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Kathy Ireland parting ways with licensee Style-Line

By Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, May 25, 2003

Verona, Miss. — Kathy Ireland Worldwide has ended its year-old licensing agreement with fabric upholstery producer Style-Line. A replacement upholstery source will be determined.

Officials for all concerned, including Kathy Ireland, Style-Line and lead licensor Standard Furniture, termed the parting as "amicable."

"We mutually agreed not to renew because we are better suited as friends than as business partners," said Kathy Ireland.

Harvey Bailey, national sales manager for Style-Line, agreed. Style-Line will uphold any outstanding obligations on furniture shipments, he said.

Standard is the lead partner in Kathy Ireland Home and this year formed Home Brands Inc. as a brand management company with Kathy Ireland Worldwide. Don Mecke, vice president of Standard and president of Home Brands, declined to comment directly on the reasons the Style-Line license ended, but said, "Taking on a brand involves virtually every aspect of your business: It is a big responsibility in terms of product development, quality control, marketing and distribution."

Mecke added, "There will be a Kathy Ireland fabric component in the future. We have several irons in the fire but we will not rush into anything."

The split with Style-Line marks the second time Ireland has ended a licensing deal with an upholstery producer. The model-turned-businesswoman first entered the home furnishings market in a license with Vanguard in 1999, but the two had parted by 2002, when Kathy Ireland Worldwide aligned with Standard as its lead licensor.

Unveiled in April 2002, the Kathy Ireland fabric upholstery collection at Style-Line targeted retails of $599 to $699 with Home Essentials and $799 to $1,299 with the step-up Kathy Ireland Gallery.

Mecke said Standard continues to do well with its Kathy Ireland leather upholstery line, an import program introduced in Tupelo last August with sofas are priced to retail from $599 to $1,499.

Other Kathy Ireland Home licensees include Shaw Inds., Pacific Coast Lighting, Next Dimension Studios, A.F.D. Décor and Lady Americana.

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