Claiborne collection follows consumers' lead
By Powell Slaughter -- Furniture Today, February 22, 2004
LEXINGTON, N.C. — LEXINGTON, N.C. — Lexington Home Brands and new partner Liz Claiborne kept the consumer firmly in mind when creating Liz Claiborne Home.
"It's totally different than any introduction we've done at Lexington since it's 100% consumer driven," said Bob Stec, president and CEO of the furniture manufacturer and importer.
"We'd been looking for a while for something with a feminine mindset in the market, and Liz Claiborne was getting requests from its consumer base who wanted the brand to get into furniture."
Liz Claiborne's consumer research told executives at the fashion brand powerhouse what the target audience expected.
"Our home products research identified a clear demand, style desires, the appropriate price and what the brand represents," said Virginia Bremer, home licensing director for Liz Claiborne. "This collection is not for an upholstery buyer or case goods buyer. It's for the consumer."
What does the consumer want from Liz Claiborne furniture? Traditional, classic styles, but very livable and functional, all attributes of the brand itself.
"The consumer told us she thought it was very inclusive, and that she could blend it into her lifestyle," Bremer said.
Stec said the consumer connection takes a lot of the guesswork out of product design.
"Liz Claiborne is in the home business because of its consumer franchise, the idea that (consumers) came to the brand and said you ought to do this category," Stec said.
"The design process involved the merging of their brand knowledge and our design knowledge. From a design standpoint, you almost had the yard fenced in before you start."
Bremer said Liz Claiborne consumers feel comfortable that as long as they choose the brand, whatever the product, they won't make a mistake.
"It removes the fear factor from furniture buying," Stec said. "These are consumers who like the way they live. Sure they have aspirations, but (this collection) says, 'This is for me,' versus 'This is the way I'd like to live.' "
He added that Liz Claiborne's consumer research and the brand's broad visibility make it different from other Lexington brands (such as Nautica, Palmer Home, Bob Timberlake and Betsy Cameron).
"We have some great brands, but their one weakness is that they're a view through a single lens, while Liz Claiborne gives many perspectives from millions of consumers," Stec said. "You're taking an existing consumer franchise, asking that franchise what they want and then delivering it."
Lexington counts on the brand's popularity in other product categories to drive business to furniture dealers.
"To simply have that (Liz Claiborne) sign on your storefront will draw an incredible number of people," Stec said. "If you're a dealer in the Boston area, we can tell you $250 million of Liz Claiborne products are sold in your market a year in 85 outlets."
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