Leather producers hit stride
By Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, October 20, 2006
At The Market — Leather upholstery providers said traffic hit its stride here Wednesday after some uncertainty earlier in the week, and most reported seeing their major dealers while lamenting the absence of some second-tier buyers.
Category powerhouse Natuzzi continued to talk up its good-better-best branding strategy, and liked buyer response.
Fred Starr, president of Natuzzi Americas, said, "The concept was very well accepted and understood. People got it and made some excellent decisions."
The rollout of the first Pasquale Natuzzi high-end stores is set for next spring, and the company continues to refine its entry-level Italsofa line and midpriced Natuzzi brand. Everything should be in place for the March market here, said Starr.
He said Natuzzi has been wooing high-end retailers as partners for the upscale Pasquale Natuzzi stores, and that about 30% or 40% of the dealers the company talked to here about the stores were new to Natuzzi.
Italian upholstery producer Nicoletti, meanwhile, is working to raise its profile by using higher-end leathers. The introduction here of these transitionally styled, full top-grain, naturally finished semi-anilines "has been very successful," said U.S. Sales Manager Gianni Tucci. Sofas with the better leathers typically target retail prices of $1,299.
Nicoletti also worked to enhance and advance its shop-within-a-shop gallery program here. "We want to offer a more customized program for dealers," said Cosimo "Mimmo" Cavallo, marketing manager. "We are adjusting the product offering to be more consistent with our brand image and to communicate the message of our 'luxury niche'."
Nicoletti plans to add occasional tables, lighting and rugs to the gallery program by spring 2007, he said.
Art Defehr, president of Palliser, which recently restructured, said he was pleased to see his programs all coming together here. "We had been working toward something and now it's all in place," he said, referring to the upholstery manufacturer's blended production strategy, which encompasses factories in Canada, Mexico and, most recently, China.
In addition to showing 140 upholstery frames in its expanded showroom, DeCoro introduced its second collection of bedroom, dining room and entertainment case goods. The red oak Zahara program is more contemporary and higher priced than the original walnut offerings.
"People here are shopping style, not price," said Heath Corso, executive vice president of sales and marketing.
DeCoro also added a significant amount of fabric upholstery, including microfibers and chenilles, to its line.
At Incanto Divani, an Italian producer with plants also in Brazil and China, President Giovanni Sforza said he's now producing in China "not to save money, but for the value."
Meanwhile, Luana Living, a year-old company based in China, doubled its space here to provide for the addition of a contemporary collection. The company also expanded its vintage upholstery mix.
The moves resulted in "major placements," said President Luana Davis, adding, "We had appointments Saturday and Sunday (before the market's official opening), a slower Monday, but business picked up again Tuesday."
Simon Li's new "mixed-media" approach, which combines different fabrics, leathers and textures in many colors on various frames, was a success here, said Robert Petril, director of design and merchandising.
Flexsteel focused on "broadening its line with the expansion of popular styles," said Jenni Jungers, chair merchandiser. That essentially involved extending the use of its Destinations imported leathers from chairs to sofas and sectionals,
Primo International unveiled a leather sofa with a removable back that stows in the base of the sofa for shipping. A container can now hold 27 sofas versus 18 previously, said David Itzkovitz, senior executive vice president.
Euro Designs, meanwhile, was pleased with its first showing in High Point. The Polish-owned company had "tested the market" at its store in Bluffton, S.C., before launching its line here, said Monika Belka, a co-owner. Despite the line's sharp contemporary focus, Belka said she was surprised by the interest shown by older consumers.
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Leather showrooms hit stride mid-week
Nov 12, 2006 -
Leather showrooms hit stride mid-week in High Point
Oct 30, 2006
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