Case goods story: Licenses, imports
By Powell Slaughter -- Furniture Today, April 14, 2002
HIGH POINT — Licensing, a big round of product and the ways major producers are mixing imports with domestic production are the main components of the case goods story at this week's High Point market.
Two major new licenses, the Elvis Presley Collection at Vaughan-Bassett and Susan Sargent's new line for Lexington, are leading the way for what looks to be a big year in 2002 for collections tied to names well-known outside furnitureland. (Next October will see more of the same, with new licensed collections scheduled from Century, Bernhardt, Thomasville and Madison Square, among others, linked to Oscar de la Renta, Martha Stewart, Humphrey Bogart and Monticello, respectively.)
This market, buyers also will see the relaunch of Kathy Ireland at Standard, and PGA at Hooker. Additions to existing licenses include Vaughan's Pamela Scurry, Lexington's Bob Timberlake and Tommy Bahama, Riverside's American Spirit by Bev Doolittle and Klaussner's Dick Idol Home.
While licensing has worked in a number of cases, there also are a few that didn't catch on. Manufacturers now are looking to develop licensed collections with organizations that have a strong knowledge of their consumer base.
That helps producers develop product that both ties into the name and sells at retail. Licensors, for their part, are getting better at accepting manufacturer input on piece selection and adaptations, versus direct reproduction, of pieces where necessary.
"Our relationship with Kathy Ireland is getting us into some categories we haven't done before," said Don Mecke, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Standard. "There are several categories and population segments they want us to address. We haven't ever tried some of these styles, but her organization knows her consumer."
Loaded for bear
This week shapes up as one of the larger rounds of new product in recent years. Strong business going into 2001 had a lot of manufacturers coming out with fewer or smaller major collections, with a lot of focus on filling line gaps and augmenting proven sellers.
Knowing in advance that attendance would be low at the October market in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, some manufacturers pulled their punches.
Henredon's Statements collection is an example.
"We held Statements back in October and took advantage of the extra time to refine it," said Mike Dugan, Henredon president. "I think the collection benefited from that."
In addition to Statements, Henredon is adding three new Ralph Lauren lifestyles, plus a whole new sub-brand, Acquisitions by Henredon. Acquisitions includes 45 eclectic pieces, plus upholstery, priced 15% to 20% below typical Henredon prices.
"It's going to be a different feeling from Henredon, very aged, soft relaxed antiques," Dugan said. We see this as a successor to Registry. There's always been a consumer demand at the upper end for antiques."
American Drew also is launching a new sub-brand, Artisan's Guild by American Drew. Artisan's Guild, produced in the former Theodore & Alexander plant in India, includes 48 eclectic pieces in English-themed solid alder with a darkened finish of antique tobacco, custom brass hardware.
On top of the 50-piece Tobago collection, Artisan's Guild represents so much new product that American Drew had to find more space.
"We'll show this in the old American of Martinsville space across the hall from our showroom," said Jack Richardson, president of American Drew.
The trend toward new product extends out into category specialists. Bedroom importer Rockford Furniture and its American Woodcrafters subsidiary, for example, are rolling out nine master bedrooms and two youth collections. French Heritage offers more than 200 new pieces, and Broyhill has a similar number among two whole-home collections and a host of shorter offerings across a range of wood categories. The list goes on.
The best of both worlds
Domestic manufacturers are hitting their stride mixing imported product and components with domestic cases, often within the same collection. For example, Broyhill's two case goods vice presidents, one for domestic and one for imports, are working together on the company's whole-home introductions.
"We're using import dining room and occasional with domestic product in our whole-home collections, using it where we can get the value," said Don Essenberg, vice president of import case goods.
Stanley, too, has some woven beds and occasional pieces that add a lot of interest to domestic cases in its American Perspectives collection.
"We've tried to have a diverse selection of materials like leather and abaca," said Gary Hokanson, Stanley's vice president of design. "The nightstand for American Perspectives will have trays in leather or abaca. We also have a bed bench, leather cubes, leather occasional, and dining chairs with leather."
Shermag is taking a different approach, creating a stand-alone import division. While a separate line, Shermag's import collections mix well with the existing line.
"We've been working on this for over a year," said Jerry Zelnicker, president of Shermag's import division. "We're using birch and cherry where many others are using less recognized woods. We kept a clear finish accented with dry-brushing and hang-up, and paneled sides."
The import line is more elaborate and on a larger scale than before, but it's still recognizable as Shermag. The company's designer, Bob Cappaert, also develops all the import product.
"We didn't get too far away from what we were doing, but the work with the panels, things like that, there was no way we could make that ourselves and still get the price," Zelnicker said. "We didn't go in for too much carving. One of the things people warned us about in that regard was, 'Just because you can doesn't mean you have to.'"
| Stanley's American View incorporates imported product like this woven bed to spice up domestic cases. |
-
Look for step-up products in case goods
Nov 4, 2011 -
Case goods sources focus on what works
Apr 28, 2011 -
Medium, higher prices set pace in case goods
May 10, 2012 -
Higher-priced wood selling at High Point Market
Apr 25, 2012 -
Updated finishes, features greet buyers in Toronto
Jan 27, 2012
Featured Company
-
Brandwise Inc.
Brandwise serves a model - not just an industry - by integrating, automating, and optimizing the entire sales channel, from wholesale Suppliers to their Reps and the Retailers they service. In short, our software helps Reps and Suppliers sell more and create... more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
