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Leather catering to mid-priced, high end tastes

Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, November 4, 2011

The traditional Taylor sofa from D’Oro Furniture features an eight-way, hand-tied seating system and cushions utilizing high-density foam and Dacron.HIGH POINT - Unfazed by higher leather prices, leather upholstery resources are coming to market with fully loaded arsenals of new products, including many that target upper-middle to upper-end price points.
     Producers say the higher price points will help reposition the category as a premium product - effectively returning it to the stature it achieved some two decades ago when leather upholstery first appeared in manufacturers' showrooms.
     That means buyers will find few sofas with all-leather covers targeting retail price points below $1,199, but many from hitting price points of $1,799 to $4,000 and above.
     "We want to further establish ourselves as the premium brand in the industry," said Craig Young, senior vice president of sales at Bradington-Young, echoing the thoughts of many executives in the leather business. "We've upgraded our leathers ... so we can set ourselves apart."
     His company's new product lineup includes at least eight domestically made sofas retailing for $2,499 to $3,499, plus three other targeting $1,799 to $1,999.
     "We want to be a fashion leader as well, and this gives us the flexibility to be in that position," he said, emphasizing the company's special-order capability.
     Young and other executives are hoping the higher-end products deliver a sales uptick that is needed by the category, not to mention the entire furniture industry.
     "Our business has been good and we think our new products will help keep it that way," said Scott Davis, president of Luke Leather, an importer of Italian-made products.
     Davis said the company is adding several contemporary seating groups to a line that is heavy on traditional styles. The newest introductions target sofa retail price points of $1,599 to $1,799 and include a contemporary sectional retailing for $2,999.
     Davis said the new products will be warehoused domestically, which he and many other executives believe is critical to the success of any imported line.
     "Our customers don't like to keep inventory and always need (orders filled) quickly," he said.
     Other resources emphasizing quick-ship capabilities at market include category stalwart Natuzzi, mid-priced specialists Leather Italia and Leather Living, and upperend producer Massoud.
     In addition to Bradington-Young, domestic production capabilities are being touted by Elite Leather, American Leather and McKinley Leather - all of which also are promoting their special order capabilities.
     Other key introductions can be found at Berhnardt, which is offering two leather sofas as part of its new Grand Casual collection; Décor-Rest, which is expanding its leather upholstery offerings targeting sofa retail price points of $1,595 to $3,119; and Planum Furniture, which is unveiling a Kelvin Giormanidesigned sectional retailing for $7,999.
     In addition, Cisco Bros. is unveiling three leather chairs retailing for $1,225 to $1,895, while U.K.-based Curzon and Co. is making its U.S. debut with a pair of leather chairs with eight-way, hand-tied coil seating and exotic cushioning materials that retail for $5,599 each.
     Also making its market debut is new resource Artistic Leathers, a company recently launched by leather upholstery veterans Mark Parris and Gary Margossian. The new company is featuring all-leather sofas retailing for $1,999 to $3,000.

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