Home Textiles Today articles from March 2008

Home Textiles Today archives from March 2008

Anna's Linens Extends Reach.(Anna's Linens (Costa Mesa, California))
March 10, 2008... By Carole Sloan Company's Performance and Outlook Reviewed at Las Vegas Conference Las Vegas - The internet is a major growth vehicle for Anna's Linens, scoring a 35% gain in 2007, and projected to post a similar gain this year, after...

Wal-Mart Debuts Canopy Private Label.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Line Positioned as 'Easy Living' Bentonville, Ark. - Wal-Mart began offering the first products of its private label Canopy home furnishings line in some stores and online at www.walmart.com/canopy last week. The program...

Frette Boosting Retail Presence.
March 10, 2008... By James Mammarella New York - With its space nearly doubled to 1,200 square feet, the Frette shop-in-shop on the third floor of ABC Carpet and Home here permits the full flowering of the luxury brand's lifestyle statement in a lush retail...

Meijer Champions Green Goods.
March 10, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Grand Rapids, Mich. - On the heels of its Cannon Classic and Cannon Royal Family bedding and bath launch five months ago, 181-unit supercenter chain Meijer this month "revitalized" its soft home department with its...

Retail Briefs.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Sears Markets with Hearst Magazines Staff A bedroom decorated in House Beautiful style is one component in a multi-channel spring makeover campaign just launched by Sears and Hearst Magazines under the rubric "ReImagine...

Investors Eye Dillard's Board of Directors.
March 10, 2008... By Staff New York - Two investment funds that together own about 3.7 million shares, or 5.3%, of the 71.2 million outstanding shares of department store operator Dillard's Inc., have announced that they are considering putting up...

Investors Compel Duckwall-ALCO Management Change.(resignations of Warren Gfeller and Robert Ring )(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... By Staff Abilene, Kan. - Rural retailer Duckwall-ALCO has defused a potential proxy battle by altering the makeup of its board of directors and bidding farewell to its chairman, Warren Gfeller. Strongarmed by Cayman Islands-based...

Restoration Hardware Rejects Final Sears Bid.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Corte Madera, Calif. - Struggling home specialty chain Restoration Hardware said it will proceed with its original plan for a merger/acquisition by an investment group led by Catterton Partners, even after Sears Holdings claimed...

Target to Update Fieldcrest, Chase 'Better' in Home.
March 10, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Minneapolis - A "reinvention" of its exclusive Fieldcrest brand program in home textiles is being prepared for style-driven discounter Target in 2008, the retailer said as it reported full fiscal year 2007 earnings of...

Lampert Makes Case as Sears Holdings Profits Crash.(Financial report)
March 10, 2008... By James Mammarella Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Released alongside drab financial news from Sears Holdings was the annual "Message from the Chairman" by Edward Lampert, in which he acknowledged setbacks but made the case for the future of the...

Bloomingdale's Ups Home Fashion Profile.
March 10, 2008... By Carole Sloan New York - Bloomingdale's is expanding its efforts to establish its home furnishings business as a fashion-forward authority. The new "bHome" catalog that dropped last Thursday "is part of the continuing effort to step...

Immagine Italia Promotes Global Home Textiles.
March 10, 2008... By Staff White Plains, N.Y. - By way of a recently inked partnership between George Little Management here and international home linens exhibition Immagine Italia & Co., the 10 to 12 upscale Italian home fashion companies participating in...

Scoperta Moves Again.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Cirencester, England - Scoperta, the decorative textiles and home textiles trade show that runs concurrently with Proposte, will move its location to Chiasso, Switzerland, its first home during eight of its 11 years. The show...

Sets, Bedspreads Bright Spots in Top of Bed.
March 10, 2008... By Jill Rowen New York - A drop in sales for fashion comforters and significantly weaker performance in quilts and duvet covers set back the Top of the Bed category in 2007. Coupled with cautious consumer spending, most...

Nautica Leads with Organics.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Offering First Organic Sheet for Fall 2008 New York - As part of its fall 2008 introductions, Nautica will roll out three new sheet series, including its first organic cotton offering. Nautica Naturals is a 510-count,...

Nostalgia Home Gets Natural with Cotton Inc.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Jinan, China - Nostalgia Home Fashions, a manufacturer and supplier of handcrafted quilts, bedspreads, comforters, table linens and coverlets, has been authorized to carry the Cotton Incorporated new "Natural" trademark on...

Valley Forge Fiercely Eco-Friendly on Fabrics.
March 10, 2008... By Carole Sloan New York - Interior designers and decorative fabric designers are joining the campaign to develop home furnishings that are recyclable and environmentally friendly. For Valley Forge Fabrics, the addition of New York...

PHI Debuts Happy Birthday by Julia Junkin.
March 10, 2008... By Staff San Francisco - Diversified supplier Peking Handicraft, Inc. has introduced the Happy Birthday kitchen textiles line by designer Julia Junkin. The 18-inch-by-25-inch kitchen towels feature a double-layer birthday cake,...

Wal-Mart to Offer Norma Kamali Brand.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Van Nuys, Calif. - Brand management firm Cherokee Inc. has brokered a multi-year merchandising license between fashion designer Norma Kamali and Wal-Mart Stores for women's and children's apparel, footwear, accessories and home...

Milliken Debuts Sports Licenses.
March 10, 2008... By Staff LaGrange, Ga - With collegiate and NFL teams already on board, Milliken Rugs has "rounded out" its athletic team rug lineup by an alliance with Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association. Rob Beistline,...

Kelly Preston 'Makes a Statement' for Karastan.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Dalton, Ga. - Karastan's latest celebrity-driven national advertising campaign spotlights actress Kelly Preston in the upscale area rug company's Make a Statement 2008 ad presentation. The "Jerry Maguire" film star - married...

Springs Renews Sleep Campaign.(Springs Global US)(National Sleep Foundation)(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... By Staff Washington - Springs Global US and its Wamsutta brand have renewed a year-old partnership with the National Sleep Foundation to promote National Sleep Awareness Week 2008 and the NSF Great American Sleep Challenge, March 3 - 31....

Whoopi G Heads to QVC.
March 10, 2008... By Staff West Chester, Pa. - Online and TV retailer QVC has launched Whoopi Goldberg's G Beds; the line was previewed by manufacturer Colonial Home Textiles last summer during the New York Home Fashions Market. On Feb. 28, the $7...

Ed Hardy Tattoo Looks Transfer to Home.
March 10, 2008... By James Mammarella Beverly Hills, Calif. - His creations for apparel, sometimes glitzy, other times glib, have been translated by fashion designer Christian Audigier into styles favored by Hollywood types seeking looks that embrace brash,...

Texlynx Home Celebrates 10 Years.(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... By Jennifer Marks Lahore, Pakistan - Buying house Texlynx Home on March 23 will celebrate its 10th anniversary, which took place in December when the company closed the books on a $47.5 million year. Now, according to founder Imran...

Anna's Fetes Vendors.(Anna's Linens (Costa Mesa, California))(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... By Staff Las Vegas - One of the highlights of the Anna's Linens conference is the retailer's recognition of suppliers at the dinner attended by some 500 Anna's managers, buyers and vendors. This year brought a first-time award - for...

Spring, Doroff Promoted at Bloomingdale's.
March 10, 2008... By Staff New York - Tony Spring and Frank Doroff have been promoted to president and vice-chairman of Bloomingdale's respectively. Spring, who began his career at Bloomingdale's in 1967 as an executive trainee, then became a home...

Merchant Robert Lauter Remembered.
March 10, 2008... By Carole Sloan New York - Services were held here March 3 for legendary home furnishings executive Robert Lauter, 88, who died in California on Feb. 26. Lauter was a major force in retail home furnishings, spending 40 years at Macy's...

Invista's McCracken Dies.(Obituary)
March 10, 2008... By Staff Toldeo, Ohio - Memorial services were held recently for Steve McCracken, who had served as president and ceo of Invista, the former DuPont textile business, after it was sold to Koch Industries. McCracken, 54, died of stomach...

Dayton's Merchandiser Stirratt Passes Away.(Dayton Hudson Corp. Department Store Div.)(James Stirratt)(In memoriam)(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... By Staff Bloomington, Minn. - Memorial services were held here for James Stirratt, 63, who died Feb. 22 after battling osteosarcoma. Stirratt spent 26 years at Dayton's Department Stores here, beginning as a trainee and rising to evp...

Zant Exits Bon-Ton for Belk.(David Zant quits The Bon-Ton Stores Inc.)(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... By Staff Former Vice Chairman to Serve as Executive vp, gmm at Belk York, Pa. and Charlotte, N.C. - Department store operator The Bon-Ton Stores said David Zant resigned Feb. 29 from his post of vice chairman, private brands,...

Home No Help in Feb.
March 10, 2008... By James Mammarella New York - The new retail year started much the way the entire fiscal 2007 year seemed to go, with department stores struggling even while off-price chains and warehouse clubs thrive - and Wal-Mart continuing to...

Department Stores Droop.
March 10, 2008... By Staff New York - As the first month on most retailers' fiscal calendars, February is a time for final clearance sales and the start of transition to spring merchandise - but it certainly was not a reassuring way to start the year, with...

Earnings Flat, Kohl's Sees Tougher 2008.
March 10, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Menomonee Falls, Wis. - While sales of core basics left much to be desired, it was the name branded goods, like Food Network, Simply Vera Vera Wang and Chaps, that proved "exceptionally strong" in the home department in...

Macy's to Slow Store Growth, Boost Interaction.
March 10, 2008... By James Mammarella Cincinnati - Department store titan Macy's Inc. will spend less on opening new stores and more on better in-store execution, online business and customer service, the retailer said during its fourth-quarter and year-end...

IHF to Rep Amtex to Key U.S. Retailers.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Black Mountain, N.C. - Bedding product sales, marketing and design firm International Home Fashions (IHF) and Amtex, a major Pakistan-based bedding supplier, have announced an agreement for IHF to represent Amtex in the United...

Home Slumping at Costco.
March 10, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Issaquah, Wash. - Home furnishings was the weakest category in softlines at Costco Wholesale Corp. in its second quarter, the 534-unit warehouse club reported during its earnings call last week. "Discretionary types...

Culp Continues Turnaround.
March 10, 2008... By Staff High Point, N.C. - Mattress and upholstery fabric producer Culp Inc. scored a positive third quarter, with results swinging from last year's quarterly net loss of $2.2 million to income of $903,000 in the quarter ended January 27,...

Big Lots Preps for Growth.
March 10, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Columbus, Ohio - At closeout retailer Big Lots, the home business, considered one of its higher-margin categories, suffered lower sales and an unexpected increase in promotional markdowns, the 1,353-unit said during its...

Slowdown Evident in Commerce Reports.(Brief article)
March 10, 2008... By Staff Washington - Airing more indications of a general economic slowdown, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported a drop in new home sales during January and a slump in new orders to manufacturers. Sales of new one-family houses...

Wellman Files Ch. 11, Receives DIP Financing.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Fort Mill, S.C. - Polyester resin and fiber manufacturer Wellman, Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York; the company received a commitment from existing lenders for up to $225 million in...

Brentwood Originals Dealing with Strike.
March 10, 2008... By Staff Carson, Calif. - Leading decorative pillow and throw supplier Brentwood Originals has been working out service arrangements with customers since about 180 workers went on strike at the company's Youngstown, Ohio facility March 7....

Fabric Innovator Degomes Dies.
March 10, 2008... By Carole Sloan Bridgeport, Conn. - Services were held here late last month for Anthony (Tony) Degomes, 67, who died Feb. 24 of cancer. Degomes, a noted textiles designer and technician, retired from Quaker Fabrics in 2005, where he...

Questioning Quarterly Quotes.
March 10, 2008... By Jennifer Marks I think there are two ways of looking at the recent announcement by Macy's Inc. that it will no longer report monthly sales. Version 1: Macy's must be expecting a lot of bad months ahead and it wants to avoid the...

Three Who Mattered.
March 10, 2008... By Carole Sloan It's not often, fortunately, that one has the occasion to write the obituaries of three extraordinary notables in a specific field of endeavor. In the last couple of weeks the home furnishings world lost three iconic...

China DominatesMarket Basket.
March 24, 2008... HTT STAFF REPORT New York - The source code has changed. In 2008, China - for the first time ever - is the supplier nation of more than half of all the items in the HTT Market Basket. Five years ago, about half of all products in...

Linens 'n Things Looks to Trim Costs.
March 24, 2008... By Staff Clifton, N.J. -Linens 'n Things will focus on cost-cutting this year, looking to shave $50 million off overhead as it seeks profitability and positive cash flow. Last week company executives said LNT will reduce store-level...

Westpoint to Cut Expenses in 2008.
March 24, 2008... By Brent Felgner New York -WestPoint International will continue to cut operating and capital expenses in 2008 as it wrestles with operating losses and a falling top line. Those revenue declines will likely continue into 2009, company...

Chinni Set to Revive Fortunoff Brand.(Fortunoff Has Newly Named Charles Chinni,chairman and ceo of Fortunoff)
March 24, 2008... By Carole Sloan Uniondale, N.Y. -Stabiliziation and turnaround are the two key immediate challenges for Charles Chinni, newly named chairman and ceo of Fortunoff. 'Fortunoff is an iconic brand - I've referenced them for years during...

Gottschalks Sees Tough 2008.
March 24, 2008... By Staff Fresno, Calif. -Western regional department store operator Gottschalks anticipates a challenging year ahead, executives said during the retailer's year-end conference call. The company expects to lower overhead by about $5...

ADFC Renews Palmer, Hollander Leadership.
March 24, 2008... By Staff New York - The American Down and Feather Council (ADFC) has re-elected to second terms both Stephen Palmer, as chairman, and Jeff Hollander, as vice chair. Palmer is co-president of supplier United Feather and Down, while...

Retail Briefs.
March 24, 2008... Staff New ceo for Mervyns Staff Mervyns last week named John Goodman president and ceo, effective April 7. Previously, Goodman was with Levi Strauss & Co., serving as president and general manager of its Dockers brand, a staple in...

JCPenney Merges Units.(Brief article)
March 24, 2008... By Carole Sloan Plano, Texas - JCPenney is combining its retail and direct (catalog and Internet) buying responsibilities effective April 7. The retail and direct segments of the business have had separate buying responsibilities until...

Home Hurting Stein Mart.
March 24, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Jacksonville, Fla. -Stein Mart's home business woes deepened last fall, so much so that the 280-unit mid-tier department store plans to reduce square footage space in the department in order to expand its more lucrative...

Slumping Dillard's Eyed by Investors.
March 24, 2008... By Staff New York -An affiliate of hedge fund Barington Capital Group will nominate four people for seats on the 12-member board of directors of $7.2 billion regional department store chain Dillard's. The candidates will be: James...

Martha Seek Mass Market Partner after Kmart.
March 24, 2008... By Staff New York -Addressing her second analyst conference in as many days, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's chief elaborated on her March 10 assertion that the brand would live on in the mass market after its exclusive contract with...

Supima Opens NYC Pop-up Store.
March 24, 2008... Staff New York -Faribault; Springs Global through its Wamsutta brand; and Chopak Mills arel representing the home furnishings business during the run of the Supima pop-up store that opened here for a month on March 14. Supima, the...

Home Still a Hit at Ross.(Brief article)
March 24, 2008... By Staff Pleasanton, Calif. -Breaking a trend seen throughout much of the market in recent months, home was among the top-performing departments during the fourth quarter at Ross Stores, the company reported last week. (Other top...

Lenox Looks to More Home Licenses.
March 24, 2008... By Staff Eden Prairie, Minn. - Lenox, vendor of tabletop, collectible and giftware products under the Lenox, Department 56, Gorham and Dansk brand names, has appointed agency IMC Licensing to help develop strategies, and identify and...

Profit Scarce as NexCen Revenues Soar.(NexCen Brands Inc.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
March 24, 2008... By Staff New York - Brand management firm NexCen Brands - owner of the Waverly and Bill Blass brands - reported a net loss of $4.6 million in 2007, its first full year, even as revenues zoomed to $34.4 million from $1.9 million in the...

Wamsutta Poised for Disney Resort.
March 24, 2008... By Staff Fort Mill, S.C. -Springs Global will provide Wamsutta bedding and bath products in a partnership with Buena Vista, Fla.-based Walt Disney World Resort, making Wamsutta the exclusive bed and bath supplier for its premium hotels and...

United Feather & Down Updates Hotel Line.
March 24, 2008... By Staff Des Plaines, Ill. - United Feather & Down, luxury bedding manufacturer and supplier to premier hotels, has released a new hospitality catalog that highlights pillows, comforters, mattress toppers and blankets. Included are...

Iconix Licenses IHF for St. Mary's.(International Home Fashions Inc.)(Brief article)
March 24, 2008... By Staff New York - Iconix Brand Group has licensed International Home Fashions (IHF) to produce bedding and blankets under the St. Mary's brand. St. Mary's is currently being reintroduced to the marketplace. Iconix vp brand...

Colonial Mills Extends Jensen Line.
March 24, 2008... By Staff Pawtucket, R.I. -Braided and braided-texture rug and accessories manufacturer cmi (Colonial Mills Inc.) is expanding its program with fabric and quilt designer Lynette Jensen by adding two new contoured rectangle rugs and...

Hollander Promotes Lopez to Division Head.(Hollander Home Fashions Inc. appointed Raoul Lopez )(Brief article)
March 24, 2008... By Staff Boca Raton, Fla. -Basic bedding supplier Hollander Home Fashions has named Raoul 'Yogi' Lopez svp for the down comforter and mattress pad division, replacing Amy Webster, who was recently promoted to run the pillow division. ...

NexCen Adds Two, Promotes One.
March 24, 2008... By Staff New York -Liz Mandracchia and Robin Geisler have joined NexCen Home Studios, owner of the Waverly lifestyle brand, and Anthony Noberini has been promoted. Mandracchia has been named vp, marketing and public relations; while...

Pillow Named CEO of Tommy Bahama.
March 24, 2008... By Staff New York -Fashion brand house Oxford Industries has named Terry Pillow ceo of the Tommy Bahama Group, effective June 1, the date that current ceo and founder Tony Margolis will retire. Pillow joined the company on March 17 to...

Former HSN Exec Tapped by ShopNBC.(Home Shopping Network)(ValueVision International Inc. ShopNBC Div appointed Rene Aiu )(Brief article)
March 24, 2008... By Staff Minneapolis - Internet- and TV-based luxury retailer ShopNBC has named Rene Aiu president and ceo; she was previously svp of marketing, sales, programming and production at Home Shopping Network (HSN). Aiu, who also formerly...

Maffei-Toolan Joins P/Kaufmann.(appointment of Pam Maffei-Toolan )(Brief article)
March 24, 2008... By Staff New York -Pam Maffei-Toolan will become vp of design for P/K Lifestyles, a unit of P/Kaufmann. Maffei-Toolan has worked with P/K as design director for its Waverly fabric license since last year, when P/Kaufmann acquired the...

People Briefs.(Brief article)
March 24, 2008... By Staff Cost Plus Extends Feld Term Specialty retailer Cost Plus World Market has extended the employment contract of president and ceo Barry Feld through October 2012, a three-year extension. In addition to a base salary of...

Jo-Ann Profits by Niche Pursuit.(Financial report)
March 24, 2008... By Staff Hudson, Ohio- The decorative fabric and sewing-related businesses can be thanked for helping Jo-Ann Stores enjoy its fourth consecutive quarter of positive same-store sales, the 774-unit chain said during its fourth-quarter and...

Bon-Ton Boosts Private Label Lines.
March 24, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral York, Pa.- Happy with last fall's debut of its private label soft home brand Ruff Hewn, department store operator The Bon-Ton Stores will roll out the program to more of its increasingly popular 'Northern Lodge'...

March Comps Start Soft.(financial report of department stores)(Financial report)(Brief article)
March 24, 2008... By Staff New York -Merchandisers continued to fall short of goals in March, with comparable store sales up 1.1% in the second week, for a month-to-date comp gain of 1.1% vs. the target of 1.4%, the Johnson Redbook reported. The...

Suppliers Poised to Aid Retailers.
March 24, 2008... Jennifer Marks editor-in-chief The fourth-quarter and fiscal year reports that have come out in recent weeks were, as expected, not so hot. A batch of first-quarter reports is on its way next month. Those, too, are likely to reflect the...

Class Act.(JCPenney Company Inc.)
March 24, 2008... Carole Sloan Founding Editor-in-chief In this chaotic world of business, there are few times that someone or something can be called a 'class act.' Earlier this month, JCPenney's Steve McKeever, one of the icons of the home textiles...