An immigrant's success story
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 21, 2004
LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. — LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y.— In 1929, six years after he emigrated to the United States from Italy, Franco Scalamandré bought a mill here with a $5,000 down payment and a $95,000 mortgage.
Scalamandré, whose aesthetic was rooted in a love of art and nurtured by textile weavers and designers in his childhood home near Naples, got his first commission from William Randolph Hearst for seven yards of Brocatelle, which inspired Scalamandré's commitment to weaving short amounts of high-quality fabric in custom designs and colors.
Over the years, the company became a favorite of designers, architects and preservationists. Scalamandré was specified in the restoration of such interiors as the White House, the Metropolitan Opera House, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, the Prestwould Plantation and Gracie Mansion.
Eventually, Franco Scalamandré turned the business over to his daughter Adriana Bitter, who successfully ran the company with her husband, Edwin. They brought their four children into the business, including sons Mark and Robert, who remain at the helm today.
-
Forma Adds Ekornes Stressless Zone
Sep 8, 2011 -
People on the move
Sep 3, 2011 -
Franklin honored for long service
Dec 7, 2009
Specialty retailer LoveSac introduces new store design
Belfort Furniture, Lawrance Furniture are NHFA Retailers of Year
Kincaid Furniture honors Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter for Habitat work
Singapore furniture show expecting increased turnout
Furniture, mattress sales boost Conn's sales 37.6% in recent quarter
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
