Basic browns are back in dynamic leather arena
Mfrs. debut China products
Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, March 23, 2005
HIGH POINT -- Leather upholstery manufacturers at last week's premarket unveiled new programs from China, new pricing strategies, new leathers and a newfound respect for basic browns.
Several European producers, including Chateau d'Ax, Calia Italia, Nicoletti and Schillig, are still designing in Europe but have followed Natuzzi to China to manufacturer their promotional product. Most of those companies' premium lines, however, continue to be made in Europe.Italian manufacturer Incanto Divani, meanwhile, is making its opening- to mid-priced items in Brazil.In color, leather producers are returning to brown in a big way. Although masquerading as tobacco or sienna, more browns are replacing the splashes of buoyant reds and yellows once evident in showrooms — because brown has always sold best.At premarket, Calia Italia USA introduced Divextra, a Chinese-built collection designed in Italy, to good reaction. The 25-model line is strategically priced to retail from $799 to $1,199 for freestanding sofas, and $1,499 to $1,999 for seating groups."We've been building excitement for this program on the road," said Mauro Bracciale, vice president of sales and marketing for the United States. Fifteen upscale contemporary frames, made in Italy, will be offered under the standard Calia brand, Bracciale said.Nicoletti, meanwhile, is seeking to diversify its customer base beyond its current complement of department stores by selling to smaller independent retailers. To do so, it is rolling out a Chinese program of more than 15 frames."We feel comfortable introducing this program from China because it offers function and detail," said Tiziana Catalano, a U.S. sales manager for Nicoletti. "We've reached a competitive price point without sacrificing quality."Sofas from China are priced to retail from $799, while three-piece packages will retail from $1,199 to $1,999. "We have never had such an aggressive program in the promotional market," said Gianni Tucci, also a U.S. sales manager.Nicoletti's better-priced made-in-Italy line will add 15 sofa models priced from $1,599 to $2,399 retail.
Natuzzi showcased a plethora of sectionals, plenty of bright fabric covers and a revamped motion sofa, which allows for no opening gap in the chaise mechanism. Universal Furniture, which also has dedicated facilities in China, has doubled its six-month-old top-grain leather program to 16 frames. The collection addresses style themes the company calls European Romance, Urban Casual and 21st Century Modern. Roy Calcagne, senior vice president of upholstery, said the company has had a "phenomenal" reaction to the program, which began shipping in January. Flexsteel is introducing a tiered pricing strategy for its U.S.-made leather seating, with step-up charges of $100 each for special-order good-better-best leather enhancement, as an alternative to its cut-and-sew entries."We have actually graded some leathers down to eliminate sticker shock," said Lee Fautsch, national sales manager. "Our leather price points have never been lower."The in-house domestic program is in addition to Flexsteel's Latitudes import line. "We are really being aggressive to jump-start the marketplace," Fautsch said. "When the economy comes back, we expect to be a big beneficiary."Canada-based Palliser is realigning its leather business strategy to reflect its breadth of product. "With a major launch in April, we're offering a wide range of styles for the North American market," said Roger Friesen, senior vice president of sales, merchandising and customer relations. "We have a good range of product to create a core leather floor for dealers, and we are returning to that as our primary story. We're all about choice — cover, color, grade — with four-week delivery."Palliser is adding two new arm treatments (track and bombe) to its successful modular Elements program, offered in leather or microfiber. Basix, a seating group highlighting an architectural/youth look, originally part of Palliser's EQ3 segment, is now crossing over into Palliser's regular line.LeatherTrend also is addressing the market's needs in a big way, with 75 introductions across all upholstery categories, said Bryant Dickens, president of LeatherTrend/LeatherMart.At importer Prime Resources International/Pacifica Leather, President Kevin Gallagher said business "seems to be picking up again (and) we are finding our niche as a supplier of leathers with some matching case pieces."At DeCoro, Larry Crink, executive vice president, said, "Business has picked up significantly through March and we are staying very aggressive to meet that demand."
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Basic browns are back in dynamic leather arena
Apr 3, 2005
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