Youth styling branches out
Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, November 21, 2004
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HIGH POINT — With more companies getting into the youth category, manufacturers are expanding their style offerings as a way to stand out.
 AP Inds. offers some new finishes this fall, including this No. 1600 series with rub-through effect. |
| AP Inds. offers some new finishes this fall, including this No. 1600 series with rub-through effect. |
White Victorian groups continue to sell well for girls, but companies seeking to make a name for themselves must offer a wider variety of looks. The first licensed Jessica McClintock collection has been a big seller for Lea. The elegant design appeals to many girls and their parents. Building on that success, Lea introduced a second group under the license — the Vintage Collection for Young Ladies – at last month’s market. It also is a sophisticated design but has a casual flair, with hand-painted details. Kerry Glasser, McClintock’s agent and president of Concept Marketing Group, called the 45-piece Vintage “a true collaboration with Jessica. It accurately showcases her affection for antiques.”
 Pulaski entered the youth category for the first time this fall as part of its Casa Cristina collection, licensed with Hispanic TV star Cristina Saralegui. |
| Pulaski entered the youth category for the first time this fall as part of its Casa Cristina collection, licensed with Hispanic TV star Cristina Saralegui. |
“This is more than just a ‘Little Princess’ youth group,” added Earl Wang, Lea’s vice president of product development. “It is intended to complement the current Jessica collections by offering a different style of furniture that is youth-friendly, but also extends to an older child or second bedroom. This relaxed design has a family heirloom, almost shabby-chic casualness as compared to the more formal elegance of the original collection.” Lea also expanded its style reach beyond traditional with its new Off Campus/Skyline groups, also introduced in October. The contemporary cases were shown in a clear maple finish in Off Campus or with a cherry finish in Skyline. These groups and Vintage were accepted better than expected, said Wang, adding that Vintage was picked up by almost all of Lea’s major retailers. Lea is rushing to get the McClintock line cut and shipped before the Chinese New Year begins in February. Creating unique looks
 Hooker introduced three collections this fall, including Swedish Accents, a feminine Scandinavian design in a white finish with flyspecking technique. |
| Hooker introduced three collections this fall, including Swedish Accents, a feminine Scandinavian design in a white finish with flyspecking technique. |
Design variety also is important to AP Inds., according to Gary Bryant, vice president of sales and marketing.
“We provide an assortment of style,” said Bryant.
AP’s youth furniture is more contemporary than the typical provider, he said, and that has been a selling point because retailers can’t find these looks elsewhere.
AP added a shabby-chic group at market that looks to be a big hit. The company also did well with its three new finishes — celery with rub-through, red and a bold yellow. The three finishes are feminine, but the red also could work in boys’ rooms.
“Everybody has white,” Bryant said, but AP offers four shades. The entire line now has 19 finish options that with hardware choices brings the total SKU count to more than 18,000.
These new pieces and finishes led to a strong October market for AP. He said that sales were up this time over October 2003. The spring market is typically better for the company, he noted, but this fall was up 15% over April 2004, too.
Palliser also had a strong October showing. It was the best case goods market ever for the company, including youth sales, according to Philip Siler, merchandise manager for case goods.
Targeting ‘tweeners’
Palliser did its homework on style, and it paid off, Siler said. The company’s designers stretched the envelope a bit on design, he said, and retailers responded favorably to it.
 PJ Kids focuses on the “storage” of sleep, study and storage this fall with these wicker baskets that fit into a home entertainment wall scaled for kids’ rooms. |
| PJ Kids focuses on the “storage” of sleep, study and storage this fall with these wicker baskets that fit into a home entertainment wall scaled for kids’ rooms. |
In youth, the new pieces were different from the usual offerings in scale and finishing, he said. Palliser hasn’t been hitting the “tweener” category as strong as it could, he said, and so it developed the darker finish on Matalina, one of three new groups, to have more teen appeal. In its second High Point market, Legacy Classic Kids introduced three new groups, putting its total at seven. Seeking to boost its selection of Victorian and cottage, Legacy introduced Reflections and Secret Garden. While these groups did well, the biggest hit was the Louis Philippe-influenced Cambridge Cart, featuring mahogany veneers and antique brass hardware. The Legacy whole-home program is starting to work, said Lee Boone, general manager of Legacy Classic Kids. Retailers can buy a wide variety of furniture in one container and mix in a few bedroom pieces. Distinctive styling also is a key ingredient for some new competitors in the youth market.
 This whimsical floor clock from Powell has ample storage behind the top and bottom doors. The nursery rhyme "Hickory Dickory Dock" is the inspiration for this piece. Hand-painted mice adorn the surface along with passages from the rhyme. The storage clock has three adjustable shelves and stands 74 inches tall. |
| This whimsical floor clock from Powell has ample storage behind the top and bottom doors. The nursery rhyme "Hickory Dickory Dock" is the inspiration for this piece. Hand-painted mice adorn the surface along with passages from the rhyme. The storage clock has three adjustable shelves and stands 74 inches tall. |
Offering a licensed collection with Hispanic TV star Cristina Saralegui gave Pulaski the chance to enter the youth category for the first time.
“Many of our retailers have been asking us to address the youth category,” said Bill Sibbick, senior vice president of sales. “The Casa Cristina furniture collection seemed like the perfect opportunity. The collection is very eclectic and provided us with designs that were applicable to the youth business.”
Casa Cristina has more than 30 pieces of youth bedroom furniture, targeting children ages 3 to 12.
“We’re very pleased,” said Larry Webb, president and CEO. “It (the youth) was well received and well placed, as was the entire collection.”
Whole-home approach
Another new player this fall is Hooker Furniture, which brought out three new youth groups at High Point.
A case goods company, Hooker has strong business in niche categories such as master bedroom, home office, home entertainment and occasional. After a good launch, the company expects youth to be its next big line.
Phil Garrett, bedroom product manager, said Hooker spent more than a year developing SmartKids and is planning two more groups for the April market.
“As we attempt to be a complete resource, we recognize that youth furniture is a category in which we need a vital presence,” said Paul Toms Jr., CEO and chairman.
Hooker aims to leverage some of its strengths in domestic manufacturing “by offering immediate delivery, excellent quality and broad selection in youth, while blending in imports for some of the more price-sensitive pieces,” added Toms. “We also will offer the dealer a strong marketing and promotional program to help the product sell through to the consumer.”
P.J. Kids introduced a series of problem-solving storage products this fall. The Storage Solutions concept uses a variety of storage options in junior wall units, which can hold televisions plus kids’ gear.
The system can be configured to have a desk/study center with all the trimmings or just a simple storage area that can stack vertically or horizontally across to suit the space. The total Storage Solutions package consists of seven pieces — a pair of cubes, cube doors, base unit, desk, corkboard, cubby unit and lined baskets.
“This line is a direct response to requests from customers for ways to increase storage in children’s rooms, play areas and family rooms,” said President Stewart Paul.
Parents are challenged to find ways to store all the stuff kids accumulate, he said, and they need solutions that are either horizontal or vertical.
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