Retailers urged to think orange
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, February 28, 2004
Myrtle Beach, S.C. — When conducting an image audit, retailers need to pay just as much attention to the latest fashion trends as they do to lighting, signage and other details that can make their stores pop.
And right now they need to think "orange," Connie Post told retailers at the Furniture First annual symposium here.
The owner of Connie Post Cos. offered her take on the recent Maison & Object show in Paris, which was all about orange — from fabric colors to decorative accessories. More evidence: The February issue of Elle Décor devotes a page to the connection between fashions on the runway and home fabrics, she said, and everything is orange. Sears' new washer colors include a Sedona orange.
One retailer at the meeting said she has tried the color on the floor, and it doesn't sell. But Post said that just means the retailer is "ahead of the curve," and the sales are coming.
Pink, purple and aqua are other important colors, she added. On the fabric side, velvets and corduroys were popular in Paris.
While some retailers might not have the guts to floor an orange or pink sofa, Post encouraged them to use the colors in pillows or accents or as paint on the walls.
"If you don't make the connection between what's in fashion and what you offer, you damage your image," she said.
