Youth mfrs. targeting teens and 'tweens'
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, April 25, 2005
High Point — A youth trend that has been slowly gaining momentum has exploded this market as several companies promote furniture aimed at teens and preteens.
A couple of years ago, some manufacturers noted that there weren't many collections aimed at older children and began developing pieces for this. These modest efforts have now caught on, encouraging companies to expanding their offerings or enter the niche for the first time.
Groups for young girls are perennially the best sellers for Young America, Lea and other top producers. However, companies wanting to increase their sales now are reaching out to other demographics.
Importer Zocalo entered the youth business a year ago and comes to market this time with a new brand for teens, Z Generation.
"Each piece in the initial seven collections of Z Generation is designed to adapt to the ever-changing needs of a style-conscious teen," stated Danny Olivas, marketing director.
"There is no doubt that 'tweens' and teens have an ever-expanding amount of influence when it comes to what goes into their rooms," said Olivas. "It only makes sense to offer teens products that fit their current style, stage in life, and need for self-expression. The fashion and music industries have been doing this successfully for years, and we're (following) their lead."
Five of the seven groups draw inspiration from Zocalo's leading adult collections: Milano, Cherry Hill, Cinnamon Bay, Sterling Park and Montana Lodge. Some of these youth pieces were shown at the October market, but not as part of a separate brand line. Two new collections are exclusively for youth: Muze, a 1960s-esque group with a rattan swirl pattern, light cherry finish and glass surface tops; and Fuze Box, with brushed aluminum drawer pulls, stylish rubber inlay panels and a chestnut patina.
Hooker Furniture also entered the youth field for the first time last year with its SmartKids program. This market, the company is doubling its offerings to four groups by adding Chateau Philippe and Metropolitan View. Chateau Philippe has clean Louis Philippe lines with a white finish on hardwood solids and veneers. Metropolitan View, which started as an entertainment group in October, now expands into youth, featuring maple solids and cherry veneers.
Hooker knew that it wanted to target a wide range of ages when it launched SmartKids, according to Phil Garrett, bedroom product manager. SmartKids focuses on the four stages of life: child, tween, teenager and a young adult.
Because the furniture is being used by young adults, and also could go in guest rooms and second homes, Garrett said, "We maintain the same quality standards for youth bedroom that we do for our master bedroom."
With the youth furniture reaching retail floors, Hooker is kicking off a college scholarship sweepstakes promotion with authorized dealers. Consumers can register in stores to win $1,000 for their child, with one winner drawn each month.
Speaking of college, A.P. Inds. has turned to a couple of New York University students for a new licensed collection. The 18-year-old Olsen twins have worked with A.P. on the "mary-kateandashley" furniture collection. The line, which includes City and Country style groups, has about 20 pieces, including beds, nightstand, armoire, desk/vanity, hutch, dresser, storage chest, bench and freestanding mirror.
Mary-Kate and Ashley have their own apparel and jewelry line at Wal-Mart through their corporation Dualstar Entertainment. As for getting into furniture, Ashley Olsen said, "It seemed like the next step that we would take."
Looking at the marketplace, she said she didn't see a lot of stylish furniture choices aimed at teens. All girls are unique and want possessions that allow them to express themselves and their individualities, she said.
Dualstar's consumer products division worked with licensing company Beanstalk to research manufacturers looking for a good fit. The sisters wanted to pick a company that they felt comfortable with, said Ashley, and that would understand what they were aiming for. With their clothing line, the Olsens aim to offer good quality at a lower price so that it it can be available to the masses.
The twins chose A.P. for the same price-quality equation, based on its designs using solid birch and veneers and beds starting at $699.
Dualstar has been working with the teen and tween market for a long time now and has learned a great deal about their tastes through research as well as trial and error, said Ashley Olsen. She added that one strength of the new A.P. line is that it offers a wide range of products that kids can choose to fit their rooms and needs, while also offering different finishes to suit their tastes.
Suiting a variety of tastes is a specialty of Lea, which offers several styles in its line with six new groups this market.
A group like Anna Rose is aimed at younger girls, but most new designs focus on offering more longevity, according to Earl Wang, Lea's vice president of product development and design. The new Varsity targets teen boys, while Elation is suited for older girls and second bedrooms.
Whimsical or childish looks are only acceptable for a few years, then kid wants more age-appropriate furniture, Wang said. Lea's approach is to offer something that would appeal to 11-year-olds, but still fit when the child goes off to college.
In some cases, the kids go off to school, earn a degree, then return home until they can stand on their own two feet, so this furniture must last for many years, he said.
Appealing to teens and young adults means more than just getting the style right, he said. The pieces must be configured differently, such as offering computer-friendly silhouettes, and offer more function and storage, such as taller dressers and media cabinets that accept books, electronic media and other items.
Other companies offering new teen and tween furniture include Legacy Classic Kids and Hart Furniture.
