Lexington, Richloom set Liz Claiborne lines
By Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, July 28, 2003
Lexington, N.C. — Lexington Home Brands and Richloom Fabrics Group are set to launch a line of Liz Claiborne-licensed furniture and home furnishings fabrics. The fabrics will be unveiled at the January 2004 Showtime, and the initial furniture line of about 150 pieces will debut at the April 2004 High Point market.
The aim is to leverage the brand's power with American women, millions of whom are extremely loyal to the upscale looks and popular prices of Claiborne apparel. Liz Claiborne says it has a 97% brand awareness.
A Liz Claiborne spokeswoman said price points and other elements of the home lines are still being worked out.
Barbara Friedman, president of licensing for Liz Claiborne, said the "partnership with Lexington and Richloom will ... help us achieve our goal of offering our consumer the opportunity to make a complete lifestyle statement." She said the company's research showed "the Liz Claiborne consumer is highly engaged in the home category and open to further brand and product extensions."
Other home products under the Liz Claiborne banner were rolled out last year, including carpeting, flooring, bed, bath and window treatments, which will be available at retail this fall.
Liz Claiborne is the latest to join Lexington's stable of brands such as Bob Timberlake, Nautica, Tommy Bahama, Waverly, Palmer Home, Southern Living, Susan Sargent, Henry Link Trading Co. and Betsy Cameron.
Bob Stec, Lexington's chairman and chief executive officer, said, "The Liz Claiborne brand has a tremendously loyal and deep following with female consumers in a wide range of product categories.... There is not only an acceptance, but a highly positive anticipation of what this brand will mean in the volume home furnishings arena."
President Jim Richman of Richloom said, "Combining Liz Claiborne's design expertise and vast consumer appeal with Richloom's dominance in coordinated decorative fabrics makes for a great partnership."
Richloom, which Furniture/ Today estimates to be the largest domestic converter of upholstery fabrics with about $200 million in shipments of non-automotive interior fabric in 2002, is a vertically integrated fabric source serving the retail, upholstery, jobber and manufacturing segments.
Liz Claiborne Inc. designs and markets an broad range of apparel and accessories for women, men, teens, children and infants. The company also markets fragrances for women and men. Its 30 brands are available at more than 26,000 stores worldwide.
