Leather plentiful at premarket
By Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, October 10, 2005
High Point — Leather upholstery manufacturers introduced seating collections despite a sluggish premarket that saw major retailers touring almost traffic-free, wide-open downtown showrooms here last week.
New leather articles and new colors poured forth from Chateau d'Ax, Flexsteel, Hickory Hill, Nicoletti, Palliser, Schillig and others. In their midst, Italian-based casual dining specialist Calligaris became the newest member of the leather upholstery fraternity.
"We are expanding into bedroom and upholstery to offer a complete lifestyle environment," said Emanuele Corvo, general manager at Calligaris. "We have the logistics and the sales network to deliver it."
The company's sofa line carries retails of $1,999 to $2,499.
Other Italian-owned manufacturers, including Nicoletti and Caliaitalia USA promoted three-piece room packages from China.
Nicoletti's program includes groups retail priced at $1,599, $1,799 and $1,999, featuring semi aniline-covered sofas priced at $699 (85-inch), $799 (89-inch) and $899 (91-inch).
Caliaitalia seeks to raise the bar on Italian style and contemporary design by manufacturing its bestsellers in China under its startup Divextra brand. Mauro Bracciale, vice president of sales and marketing, said Chinese production allows for retails of $999 to $1,199.
Frames will still be made in Italy if customers request it, he added.
Germany-based Schillig, also sourcing in Asia, this fall will emphasize a vivid color palette — purple, blue, orange — and quality design and tailoring from China, said Steve Bailey, vice president of sales and marketing.
At Natuzzi Americas, President and CEO Fred Starr said, "We saw key customers at premarket. Our strategies are working. The market will be built around brand and product lines in a further strengthening of our Pasquale Natuzzi Collection, Italsofa and Natuzzi brands."
At Chateau d'Ax, 35 new frames mark the biggest leather introduction ever, said Harry Cierler, director of North American operations.
At Canada-based Palliser, Pablo Reich, newly appointed vice president of sales and marketing for upholstery, said his company continues to position itself as a North American resource offering four-week delivery on custom orders.
"Customers want options," Reich said.
Palliser's market introductions include 10 stationary frames, as well as two leathers emphasizing handrubbed looks.
LeatherTrend is seeing "its best backlog in two years," said President Bryant Dickens. LeatherTrend will introduce "a lot of new things to drive the business," such as leather/fabric collage combinations.
Hickory Hill is introducing Nuvo, a full top grain Arpel leather with a sheen evocative of bycast, but with a more supple hand to suit any frame.
"Buyers like it because there is no seam slippage or color separation," said Alex Reeves, vice president of sales. "Unlike bycast, it can be used on a motion frame because it has resiliency."
Among 20 market introductions for Interline Italia is Focus, the company's first motorized home theater entry, outfitted with hardwood slider drawers.
