New furniture from Martha Stewart to debut at High Point Market
Miles Talbott, Lefa to introduce upholstery, case goods
Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, October 17, 2011
 A sketch shows the Purcell ottoman, one of the products in the new Martha Stewart Fine Furniture collection. |
HIGH POINT — ML Brands International, formed by upholstery maker Miles Talbott and case goods source Lefa, based in King of Prussia, Pa., with a factory in Latin America, will introduce its first big name at the High Point Market this week - Martha Stewart.
ML Brands will hold a soft showing of the Martha Stewart Fine Furniture collection at the Miles Talbott showroom at 1690 English Rd. The market officially opens on Saturday.
Initial pieces will include upholstery and occasional, with other categories coming this winter and spring, according to Rob Casey, managing partner in the new joint venture and former manager of licensing programs for Polo Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart.
The introduction signals the return of the Stewart brand to the marketplace after a long run with upper-end case goods and upholstery producer Bernhardt Furniture. The initial offering will include 27 case pieces and 25 upholstery pieces.
Casey said the new Stewart collection will be a step up from Bernhardt, with upholstery coming from Miles Talbott and case goods from Lefa, which has done OEM goods for Henredon, Polo Ralph Lauren, Baker and E.J. Victor. No price points were available, but Casey said the line is positioned to compete at mid-to-better-end price points with an emphasis on authentic design, better materials, hand-tailoring and rubbed finishes.
"It was Martha's desire to step up in the marketplace and have some finer goods that she would be able to live with and sell to her neighbors," Casey said.
Production will take place at MLBI's wholly owned facilities in the U.S. and Latin America, creating factory-direct manufacturing capabilities, he said.
The branding company said it will be the first time Stewart is offering a custom design upholstery program allowing consumers to create upholstered furniture pieces that meet their individual scale and style preferences.
Woods and materials include flat-cut figured walnut, cherry and ash, milk glass, antique mirror glass, forged metal, cast concrete, honed Georgia marble, French polish, gold leaf and silk screen floral motifs.
By vertically integrating sales, marketing and manufacturing operations in the Western Hemisphere, the company said it is able to bypass third-party outsourcing fees and extended supply chains - assuring shorter lead times and greater earnings growth potential.
Initially, there will be a 45-day lead time on special order product with select items available in fewer than 30 days.
The company also said it will add an assortment of additional home furnishings, including lamps, rugs, tabletop decorative accessories and linens from affiliated companies to its lineup.
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