HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network articles from April 2003

HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network archives from April 2003

THE BOCA MOTION.
April 7, 2003... In it's new store in Boca Raton, Fla., Robb & Stucky is boldly going where few furniture retailers have gone before. See page 10.

THE SUITOR SIDE OF SEARS MAY APPEAR AS KMART EMERGES FROM CHAPTER 11.(Sears, Roebuck rumored as possible buyer; creditors name board of directors, more layoffs)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-The Kmart saga is getting curiouser and curiouser now that Sears has been mentioned as a suitor, if not a savior, for the troubled retailer. Sources close to the financial team funding Kmart's exit from bankruptcy proceedings said...

SARS BODES ILL FOR THE HOME INDUSTRY.(spread of virus in Hong Kong and southern China could impact home furnishings industry)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-The spread of the mysterious pneumonia virus in Hong Kong and southern China has begun to wreak havoc on the home furnishings industry. Most vendors and retailers are following the advice of the World Health Organization and are...

NEWS BRIEFS.(includes multiple records)
April 7, 2003... DOLLAR GENERAL NAMES PERDUE CEO Ending a seven-month search, Dollar General has appointed former Pillowtex Chief Executive Officer David Perdue its new CEO. Perdue resigned just weeks ago from the textiles giant -- whose brands include...

PILLOWTEX: UP FOR SALE OR BACK IN BANKRUPTCY?
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Pillowtex said it is considering putting itself up for sale or re-entering bankruptcy as its future cash position and ability to meet loan requirements remain in doubt. Pillowtex warned in its annual report that it may not be able...

HOME FASHION EXECS HONORED AT FIT SCHOLARSHIP BREAKFAST.(Scholarship Awards Breakfast, Bill Kilbride, David Sabin, Laura Sen, Cynthia Evans, Ian Gittlitz)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Four industry awards were given at the seventh annual Scholarship Awards Breakfast on April 1. The event, held by the Fashion Institute of Technology in collaboration with the home fashions industry, also handed out a student...

SHOW PIECES.(European bedding brands at the New York home textiles show)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... The New York home textiles market offered buyers an astonishing assortment of merchandise to choose from this season. For those who didn't make to it to that French home show, it was certainly worth the trip to the Jacob K. Javits Convention...

THE BOCA BONUS; ROBB & STUCKY'S NEWEST STORE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND FURNITURE.
April 7, 2003... BOCA RATON, Fla.-In its new Boca Raton store, Robb & Stucky is making a bold attempt to go where few furniture retailers have ventured. With a 6,500-square-foot department devoted to an assortment of ancillary home furnishings categories,...

WAR, CONFLICTING SHOWS HURT U.S. ATTENDANCE AT PITTI CASA.(textile trad show)
April 7, 2003... FLORENCE, Italy-The war in Iraq and competition from rival fairs severely affected visitor and exhibitor numbers at the 27th edition of Pitti Immagine Casa, held here at the Fortezza da Basso last month. Only 22 U.S. buyers made it to the...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
April 7, 2003... APRIL 9-14 Salone Internationale Del Mobile Fiera Milano Milan, Italy (212) 459-0044 (USA) or (888) 343-7264 011-39-2-725-941 fieramilano.com 10-13 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference Orange County...

PROTEST-FREE AT THE 21 CLUB.(discussing trade show with international business community during ongoing protests against United States)
April 7, 2003... Hundreds of thousands of international protesters were taking to the streets to demonstrate against the United States. Meanwhile, I was sitting in a New York City restaurant packed with members of the international business community, all...

APRIL FOOLS.(textiles and furniture industries)
April 7, 2003... The fact that both the textiles and furniture markets were held the week of April Fool's Day should come as little comfort to those in the industry trying to make a living. It was nasty out there. Not the-sky-is-falling,...

ALL WINNERS HERE; HFPA AND THE NEW YORK HOME TEXTILES SHOW HONOR THE INDUSTRY'S TOP RETAILERS.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-It was a full house at the Pierre Hotel here late last month as home textiles executives gathered for the Retailer of the Year Awards. The event, sponsored by the New York Home Textiles Show and the Home Fashion Products...

COLOR, INNOVATION BREAK OUT AT N.Y. MARKET.
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Some products stood out at the week-long home textiles market here: Some for their innovative designs, some for their packaging, some for adding value and others for their tech-savvy benefits. Try selling a curtain panel with a...

NORTHWEST WHIMS.(Northwest Co.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Decorative pillow and throw maker Northwest Co. celebrated during market with a party at its recently renovated showroom at 295 Fifth Ave. here. Guests blew off steam shooting hoops and tossing footballs.

CLAIBORNE SHOWS FEMININE SIDE IN LINE.(bedding, bath, and window treatments)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-The new Liz Claiborne showroom at 295 Fifth Ave. here showed a full line of bedding, bath and window treatments. The products, which include comforters, sheets, duvets, quilts, bedding accessories, bath towels, bath accessories,...

LADIES WHO BREAKFAST.
April 7, 2003... Julie Greiner, left, executive vice president and director of stores at Bloomingdale's; B. Smith, host of "B. Smith With Style"; and Barbara Bordnick, portrait and fashion photographer, shared their career experiences at an event in New York...

NEW YORK TEXTILES SHOW'S FINEST.(Best of Show Award to Curt Bauer; other awards)
April 7, 2003... The best products in several product categories were cited at the semiannual New York Home Textiles Show. The Best of Show award went to Curt Bauer; Bath-Soft to Forza Home Collection; Bath-Hard to Taymor; Kitchen/table linens to Tessilarte;...

NEWS BRIEFS.
April 7, 2003... WESTPOINT UNVEILS MARTEX CAMPAIGN WestPoint Stevens has launched a new campaign for its Martex brand. The In Touch With You series features black-and-white photos of people using Martex fashion bedding and bath products in real-life...

MAHDAVI LAUNCHES AUBUSSON, REVEALS NEW DESIGNS AT MARKETS.(A&A Rug Co. introduces new collection )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Mahdavi's A&A Rug Co. launched its Aubusson Collection, as well as new designs in 10 collections, at the New York home textiles market and the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C. The initial seven designs of...

THE GREAT SPHINX SHOWROOM; THE COMPANY'S NEW SHOWROOM AT 295 5TH AVE. TRADES DARK FOR LIGHT, OPEN FEEL.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-It was hard to tell if one was in a Sphinx by Oriental Weavers showroom at the New York home textiles show. Gone from the new showroom at 295 Fifth Ave. here were the company's signature heavy black columns. Instead, light blue...

MOST SUPPLIERS SET TO ABSORB RAW MATERIAL PRICE INCREASES.
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Only a couple of the rug companies showing at the New York textiles market have raised their prices, but with raw material price increases eating into their margins, other companies said they were definitely feeling squeezed. Most...

BRUMLOW MILLS GETS TIDE NOD.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... CALHOUN, Ga.-Tide detergent has given Brumlow Mills' rugs its official endorsement of washability. Retailers can put a tag on their Brumlow Mills rugs that reads "Wash Me in Tide." In other news, the supplier introduced a printed rug...

IT'S TOUCH, THEN GO AT TEXTILES MARKET.(New York Textiles Market )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-From age-old Navajo weaving to state-of-the-art machine-made rugs, the New York textiles market offered a range of constructions to shop and examine. At the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center's Rug Pavilion, master Navajo weaver Roy...

THE RUG MARKET BRINGS THE SURF TO HIGH POINT TURF WITH NEW LINE.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-The Rug Market is bringing Hawaii to the mainland with the Maui Collection, one of several introductions making their debut here at this week's International Home Furnishings Market. Brightly colored surfboards are set...

MAJORS' IMPACT; APPOINTMENTS WITH TOP ACCOUNTS HAVE HIGH POINT VENDORS OPTIMISTIC, DESPITE THE WAR AND ECONOMY.
April 7, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Early activity may have been lighter than usual at the spring International Home Furnishings Market here, but exhibitors said their biggest accounts came to market despite the war and a troubled economy. Most vendors...

SEALY JOINS ONE-SIDED CONTEST WITH ITS NEW NO-FLIP MODELS.
April 7, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Bedding retailers at the April market here are getting their first look at Sealy Inc.'s first complete line of one-sided mattresses. With this introduction, Sealy joins the ranks of other bedding exhibitors at this market,...

VENDORS LOOK TO ACCOMMODATE COMING INFUSION OF PLASMA TVS.
April 7, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-The next generation of high-tech home entertainment is about to go mainstream, and some furniture vendors have products ready to capitalize on the trend. Flat-panel plasma televisions are poised to be the next hot thing in...

LIGHTING VENDORS ARE PACKING PERCEIVED VALUE INTO PRODUCTS.
April 7, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-New lighting styles being introduced at this week's market here demonstrate how well higher-end design translates to the volume segment of the marketplace. In a business environment that has become promotional and focused...

THE BOTTOM LINE ON LEATHER: HOW LOW CAN THE PRICES GO?(leather furniture )
April 7, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Leather upholstery, once viewed by the majority of consumers as furniture they could only aspire to own, isn't just on the wish list anymore. Today, $499 and a delivery date is all any consumer needs to have an all-leather...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NICHOLS & STONE, WILLIAMSBURG IN LICENSING DEAL Nichols & Stone has signed a licensing agreement to design, market and distribute a collection of casual, solid-wood furniture for the Colonial Williamsburg Pure Simple Today brand. The...

LIGHTS OF FANCY: INTRODUCTIONS FEATURE COLORFUL STATEMENTS.(trends in lamp design )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Lamp designers are taking a lighthearted approach to this market with some tongue-in-cheek introductions. From specialists such as LumiSource, which created the lighted martini glass and other hot items, to mass market...

SHAPES OF THINGS TO COME; DINNER MAKERS HAVE GONE BEYOND THE REGULARITY OF ROUND WITH NEW FORMS AND FIGURES.
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Once upon a time, dinnerware was round. Then came the Asian influence, and dinnerware could be square or rectangular. But at recent shows, manufacturers have raised the bar even higher and are now creatively producing dinnerware in...

EXCEL, JOSEPH ABBOUD REACH LICENSING DEAL ON NEW LINE.(Excel Group, Joseph Abboud Environments )
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-The Excel Group has signed a licensing agreement with JA Apparel, a division of the Italian company Holding di Partecipazioni, for the manufacture, distribution and sale of Joseph Abboud Environments dinnerware, flatware, glassware,...

NEWS BRIEFS.
April 7, 2003... 225 FIFTH AVE. HONORS SPIRIT OF NEW YORK IN MARKET THEME The theme for this month's New York Spring Tabletop Market at 225 Fifth Ave. is "Repast -- the Spirit of New York." Among the events planned is the sixth annual Fashion Institute of...

MUMM'S THE WORD AT ZAK.(Zak Designs to launch new patterns in licensing deal with Debbie Mumm )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-As part of its new license with Debbie Mumm, Zak Designs will be introducing two holiday patterns at this month's tabletop market here. Snowman Portraits features snowmen wearing winter gear frolicking in the snow, while Winter Wonders...

ONE LOOK SAYS IT ALL; KITCHENAID CREATES A UNIFIED DESIGN FOR MAJOR AND PORTABLE APPLIANCES.
April 7, 2003... BENTON HARBOR, Mich.-KitchenAid is taking the concept of integrated appliances to an unprecedented level. Whirlpool Corp.'s high-end brand will introduce a short series of Pro Line major appliances at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in...

JENN-AIR TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST LINE OF SMALL APPLIANCES AT KBIS.
April 7, 2003... NEWTON, Iowa-Just a few short months after Maytag Corp. launched its first small appliance with the Maytag-branded cordless iron, the parent is leading another of its brands down a similar path, placing the Jenn-Air name on the kitchen...

WHITE-GOODS VENDORS HOPE UNCERTAINTY WON'T MAR KBIS.(Kitchen/Bath Industry Show )
April 7, 2003... ORLANDO, Fla.-Say what you will about adverse conditions. The Kitchen/Bath Industry Show is still the year's premier event for major appliances. Volume goods sell themselves. KBIS is the place to see the latest in margin-making features...

PAN VENDORS GET RISE AS BREAD BAKING GAINS FAVOR.
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Even non-bakers are baking, thanks to supermarkets and specialty stores that now carry frozen dough and boxed mixes. It's a food trend that has helped keep products such as loaf pans selling well, and vendors want to mine that trend...

VIKING OPENS N.Y. CULINARY CENTER.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... GARDEN CITY, N.Y.-Viking has entered the New York area with a Culinary Arts Center. The combination cooking school, cookware store, product display and training center opened an outlet late last month at 835 Franklin Ave. in the downtown...

NEWELL SELLS COSMOLAB, TAPS EIBELER TO LEAD IRWIN.(Newell Rubbermaid )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... FREEPORT, Ill.-Newell Rubbermaid has sold its Cosmolab business to CSI East Inc., an affiliate of Cosmetic Specialties Inc., for $13 million in cash. The transaction emphasizes the company's intention to divest non-strategic assets and sharpen...

MARTHA STEWART SAYS IT'S SAFE UNLESS KMART CAN'T EXIT CHAPTER 11.
April 7, 2003... NEW YORK-Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia said in its annual report last week that its royalty payments from Kmart are enough to "financially insulate" it from any more store closings. But if Kmart is unable to get out of Chapter 11, the company...

WESTPOINT STEVENS DELAYS ANNUAL REPORT.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... WEST POINT, Ga.-Due to negotiations with lenders for a new trade receivables program, as well as an amendment to its senior credit facility, WestPoint Stevens said last week it had to delay the release of its annual report. The company was...

BUXBAUM PREDICTS MORE APPRAISALS IN 2003.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... CALABASAS, Calif.-Buxbaum Group's asset appraisal unit said it assessed about $4 billion in consumer product inventories in 2002, and it expects to see more this quarter. By segment, there was an increase at retail and wholesale...

NEWS BRIEFS.
April 7, 2003... AHOLD'S REGIONAL ASSETS FOR SALE Dutch supermarket retailer Ahold said it was looking to divest its South American retail business to pare down a debt load of $13 billion. Analysts estimate the sale could fetch about $850 million. Buyers of...

THE HFN LIST; TOP 10 HOME FURNISHINGS ADVERTISERS IN 2002.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Rank & Company Dollar Amount in Thousands 1) Whirlpool Corp. $28,244.3 In recent years, Whirlpool has gone beyond major appliances and expanded into home products. Its successful KitchenAid brand advertises consistently in a...

KICKING THINGS OFF.(Baccarat hosts party for Colin Cowie )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Baccarat hosted a swell party for Colin Cowie and his book, "Dining After Dark." Held in the swank flagship store and featuring a table Cowie himself dressed in an array of festive reds, the place was packed with his fans and other types. One...

HUT STUFF.(Royal Hut offers handcrafted accessories )(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... In search of handcrafted accessories, below, or vibrant textiles unlike anything else? Royal Hut, a shop on Manhattan's East Side, is the place to go. Store owner Mary Vinson travels the globe for inspiration and translates grass-roots...

SHE'S GOT THE WHOLE HOME IN HER HANDS.
April 14, 2003... Sears' barbara pizzella is set on re-energizing the chain's home department by stressing better goods in its proprietary Whole Home collection. See Top Story, page 8.

WAR HITS THE HOMEFRONT AS CARGO SPACE TIGHTENS.
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-Like the first Gulf War, the current war in Iraq is creating a logistical nightmare for freight haulers and shippers because the U.S. military has gobbled up cargo space over the past few months. The result is increased demand for...

DOLLAR'S NEW GENERAL PERDUE WILL CALL ITS BRAND TO ATTENTION.(David Perdue )
April 14, 2003... GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn.-David Perdue is out to make Dollar General a bona fide brand. Perdue, who was named Dollar General's chief executive officer two weeks ago following a brief stint at Pillowtex Corp., sees the freestanding dollar-store...

HFN'S BEATTY HONORED BY AHAM.(Gerry Beatty receives Chairman's Award from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... HFN Senior Editor Gerry Beatty, center, was honored with the Chairman's Award by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers at its annual meeting last week in Washington. Making the presentation were AHAM President Joe McGuire, left, and...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Obituary)
April 14, 2003... SEARS NAMES MEADS SOFT-LINES CHIEF Sears has appointed Mindy Meads executive vice president of soft lines, which includes the home fashions division. She succeeds Kathy Bufano, who held the chief soft-lines post for 14 months and has left...

WAR, WEATHER BOG DOWN HFN COMP-SALES AVERAGE.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-The war in Iraq, as well as lousy weather, gave consumers little reason to shop in March, which dragged same-store sales down. The sales slump for March cut across all channels -- from department and specialty stores to mass and...

THOMASVILLE LAUNCHES A LICENSED LINE OF FRAMES, MIRRORS IN DEAL WITH UNIEK.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... THOMASVILLE, N.C.-The new Thomasville Home Accents brand is hitting retail this month. Under a license agreement with Thomasville Furniture Industries, frame maker Uniek Inc. has shipped a line of affordably priced decorative picture frames and...

APPOINTMENTS WITH DESTINY.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Judging from the attention-getting collections at this month's furniture market in High Point, N.C., it's all about strong vibrant color and sculptured shapes for autumn 2003. Barbara Barry's new collection for Baker was a showstopper,...

A BETTER PLAN FOR SEARS.
April 14, 2003... HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-Sears has long been considered a leader in major appliances and tools, but it has always struggled to find a similar role in home fashions. Now, Barbara Pizzella, vice president and general merchandise manager of...

MET HOME'S HIGH POINT MISSION: PANNING FOR CONTEMPORARY GEMS.(Metropolitan Home)
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-"Everyone covers market differently," said Donna Warner, editor in chief of Metropolitan Home. "There's not just one story. Everyone has a different story. Everyone has a different take and each is valid." In the same way...

JEOPARDY.(Sears-Kmart merger speculations)
April 14, 2003... Let's play Retail Jeopardy once again. The answer is: retail disaster. The question is: What would be the result of a Sears-Kmart merger? Investor Edward Lampert is now a key player in both companies -- the second-largest...

A NEW FOUR-LETTER WORD.(SARS-severe acute respiratory syndrome, affecting international travel)
April 14, 2003... The world can be a very scary place to do business in. Once again, the home furnishings business is learning this lesson first-hand. If you were at a show or market this month, you will absolutely agree that the conversations were not about...

CUSTOMER SERVICING; SOME SUPPLIERS AT THE NEW YORK MARKET INTRODUCED FUNCTIONAL ITEMS TO MEET CONSUMERS' NEEDS.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-For many textiles suppliers, playing it safe in product designs seems like a good idea. But some at the recent home textiles market here showed products that demonstrated out-of-the-box thinking. There were innovative designs that...

AS MATERIALS COSTS ESCALATE, VENDORS GRAPPLE WITH PRICE ISSUES.
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-Most suppliers say that although costs of transportation and raw materials are up, passing them along to retail customers is not always a clear option. "The manufacturer is in a bind. We have to spend the money, but we have a hard...

VENDORS MAKING CONVENIENCE A BIGGER PART OF THE PACKAGE.
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-Some products look a lot better with interesting packaging, and this is what some suppliers tried to achieve at the home textiles market that ended here April 3. WestPoint Stevens led the group of creative vendors that emphasized...

SUPPLIERS OF LUXURY BEDDING SAY THEY'RE UNFAZED BY WAR, ECONOMY.
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-For a company that launched its brand of luxury bedding products in the United States only three years ago, Signoria di Firenze is bullish on the U.S. market -- so much, in fact, that Francesco Cappelletti, the company's president,...

DREXEL AND SFERRA: LUXURIOUS TOGETHER.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... If there is a bed in the furniture store, there must be linens, too. This is the thinking behind the collaboration of Drexel Heritage and Sferra Bros., two luxury companies that believe consumers should be given another venue to shop. It...

MASCIONI'S NEW CEO GETS A WARM OFFICIAL WELCOME.(Chiara Mascioni)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-Chiara Mascioni, the new president and chief executive officer of Mascioni USA, got a grand welcome at a party at the company's office here. Mascioni succeeds Monique Potel, who left the company last November. Mascioni joined the...

DUPONT STRETCHES OUT WITH LYCRA AD CAMPAIGN.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-DuPont is sinking up to $200 million into an extensive campaign to promote its Lycra brand. The funds will be spent during a three-year period, beginning with a $40 million investment this year for a print advertising campaign. ...

A CASUAL EMBRACE; AT THE HIGH POINT MARKET, RUG SUPPLIERS BROUGHT IN MORE TRANSITIONAL STYLES.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Buyers have been asking for transitional rugs, and at the spring International Home Furnishings market here, they got what they wanted. Karastan was one of several suppliers showing casual, but not quite contemporary,...

WAR, ECONOMY TREAD HEAVILY ON HIGH POINT.
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Imagine a High Point market with hotel vacancies, plenty of parking and salespeople sitting idle in rug showrooms waiting for buyers. Anyone that was at the spring market doesn't have to imagine it as attendance took a...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... CLAIBORNE UNVEILS NEW FLOORING ADS A print and television advertising campaign for the first floor covering line from apparel designer Liz Claiborne, retailing exclusively at Carpet One stores, has made its debut. Ads introduce the...

SUPPLIERS AT MARKET GO FOR SMOOTH TRANSITIONALS.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Stripes, ombre effects and caricatures from vintage French posters showed up on the latest transitional rugs at last week's International Home Furnishings Market. Safavieh took the French posters that are popular in wall...

NEWS BRIEFS.
April 14, 2003... ATLANTA MARKETS HAVE OVERLAPPING DATES An earlier date will result in this year's Atlanta International Area Rug Market coinciding with the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market in July. The rug market will be held from...

VENDORS STICKING WITH TRADITIONAL LOOKS FOR RUGS.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Suppliers may be gravitating toward transitional patterns, but they did not abandon traditional designs. At the International Home Furnishings Market, Shaw Rugs launched its William E. Poole Collection. The home designer's...

THE RUG MARKET CELEBRATES NEW SHOWROOM.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The Rug Market toasted its new High Point, N.C., showroom in Market Square on Friday, April 4. The Los Angeles-based company shares the space, M-460, with the sales agency Christian Mosso & Associates.

NEWS BRIEFS.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... MOMENI WINS SILVER FOR DESIGN DESIGN Journal magazine presented Momeni with a silver award for a rug from its Chambord collection. The hand-knotted Chinese rug, design SM-81 Leopard, is reversible with a Sumac weave on one side and an...

ODEGARD ADDS MODERN TOUCH TO NEW FLORALS.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-Surprisingly, a group of floral rugs is among the three new collections from Odegard. Known for its contemporary rugs, Odegard's Botanica collection is still a modern take on the flower -- a study of blossoms, furled leaves and...

DESIGNERS UNDERSTAND THEIR BRAND, BUT VENDORS UNDERSTAND WHAT SELLS.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Manufacturers that make designer rugs don't look at what they do as slapping a label on a rug. Time and money are spent on matching the right designer with the right product, so much so that in certain circumstances, having to roll out...

RETAILERS DIVIDED ON RUGS NAME GAME.
April 14, 2003... NEW YORK-Does the consumer care if there is a designer label on the back of her rug? With many designer home collections to choose from, such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Kathy Ireland and Tommy Bahama, retailers around the country are...

A FEW HIGH POINTS; OVERALL TRAFFIC WAS DOWN, BUT ATTENDEES DID FIND SOME BARGAINS AT THE HOME FURNISHINGS MARKET.
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-"It wasn't a good market, but it wasn't a disaster." That's how one top vendor characterized the spring International Home Furnishings Market that ended its seven-day run here last week. Given the dark atmosphere...

LIGHTING VENDORS MANAGE TO FIND SOME BRIGHT SPOTS AT HIGH POINTS.
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-For those lighting and decorative accessory vendors who depend on independent retailer attendance, the market that wrapped up here last week was a clear disappointment. But major retailers were in town and focused on improving...

A SCANT FEW CASUAL SUPPLIERS BRING PLENTY FOR DEALERS TO SEE.
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-While the home furnishings market here is not a major forum for casual furniture suppliers, the handful that continue to show here brought new goods and got valuable face time with dealers. Brown Jordan International...

HIGH (POINT) SOCIETY.
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-This month's spring International Home Furnishings Market here won't break any records for attendance or order-writing, but retailers and exhibitors still managed a bit of socializing. And while celebrity traffic was definitely...

EMESS IN DEAL TO MAKE, MARKET BALDWIN LIGHTING, ACCESSORIES.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... HIGH POINT, N.C.-Baldwin Hardware Corp. and Emess Design Group have reached an agreement for Emess to produce and market lamps, lighting fixtures and accessories under the Baldwin brand. More than 120 products, under Baldwin's Estate and Images...