Home Textiles Today August 6th Issue

Monday, August 6, 2012

Inside This IssueSourcing at Magic Home Readies its Debut ..................................................................................page 2

Celeb Confessions ................................................................................page 4

Homeland Insecurities .........................................................................page 4

The Picket Fence Creates Bedding Sanctuary in Old Church ......................................................page 6

July Comps Positive Results For Most ...............................................page 24

THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY | hometextilestoday.com | Vol. 33, No. 17 | $8.00

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Meet the Contenders

Anna Sui Launches Bedding Collection

BY WAYNE MARKS

NEW YORK — Despite a foggy economic cli-mate, it’s hard not to notice an optimist shin-ing through to represent the ‘can-do’ spirit at this season’s New York International Gift Fair, which runs from Aug. 18-22, 2012.

“This is our very fi rst N.Y. show,” said Amisha Desai Vora, co-founder, The Green Elephant. “Fingers crossed!”

The Green Elephant will be presenting handmade home decor items by artisans, which include cushions, pillows, curtains, quilts, bed-spreads, table linen, and decorative accessories. Personal accessories such as silk scarves, a vari-ety of bags, gift items and wrapping solutions will also be included. Price points range from $15 to $300. “So, I guess we will be covering all three tiers.” Said Desai.

More experienced players in the market also have a fairly positive outlook.

NYIGF: Hope Springs Eternal

America’s Next Great Home Textiles Company A SPECIAL REPORT

BY JILL ROWEN

NEW YORK — Designer Anna Sui has launched her fi rst bedding collection inspired by a recent trip to India.

“I took a fabulous trip to India last summer with my nieces,” said Sui. “I was very much inspired by Indian handicrafts, especially wood-block print cotton textiles. The owner of a famous workshop allowed us to tour his facilities, and said he’d love to work on a proj-ect with me. It has been a dream of mine to one day design a collec-tion for the home, so this presented itself as a great opportunity.”

The results are a mix of black and purple in a signature fl oral and paisley print.

SEE SUI PAGE 27

SEE PREVIEW PAGE 27Chortex ComboTextured towels. See page 12 for additional Gift Fair introductions.

NEW YORK — They all had lives before home textiles. Teacher. Construction manager. TV show developer. Sales rep. Interior designer. Graphic designer. Profes-sional painter.

Now they are the principals of six companies that are fi rst-time exhibitors at the New York Internation-al Gift Fair this month. They are also contestants in HTT’s new “America’s Next Great Home Textiles Com-pany” series.

Industry veterans from the areas of showroom de-sign, product development and marketing will visit each company during the show, which runs from Aug. 18-22. In subsequent issues of HTT, the judges will share their assessments of each company.

To fi nd out more about them, visit pages 8-10.

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2 Home Textiles Today August 6, 2012 News

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T

LAS VEGAS — The long-running Magic apparel show will cozy up to home textiles this month with the fi rst addition of a Sourcing at Magic Home component, which runs from Aug. 20-23 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

In addition to a broad array of Chinese manufacturers, the home section will feature exhib-itors from the United States, Ban-gladesh and India.

Product categories will in-clude fabrics, materials and components for home applica-tion (bed, bath and kitchen lin-

ens, towels, window treatments, rugs and accessories).

Magic organizers conducted a survey after the February 2012 event and found that more than 50% of attendees were interested in seeing textiles and gifts add to the program, according to Karal-ynn Sprouse, vp of Sourcing at Magic.

The existing Sourcing at Magic show draws 80,000 at-tendees from 80 countries, with roughly 15% coming from out-side the United States. That in-cludes about 10,000 independent

boutique retailers, said Sprouse.Sourcing at Magic Home

was developed in tandem with the China Foreign Trade Guan-zghou Exhibition General Corp (CFTE), one of China’s chief exhibition organizations.

The show runs concurrently with the Sourcing at Magic sec-tion for apparel, which includes an array of daily seminars. Top-ics include how to sell one’s brand overseas, growing ecom-merce traffic, using Google to boost sales, how to open a retail store, sourcing challenges, and

consumer trends, among many others.

As part of the core Magic Show, the Buzz Boutique will provide attendees with informa-tion about tools for digital fash-ion marketing, from mobile ap-plications to social media to digital advertising. Participat-ing companies include Google, eBay Fashion, Storesigns.com, Handshake, Volusion Ecom-merce and Social Radius — each of which will demo their products and present a work-shop. HTT

Sourcing at Magic Home Readies its Debut

Tracking Textiles

SHARE OF TEXTILES MARKET(6/11-5/12)

Dept/Specialty, including traditional department stores and specialists like Bed Bath & Beyond and Home Goods, grew 7% in dollars. Mass merchants, including stores like Walmart, Target and Kmart, lost unit share but held dol-lar share. Discounters, like the dollar and off-price stores, and warehouse clubs both gained share, with double digit increases in average selling price. National chains include Penney and Sears.

Source: The NPD Group, Inc. / Consumer Tracking Service

By Dollars By Units

Dept/Specialty

32%Mass Merchants

30%

NationalChains

13%

Discounters

12%

Warehouse Clubs

4% Others

9%

Mass Merchants

40%

Discounters

21%

Dept/Specialty

20%

NationalChains

10%

Others

6%Warehouse

Clubs

3%

BY CECILE CORRAL

NEW YORK — Aside from shar-ing its second quarter results, Martha Stewart Living Omni-media was quick to use its con-ference call last week to reaffi rm its partnership and plans with JCPenney amid the company’s legal actions with Macy’s.

In just over one minute into her opening remarks, president and ceo Lisa Gersh said the com-pany wanted to discuss its recent developments with respect to

JCPenney.First she noted MSLO’s “sub-

stantial expansion of the commer-cial partnership, including addi-tional product categories and an increase in the minimum guaran-tee.” The company will now re-ceive “a minimum of about $288 million over the course of the 10-year agreement — an increase of $110 million from what was orig-inally planned,” she said.

Gersh added that “the oppor-tunity to amend this agreement has been in place since the be-

ginning. The decision to act on it now is a refl ection of the great opportunities we and JCP see as the relationship builds.”

The second development stems from the litigation under-way with Macy’s, she contin-ued, reiterating the court’s July 13 granting of Macy’s request for a preliminary injunction with respect to certain categories of products.

“I want to take the opportuni-ty here to clarify a few facts about this ruling and how it relates to our business both with Macy’s and JCPenney,” Gersh went on.

Firstly, MSLO will be launch-ing our products both in store and online with JCPenney in the fi rst quarter of 2013 as planned.

“Nothing about this ruling changes that,” Gersh urged. “This case is primarily a contract dispute over how certain prod-

ucts are branded and sold, not about the validity of the partner-ship with JCPenney.”

Secondly, the minimum guar-antee under the JCPenney com-mercial agreement, including recent increase, “is not direct-ly affected by the ruling,” she added. “We are planning to be in JCPenney stores with a wide array of products for consumers early next year. And we are in on-going development of categories and products, as we typically are with all of our partners.”

Later in the call, during the question-and-answer session, Gersh responded to further que-ries about the Macy’s matter.

“It is not a final ruling,” she said, later adding, “We have not had an order settled by judge yet. So it is premature for me to make further statements other than [my prepared remarks].” HTT

MSLO Remains Focused on Q1 Launch at JCP in 2013

Martha Home is among many new and existing brands that will be the focus of JCPenney’s turnaround strategy.

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4 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.com

OPINIONTodaY

August 6, 2012

TH E R E WA S T H IS absolutely spec-tacular TV commercial on a few nights ago for home furnishings. Maybe you saw it.

It focused on the role of the dining room table in the lives of ordinary Americans. It

showed a husband and wife making a major deci-sion at the table, followed by a son telling his parents he was taking the new job he had just been offered. Another scene showed one family member an-nouncing she was moving away from home.

Each scene revolved around these important conversations taking place at the venerable dining

room table and by the time the spot was over, you got a warm and fuzzy feeling about how important furniture and furnishings are in peo-ple’s lives.

It was one of the best home furnishings commercials I’ve ever seen.

There was just one thing: it wasn’t a home furnishings commercial. It was for a life insur-ance company touting its role in the modern American family.

Actually, anyone could have guessed that this wasn’t an ad for home products. It didn’t men-tion a cheapo price. It didn’t talk about free fi -nancing that would end up costing you more than your mortgage if you read the small print.

It didn’t have a coupon, a percentage sign or any vestige of promotional doubletalk of any sort.

Instead it tugged at the emotional sweet spot people feel for their homes and the way they furnish them.

That a company pushing life insurance — not exactly the most beloved, admired or sought after purchase people make — was behind all of this is even more disturbing to anyone in the home business. Most shoppers will do almost anything possible to avoid facing up to their life insurance needs, while the majority of them ac-tually like buying home furnishings.

This whole rant is just a general lament without either the solution to how home com-panies can advertise or any real hope that the current situation will change. Specifi cally, the nature of the home textiles industry — where there are few widely distributed national brands and margins are often measured with an elec-tron microscope — virtually guarantees the sta-tus will remain quo when it comes to market-ing and advertising to the consumer.

But boy, wouldn’t it be great to pick up a Bed Bath & Beyond circular or see a Macy’s TV spot or even fi nd a vendor in a magazine and see them pushing the emotional button for sheets and towels?

It’s been a long, long time since the industry mounted any serious effort on this front. And that’s not likely to change.

So the only thing the home furnishings in-dustry will ever have in common with that in-surance TV commercial is the status of its mar-keting efforts: tabled. HTT

Homeland InsecuritiesI CON F ESS I ROL L ED M Y E Y ES when I learned last week

that Donny Osmond is planning to unleash a home furnish-ings line late next year. I was not the only one among my col-leagues to do so.

Hoping to provide my sisters with a laugh, I dashed off an email titled “Are you ready to live the Donny Osmond lifestyle!”

Guess what? They are.“I will be very interested to see his products,”

replied Chicago sister.“I still love Donny. He has excellent taste.

This is a great idea. Way to go!” wrote Califor-nia sister.

Oregon sister — who was in diapers when the Osmond brothers were at their apex — did not respond.

It was a reminder that here in the home furnishings bunker we can get overly fi xated on the big names. HTT breathlessly hangs on every twist in the Martha Stewart narrative —

and I am the worst offender — while in reality, Kathy Ireland’s li-censing empire is far larger ($2 billion at retail compared to rough-ly $900 million for Stewart, according to Forbes).

I can remember scratching my head when Jane Seymour launched a home collection in 2007. Granted, the line has gone through several permutations, but Jane Seymour is still in the home business — these days through a partnership with case goods and upholstery source AICO/Amini Innovation Corp.

Lord knows, we’ve seen any number of celebrity brands that failed to get off the launch pad. Doubtless we will see more. (It seems any soul who has spent more than fi ve minutes in front of the camera at HGTV attempts a branded line.)

I have another confession. At least eight times out of 10 when I’m presented with an announcement about a new celebrity brand my fi rst response is: “Who?”

At least I know who Donny is. And good luck to him. HTT

JenniferMarks

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Celeb Confessions

Warren Shoulberg

PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

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5 Home Textiles Today> hometextilestoday.com

Most Zellers Stores to Close Next Spring

Hudson Bay Company plans to close most of the re-maining 64 Zellers units in spring 2013, according

to reports from several Canadian newspapers.HBC sold 279 Zellers units to Target last year. Target

sold off some of the locations, but plans to rebrand the remainder at Target. It recently announced the locations of 126 stores that will open during 2013.

The Vancouver Sun quoted an HBC spokewoman as saying the company might reopen some of the Zellers units under another brand.

HBC also owns The Bay and Home Outfi tters in Can-ada as well as Lord & Taylor’s in the U.S.

JCPenney Sells off $248 Million Stake in Property Company

JCPenney has raised $248 million by selling off a por-tion of its stake in Simon Property Group. JCP Realty,

a subsidiary of the retailer, continues to hold 205,000 limited partnership shares in the realty group.

“Last year, as we began our journey to transform JCPenney, we determined it was necessary to review and, where appropriate, monetize assets that are not core to our operations,” said JCP chief fi nancial offi cer Ken Hannah, who said the announcement represents the fi rst step toward executing that plan. He said con-verting the non-core asset into $248 million of cash “en-hances the company’s already strong balance sheet and liquidity.”

Fab.com Upgrades Mobile Shopping

Flash sale retailer Fab.com recently released an im-proved shopping app dubbed Fab 3.0. The app lets users track what their Facebook friends

and other Fab members are faving, sharing and buy-ing in real time. It also allows users to login to Fab using their Facebook accounts.

The app is available on the App Store and Google Play.

Johnson To Head Sears Spin-offs

Bruce Johnson, executive vp of off-mall business for Sears Holdings, will become president and ceo of

Sears Hometown and Sears Outlet Stores following their spin-off from the parent company.

He was appointed interim ceo of Sears Holding in 2008, a post he held until early 2011.

Hometown Stores are independently owned units lo-cated primarily in small and mid-sized markets.

Maserati Store Adds Bath Linens

Maserati fans can now outfi t their bathrooms with Maserati branded towels and bedeck themselves

in Maserati terry robes.The offi cial Maserati Worldwide Shop announced

the addition for bath goods to its assortment, which in-cludes apparel, shoes and perfume, among other goods.

Bath robes retail for $108.58. Towel prices from $42.70 for a pair of hand towels to $69.54 for beach and sunbed towels.

RetailBriefs

August 6, 2012News

Ashford Textiles Launches New Division With

Soy-based Poly Foam

BY JILL ROWEN

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Beth Darragh, owner of LDP and a well-known textile showroom designer, was featured last week on an episode of “Say Yes to the Dress.” The show, a popular staple on TLC, shows brides and some bridezillas shop-ping for that special dress for their wedding day.

Eschewing the cream colored lace, satin, beading and pearls, Dar-ragh had another idea and went on the show looking for the most un-traditional dress. Think black.

“They didn’t know what to do with me at fi rst; there was not a lot to choose from,” noted Dar-ragh. “But once they understood what I was going for, it was like magic. We had fun and they were so professional.” The show was fi lmed at New York’s famed Kleinfeld’s.

The dress she ultimately chose was a striking red number. “I told everyone, it didn’t matter what I said I wanted, I’d know it when I saw it,” she said. “I approach de-sign the same way. I have a concept for a showroom, but then you have to see where it takes you.”

Her wedding to John Finn (on Christmas Eve in Mazatlan, Mex-ico) and her reception/party (this past May) continued to surprise her guests with its unusual ele-ments. She and her design team transformed an empty, cavernous

room at Historic Catskill Point in Upstate New York into a Ve-netian Masquerade. There was no first dance, but there was a sugar skull groom’s cake, a popu-lar symbol during Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration.

“The goal for every mar-ket is to entertain buyers, cli-ents and ourselves. You have to develop a point of view and I think that is something that is so missing from our industry,” she noted. “Everyone agrees that market isn’t when the or-ders are signed. So why do they come? You have to give buyers something to re-member — the display, the smells, the look of the space – the experi-ence … That’s what I wanted for myself and my guests for my wed-ding, an experience.”

Darragh’s experi-ence leading up to her wedding reads like its own reality show. She and Finn found themselves running for their lives from Hurricane Irene last year while at their house in Catskill, New York. (It was Au-gust market time.) The rain from the storm drowned both their cars and began flooding the house. With roads blocked, their ga-rage ripped apart and neighbors’ houses literally fl oating by, they

ran through the woods, uphill, to another neighbor waiting for it to end.

“The water came within two feet of our neighbor’s house. We were sitting in their house, soaked and that’s when John asked me to marry him and I said yes,” she said.

Maybe “Storm Stories” will be calling next. HTT

GARDENA, CALIF. — Ashford Textiles has created a new division offering soy-based poly foam that tar-gets fabrics and crafts stores. It has also hired Antho-ny Mone to head up its fabric, seasonal and crafting division as vp of sales.

Mone’s experience in the fabric and crafting mar-ket sector “will build on the growing towels, bed-ding, fl eece and private label manufacturing plat-form Ashford Textiles has built over the years,” the company announced.

Ashford Textiles Earth Friendly Foam is made in the United States using an exclusive formula devel-oped through Mone and his team. It eliminates up to 30% of the petroleum-based chemicals and sub-stitutes them with Natural Eco Friendly additives.

Ashford will offer retail-ready packaging in all put-ups to service multiple store locations or individ-

ual stores. The foam covers a variety of uses from in home projects to commercial applications. HTT

Darragh Says Yes to the (Non-Traditional) Dress

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6 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.comAugust 6, 2012

The Picket Fence Creates Bedding Sanctuary in Old Church

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FIRST MONDAY:

BY CECILE CORRAL

SUN VALLEY, IDAHO — A little white-washed church here in the town of Ketchum has sur-vived many reincarnations.

Originally built in 1884 as the town’s First Congressional Church, in more recent decades the site was gutted to become Louis’ pizza parlor. But the res-taurant eventually went out of business, and the structure was moved to a quieter spot in town to make room for new retail busi-nesses.

About two years ago, the build-ing was visited by divine interven-tion — again. Cast off and aban-doned, the shuttered little church caught the eye of Lynn Simpson, a longtime seasonal resident, and

more recently, the owner of local luxury home furnishings store The Picket Fence.

She salvaged the church, had it moved to an empty lot adja-cent to her shop, and breathed new life — and quite a different existence — into its walls.

The rest, as they say, is history. No pun intended.

For almost as long as the 34-year-old The Picket Fence has been part of this upscale resort community, it has served its seasonal and permanent resi-dents from a quaint, red-painted wooden storefront.

It was only over the past six years that the specialty store expe-rienced a change that took it to new heights.

Simpson, who for more than

20 years had been a regular shop-per of The Picket Fence, walked in and offered to buy the business one day in the summer of 2006. The owners agreed to sell to her, and Simpson got straight to work on expansion.

One priority: Add the church to the property as the bedding showroom, explained Ray J. Gadd, marketing and photogra-phy director.

A major renovation ensued, as did plans to enhance The Picket Fence’s luxury bedding linens offering and above all, its presen-tation.

“She really infused this busi-ness with a lot of inventory,” Gadd noted. “We already were carrying the majority of the lines that we still carry today. Two new line additions were Coyuchi and Amity Home. Our ability to stock inventory and to carry a broader depth of lines came into play. We added one additional display bed and were able to showcase the bed-ding all in one location, leaving us more room for tabletop and home accents.”

Simpson, he said, is inspired by the design and fashion move-ments she sees on her European travels, and she is “constantly following new trends in the Bay area.”

An avid reader of shelter home décor publications like Elle Décor, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and others, she often attends major markets and shows in Paris, New York, High Point and Atlanta to garner ideas and products for her store.

By October 2010, the church reopened its doors, sharing a cen-tral courtyard with The Picket Fence’s original site.

“People are really drawn to us,” Gadd said. “We are sort of off the beaten path, so it’s hard to get people to the store. But once they recognize the church they are amazed how it has been through so many different phases, from a church to a pizza place and now seeing it transformed into this beautiful showroom. They are

fascinated.”In fact, The Picket Fence

forged a partnership with Ket-chum’s visitor center “to offer [tourists] not just a great retail experience but also a chance to see a real piece of local history with this iconic church build-ing.”

Combined, the neighboring storefronts occupy more than 6,000 square feet, one third of which belongs to the bedding showroom that is the church.

Whereas The Picket Fence could only showcase one bed-ding vignette in its original space, now it can present at least four display beds. Some of the store’s most popular bedding brands are Sferra Bros., Matouk, Scan-dia, Nancy Koltes and Peacock Alley; in bath, top sellers include

Matouk, Abyss and Habidecor; and in table linens, the line com-prises mainly Sferra product.

The mix spans utility bedding, including down product; fashion sheets and top of bed goods like coverlets, matelasses, blankets, boudoirs, Euro shams and others; and “a lot of basic white sheeting because that is a staple around here,” Gadd said.

The original Picket Fence site is where shoppers can fi nd home accessories like lighting, candles, decorative pieces, accent furni-ture, tabletop, and even jewelry.

In the courtyard, shoppers can enjoy al fresco resting — and shopping, as all of the patio furni-ture there is also for sale.

“We really love our patio,” which the store keeps open dur-ing the warmer spring, summer

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7 Home Textiles Today> hometextilestoday.com

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August 6, 2012

and fall months but closes dur-ing the winter because of heavy snows, Gadd explained. “It makes for a nice transition point between shops for people to stop and sit outside and enjoy the out-doors.”

With business growing since recent updates and developments to the store, The Picket Fence in July expanded into a two-store chain with the opening of its sis-ter shop in Menlo Park, Calif. — Simpson’s other hometown.

Standing at about 1,000 square feet, the new satellite site takes its cues from its predeces-sor but offers the locals a differ-ent twist that appeals more to its area’s specifi c fl avor, Gadd said.

“[Simpson] has been a long-

time resident of the area and has noticed a lack of a complete lux-ury offering for the home that didn’t have that supermarket feel-ing,” he noted. “Our approach is a little bit different there because people have different tastes there

than they do here. So we looked at what was successful here but also added different styles.”

Menlo Park is stocked with “a variety of products, including lin-ens, tabletop, home accents and accessories,” Gadd said. HTT

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8 Home Textiles Today August 6, 2012 News

Meet the Fresh FacesOne of these fi rst-time NYIGF exhibitors will be honored at the January

2013 edition of the fair as America’s Next Great Home Textiles Company.

Beata Henrichs-Lieb


Michael and Stamattina Pappas

Paula Queen

HedgeHouse USA, Booth 7867After many years spent developing television shows – not to mention marriage and the birth of two children – Los Angelino Beata Hen-richs-Lieb decided to become an interior decorator.

“I hated it!’ she said, laughing. “Worst job in the world. It was not for me.”

She started to think about developing a product — something small that she could carry in her car. What she came up with rough-ly a year and a half ago was the Throw Bed, a down- and fi ber-fi lled cushion that’s the same size as a twin bed but weighs only 4 lbs.

“I started doing craft fairs – but I made just enough to clear the ex-penses,” said Henrichs-Lieb.

But in the process, she also learned how to talk about her product and how to sell it.

Her upcoming debut at the NYIGF has an added twist for the one-time New Yorker. “I’ve driven by Javits 10,000 times,” she said. “I’ve never set a foot inside.”That all changes very soon.

Stamattina, Booth 8043Stamattina may be a young company — founded about 18 months ago — but its proprieters are old hands in the home textiles business.

Stamattina Pappas began working as a sales rep for premium bed linens since 1986. “I had the opportunity to do product development and I’ve done private label for some customers,” she said.

Michael Pappas, her husband, left teaching to get into the home business in 1978. He worked for several rep companies and also held senior sales positions along the way at Sferra Bros. as well as Hacot and Colombier.

The Stamattina collection of fi ne bedding is cut and sewn in the New York area from fabrics imported from Italy. The patterns and palettes are Stamattina’s own.

Launching their own company, he said, was about “being in con-trol of your own destiny.”

As to making the big step to show at NYIGF, Stamattina said: “There’s no better time than today. We were ready.”

Pyar & Co. Booth 8070Paula Queen started out in construction management and then moved into business development. After her son was born she drew up “a dream business plan.”

A couple of years later, the Chicagoan travelled to India for a con-ference. As it happens, her husband’s family there has been in tex-tiles for several generations. And at the conference Queen met with a number of mill owners.

She founded Pyar & Co. last year, making hand-crafted, luxury decorative pillows and ottomans. Pyar’s products are fair trade, and all beads are sourced from the Calcutta markets. She’s established a relationship with one of India’s top three silk mills.

“Customization is an elecment I wanted to be able to offer our cus-tomers,” said Queen. “To me, this is about their own taste.”

Queen handles all the designs and fabric selection. Her goal is to design pieces “that tell stories,” and she is proud of their artisnal grounding.

W

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9 Home Textiles TodayNews August 6, 2012

Belen Moreno

Jolee Pink

Wabisabi Green, Booth 8073In 2007, graphic designer and ceramic artist Jolee Pink was remod-eling her home in Encinitas, Calif. Unable to fi nd decorative pil-lows to suit her taste, she decided to create her own.

By 2009, Wabisabi Green was born — offering eco-friendly table linens and dec pillows inspired by nature and the southern Califor-nia coastal lifestyle.

“It was important to me to create a product as sustainable as pos-sible and not contribute to pollution,” she said.

Pink sources organic, sustainable and recycled fabrics made in India and Pakistan from an American supplier. She works with a local screenprinter as well as a local cut and sew shop.

She continues to do ceramic sculptures and artist installations. Pink is also a foodie, and in June, she organized the fi rst Encinitas Foodie Fest, bringing together San Diego chefs who work with lo-cally sourced food, vendors offering sustainable wares and local art-ists — all to benefi t the Coastal Community Foundation’s Healthy Day healthy snack program.

Le Côté Français Maison, Booth 8072A licensed interior designer, Belen Moreno had been working with a large fi rm before she decided to go off on her own in 2007.

Her timing turned out not to be fortuitous. “The market just tanked,” she said.

The New Yorker also happens to be a dedicated Francophile, so she headed across the pond, bought a pile of home furnishings merchandise and opened up a shop. She soon discovered that ac-cessories sold through more quickly than furniture.

“I’ve always loved textiles, and it came to me to make a sculp-tural object out of textiles,” said Moreno.

Her line of accent pillows and throws antique and vintage pat-terns with contemporary fabrics. She has three designers creating exclusive artwork for her lines, most of which are cut and sewn in a New York studio that specializes in couture apparel.

“I’m in love with Versailles, Maria Antoinette, Barry Lyndon – all this delusional, escapist fantasy,” she said.

In addition to expanding into table linens, she is prepared a lim-ited edition Marie Antoinette pillow.

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10 Home Textiles Today August 6, 2012 > hometextilestoday.comNews

Danielle Duer, left, and Mandy McNeil, right.

Simple Syrup Design House, Booth 7974Simple Syrup co-owners Danielle Duer and Mandy McNeil were brought together by television after some of Duer’s paintings were featured on a local Nashville program. McNeil began commission-ing Duer’s work, and eventually the two started to think about cre-ating a product line featuring the designs.

“We both love art, and we both love the idea of art not just on the wall but in different combinations in the home,” said Duer.

They made their fi rst foray around 2008 with baby onesies — “because I was pregnant at the time,” said Duer — and managed to get some retail placement.

About 18 months ago, Duer turned her hand to decorative pil-lows. Her mother-in-law — “a crazy good seamstress” — assembled the fi rst pieces. She now oversees a group of women in the Nashville area who handle Simple Syrup’s cut-and-sew operation.

The company made its fi rst trade show outing last fall at High Point and followed up at the Atlanta gift show this past January. “Ev-erywhere we go, people say: ‘You should have these in New York,’” said Duer.

And so now, they are.


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13 Home Textiles Today> hometextilestoday.com August 6, 2012

1. Green Elephant’s Applique curtains are handmade by women artisans in the remote village of Rajashthan, India.

2. Couture Dreams’ handmade home textiles include window panels, tablecloths, table toppers and pillows.

3. Contemporary Crafts’ organza curtain panels are hand-blocked in Central India.

4. tag’s Cliff Strip Reversible Rug is available in red, blue, beige, teal, gray, and bright green.

5. Judy Ross’ Celine rug in the cream/pewter/purple haze color is made of 100% Tibetan wool with 100 knots per square foot.

6. Tilonia Home’s quilts are block-printed by hand by rural artisans in Rajasthan, India, using natural cotton and low-impact dyes.

7. Could Nine’s new natural jute pillows are hand-woven and include down feather inserts.

8. Handmade Expressions’ all-cotton napkins are hand-woven by Fair Trade artisans on the outskirts of New Delhi using traditional looms.

9. Cuddledown has expanded into dec pillows featuring flora and fauna as well as abstract designs, cityscapes, Asian, and nautical themes.

10. Kevin O’Brien Studio’s Lobster pillow is made of a 50/50 blend of linen and cotton. It’s available in indigo, sea glass, South Pacific, and yellow submarine colorways.

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15 Home Textiles Today> hometextilestoday.com August 6, 2012

1. Hipcycle presents Funky Junk, a line of products — including floor cushions — made from plastic bags that have been collected from the streets, fields, and landfills of Cambodia.

2. Jason Products Ltd’s floral coasters and placemats are licensed with Williamsburg and the New York Botanical Gardens.

3. NuKo Creations is introducing the round Ottoman embroidery placemat in white and gold along with the Astek pearl napkin.

4. Chilewich drew the inspiration for Lounge from Calder’s midcentury work. It is available in oatmeal, vintage grey, russet and Portobello.

5. Barbara Shaw Gifts’ hand-printed and hand-sewn table napkins feature a repeating graphic of fresh Jaffa oranges to bring a pop of color to the table.

6. Sybartic’s faux leather Marrakesh placemat comes in six colors and the washable Jefferson napkin is available in two.

7. Jean Vier’s cotton and flax tea towels interpret the spirit of the Basque country in vibrant colors and patterns.

8. Wabisabi Green’s Passion Flower table linens

are made from a blend of recycled poly and organic cotton, hand-printed with water-based, environmentally-friendly inks.

9. Nine Space’s Khadi Fouta is made of 90% Turkish cotton and 10% bamboo. It can be used as a beach towel, bath towel, table linen or throw.

10. Fab Habitat’s indoor/outdoor rugs are woven from straws made of recycled plastic, can be hosed down for easy cleaning and do not attract mildew.

11. C & F’s Geometrics Collection includes washable hooked area rugs in simple, contrasting colorways. The designs are also available in pillows and kitchen towels.

12. Jack Rabbit is debuting Oh My Peach Pie Aprons made of 100% cotton in exclusive prints.

13. kidStyle, a division of Resource International, is showing amikins throw pillows, which are hand-crocheted by artisans using bamboo viscose yarn.

14. Nansu Home is launching the EarthWise collection of hand-woven, organic cotton kitchen and table linens. The company works with Mayan weavers and dyers in Guatemala and organic cotton growers in Peru.

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1. The Rug Market America’s latest additions to its Resort collection of weather-resistant, UV-coated polyester rugs for the outdoors and indoors include contemporary over-sized patterns like Suzani, seen here, as well as others like Moroccan Tile and Kiwi Fruit.

2. Surya Inc.’s Lybra collection is a new addition to the company’s Artistic Weavers division. Made to look modern yet timeless, it features a chevron pattern originally found on ancient pottery at the palace of Knosis in Crete.

3. Company C takes Indian- and English-inspired paisley looks of yore and reinterprets them in modern-day hues on its new High Country collection. A series of intricate swirls, teardrops and richly colored paisleys are depicted in bold, over-scaled designs that are less traditional and more artistic than earlier similar styles — as seen here in the Devonshire pattern.

4. Kas Rugs’ new Optic collection comprises shag styles that are hand-tufted of multi-textured polyester and are manufactured in India. There are six designs in total, including this one called Jewel-tone Spiral, and three area rug sizes.

5. Nourison offers a different view on the season’s rugs with its new Vista collection.

Summer 2012 Rug PreviewAugust 6, 2012 Rugs

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18 Home Textiles Today August 6, 2012 > hometextilestoday.com

Summer 2012 Rug Preview

1. Kalaty Rugs’ Artisan Collection, seen here in the sapphire colorway, is a lively assemblage of traditional motifs and patterns with narrow borders for a more transitional appeal. Each piece is hand knotted of 100% hand-spun wool.

2. Jaipur Rugs is expanding its Coastal Living collection with new hand-hooked 100% polypropylene styles for indoor and outdoor use. New looks take their styling cues from the ruggedly chic aesthetic of a casual seaside lifestyle — such as this piece called Wave Hello.

3. Capel Inc. gives a regal air to its line with the addition of the new Eminence collection, which is hand-knotted in India and made of wool. Available colors include charcoal, red, ivory, and chocolate, the latter seen here.

4. Momeni’s new Suzani collection is inspired by the tribal Central Asian embroidered textile style by the same name. These rugs are made of 100% wool in a hooked construction.

5. Oriental Weavers USA takes an exotic trip to Bali with this new grouping of neutral-colored rugs – in shades of ivory, cocoa, cool grays, and blues – accented with pops of bright gold. Made in Egypt, these rugs are machine-woven in polypropylene and are made in a textural loop construction for added surface interest.

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20 Home Textiles Today News > hometextilestoday.com

DALLAS — Importer and man-ufacturer of area rugs Feizy has hired Mark Jerdon as the compa-ny’s new regional sales manager in the Northeastern territory, which spans 12 states.

He brings more than 25 years of experience working in industry sales. Most recently, Jerdon was

with Capel Rugs, where he served as the regional sales manager for its Mid-Atlantic territory.

Reporting to vp of sales Dale Sweary, Jerdon is charged with growing all segments of business within the states of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Con-necticut, Rhode Island, New

Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Delaware, Maryland, West Vir-ginia and Massachusetts as well as in Washington D.C.

“Mark has an in-depth knowl-edge and understanding of our industry, relationships covering a broad base of customers and a 31-year history of successful sell-

ing,” Sweary said. “I’m certain that Mark will increase Feizy’s business and strengthen our posi-tion as the industry’s trend leader within his territory. His passion for the business, solution-based customer service work ethic and integrity make him a valuable asset to the Feizy team.” HTT

Feizy Taps Jerdon to Head Sales in NE

August 6, 2012

NEW YORK — The New York Chapter of the The International Furnishings & Design Association is inviting the home furnishings community to celebrate summer at a Networking Picnic on Aug. 8 at The Marazzi Design Center.

The event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at 30 West 21st Street, 2nd fl oor.

Admission is free to industry members, but a $10 suggested donation at the door is requested for the IFDA Educational Foun-dation toward the Claire Cole-man Founder’s Grant.

For information or to regis-ter, visit http://conta.cc/NrU24x, call IFDA’s offi ce at (212) 686-6020 or email [email protected]. HTT

IFDA NY and Marazzi to host

Summer BBQ

NAIROBI, KENYA — Furtex Kenya – International Furniture, Home Textile & Home Supplies Exhi-bitions will take place here in the Kenyatta International Con-ference Center from Nov. 8-10.

The show, which bills itself as the gateway into the Central and Eastern Africa

The home textiles segment of the show will include bed linens, bed spreads, blankets, pillows, curtains, towels, bath robes, table clothes, upholstery, fl oor coverings and wall cover-ings.

For more information, visit www.furtexkenya.com. HTT

Furtex Kenya set for

November

CHECK US OUT ON THE WEB

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September 9-13 ,2012Fall NY Home Fashions Market WeekMajor Showroom Buildings Throughout Market

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Untitled-1 1 8/2/2012 2:16:04 PM


PEOPLETodaY

Nourison’s Gina Falsetti is Rugs Direct “Rep of the Year”

NEW YORK — A change of lead-ership arrived at Divatex at the end of July when founder Avi Gross stepped down as president and ceo of the company, one of the top home textiles suppliers in the United States. He will retain his seat on the board of directors.

Founded in 1990, Divatex in 2007 sold an 80% stake to The Himatsingka Group, a vertically integrated home textiles manu-facturer based in India. The leadership transition is in accor-dance with terms agreed upon at the time of the acquisition, according to the company.

Vice chairman Shrikant Himatsingka will take over man-agement duties previously han-dled by Gross.

“I am happy to be transition-ing the management of Diva-tex at such a strong point in our company history,” said Gross. The company posted record sales for its financial year end-ing March 31, according to the announcement about the change.

“We have been through an interesting period of growth and I am certain that under Shri-kant’s leadership, Divatex will continue to hold the top posi-

tion in the industry,” he added.Said Himatsingka: “It has

been a pleasure to have worked together with Avi over the years, and I would like to thank him for his contribution toward the growth and development of Divatex.’

Divatex was hailed in HTT’s “Greatest Sheet Constructions” feature in December 2011 for its pioneering role in popular-izing jersey sheets. Divatex has ranked among the Top 5 suppli-ers of sheets to the U.S. market for many years and is among the Top 15 suppliers of overall tex-tiles.HTT

Divatex Founder Avi Gross Stepping Down

August 6, 2012

SADDLE BROOK, N.J. —Nourison’s Gina Falsetti was named “Rep Of The Year” Award during the Atlanta market by Rugs Direct, the online retailer of area rugs.

The award was presented by Rugs Direct pres-ident Randy Kremer and Bill Martin, the compa-ny’s national sales director at Nourison’s perma-nent showroom .

According to Kremer, “The rep of the year is awarded to the person that works the hardest to grow Rugs Direct business with their line. It is based on their communication with us, their desire to sup-port us on our marketing and sales initiatives both online and in the stores, and their assistance with

customer service issues. This is one award that has the input from all the divisions in our company.”

Kremer described Falsetti as “the obvious choice as our rep of the year,” citing that she “has worked tirelessly to help us promote Nouri-son products to our customers and increase the brand’s well-deserved market share.Gina truly is our partner, not just a vendor rep, and we are proud to recognize her many achievements with this award.”HTT

BY GARY EVANS

NE W YO R K — Well-known interior designer Michael S. Smith has been named cre-ative director of high-end fab-ric house Brunschwig & Fils. The company said Smith’s exclusive consulting agreement will help guide its product devel-opment and reinforce the brand as one of the most prestigious in the industry.

Smith will work with Stephen Elrod, executive vice president and chief creative director for Brunschwig & Fils and its sister division Lee Jofa, and the rest of the Brunschwig & Fils team, the company said.

“Michael Smith’s experience and advice will be invaluable to the product and merchandising

teams,” said Cary Kravet, pres-ident and ceo of Kravet Inc., which acquired Brunschwig & Fils in 2011. “I look forward to his fresh approach to this brand, which I am confi dent will help to present new collections that match the brand image and equity with the discerning pal-ette of our customers. Michael will be an integral part of the Brunschwig & Fils team.”

Kravet said Smith, known for his multi-layered take on tradi-tional interiors, “has redefi ned American design for a new gen-eration. His influence appears throughout the country, from his classic design for the Oval Office in the White House to the cover of Architectural Digest and many fine residences in between.” HTT

KENNESAW, GA. — Invista has promoted Misti Moore to mar-keting manager for the Dacron fi berfi ll business in North Amer-ica.

“We’re delighted to have sea-soned executive Misti Moore on the Dacron brand team,” said Roberto Fontanillas, global busi-ness director for Invista’s Dacron business. “She’ll be working closely with the sales team to identify, pursue and cultivate new business development opportuni-ties that harness the power of the established awareness and prefer-

ence for the Dacron brand.”Moore worked in various

marketing roles prior to this assignment. Most recently, she was marketing communication manager for Invista’s Stainmas-ter brand.

Moore joined Invista from Atlanta-based multi-cultural mar-keting agency Images USA, and also held marketing positions with Blacksmith Promotions, DS Waters (where she led the repo-sitioning of the Crystal Springs Water brand), AOL Time War-ner and Anheuser Busch. HTT

Michael S. Smith Gets Creative With Brunschwig & Fils

Invista Names New Marketing Manager

for Dacron

Gina Falsetti (center) receives the award from Bill Martin (left), national sales director, and Randy Kremer (right), president of Rugs Direct.

CHECK US OUT ON THE WEB

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Untitled-2 1 7/31/2012 3:30:54 PM


APR MAY JUNJUL JULAUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MARSource: Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Average, a unit of Instinet, a Reuters company.

4.3%2012

year-over-year

-5.0%

-3.5%

-2.0%

-0.5%

1.0%

2.5%

4.0%

5.5%

7.0%

8.5%

10.0%

July Same-Store SalesJohnson Redbook Index

Same-store sales % change

WINNERSCostco Wholesale Club 8.0%Ross Stores. 7.0% TJX Cos. 7.0%Macy’s Inc. 4.1%Target Corp. 3.1%Stein Mart Inc. 2.8%Kohl’s Corp. 1.7%Fred’s Inc. 1.2%Alco 0.1%

FLATThe Bon-Ton Stores 0.0%

WINNERS AND LOSERS

JULY SALES FOR KEY RETAILERSFour Weeks Ended July 29, 2012 (dollar amounts in millions) a

2012 2011 TOTAL SAME-STORE SALES SALES % CHG. % CHG.

Alco Stores 33.5 32.5 3.3 0.1 Bon-Ton Stores Inc. $173.4 $173.6 (0.1) 0.0 Costco Wholesale Corp. b $7,250.0 $6,740.0 8.0 8.0 Fred’s Inc. $136.7 $129.7 5.0 1.2 Kohl’s Corp. $1,161.0 $1,122.0 3.4 1.7 Macy’s Inc. $1,693.0 $1,611.0 5.1 4.1 Ross Stores Inc. $709.0 $635.0 12.0 7.0 Stein Mart Inc. $69.9 $67.2 4.0 2.8 Target Corp. $4,995.0 $4,840.0 3.2 3.1 The TJX Companies Inc. $1,800.0 $1,600.0 8.0 7.0

22 WEEKS2012 2011 TOTAL SAME-STORE SALES SALES % CHG. % CHG.

Alco Stores $235.9 $230.2 2.5 (0.1)Bon-Ton Stores Inc. $1,235.6 $1,245.4 -0.8 (0.6)Costco Wholesale Corp. $47,520.0 $43,110.0 10.2 NAFred’s Inc. $470.0 $452.7 4.0 (1.0)Kohl’s Corp. $8,447.0 $8,410.0 0.4 (1.3)Macy’s Inc. $12,262.0 $11,828.0 3.7 3.7 Ross Stores Inc. $4,698.0 $4,164.0 13.0 8.0 Stein Mart Inc. $579.8 $573.7 1.1 1.6 Target Corp. $32,989.0 $31,475.0 4.8 4.2 The TJX Companies Inc. $11,800.0 $10,700.0 10.0 8.0

a. Reporting periods vary among retailers.b. Costco’s July comp results are for the U.S. division and do not include the impact of deflation in gasoline prices or the negative impact from

foreign currencies. Including those impacts, comps for the month were up 7.0% in the U.S. division, 0.0% in the international division, and 5.0% for the total company.

July Comps Positive Results For Most BY CECILE B. CORRAL

NEW YORK — Almost all of the key retailers tracked monthly by HTT enjoyed a comp increase — albeit modest for the bulk of them.

But even better news is that the home category had some-thing to do with it.

This was especially true for TJX Companies, which saw HomeGoods comps increase “a robust” 11%. Marmaxx comps were up 7%, signifi cantly above plan, with an 8% comp increase for home fashions specifi cally.

Carol Meyrowitz, ceo, said that in July, TJX’s customer traf-fic was “up substantially at all divisions and drove most of the comp increase, which we be-lieve speaks to our on-point fash-ions and brands at great values and wide customer demograph-ic appeal.”

Stein Mart’s 2.8% comp in-crease for the month and second quarter “reflect improvements in our merchandise and promo-tional approach,” said Jay Stein, interim ceo. “We are encour-aged by these sales gains, which are an indication that our mer-chandising strategy is the right one for us.”

Home, ladies’ accessories and ladies’ career sportswear post-

ed the strongest comp gains for Stein Mart in July.

Kohl’s 1.7% comp increase was the result of the mid-tier de-partment store chain’s improved inventory levels heading into the Back-to-School season, accord-ing to the company. Home gen-erated a mid-single-digit comp increase as did footwear and men’s – all lead categories for the month. Strongest perform-ers in home included bedding and sheets, and bath and tow-els, the company said.

Although its comps were fl at for the month, Bon-Ton semi-

annual home and furniture sales event “posted a strong increase largely due to the successful in-troduction of new fall goods,”

August 6, 2012

BUSINESSTodaY

according to president and ceo Brendan Hoffman.

Only Target noted softness in home, which suffered a low sin-gle-digit comp decline in July.

Overall, Target was pleased with its 3.1% comp increase overall, noted Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and ceo. The result “was right in line with our expectation going into

the quarter. Guests continue to respond to our innovative mer-chandising, remodel program and 5% REDcard Rewards, driving healthy increases in traf-fi c and sales in a consumer en-vironment that remains quite challenging.”

Macy’s, which posted the third-best comp results in July among key retailers, managed

a 4.1% increase that met its spring season expectations de-spite “some challenges from a sluggish macroeconomic envi-ronment and a temporary dis-ruption of sales from the re-modeling project at our Herald Square flagship store in New York City,” said Terry J. Lund-gren, chairman, president and ceo. HTT

NEW YORK — Off-price chains Ross Stores and TJX Companies were both encouraged enough by their ongoing businesses to in-crease their outlooks for the sec-ond quarter.

After above-plan sales and strong margins in July, TJX now

expects its second quarter earn-ings per share to be approximate-ly 55 cents, which is above the company’s recently raised guid-ance and up significantly over last year.

For the full year, TJX now projects earnings per share to be

in the range of $2.38 to $2.44.Ross Stores’ better-than-ex-

pected July included above-plan sales and gross margin. The com-pany now estimates earnings per share for the second quarter to be 80 to 81 cents. Previous guidance set EPS at 77 to 78 cents. HTT

Ross and TJX Boost Outlooks

htt120801_024 24 8/2/2012 5:37:56 PM

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: MAGICONLINE.COM/SOURCING

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MODERATOR:Warren Shoulberg, Editorial Director, HOME TEXTILES TODAY PANELIST:Laurie Pressman, VP, Fashion, Home + Interiors, PANTONE LLC

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Untitled-1 1 7/27/2012 3:51:27 PM

26 Home Textiles Today

PEKING LINEN INCHome textiles distributor directly supported by its factory in China,

seeks:Sales with established accounts in

home fashions, and Designers experienced in home fashions. Please send resumes to:

[email protected] call: 201-293-4418

CLASSIFIEDS

SPENCER WHITTLE:[email protected] 336.605.1027 fax 336.605.1143

KAREN HANCOCK:[email protected] 336.605.1047 fax 336.605.1143

THEY’RELOOKING

FORYOU

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RESULTS !

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LINES OFFERED

Institutional Sales Rep – Home Offi ceCarpenter Co. – World’s largest manufacturer of Polyurethane Foam used in a variety of cushioning products such as pillows, bedding, mattresses, furniture,

etc. Business Development role for consumer products within distributor networks for hotels, prisons, cruise ships, and other institutions. Some direct

selling with major hotel brands. 3+ years experience. www.carpenter.com and www.sleepbetter.org Email your resume to [email protected]

Marketing Manager: Manage activities to market and sell products made by our parent company and monitor markets for new product development, working in our Boston offi ce. Requires master’s degree in Business, English

or Marketing, with at least 2 years marketing/management experience in the textile industry. Please send resume to: HR, Harrison & Elizabeth, Inc.,

581 Boylston St., STE 304, Boston, MA 02116 or email: [email protected]

HELP WANTED

One of the most successful online home textile brands in China, Racy’s Home, is seeking

cooperative opportunities with home textile studios or designers from Europe and the U.S.

• Do you want to show your face on the biggest B to C website in Asia?

• Do you want to share your designs and ideas with the most popularity and with more than 10 million from the most exciting market of the world?

• The candidate who is interested in this co-operation should have a minimum of 5 years experience in design and/or art or a related field. Candidates will be asked to show their pictures and comments on their own designs to our consumers.

• We will introduce your designs together to millions of our consumers in China.

• We will offer market prices for your artwork if chosen by our product team.

If you are interested, please forward your studio profile or personal resume to:

[email protected]

SALES PROFESSIONALS WANTEDCommission based Sales Rep needed for promotionally priced Home Textile Importer. USA Warehouse, 20 years in business.

Excellent reputation. Only those with real Home textile experience need apply. All territories available.

E-mail resume to [email protected] or fax to 516-621-9125

DESIGNER / STYLIST / MERCHANDISERWell established home textile company with a broad product base is looking

for a creative person who is a self starter and able to complete projects on schedule. Customer sales and presentations, along with market trends and product knowledge is a must. Travel is required along with experience in

sourcing at domestic and international trade fairs. We are seeking a leader with excellent communications skills who can get the job done, 5 to 7 years

experience, and references. Skills: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Microsoft Offi ce, Graphic Design, PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Adobe.

Forward resume to: Attn. BB173, classifi [email protected]

August 6, 2012 Business

BY CECILE B. CORRAL

NEW YORK — Lagging sales for its branded soft fl ooring products at The Home Depot were large-ly to blame for stunting growth in the merchandising division of Martha Stewart Living Omnime-dia during the second quarter.

“Overall, our growth was off-set by the softness at The Home Depot relative to our expecta-tions, primarily in the soft fl oor-ing category,” explained Lisa Gersh, president and ceo during the company’s quarterly confer-ence call last week.

By comparison, merchandis-ing has “a solid quarter overall,” lead by several contributors, in-

cluding JCPenney, “where we continue our early design work as we prepare for the launch of that partnership in the fi rst quar-ter of 2013.”

Also helpful to sales during the period were strong sales per-formances for the Martha Stewart home offi ce line at Staples, the pet product line at PetSmart, and soft home products at Macy’s.

“The Martha Stewart Collec-tion at Macy’s had a solid quar-ter with strength in textiles,” the company reported.

Merchandising was the quar-ter’s highlight, with revenues up 12% to $14.5 million from $12.9 million a year ago, and operating income of $10.2 million. HTT

NEW YORK — Same-store sales rose 1.1% in the fourth and fi nal week of July follow-ing a 1.3% gain the prior week, ac-cording to The Johnson Redbook Re-tail Sales Index.

Month-to-date, July was up 1.6% compared to July of last year, relative to a target of a 1.8% gain. Month-over-month showed a 1.4% drop, relative to a target of a 1.2% drop.

“As we close out the month and the second quarter, overall sales registered a slower pace in the fourth week as consumers continued to shun cool weather merchan-dise,” said Catlin Levis, Redbook analyst.

Meanwhile, some retailers reported a strengthening sales toward the weekend, especially in apparel, which they attributed to the beginning of back-to-school de-

mand, she added.

Mississippi was the fi rst of 17 states which kicked-off a tax-free holiday July 27 and stores there reported increased weekend traffi c, said Levis.

Redbook’s preliminary target for August is 1.7% same-store growth, leaving the month about 0.5% be-hind July. This target will be fi nalized in next week’s re-port. HTT

Same-store sales

Redbook: Comps up 1.1% in Final Week of July

Johnson Redbook IndexFourth week of July, year-over-year % change

WEEK ENDED 7/6 7/13 7/20 7/27 MONTH TARGET

Department stores* 0.4 (0.1) (0.9) (1.8) (0.6) 0.3Discounters 3.1 2.6 2.3 2.6 2.7 2.6Redbook Index 2.2 1.7 1.3 1.1 1.6 1.8*Including chain stores and traditional department storesSource: Johnson Redbook Index

MSLO Merchandising Hits a Bump in Q2

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27 Home Textiles TodayNews

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August 6, 2012

According to Sferra president, Steve Schneider, “The fi rst half of 2012 has been very successful for Sferra and we expect this trend to continue during the second half. We have a large num-ber of new introductions that have re-ceived rave reviews from customers in Dallas and Atlanta, and we are very excited about the upcoming fall sea-son.”

In bed linens Sferra will be intro-ducing new styles in yarn-dyed jac-quards, a new piece-dye jacquard, a new entry-level Egyptian Cotton per-cale, an embroidery expanded to top of the bed in new colors, cool weather Egyptian Cotton sheeting, new decora-tive pillows and many classics in new colors. Introductions in bath include new colors in Bello towels and Mae-stro rugs as well as new cotton jacquard bath linens and robes. New styles in table linens will also be on display.

Pendleton is cautiously optimistic about the second half, according to Bob Christnacht, director of wholesale sales-worldwide. “Trade accounts re-ported sell through that was over plan for last fall and holiday. Our premarket meetings with key accounts indicate an increase in OTB allocation for Pendle-ton Home for Holiday 12 and Spring 13. We are also hearing from accounts who held back fall open-to-buy and are looking for immediate delivery.”

Pendleton is introducing two new classifications at the show: jacquard robes that coordinate with the com-pany’s towel programs and infant lay-ette sets within the Chief Joseph col-lection.

Garry Schermann, national sales di-rector, tag ltd seems to agree with the appointment outlook. “Our top ac-counts continue to set appointments. They realize the value of having time set aside to work with their best ven-dors.”

Shermann said the company will be rolling out seasonal themed collec-tions for spring and summer 2013 and an assortment of new categories for the end of the year. Shermann added that new items in the company’s basic cat-egories such as table and kitchen tex-

tiles would also be part of the show.Cathy Deale, founder/ceo of Jaca-

randa Living, was duly cautious, but had this to say about the business cli-mate: “Overall we are signifi cantly up on our best year, which was 2011, so we expect, and hope, this trend will continue.” She added, “Generally we have found changes in buying pat-terns. Online wholesale orders have increased. Buyers are going to shows to fi nd new products, to touch and feel merchandise and to establish relation-ships with manufacturers. Reorders are increasingly being done online.”

Deale added some extra texture re-garding social media outlets which she believes,“helped to create a buzz around trade shows and have encour-aged store owners to attend so they don’t miss out. I expect this to help at-tendance rates at the NYIGF.”

At this season’s NYIGF, Jacaranda Living will be introducing a new com-bination of hand towels made from a blend of linen joined by a row of ladder lace and embroidered — as well as new cotton sleepwear styles for the fall.

In this long, hot summer renowned for drought and blackouts, eco-friend-ly products might assume more im-portance. Asked whether customers were inquiring about these products and whether they are viable, Aileen Hagert, business development manag-er at Handmade Expressions, respond-ed: “Absolutely, the answer is yes on

both counts. The trick is in getting the product right. That is the trifecta: sus-tainable, stylish and priced right.”

Barbara Shaw, proprietor, Barba-ra Shaw Gifts concurs on the demand side, “There is a demand for natural fabrics, and products that conserve and recycle.”

Shaw also share concerns about price.

“Clearly shoppers and retailers are cautious, the economic news on both sides of the Atlantic does have an ef-fect.” Shaw continued, “Obviously some areas states and cities are hurting more than others. On the other hand, it is not all gloom and doom and we have moved beyond the worst case scenari-os. I believe there are opportunities for manufacturers and retailers alike partic-ularly in the home textile area, as folks entertain and eat at home more often. The home as the hearth is a theme that I think we can capitalize on.”

Shaw will be launching new ranges of table linens, design-led heritage prod-ucts for the Chanukah festival, serving ware for the Jewish New Year as well as zany Yiddish-themed products.

So how does business play out at this year’s NYIGF?

Chortex USA representative, Eric Vergucht, who will be introducing new towel ranges in Supima Cotton and Turkish Aegean Fine Long Staple Cot-ton, said: “We do have a few appoint-ments but most are walk-ins.” HTT

PREVIEW FROM PAGE 1

NYIGF

The initial collection is being sold in Sui’s store in New York City’s Soho neighborhood. According to the design-er, the company is currently speaking with some of its retail partners about po-tentially expanding into more stores. Her

eponymous boutiques are in eight coun-tries around the world, and her brand is sold globally.

The bedding collection includes quilts, a quilted pillow case, a pillow cover with ribbon, a standard sham, a dorm set, a place mat and canvas travel, garment and cosmetic bags.

“All the patterns offered in my new Home Collection are iconic, original Anna Sui prints … reinterpreted and

wood-block printed on cotton in India,” said the designer. “Right now, we are fo-cusing on bedding, but you never know what may lie ahead. I’d love to do more in the home market in the future.”

Sui is best known for her fashions and has successfully licensed her brand in cosmetics and fragrances. In 2009, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion De-signers of America (CDFA). HTT

SUI FROM PAGE 1

Anna Sui Collection

Pendelton continues to introduce new colorways in its Chief Joseph pattern.

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Home Textiles Today August 6th Issue