sales positively affected its same-store sales by 1.3 percentage points in the year to date. Target’s July sales were “at the high end of our expected range,” said Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and ceo. The boost was
driven by commodity while the home business was down slightly overall, with housewares performing the best within the category and decorative home the softest. Steinhafel noted, “Back-toschool sales are off to a solid start, contributing to our confidence in the strategies we have in place.” The TJX Companies said its 4% consolidated comparable store sales increase in July exceeded expectations. Same-store sales were up 5.0% in The Marmaxx Group, its largest division, where comparable
store sales increased 5% in July. HomeGoods’ comps were up 3.0% in July, over a 6.0% comp increase in the same period last year. In its Canadian division, which includes Winners and HomeSense, home outperformed apparel last month. Looking ahead, ceo Carol Meyrowitz said, “We are in an excellent position entering the third quarter, with great back-to-school apparel and dorm room assortments for our customers at great values. The marketplace is full of quality product, and we will be
utilizing our flexibility to take advantage of these opportunities.” Home was not cited among best performing merchandise divisions in July at JCPenney, where comps rose 2.0%. Rival Kohl’s posted a 4.6% comp decline following a strong performance in June. But overall gross margins were better than planned, said Kevin Mansell, chairman, president and ceo. “Early indications of customer reaction to higher apparel prices are in line with our expectations in terms of unit demand.” HTT
8/4/2011 4:01:57 PM
The Big Party Just Got Bigger
Join us for the all-new
MARKET KICK-OFF PARTY At its new location, Bar Basque at the Eventi Hotel, just two short blocks from the Fifth Avenue showroom buildings Sunday, September 18, 6-8pm
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PEOPLETodaY
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Momeni Promotes Three C ARLSTADT, N.J. — Family-run contemporary rug house Momeni has promoted two executives in its sales team and promoted a third to lead the company’s online development efforts. Stephen Hoberman, who has been at Momeni for the past two years, has been promoted to national sales manager from his prior post of national accounts manager. He is now charged with managing and expanding Mome-
ni’s national sales organization into new and existing avenues of business. Angela Chu-Petta, who has been with the company for more than four years — most recently as account manager — is filling Hoberman’s former post of national accounts development manager. She now reports to Hoberman. And filling the newly created post of internet development manager is Ty
Strader, who has been with Momeni for three years, most recently serving as an account executive. In this role, Strader will play a key role in developing Momeni’s e-commerce business for the company. He, too, reports to Hoberman. In related news, Momeni announced the exit of its longtime vp of sales, Austin Craley, who resigned last month. HTT
Frette Appoints New Chief Executive Officer MONZA, MILAN, ITALY — Longtime lux-
ury linens international source Frette has appointed Laurence Franklin as its new ceo. The more than 150-year-old company said Franklin brings to his new post more than 25 years of career experience in international management in the fashion, cosmetics and accessories industries. “Franklin has a consistent record of creating successful, high performing
businesses and valued brands, and working constructively with private equity and institutional investors,” Frette noted. As ceo, he will work closely with Jeff Hansen, partner of JH Partners, Frette’s controlling shareholder and chairman of the company. Franklin started his career at Peat Marwick Mitchell in finance and accounting, and then moved to the management consulting services group at Price Waterhouse & Co. in New York. In 1986, he
joined Tumi Inc. where, through 1992, he helped direct the emerging brand through a ten-fold growth rate that saw it develop as a leader in its sector. In 1993, Franklin became president of Coach Leatherware. In 1996 he became general manager and executive vp of the cosmetics businesses of Unilever, managed through the Elizabeth Arden division. Then in 1999, he rejoined Tumi — first as president and then in 2002 as its ceo. HTT
Capel Names Hancox Account Exec TROY, N.C. — Capel Rugs has named
Cara Hancox account executive for Quebec, Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. As the company’s Canadian sales representative, Hancox will service dealers and designers in these territories. Hancox has a strong background in design and home furnishings product
sales. In her position, she will educate customers about the selection, quality and value of Capel products. She will be based in Ottawa and report directly to Allen Robertson, Capel’s vice president of sales. She also represents Barrymore Furniture in these markets. “We look forward to the service that
she will provide to our customers in these markets,” said Robertson. “Her experience in home furnishings sales and as a designer makes her an ideal candidate.” Hancox said, “I am looking forward to working with such a strong product presentation that Capel offers the marketplace.” HTT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Marks 10 Ocean Blvd #8B Atlantic Highlands, N.J. 07716 (732) 204-2012 | jnegley@hometextilestoday.com PRODUCT 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 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Warren Shoulberg (646) 805-0226 | wshoulberg@hometextilestoday.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
Greg Tarver Exits Robert Allen N E W YO R K — Greg Tarver
stepped down as president and coo of The Robert Allen Group, effective July 22. “I’m considering several options and fully plan to remain in the home textiles industry,” Tarver told HTT. “While I’ll miss the Robert
GREG TARVER
Allen team tremendously, it was definitely time for me to move on to another thing.” Ta r v e r j oi n e d R o b e r t Allen in June 2003 and became president and coo a year ago. Prior to joining Robert Allen, he was a senior vp at WestPoint Stevens, hav-
ing spent most of his career in bed and bath products. “I continue to be very passionate about our line of work and can’t imagine working in another industry,” he said. “Tremendous potential exists to grow business, especially with so exciting new technologies and mediums, and I plan to be part of it.” HTT
Cynthia McCloskey Joins Perfect Fit CHARLOTTE , N.C. — Perfect Fit Industries has hired Cynthia McCloskey as senior product manager, a newly created position. She reports directly to Carmen
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Waite, senior vp of marketing and product development. McCloskey will lead the development of innovative products in as the company continues to expand its offerings across a wide range of cat-
egories.Before joining Perfect Fit, she worked as merchandising director for Springs Creative Products Group in Rock Hill, S.C. and director of merchandising for Ameritex here. HTT
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26
Home Textiles Today
August 8, 2011
News
> hometextilestoday.com
Spa Goes Poof NEW YORK — The explosion of
“hotel” quality bedding at mass retail prior to the recession was accompanied in bath by the rise of “spa” quality towels — thick, lush and heavy enough to cause back strain pulling them out of the washer. But a quick perusal of major retailer’s bath towel offerings suggests that the cotton crisis ultimately knocked the stuffing out of the spa trend – at least as far as bath towels are concerned. There are no “spa” towels available at Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s or Kohl’s ecommerce sites. Target has a single offering: Target Spa Home Towel,
made of cotton/rayon, with a three-piece set selling for the decidedly un-spa-like price of $17.99. JCPenney has an embellished towel featuring sea shells going by the name “Spa Shells,” but it doesn’t really fit the concept of a spa towel. Only Bed Bath & Beyond remains in the spa towel game – and with three offerings: • Elizabeth Arden (by London Luxury) at $19.99 for a bath towel; • Croscill Spa at $17.99; • Hotel Spa at $16.99. “I think retailers lost their taste for ‘spa’ quality towels because the quality of the ‘spa’ towels deteriorated so much
in the stores over the last two to three years,” said Eric Vergucht, longtime bath exec and
“I think retailers lost their taste for ‘spa’ quality towels because the quality of the ‘spa’ towels deteriorated so much in the stores.” — ERIC VERGUCHT, Chortex now head of Chortex’s U.S. business. The company will make its New York International Gift Fair debut with an Oxford Ribbed Towel Vergucht described as “a real spa quality
towel.” The one place spa towels haven’t been de-speced into oblivion? The spa segment of the hospitality industry. Towellers has been selling into the spa business for several years, and while the sector’s growth as a channel peaked about five years ago, spas did not pull back on quality during the recession, according to Mahjabeen Obaid, one of the company’s principals. “If you check into the Four Seasons, you expect a certain quality,” she said. “You are still paying $150 for a massage.” Home Source International also found its spa customers standing firm on quality.
“As a matter of fact, we have found that the spa hospitality projects we’re engaged in have gone more upscale as it is a key differentiation for a hotel to set itself apart for a relatively inexpensive way to bring great comfort to its guests by pampering them with top quality product,” said Keith Sorgeloos, president and ceo. “Business was difficult for the hospitality sector during the recession, but we did not see a flight from quality during the recession.” According to the International Spa Association’s 2010 survey of the industry, 85% of spas follow eco-friendly practices and buy eco-friendly or organic products. HTT
CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED Shipping/Receiving/EDI Manger 35 year importer of home textiles seeks shipping manager with the following qualifications; -Minimum 5 years experience with EDI and WMS systems -MS Great Plains accounting software knowledge helpful -Experience shipping BBB, JCP, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Belk, and other majors a must. Email your resume to: Attn: BB154 to: classifieds@sandowmedia.com Product Development Manager – Specialty Products Specialty Comfort Products: Home, Office Travel • Full product development – concept to launch • Create product spec/tech packs; sourcing from China, travel required • Project management experience; commercialization process knowledge • Oversee QC process; internal testing and compliance • Cost analyses, excellent computer skills, Bachelors Degree required
CLOSEOUTS CLOSEOUTS WANTED --BOUGHT AND SOLD-Seeking Unlimited Quantities on Firsts, Irregulars and Overstocks HOME FASHIONS DISTRIBUTOR INC Mike O’Neil 207-646-1949 Email: mike@homefashionsinc.com
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Home Textiles Today’s
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For complete information, contact: Joe Carena, Show Manager, jvcarena@gmail.com (203) 329-9553
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