Home Textiles Today November 7th Issue

Monday, November 7, 2011

Inside This Issue

Boss Home to Debut at Bloomingdale’s ...........................................page 2

Filene’s Calls it Quits.......................................page 2

Feed Your Head ..............................................page 4

It’s Amazon, Stupid ........................................page 4

Iconix, JCP Align For Royal Velvet Home Brand Program ....................................page 5

Hospitality Trundles Along ..........................page 8

Cassidy’s Finds its Niche as Community-Oriented Luxury Linens Shop ..page 8

Modest Comp Gains Dominate in October .......................................................page 10

THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY | hometextilestoday.com | Vol. 32, No. 26 | $8.00

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300 TOP 300 RUGS GUARANTEED IN STOCKAVAILABLE IN 5'X8' AND 8'X11' SIZESAND SHIPS WITHIN 72 HOURS

BY HERMINE MARIAUX

HIGH POINT, N.C. — At the recent High Point Market here last month, there were a number of introductions to remember.

That was true as well for home textiles, even though the category is a minor player at this particular event.

A trend checklist for textiles would include:• Velvet, lots of it, short napped like mohair. Satin, suede,

metallic leather and coarse homesun linens were primary fab-rications.

• Prints appeared sparingly, mostly in two-dimensional 50s fl orals, ikats and animal hides, real or faux, included zebra, snakeskin and tortoises. Noteworthy were “distressed” printing techniques used to replicate faded tapestry looks and solo print

High Points at High Point

Decorative pillows showed vibrancy at Nourison, which returned to High Point last month with a new showroom.SEE HIGH POINT PAGE 14

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Sferra president Paul Hooker joined Martha Stewart on the set of her show to unveil his company’s new color linens app. For that story and the latest news on other digital initiatives, see pages 6-7.

App’s a Good Thing

BY JENNIFER MARKS

NEW YORK — CB2’s new fl agship store here on the Upper East Side is just the latest in the retailer’s brand-building initiative, which includes the launch of international ecom-merce one year ago and next year’s planned opening of its fi rst physical stores outside the United States.

The new store, located on Third Avenue at 59th Street, is the company’s 10th in the United States and second in Manhattan. Marta Calle, director of CB2, spent the fi rst two days of the opening talking to custom-ers about whether they previously shopped the downtown store.

“They all said ‘no.’ Our concern was can-nibalization, but it turns out in New York people stay in their fi ve- or six-block neigh-borhoods,” she told HTT.

CB2 Opens Second

NYC Store

SEE CB2 PAGE 12

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2 Home Textiles Today News > hometextilestoday.com

PBteen Opens 1st Pop-up

PBteen, Pottery Barn’s offshoot for teens and tweens, opened its fi rst pop-up store Nov. 4 just

outside Boston in the Natick Mall highlighting holi-day merchandise.

The 1,800-square-foot store is centered around the PBteen Design Lab, four computer terminals where vis-itors can create a room using PBteen furniture and accessories. The designs are then projected on one of the store’s 60-inch TV wall monitors. The store will operate through Dec. 4.

West Elm Plans Another mid-Atlantic pop up

Tapping into the holiday season, West Elm is readying a Baltimore-area pop-up shop that will open Nov. 10

at the Towson Town Center in Towson, Maryland. This follows the opening this past July of a pop-up in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Bloomingdale’s to Add a Store in southern California

Bloomingdale’s will open a full-line store in Glen-dale, Calif., in fall 2013.The 120,000-square-foot store in the Glendale

Galleria will occupy the top two fl oors of a former Mervyn’s unit.

“Bloomingdale’s business in southern California has developed rapidly since we opened our fi rst store in the Los Angeles area in 1996. Glendale Galleria will be our eighth store in the market,” said Michael Gould, chair-man and chief executive offi cer of Bloomingdale’s.

Macy’s Plans Flagship Makeover

Macy’s Inc. next spring will begin an ambitious remodel of its fl agship store at Herald Square

here, including “an entirely new world of home mer-chandise on the eighth and ninth fl oors.”

When completed in fall 2015, the store will have an additional 100,000 square feet of selling space enhanced with new technology throughout as well as 22 restaurants and foodservice stations, including a brewpub that will operate beyond store hours.

Calico Corners - Calico Home Intros 2nd Iman Home collection

Timeless Treasures,” the second Iman Home collec-tion of textiles for home interiors, is rolling out at

Calico Corners - Calico Home stores.The collection features 14 designs and 62 new fab-

rics. Patterns are named for places that the legendary supermodel has traveled - Bali, Thailand, in the South Seas, the Arabian Peninsula, Malta and Morocco on the Mediterranean.

Black Friday Beginning at Midnight for Some

Kohl’s, Macy’s and Target will launch their Black Fri-day sales event at midnight on Nov. 25 (Thanks-

giving night). Each had previously kicked off the holi-day sales event in the early morning.

Kohl’s for the fi rst time will remain open for 24 hours on Black Friday, operating from 12 a.m. to mid-night on Friday, Nov. 25.

RetailBriefs

NEW YORK — The new Hugo Boss home line, Boss Home, will make its retail debut March 1 at Bloomingdale’s with a three-month exclusive before moving into department and specialty stores in the U.S. and Canada.

The contemporary home col-lection, produced under license

by Sunham Home Fashions, takes its inspiration from the brand’s women’s ready-to-wear and accessory lines.

The full Boss Home col-lection – not all of which will appear at Bloomingdale’s – fea-tures seven fashion bedding ensembles. For spring/summer

2012 design variations include Italian prints, jacquards in pur-ples, grays metallic neutrals and white, tailored looks, silky fab-rics and leather details.

The line also includes bath towels with deep color tones and a line of bright, over-sized beach towels. HTT

Boss Home to Debut at Bloomingdale’s

WILMINGTON, DEL. — Filene’s Basement has fi led for Ch. 11 bankruptcy here for the third and final time, announcing it will liquidate its stores along with apparel discounter Syms, which bought Filene’s out of bankruptcy a little over two years ago in partnership with realty/investment firm Vor-nado.

Filene’s, which also restruc-tured under Chapter 11 bank-ruptcy in the 1990s, expects GOB sales to conclude in Jan-

uary, according to a statement. Together, Filene’s and Syms operate 46 stores, most of them on the East Coast.

In addition to the impact of the slack economy, ceo Marcy Syms cited stepped up competi-tion from department stores and “a decline in buying opportuni-ties as brand name labels have reduced overruns by improv-ing their supply chain manage-ment.”

In its filing, the company listed $236 million in assets

and approximately $94 billion in liabilities.

The company in its filing said vendors and factors have restricted trade credit in recent months, and factors had begun requiring additional security on Filene’s orders.

For the six-month period ended Aug. 27, the company posted a loss of $16.7 million. In the previous fiscal year, ended Feb. 26, 2011, the loss before income taxes was $51.7 million, according to the fi ling. HTT

Filene’s Calls it Quits

November 7, 2011

NEW YORK — Home fashions manufacturer Ellery Homestyles has revamped its corporate web-site with a focus on the company’s history and product expertise.

The site provides a tour of the company and a look at Ellery’s showroom as well as information about its products and brands.

Each brand page features image galleries, color swatches, the technology behind the prod-uct as well as information about exclusive partnerships with other companies/organizations rele-vant to each brand.

“The new website allows us to showcase all of the things that make Ellery so great,” said

Ellery’s ceo Budd Goldman. HTT

Ellery Relaunches Website

NEW YORK — The U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture has certifi ed Tencel and Lenzing FR fi bers as 100% Biobased.

The certifi cation is part of the government’s BioPreferred pro-gram, which encourages agen-cies and contractors to purchase products that are biobased or

made from signifi cant amounts of biobased materials. The pro-gram is intended to boost the U.S. government’s use of eco-friendly products and to support the farmers, suppliers, and man-ufacturers who provide “green” jobs and create more sustainable products and markets.

Textile products made with at least 25% Lenzing FR or Ten-cel and manufactured in a des-ignated country may be eligible to apply for bio-based preferred procurement status. Lenzing can assist customers with the application and certification process. HTT

Lenzing, Tencel Earn USDA Certification

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4 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.com

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OPINIONTodaY

ALLOW ME TO BE T HE FIR ST to con-gratulate the home textiles industry on fi nally recognizing the impact that Am-azon is having on the business.

Forgive me, but, duh, what took you so long?

Amazon went live on the web in 1995 — that’s 16 years ago, but who’s counting? — and even if the fi rst fi ve or so years were pretty much under the radar, it’s been a good decade since they have

become a game-changer in the marketplace. And even if you say some of that de-cade was spent concentrat-ing on books and CDs and videos, you still have to give them fi ve years since they’ve broadened their merchan-dise mix to include a wide variety of products, includ-ing a fair amount of home textiles, either directly or as a host for third parties.

Yet, it’s only been the past few months that Amazon is truly starting to show up on the ra-dars of some of the major players in this busi-ness. I’ve heard from a number of suppliers that a couple of key retailers — the names are being held to protect the clueless — are suddenly ask-ing whether Amazon is going to carry this prod-uct or if they are buying that program. That’s a big change from only a year or two ago when re-tailers were much more hung up on the compe-tition in their own channel of distribution versus a virtual competitor.

All of this reminds me of another situation more than half a century ago in an entirely dif-

ferent industry. Back in the early 1950s, the rail-roads were the preferred long-distance transpor-tation choice in this country. They were it, and they spent most of their competitive juices won-dering what the other railroads were doing. New York Central was consumed with the Pennsylva-nia Railroad and vice versa.

The railroads never saw the airlines com-ing. They kept thinking they were in the rail-road business, not the transportation business. It’s a classic B-school case study, but the result of that thinking is irrefutable: In less than a de-cade the railroads were pretty much through and the airlines dominated the long-distance travel business.

Conventional retailers are guilty of much of the same thinking. They may have started up online units within their operations, but by and large they have failed to recognize Amazon as a distinct and unique competitor. They so far have been unable – or unwilling – to make the com-mitment to compete head-to-head with Ama-zon.

They don’t have the same online shopping experience or pro-active merchandising capa-bilities. They don’t have the back-end distribu-tion network necessary to have Amazon-standard order fulfi llment levels. And they have failed to adapt the aggressive – not to mention, progres-sive – techniques like annualized fl at shipping packages that are a backbone of Amazon’s strat-egy.

Just as Wall Street often does, the general merchandising community continues to fail to understand how Amazon is changing the mar-ketplace.

But they will. HTT

It’s Amazon, StupidEV ERY NOW A ND T HEN, you have a conversation that’s just

so full of good stuff you wish you had downloaded every word of it straight into the permanent databank of your mind.

That’s how I felt after a recent visit to Graj + Gustavsen. To call the place a brand strategy consultancy — the fi rm’s offi cial Google tag — is to vastly confl ate the many nodes and nooks and crannies of the branding, marketing and retailing worlds these guys are plugged into.

Walking through the concept areas set up for projects in process was a retail junkie’s equivalent of a trip to the crack house.

One of G+G’s more recent projects: Levi’s Denizen brand, targeting the young middle class in emerging nations, 18- to 28-year-olds on the front lines of new prosperity in their markets but still not able to shop at the high end of the mar-ket. By the end of next year, Denizen is scheduled to operate 1,000 stores across China, India, Singa-pore and Korea.

The firm is also involved in transforming HGTV into a roster of consumer products and is also working on some fascinating concepts for

Food Network, Harley Davidson and Brooks Brothers whose details have not yet been announced.

I spent a good hour talking with principals Ray and Simon Graj — the latter writes a blog for Forbes — and of all the many interesting per-ceptions they shared, here’s the one that really jumped out: Today’s con-sumer is his or her own brand.

This is a consumer who creates his own soundtrack — literally, in the iPod sense, and fi guratively, in terms of selecting from among a vast array of branded goods — and she has access to a boatload of them vir-tually – to assemble a look that is uniquely her own.

Brand loyalty becomes less a matter of joining the club (“I’m a prep-py!”) than of taking pieces that are individually relevant from brands that project and maintain core values — whatever those values may be.

And it has to be easy. And it has to be simple. And it has to serve a purpose.

Food for thought, folks. HTT

JenniferMarks

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Feed Your Head

November 7, 2011

Warren Shoulberg

PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

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5 Home Textiles Today> hometextilestoday.com

The TJX Companies, Inc., 770 Cochituate Road, Framingham, MA 01701 l www.tjx.com

Statement of Policy Concerning Gifts and Other Items of Value

2011 The TJX Companies, Inc.

To Our Valued Suppliers,

We are taking this opportunity to restate our policy concerninggift-giving, not only during the forthcoming holiday season but throughout the year.

On any occasion, gifts, gratuities, payments, favors or other itemsof value, no matter how well-intentioned by the donor, are againstour Company’s policy. Gifts received by any Associates will be returned to the donor or donated to charitable organizations. Our Associates are also advised that any violation of this policy will be taken very seriously.

We respectfully ask that you assist us in this matter by refrainingfrom offering Associates gifts or items of value. Your kind cooperation with this policy will foster the continuation of fair business practices that favor our close working relationship.

Thank you very much for your support. We wish you a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year.

Bernard CammarataChairman of the Board

Carol MeyrowitzChief Executive Officer

In the U.S. In EuropeIn Canada

COLUMBUS, OHIO — In line with its guidance, Big Lots Inc.’s third quarter total sales climbed 6.0% to $1.1 billion, the closeout chain reported last week.

Comparable store sales for stores open at least two years at the beginning of the fi scal year rose 1.7% in the period. Home

comps were positive, the com-pany said.

Year to date, retail sales from U.S. operations totaled $3.8 bil-lion, up 2.3%. Comps slipped 1.3%.

“We were encouraged by the improving trends in most of our major merchandise categories,

positive early response to certain of our holiday strategies, and fa-vorable results from our promo-tional friends and family event during the quarter,” said Steve Fishman, chairman, ceo and pres-ident of the 1,445-unit chain.

“Our stores are set for the holiday season and I am confi -

dent we are prepared to be ag-gressive and drive sales during the all-important fourth quar-ter,” Fishman added.

Big Lots will disclose sales from its recently acquired Ca-nadian operation when it releas-es full quarterly results Dec. 1. HTT

Big Lots Hits Sales Plan in 3Q

NEW YORK — Iconix Brand Group has entered into a multi-year license agreement with JCPenney Company to market and sell its Royal Vel-vet home brand and its line of home textiles exclusively.

The initial Royal Velvet at JCPenney program will con-sist of sheets, fashion bedding, blankets, pillows, towels, rugs, bath coordinates and window treatments. It is set to debut in spring 2012 in all JCPenney stores and online at jcp.com.

The launch will be support-ed with a multi-media market-ing campaign that will encom-pass print, digital, outdoor and in-store collaterals.

“JCPenney is recognized by consumers as the go-to des-tination for home goods and this is an immense opportuni-ty for Royal Velvet,” comment-ed Neil Cole, Iconix ceo. “We are thrilled to be working with JCPenney on our Royal Velvet brand as we share the same vi-sion and recognize the growth potential for this iconic brand.”

Added John Tighe, svp, and gmm of home, JCP: “As a well-known quality brand, Royal Velvet will be a great addition to JCPenney’s exciting home brands and assortment.”

Iconix described Royal Vel-vet as “a premium home brand offering classic and sophisti-cated designs with an updat-ed touch to consumers at every stage of their lives.”

Iconix has owned Royal Velvet as well as its sister brands, Can-non, Fieldcrest and Charisma, since fall 2007 when it acquired Offi cial Pillowtex. HTT

Iconix, JCP Align For

Royal Velvet Home Brand

Program

“JCPenney is recognized by

consumers as the go-to destination for home goods

and this is an immense

opportunity for Royal Velvet.”—NEIL COLE, Iconix

November 7, 2011News

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6 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.com

NEW YORK — Social media, dig-ital communication and the In-ternet are dramatically transform-ing the retail industry, says Burt Feinberg, group head of CIT Commercial & Industrial at CIT Group, a provider of fi nancing to small businesses and middle mar-ket companies, including many in the home furnishings indus-try.

Feinberg discusses technolo-gy trends, financing opportuni-ties and consumer confi dence in Retail Industry Trends, the latest in a series of in-depth Q&As fea-

tured in CIT’s Executive Spot-light series.

The convergence of social media, e-commerce and mobile technologies are changing the consumer experience, according to Feinberg.

“Consumers today are able to actually comparison shop as they walk through a store,” he said. “We’re also seeing consum-ers use social media to commu-nicate with their friends to articu-late their discovery of a particular product or deal in areas like high fashion apparel or electronics....

In addition, retailers can opti-mize their marketing dollars by understanding and mining the data they now accumulate about their customers via their electronic platforms.”

Fluctuations in commodity prices also are affecting the re-tail chain, Feinberg said.

“Since cotton is such a major component in much of our clothing, its cost can obviously have a signifi cant effect on the apparel segment of retail. The question is who bears the cost. In order to maintain price in this

highly price-conscience market, retailers face considerable pres-sure from consumers and sup-pliers face pressure by retailers. Everyone in the chain is being squeezed,” he said.

Private equity fi rms continue to maintain an interest in the re-tail sector, whether it’s the abil-ity to expand an existing con-cept or rebuild a franchise, he added.

“If a private equity fi rm fi nds the right concept, it can realize considerable growth due to the scalability factor, greater than

in most other industries. The other opportunity is fi nding sit-uations where companies may have been managed incorrect-ly and could potentially be revi-talized by a change in strategy,” said Feinberg.

“Improving sourcing, opti-mizing labor hours, managing inventory levels and stock-keep-ing units (skus), combined with strategic store expansion and e-commerce strategies, collective-ly have had a powerful impact on profi t growth that is hard to fi nd in other industries.” HTT

Social Media, Technology Changing Retailing, Finance Expert Says

WA SHINGTON —After learn-ing more consumers plan to do their holiday shopping on-line this year than last, many e-tailers said they expect their 4Q to grow 15% or higher compared to last year.

Many have already invest-ed in new technologies and site and service features, according to Shop.org’s recent “eHoliday” survey. More than half – 51.0% – said they have signifi cantly in-vested in mobile-optimized web-sites and 19.6% have invested in tablet device apps.

Furthermore, 35.3% said they have significantly invested in QR codes in offl ine advertising, such as magazine ads and bill-boards. Among those who regu-larly use social media platforms, nearly three-quarters said they have invested already in their Facebook (72.5%) and Twitter (41.2%) accounts in advance of the holidays.

When asked why they plan to spend more online this holi-day season, four in 10 shoppers (43.2%) said 24-hour conve-nience is a main consideration. More shoppers this year are also interested in shopping on-line as a direct result of free shipping offers — 36.3% will spend more online this year if

shipping comes free. Other rea-sons include their lack of de-sire to fi ght crowds in the stores (37.2%) and the ease of com-paring prices (29.6%).

Consumers will get infor-mation about retailers’ sales and promotions from a variety of channels. The survey found nearly three in 10 (29.2%) will check out a company’s Face-book page for more information and about two-thirds (65.1%) will read customer reviews on the company’s website.

The survey, conducted by consumer research firm Big-Research, found that nearly seven in 10 retailers — or 68.0% — said they expect their com-pany’s online sales to grow at least 15% or more compared to last holiday season, up from the 63.8% who had those expecta-tions last year.

The survey is supported by new data from another recent survey by the National Retail Federation, which found the av-erage shopper plans to do about 36.0% of her holiday shopping online, up from 32.7% last year.

“One of consumers’ most anticipated and favorite holiday promotions, free shipping offers will be hard to miss this holiday

Shop.org: Digital Picking up Steam

for Holiday Marketing

SEE SHOP.ORG PAGE 7

BY JENNIFER MARKS

EDISON, N.J. — When Sferra Bros. wanted to launch an app to drive business for its Fiesta table linen line, company president Paul Hooker “talked to somebody who knows about these things.”

That source directed him to a group of Rus-sian programmers “in a dumpy building deep in the bowels of Tribeca” in downtown Manhattan, Hooker recalled recently.

It turned out the programmers knew their stuff. More importantly, they had deep experience in producing apps that meet the quality standards re-

quired to make it into the Apple app store — the holy grail of app-dom.

The resulting app — Linen Colors by Sferra — helps consumers select table linens to coordinate with their dishes, pulling from the 101 colors avail-able in Sferra’s Fiesta linen line. The technology uses an algorithm developed by the programmers to “read” and interpret RBG color, an additive color model that allows electronic systems (such as com-puters) to accurately represent a wide array of col-ors by blending red, green and blue light.

After downloading the free app to her iPhone or iPad, the consumer can shoot a photo of a plate — or anything else to which she wants to match linens

— then touch the color on the photograph that she would like to coordinate. The app posts up eight color swatches across the bottom of the screen.

With the touch of a button, the consumer can also send swatches to her Facebook page with a message: “What color should I order?”

Once the consumer has made a decision, she can make her purchase through the app and can receive the merchandise as early as the following day. Items available for purchase through the app include placemats, napkins and cocktail napkins. Tablecloths can be purchased as a custom order,

said Hooker.The app also leads users to

video Sferra shot last summer of its linens being woven in Europe. And Sferra developed an instructional video to lead viewers through the process. In it, a would-be hostess chats on the phone with a friend about her need for new linens while she gazes at a plate she just pulled from the cupboard. She says, inevitably, “You mean there’s an app for that?”

“It’s wonderful being a 120-year-old company and catch-ing up with today’s technolo-gy,” said Hooker, who offi cially unveiled the app during Table-

top Market in New York late last month.

Hooker is something of a linen evangelist. “Linen is the fabric of kings — because of the drape, because of the launderability,” he told a group of interior designs and shelter book journal-ists assembled for the app introduction.

The app made its national television debut Oct. 28 on “The Martha Stewart Show” on the Hall-mark Channel. Stewart grabbed the iPad from Hooker’s hands and went to town on the technol-ogy, he said.

“Her staff was holding up signs on the other side of the camera saying ‘Get that away from her or we’ll never fi nish on time.’” HTT

Color? Sferra Has an App for That

Paul Hooker of Sferra shows a video linked to the new app.

Digital November 7, 2011

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7 Home Textiles Today> hometextilestoday.com

NEW YORK —The Home Fashion Products Association announced that Fred Golden, vp of sales for Kay Printing, will give the keynote presentation during the group’s annual meeting here Nov. 16.

Golden address will be titled “Interactive Multimedia Print Pow-ered by QR Codes.”

The annual meeting begins will a continental breakfast and net-working from 9:00-9:30 a.m., followed by the meeting from 9:30-10:00 a.m. Golden will speak at 10:00 a.m.

For information or to register, visit http://homefashionproducts.com/2011_am.php. HTT

ECOM M E RCE V I DEO has grown in the past year, with 73% of US retail sites now using video according to eMarket-er. Still, video remains relative unde-

rutilized in our industry with only a handful of videos on some sites and many of these videos hidden deep in the website.

There are a lot of good reasons to feature prod-uct videos on your website as well as the multitude of social media sites now available. First, video is interactive. It will keep customers on your site lon-ger; lower the number of abandoned shopping carts; reduce return rates; generate higher sales; and enhance the customer’s experience of your brand. Video is more personal and can help build trust with your customers. It also can bring your product and brand to life in ways unattainable through text and photographs. You can use video to showcase new products; demonstrate special features; instruct customers on how to use or put a product together; bring testimonials to life; and bring new life to the traditional “life-style” product images.

Today, there are even more ways to leverage your investment in video. In addition to giving copies of your video to sales representatives and customers, post your videos on Facebook, You-Tube, Twitvid and any other appropriate site available to you such as local business chambers and affi liate sites. You’ll reach new audiences, build your brand, and drive traffi c back to you site. We can even post your video right here in the video gallery of this website!

Another great way to leverage videos is with QR tags. Use a QR tag in your print ad, direct mail or even point-of-purchase displays. Link the tag to a video and you’ve now launched your fi rst mobile marketing program!

Incorporate snippets from your videos into

web display ads. Video can be used in a pre-roll commercial (15-30 seconds) that runs prior to news videos; sponsorship of special news seg-ments; and in-ad videos. In-ad videos can have nearly triple the click through rate of standard ads. A good combination buy is a video with a standard banner ad running next to the video to optimize click through rates.

Here are some tips for getting the most out of your videos:

• Be sure to tag the videos so search engines fi nd them. Video search engine optimization (VSEO) works like regu-lar SEO. Promote your online video using back links from other reputable websites. Optimize the search terms and tags connected to your video and post links on social media websites. For some great tips on how to optimize your video, visit Reel SEO at http://www.reelseo.com/seo-for-video/

• Feature a link to your videos right on the home page of your website.

• Make sure there is a call to action in the video as well as clearly visible on the landing page where you video is posted. Don’t put your call to action at the very end of the video as many viewers will not watch the complete video.

• Keep your videos short with a focus on a few key points. If necessary, produce a series of short videos to get your whole story out.

• Be sure to storyboard and script your video before the camera roles! Even if you don’t fol-low a script word-for-word, storyboard and script will not only save you time and money in pro-duction, but also ensure your message is clear and impactful. HTT

Penney Schnek is the online sales manager for HTT and its sister publications. Her blog, “What Works Online,” appears regularly on hometextil-estoday.com.

Increase Sales with Video

Penny SchnekONLINE SALES

MANAGER

Sam’s Club Launches Holiday App

Sam’s Club last week launched an ecommerce site dedicated to holiday shop-ping and an enhanced mobile app to streamline the buying experience.Through Dec. 24, members and non-members can connect to SamsClub.

com/gifts, a PC/iPad/tablet/smartphone-friendly site that offers tips about pre-paring and decorating the home, entertaining, giving presents and meal plan-ning.

The site features a “Holiday Value of the Day” including online exclusives, gifts with free shipping and instant savings. It also provides digital versions of Gift Guide and Entertaining Catalogs, a listing of weekly savings events, holi-day hours, and shipping cut-off dates.

Macy’s Unveils mBGlog

Macy’s launched mBGlog at macys.com/mblog two weeks ago, offering how-to videos, trend information, product reviews and news about new product

launches, in-store events and major sales. Each day, the blog focuses on a specifi c product category. Thursdays will be

dedicated to information about home.Home section features will include ideas for decorating the home. Tips from

celebrity chefs on Macy’s Culinary Council, gift guides and regular posts from FoodRepublic.com.

Sears, Kmart Go Local with Digital Ads

Sears Holdings late last month debuted localized digital ads at searsloca-lad.com and kmartlocalad.com that provide customers with real-time stock

checks, pricing and special offers available at their area Sears and Kmart stores.Customers can shop by category, create shopping lists and share lists or send

lists to their mobile devices. Reward members can all preview upcoming sale items and will soon be about to collect points within the local ad section.

Lowe’s Launches Home Management Tool

Lowe’s has introduced an integrated online feature to help consumers man-age their homes called MyLowe’s at Lowes.com/MyLowes. A MyLowes card or key fob helps customers track all of their Lowe’s pur-

chases regardless of whether they took place in-store or online. Customers can also create rooms online and store fl oor dimensions, track a paint formula after checkout and access product manuals from product detail pages.

DigitalBriefs

season as nine in 10 online re-tailers (92.5%) said they plan on offering the service at some point, up from 84.8% in 2010,” Shop.org said. “Eager shoppers can also expect these offers to start soon, as nearly one-third (31.4%) of those surveyed said their free shipping offers would start earlier in the season com-pared to last year.”

Additionally, 56.3% said their budget for free shipping promotions specifi cally is some-what or significantly higher than last year.

“Online retailers will also le-verage their social media and mobile platforms for savvy shop-pers on the go, knowing how im-portant customer reviews and comparison shopping applica-tions are to holiday shoppers,” said Shop.org head of research, Fiona Swerdlow.

Like their brick-and-mortar store counterparts, online mer-chants said they will begin pro-moting the holiday season ear-lier this year. The survey found more than half, or 52.9%, plan to start their online holiday marketing and promotions by Halloween, a 40% increase from last year. Another 37.2% will begin marketing by mid-November. HTT

QR Codes Topic of HFPA Meeting Keynote

Digital Shopping

SHOP.ORG FROM PAGE 6

HOME TEXTILES TODAY IS ON FACEBOOK. JOIN THE CONVERSATION AT

FACEBOOK.COM/HTTMAG

Digital November 7, 2011

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8 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.com

First Monday: Specialty Retailing

BY CECILE B. CORRAL

STUART, FLA. – When Kit and Dan Cassidy fi rst opened their bed-ding and bath linens shop here in 1979, their friends and colleagues had some misgivings.

“People thought we were nuts!” Kit Cassidy said, laughing.Back then, the town of Stuart was “a very small, intimate com-

munity. My sister lived here, and we bought a condo here in 1975, so that’s why we decided to open our shop here.”

The Cassidys, who in October celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary, stuck to their plan — and it paid off.

“We exceeded our expectations,” she said. “People around here supported local businesses, and they supported us.”

Added Dan Cassidy: “We’ve got involved in the community with many charities. It’s a very community-oriented store because we like it that way. We choose to be very community oriented.”

Cassidy’s had competition, as Dan noted, with about four other “mom-and-pop” linens shops nearby in the Downtown Stuart area.

But the couple has managed to “stay relevant” by evolving its

November 7, 2011

Cassidy’s Finds its Niche as Community-Oriented Luxury Linens Shop

Dan and Kit Cassidy founded their luxury bedding and bath linens boutique in 1979.

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9 Home Textiles TodayNews> hometextilestoday.com November 7, 2011

business from what it started out as to what it is today, he explained.

Kit and Dan Cassidy each began their careers working for Federated Depart-ment Stores as buyers. They began in the company’s training program, based in Columbus, Ohio, where they met. Soon after, they married and moved to Mem-phis to work for Federated’s Goldsmith’s nameplate — Dan as a buyer for home textiles and Kit assigned to buy lingerie, women’s blouses and merchandise for the store’s basement department.

After a few years, Dan was hired as a buyer for May Co. And a few years after that, he was offered a promotion working for Dayton-Hudson in Detroit. Kit followed him there, and there they remained for about four years.

It was at that point that the couple started exploring the option of opening their own linens retail business.

In November 1979, when Cassidy’s first opened its doors in a 3,000-square-foot space in the city’s downtown district, “we weren’t a high-end store,” Kit recalled. “Back then, we were a bedding and bath store that was moderate to higher-end. But we weren’t luxury.”

Added Dan: “We were involved in a lot of [home] businesses that we aren’t in now.”

But as Stuart began to grow — and some smaller retailers disappeared as major chains arrived — “we became more of a niche business,” Dan explained.

Because of Stuart’s vastly seasonal population, comprising well-to-do snow-birds who spend their winters in Florida and their summers in the north, Kit saw an opportunity to offer a more specific product assortment targeting the local customer base.

“Kit pushed us to be high-end. I wasn’t sure about it, but we gave it a try,” Dan said. “We wanted to see how it’d work.”

Cassidy’s tactic was to “gradually sneak in” higher price-point products into the mix, “and most of the time, it worked. When it didn’t, we just got out of the cat-egory.”

Dan remembers that it was in the mid 1980s when Cassidy’s experienced its turning point.

“It was when the Fieldcrest Cha-risma sheets had just come out,” he said. “They were considered very high end. We decided to add it to our assortment, and it sold out very well and very fast.

And that was one of the catalysts for us to become high end. We learned then that we could sell high price points. We could do it.”

Dan and Kit knew there was one other important factor in succeeding in the high-end market: properly train-ing the staff to sell the goods.

“Our staff has become so knowl-edgeable about the products,” Kit said. “And we try to have a staff meeting every month to talk about new mer-chandise.”

The couple credits its staff with understanding the mix, presenting it “very well” on the selling floor, and offering fi rst-rate customer service.

“Each [of the 16 beds] is changed every three weeks, and we do a great deal of cross merchandising,” Kit said. “We usually don’t designate each bed to just one vendor. We cross-merchan-dise almost all of our beds with prod-

ucts from different vendors because that is how our staff sells.”

Today, Cassidy’s has grown into an 8,300-square-foot store — of which 6,700 square feet are devoted to selling space and the remainder to offi ces and inventory storage. Its vendor list is long and extensive, including Ann Gish, Matouk, Home Treasures, Yves Delo-rme, Peacock Alley and many others.

The merchandise mix skews heav-ily toward bedding — 60% fashion and 10% utility. Bath makes up 15% of total sales. And rugs, table lines and gifts each generate 5% of the busi-ness.

In recent years, the store has faced challenges in the form of hurricanes and the recession.

“Hurricanes have slowed our sea-sonal traffi c, and when the recession started in 2008 we got hit very hard,” noted Dan.

But last year, the numbers started ticking upward — with “a very nice increase in 2010. And so far, in 2011, we’ve had another nice increase on top of that. We’re seeing the business move up again, but it’s still diffi cult out there for retail.”

In response, Cassidy’s has lately adopted more promotional strategies

than it had in the past to draw new and existing customers, Kit said.

“We’ve become maybe a little more price conscious, and we’ve added more promotions, such as 20% discounts when you spend $100 or more — we do that in our slow summer months.”

Also, when orders are large enough, Cassidy’s waives shipping charges. Other perks include free gift wrapping, home delivery for local orders and dog treats for shoppers’ pets.

“We are very proud of our sales associ-ates,” she said. “They always pitch in with everything that needs to get done around here. They are just amazing.” HTT

Cassidy’s occupies a 8,300-square-foot storefront in a major strip mall in downtown Stuart, Florida. At right: Matouk is among many high-end linens sold at Cassidy’s.

Cassidy’s cross merchandises products from different vendors. The display bed seen here pairs an Anne de Solene Conte d’hiver duvet cover and sham set with Peacock Alley’s Biscayne coverlet and shams and Yves Delorme’s Eveil polka dot sheets and boudouir pillows.

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10 Home Textiles Today News > hometextilestoday.com

dledown’s Michelle Harrison, wholesale and hospitality man-ager, were more sanguine.

“We are running double-digit increases over last year. We’re seeing some very promis-ing trends,” she added. For IH/M&RS, Cuddledown will intro-duce its new Maggie’s collection bedding products, a line of cot-ton/polyester bedding that offers quality at a more competitive price point.

The economic slump didn’t seem to create much movement across budget segments, accord-ing to Jannice Cameron-Chapi-tal, svp of marketing, Hollander Home Fashions.

“There’s been no real differ-ence that we can see,” she said, “but it always depends on which market your properties are in.”

Hollander’s introductions for the show include Memorelle, a new memory foam-like microde-nier fi ber with improved fl exibil-

ity that’s exclusive to the man-ufacturer. The microdenier

fi ber moves as the sleeper moves to ease pressure points and provides breathability to main-tain an even coolness, she said.

Tanya Hendershot, business manager at Star Textile, agreed that no one segment of the market is booming more than another right now.

“Every t ier has i t s opportunity. I wouldn’t say that one has more than the other.” Her company will introduce new drapery pan-els and upscale bedding at the show.

The elephant in the room for the past two shows has been cotton prices, which played a major role in 2011 business, suppliers said. The need to absorb higher costs impacted business across the spectrum.

Craig Walter, hospitality divi-sion sales manager at Downlite, noted, “As costs are passed on to hotels and guests, competitive pressures lead to lower margins,

November 7, 2011

New Property Developments Slack, but Refurbishments Offer an Opening

Hospitality Trundles Along

BY WAYNE MARKS

NEW YORK – As they head into this month’s International Ho-tel/Motel + Restaurant Show, which takes place at the Ja-

vits Center here from Nov. 12-15, textiles manufacturers in

the hospitality space report that business has been fairly steady.

However, new construc-tion remains depressed. Hotel News Now cited a research report last month showing a 10.5% decrease in the number of rooms in the U.S. pipeline compared to September 2010. Even so, many exhibitors told HTT that they believe there is pent up demand for new goods as hotel brands and properties launch renovation projects.

Some described their sales as sporadic, while others like Cud-

Baltic Linens’ Charisma

bed in the gold colorway.

Also available in black.

Protect-A-Bed’s Aller Zip Smooth bedding encasement offers a variety of solutions at mid-level prices.

Harris Pillow’s Pillow-vac system allows hotels to recycle fill from old pillows into fresh Harris shells to provide a cost-effective “green” offering.

Hollander Home Fashions’ new Superside gusset allows more fill to create maxim loft for better comfort and support.

Downlite’s The Mission: Allergy Collection provides anti- allergen, dust mite and beg bug protection.

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11 Home Textiles TodayNews> hometextilestoday.com

cash fl ows suffer, effecting credit stability, limiting business levels and properties must reluctantly adjust plans.”

At this year’s show, Downlite will launch The Mission: Allergy Collection, which showcases products that have been tested to demonstrate their allergen-avoidance, dust mite resistance and bed bug proofi ng solutions. Walter said the products focus

on comfort, protection and dura-bility and are offered in a vari-ety of natural and synthetic fi ll-ing materials.

Bob Gehm, president of Bal-tic Linens’ hospitality division, described a similar reaction to the spike in prices. “Many brands and properties responded by keeping within their budgets and simply ordering less prod-uct. We didn’t see a lot of move-ment to alternative fi bers.”

Baltic will focus on its Cha-risma brand at this year’s show, and believes the smaller orders of the past will fuel future demand. Other exhibitors are expressing similar optimism mixed with a strong dose of caution about next year’s business prospects.

The tentative mood extends into the eco-friendly and sustain-able products area, with pricing always looming as a key factor. However, many hotel brands still have sustainability initia-tives, believing positive corpo-rate citizenship engenders the

customer goodwill that leads to brand loyalty.

Sandra DiVito, vp of hospitality and healthcare at Pro-tect-a-Bed, offered a marketing message of helping hotels that do good to do well.

“An encasement on a mattress fosters recyclability. Stained and/or contaminated mat-tresses can’t be recycled and must be thrown away to the tune of approximately 4.5 mil-lion units per year,” she said.

Protect-a-Bed will feature its Aller Zip Smooth six-sided encasement and Bug Lock Plus, which is top side only. Each is bed bug, allergen, and water proof.

Getting green product ROI for hoteliers is particularly important in this environment, according to Patrick Harris, vp, Harris Pillow,

“We manufacture the Pillow-vac machine that refurbishes old pillows to like-new condition, with a new cover and sterilized contents at a fraction of the cost of replacement. You can quite literally keep pillows around forever, minimizing landfill deposits and saving the property money as well.”

Design Weave USA is also telling an eco-friendly story at the show, its first appearance there.

“We are introducing Green-fi rst anti bed bug basic bedding products. The treated products will eliminate bed bugs with an all-natural formula. The for-mula was created by Breyner, a French company. We are their exclusive licensee for these prod-ucts in North America,” said Steve Hoffman, vp of new busi-ness development. HTT

November 7, 2011

Cuddledown’ s new Maggie’s collection pitches a better-quality look at a more competitive price point.

Star Textile’s custom bedding package targets the better end of the market.

“We are running double-digit

increases over last year. We’re seeing

some very promising trends.”

—MICHELLE HARRISON, Cuddledown

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12 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.comNewsNovember 7, 2011

CB2 strives to offer strong contemporary looks at a value price, according to Calle. The company considers its fl agship stores “the windows to the brand.”

Most of CB2’s sales are generated online, she said, with the catalog serving as combi-nation idea book/marketing piece. Calle de-scribed the fl agship stores as “windows to the brand.” The company is not intent on open-ing bricks-and-mortar across the country, she added.

“Our goal is to continue retail ex-pansion but always have ecommerce be important,” said Calle. “We feel that as long as people can get a sense of the brand in these cities where they vacation or travel to that’s what’s im-portant.”

She cited the Denver market. The nearest physical CB2 is in northern California, but Denver is the retailer’s fourth largest market in terms of sales.

CB2 opeartes stores in Chicago, New York, Miami, Atlanta, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Berkeley, Calif., and Washington, D.C.

“Our customer has an urban attitude,” said Calle. “That doesn’t mean they live in an urban area. We also have a customer we call suburban modern.”

While the average customer age is 34 years-old, “we also have dougle-digits over the age of 55,” she added. “When we design a product,

we don’t have an age in mind because we de-lieve our design is ageless.”

CB2 weathered the recession of 2009 “ex-tremely well,” she said. The retailer benefi t-ed from consumers trading down. That trend continued throughout 20101 — “a phenome-nal year for us.”

The pace of business this year has been tougher, she said, “but we’re still having a good year compared to the competition.”

I n t e r n a t i o n a l e c o m m e r c e , launched in November 2010, is gain-ing ground, with the strongest sales coming from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. “We also sell very well in Japan, India and Mexi-co,” she added.

The brand will open its fi rst inter-national stores next year in Toronto and Vancouver. Expansion to other countries is also under consideration

— in due time.The CB2 concept fi rst stepped into brick-

and-mortar 10 years ago with a pair of stores in Chicago. Calle pointed out that the com-pany, a division of Crate & Barrel, spent four years tweaking the format before expanding into other cities.

“You don’t come up with a brand ethos overnight,” she said.

If it takes its time testing international wa-ters, that wouldn’t be out of character. HTT

CB2 NYC

MARTA CALLE

CB2

CB2 FROM PAGE 1

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13 Home Textiles TodayNewsNews> hometextilestoday.com November 7, 2011

Calle credits CB2’s commitment to bold colors and vibrant textiles at a time when furniture is becoming more understated with helping to drive the company’s business, espe-cially through the worst of the recession. The company’s core customer is often committed to modern design or favors an eclectic look, she said.

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14 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.comNewsNovember 7, 2011

High Point Wrap Upmotifs used on chair backs only. Two dif-ferent fabrics, one used to upholster the outside, the other the inside of sofas and chairs were popular fabric combinations.

• Wovens, except for those handspun linens, were soft and smooth-surfaced and included an alligator textured silk velvet and a variety of tribal and Greek key mo-tifs.

• Colors centered on the mid to ultra-marine blues and teals, a new family of blue greens. Citrus is starting to morph into golds and oranges to better partner with the re-emerging browns. Neutrals, too, are veering closer to browns than to grays, although grays are defending their position.

Fabric vendors often cited at the show as main sources included Valdese Weav-ers, Circa, Kravet, Lee Jofa, Sunberry and Robert Allen – augmented by specialty suppliers in Belgium, Italy, France, India and China.

While furniture collections set the tone for major market introductions, let’s not forget that carpets and rugs, lighting, ac-cessories and bedding now all are an es-sential part of presenting a complete “lifestyle” within new collections. In the process, most of the brand producers de-scribed above offer their own decorating packages, often through licensing their own or their licensed design partners.

Carpets and rugs surfaced with power-ful new collections at Safavieh – which now counts Tom O’Brien, David Easton, Tom Felicia and Ralph Lauren among its elite of licensed designers. Nourison made its return to High Point and a new high-traffi c showroom featuring licensed lines by Calvin Klein and its just launched Jo-seph Abboud collection.

Also noteworthy at the show:•Martha Stewart’s new collection

for ML Brands, a new alliance between Miles Thomas for upholstery and case goods source Lefa with factories in South America brought Martha Stewart’s fi rst in-stallment of her new “Bedford” collection to Market. Positioned at a higher quali-ty and price points, this was a soft open-ing with a tightly edited selection toward approximately 45 pieces planned for the April 2012 launch. The short line-up was impressive for its well thought out func-tionality and hints at earlier period styles, namely baroque with a modern sensibili-ty. Customization of upholstery pieces and bed headboards includes quick ship turn-arounds.

• Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams proved once again that they understand their customers and what it takes to ex-cite them. Always on the cutting edge for color and textiles in upholstery and com-plimentary accent furniture, the creation of a new “Black Label” category pushed this line into new territory its creators call

“Luxury Re-imagined.” Beautiful blue velvets, short napped

like mohair, brilliant yellow satin, pale leathers and a striking gun metallic vinyl brought glamour while tribal geometrics catered to neutral preferences, and engi-neered spot motif applications were stand-outs on upholstery.

• Ralph Lauren coined the name “Des-ert Modern” to describe his rugged new collection for E.J.Victor. Boxy and chunky and leaning heavily on the natural attri-butes of rough grained woods, this was a solid and broadly appealing introduc-tion going well beyond earlier collections he focused on the American Southwest. “Desert Modern” is not a regional but an international look with enough room left for rough textured textiles and hand-craft-ed accessories to drive home its Western design vocabulary.

• Lauren for Schnadig took a totally different direction. Although spawned by the same designer, the look here was de-cidedly French, curvaceous and fl irty in its shorthand rendition of late 19th into early 20th century styles and scaled for urban apartment living. Furniture frames and textiles were all very high gloss with cop-per and brandy colored satins making their case for glamour.

• Century, too, looked to France for in-spiration and in a big way. No fewer than four of its new collections drew on French traditional design. and one new outdoor introduction by designer Richard Frini-er celebrated the seductive atmosphere of

the French countryside.• Baker offered a surprise return

by designer John Black, a long-time key contributor to the company’s Mill-ing Road division. If this was an ap-parel company, you could call Mill-ing Road a Bridge Collection because it offers more accessible designs and price points than its parent company. Let it be said though that Milling Road is no poor cousin, but a style and quali-ty statement all its own. In this new col-lection, John Black created an appeal-ing eclectic mix drawn variously on some Swedish elements cross bred with baroque and neoclassical pieces of both English and French heritage brought into the 21st century with wire brushed fi nishes in the aptly named Frost and a black/gray taken from Arecanut. He used woven textiles of great simplicity in neutral colors to bring

all into harmony. • Bernhardt, in sync with rising social

desires to connect with the natural world, offered a modern spirited collection called “Elements.” You could argue that “Ele-ments” also carries some of the seeds of the American West. Choices, such as quartered white oak for the wood pieces acquire hand-made looks through techniques such as wi-rebrushing and earthy fi nishes described as Dusty Sand and Bark.Artisanal accents in-clude hammered aged patinaed iron had-ware, textured bronze metal bases, faceted iron nailheads and faux mohair or leather on upholstered pieces.

• Lexington Brands introduced “the Road to Canberra” under the Tommy Ba-hama label, which was inspired by far away Oceana and the Australian outback. This collection, too, tended toward the rustic and displayed an outdoor affi nity. HTT

Above: Ann Gish showed a gold-metallic rose print on luxury linens. At right: Century’s distressed tapestry print on rough linen.

HIGH POINT FROM PAGE 1

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15 Home Textiles TodayNewsNews> hometextilestoday.com November 7, 2011

1. Martha Stewart for Miles Thomas offered a baroque bed and bench with ikat cover.2. Velvet made a big statement at the show, including this alligator-textured velvet at Hickory.3. Desert Modern was the theme from Ralph Lauren for E.J. Victor, seen here in arm chairs with snakeskin pillows.4. Nourison debuted its new Joseph Aboud rug collection.5. Faux suede was the fabric of choice for this curved sofa at Weiman.

1 72

3

4

5

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16 Home Textiles Today > hometextilestoday.com

PEOPLETodaY

NEW YORK —-Philip Kowalczyk has joined The Robert Allen Group as president and ceo. He also becomes a member of the board. For-mer chief Jeff Cordover will become non-executive chairman of the board.

Kowalczyk was most recently president of The Body Shop, Amer-icas (USA, Canada, Mexico). HTT

Robert Allen Names ceo

NEW YORK — New York City’s International Furnishings & Design Association (IFDA) is staging its fi fth annual a “Rising Stars” program to honor three up-and-coming interior design-ers and three “starlets” from pre-mier design schools here.

The honorees are:Tilton Fenwick, a boutique

interior design firm started in 2010 by Anne Maxwell Foster and Suysel dePedro Cunning-ham that “embraces the unex-pected in both color and pattern while always infusing comfort.”

Nick Olsen, who trained as an architect but discovered he

“lacked the necessary patience for plumbing and electrical out-lets to pursue the profession.” While learning the business of decorating from Miles Redds he refurbished his own studio apart-ment, which landed on the cover of Domino magazine in 2006. He became Domino’s resident “Deal Hunter” and continued assisting Redds until launching his own fi rm in early 2010.

Ron Marvin, whose look has been described as “gentle-man’s chic,” spent more than 12 years in the visual merchan-dising departments of Gap, Wil-liams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn,

West Elm, Hold Everything, and Williams-Sonoma Home before opening his own fi rm.

The event takes place Nov. 14 at the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington Ave. in suite 505. Networking and refreshments begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the presentation and a question-and-answer session at 6:40 p.m.

Admission is $20 for IFDA members and $40 for guests; free for IFDA student members and $20 for student guests. Reg-istration is required by Nov. 18 by emailing [email protected]. HTT

IFDA-NY Reveals Honorees for Rising Stars Event

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation has appointed longtime retail industry player Vicki Cantrell as the new svp, communities and executive director of its Shop.org digital retail division.

She offi cially starts at her new post on Oct.31.

Cantrell comes to NRF from luxury brand Tory Burch, where she was coo and cio. Previously, Cantrell was cio of Giorgio Armani Corp.

Earlier in her career, Cantrell held positions of growing respon-sibility with Gucci Group, Party City and JCPenney. HTT

November 7, 2011

NEWPORT NEWS, VA. — Sister companies C&F Enterprises and Gallerie II have hired 25-year industry veteran Kari Phil-lips as senior designer.

Phillips’ career began in the 1980s in New York City as a ladies’ sportswear and textiles

designer. She moved into the home décor and giftware indus-tries at California Floral, Home Uwharrie Chair Co., Taylor Lin-ens, India Home Fashion, and HomeStyle Co.

Additionally, Phillips has licensed her own artwork for use

on various home products, includ-ing wall décor, tabletop and gifts.

Phillips “brings a fresh out-look with an eye for fashion and market trends balanced with years of importing and product development,” according to a company release. HTT

C&F Enterprises Adds Phillips as Senior Designer

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Just two months following its acquisition of trade show producer George Little Management, owner Prov-idence Equity Partners last week announced a change in top management.

Longtime GLM executives Alan Steel, Jeff Little and Jack Withiam will be leaving the company.

Charles McCurdy, ceo of

GLM Holdings, will serve as oper-ating ceo for the trade show busi-ness. Prior to joining GLM Hold-ings, McCurdy was ceo of Canon Communications, which pro-duces trade shows, publications and digital and data services.

Doug Smith, formerly cfo of online marketing company Edu-cation Dynamics will become cfo and chief administrative offi cer for both the holding company

and the operating business.Steel, who has long served

as GLM president, will remain with the firm for an advisory period to help with the transi-tion, as will Little, whose family founded the business, and With-iam, senior vp.

“GLM is well-positioned in the trade show industry,” said McCurdy. “Our strategy of creating both face-to-face and

online, buying, selling and net-working platforms for our cus-tomers will create opportunities for expanded growth. With the acquisition of GLM by Provi-dence Equity, the company is now positioned to begin its next chapter, which will continue to build and evolve on GLM’s long history of facilitating buy-ers and sellers in the specialty retail space.”

Steel added, “Jeff, Jack and I are proud of the great company we have created in GLM. Now that we have successfully guided the company through the reces-sion and managed the success-ful sale to Providence Equity, we are handing off the stewardship of the company to new leader-ship. We wish Charlie, Doug and Providence the best of suc-cess with GLM.” HTT

New ceo Named for Trade Show Organizer GLM

NRF Taps Cantrell for Shop.org

SINGAPORE — Huntsman Tex-tile Effects, a global provider of dyes and chemicals to the tex-tiles industry, has promoted two executives to replace the com-pany’s current strategic busi-ness units organizational struc-ture for home textiles, specialty textiles and apparel.

Rohit Aggarwal has stepped into the post of vp, strategic marketing and planning; and

Kent Kvaal was named vp, sales and technical resources.

A 20-year industry veteran, Aggarwal was previously global vp, apparel and home textiles. In his new role, is responsible for strategic marketing, market-ing communications, product management, business devel-opment and the Formulation Distribution Center organiza-tion. HTT

Huntsman Textile Effects Realigns Business Structure

htt111101_016 16 11/3/2011 2:27:17 PM

Sell the

Join Home Textiles Today for Heimtex in the December 19, 2011 Special Preview and the January 9, 2012 Show Issue, the only English-language home textiles newspaper distributed at the Fair itself.

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TEXTILES IS OUR MIDDLE NAME

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JUL AUG SEPTOCT OCTNOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNSource: Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Average, a unit of Instinet, a Reuters company.

3.7%2011

year-over-year

-5.0%

-3.5%

-2.0%

-0.5%

1.0%

2.5%

4.0%

5.5%

7.0%

8.5%

10.0%

September Same-Store SalesJohnson Redbook Index

Same-store sales % change

WINNERSDillard’s Inc. 8.0%Costco Wholesale Corp. 6.0%Ross Stores 5.0%Kohl’s Corp. 3.9%Target Corp. 3.3%TJX Cos. 3.0%

LOSERSThe Bon-Ton Stores (10.2)%J. C. Penney Company (2.6)%

WINNERS AND LOSERS

OCTOBER SALES FOR KEY RETAILERSFour weeks ended October 29, 2011 (dollar amounts in millions) a

2011 2010 TOTAL SAME-STORE SALES SALES % CHG. % CHG.

The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. $192.0 $214.2 (10.4) (10.2)

Costco Wholesale Corp. b $7,010.0 $6,300.0 11.0 6.0 Dillard’s Inc. $378.0 $356.1 6.0 8.0 Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. $34.6 $33.4 3.5 2.8 Fred’s Inc. $136.4 $131.1 4.0 2.0 J. C. Penney Company Inc. $1,186.0 $1,270.0 (6.6) (2.6)Kohl’s Corp. $1,330.0 $1,260.0 5.6 3.9 Macy’s Inc. $1,842.0 $1,806.0 2.0 2.2 Ross Stores Inc. $661.0 $600.0 10.0 5.0 Stein Mart Inc. $85.7 $85.5 0.2 0.1 Target Corp. $4,839.0 $4,641.0 4.3 3.3 The TJX Companies Inc. $1,900.0 $1,800.0 4.0 3.0

39 WEEKS 2011 2010 TOTAL SAME-STORE SALES SALES % CHG. % CHG.

The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. $1,901.4 $1,970.5 -3.5 (3.0)

Costco Wholesale Corp. c, d $15,620.0 $13,810.0 13.0 7.0 Dillard’s Inc. $4,247.6 $4,105.7 3.0 4.0 Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. $346.0 $327.2 5.8 4.4 Fred’s Inc. $1,382.0 $1,356.0 2.0 0.7 J. C. Penney Company Inc. $11,835.0 $12,056.0 (1.8) 1.2 Kohl’s Corp. $12,785.0 $12,353.0 3.5 1.7 Macy’s Inc. $17,681.0 $16,734.0 5.7 5.3 Ross Stores Inc. $6,210.0 $5,721.0 9.0 5.0 Stein Mart Inc. $832.2 $844.8 (1.5) (0.7)Target Corp. $47,529.0 $45,509.0 4.4 3.4 The TJX Companies Inc. $16,500.0 $15,600.0 6.0 3.0

a. Reporting priod vary among key retailers.b. Costco’s October comp results are for the U.S. division and do not

include the positive impacts of inflation in gasoline prices or the “slightly negative” impact from foreign currencies. Including those impacts, comps for the month were up 9.0% in the U.S. division, 8.0% in the international division, and 9.0% for the total company.

c. Because it is on a different fiscal calendar than the other key retail-ers on this list, Costco’s year-to-date sales and comp results reflect

the past nine-week period.d. Costco’s year-to-date comp results are for the U.S. division and do

not include the positive impacts of inflation in gasoline prices or the “slightly positive” impact from foreign currencies. Including those impacts, comps for the month were up 10.0% in the U.S. division, 11.0% in the international division, and 10.0% for the total company.

November 7, 2011

Modest Comp Gains Dominate in OctoberBUSINESSTodaY

NEW YORK — Almost all of the publicly traded retailers tracked by HTT reported October comp increases, albeit most of them in the low single-digit range, which sets the tone for a reservedly opti-mistic outlook for the holiday.

Only three major retailers boasted high single digit comps: Dillard’s with 8.0%, Costco up 6.0% and Ross Stores at 5.0%.

While Dillard’s comps were strong, as the department store noted “sales in the home and fur-niture category were signifi cant-ly below trend during the four weeks.”

Taking the hardest comp hit was Bon-Ton Stores. Its 10.2% tumble resulted from changes in the advertising calendar “which did not drive the results we ex-pected” as well as “continued lackluster customer response to traditional merchandise offer-ings in ladies’ ready-to-wear and consumer resistance to increased pricing on certain products,” said

Tony Buccina, vice chairman, president – merchandising.

J.C. Penney was the only other comp loser last month, produc-ing a 2.6% decrease.

The mid-tier department store said that, “while sales overall were soft, women’s apparel and acces-sories experienced sales gains in October.”

Home negatively impacted JCP’s online sales at www.jcp.com, which saw a 4.5% comp decline as a result of “continued sluggishness” by certain home

categories such as big-ticket cate-gories – namely furniture and soft window treatments.

Excluding home, www.jcp.com eked out a 1.8% comp gain thanks to strength in women’s ap-parel, accessories and family foot-wear.

Stein Mart was October’s only essentially fl at comp retail-er. Home help offset problems in other departments.

“Linens, men’s furnishings and accessories had particular-ly strong sales for October while boutique, career sportswear and gifts were weaker,” the mid-tier off-price chain reported.

The sales trend for the quar-ter improved from August, when they were signifi cantly below ex-pectations, to finish up with a slightly positive comparable store increase October. “The August shortfall, however, led to higher clearance levels which has im-pacted gross profi t margin for the

quarter,” Stein Mart said.Ross Stores’ 5.0% October

same store sales jump far out-paced expectations, which had been set at a 1% to 2% increase.

Here, juniors and shoes were the strongest merchandise cate-gories for the month.

Kohl’s 3.9% comp in October was led by home, which proved the strongest business segment with a high single-digit comp gain. Within home, bath and towels were strong performers, the retailer said.

Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s chair-man, president and ceo, added more color: “Customers have re-sponded favorably to our newest brands, Jennifer Lopez and Mark Anthony, as well as to our mar-keting initiatives.”

The home department did not

do so well at Target Corp., where home furnishings and décor suffered low single-digit comp declines. The strongest per-formance stemmed from house-wares and the weakest came in domestics and decorative home.

Housewares , commodi -ties, and softlines divisions were among the areas Duckwall-Alco cited as growth areas in October, “with strong performances in the shoes, decor and giftware, fur-niture, movies and music, per-sonal care, and ladies’ wear de-partments,” said Rich Wilson, president and ceo.

TJX Cos., in Framingham, Mass., was “particularly pleased” with the 7.0% comp increase at its Home Goods nameplate in October, “and we’re excit-ed about [Home Goods]’s pros-

pects in the fourth quarter and beyond,” said Sherry Lang, svp, global communications.

The company’s overall comp was up 3.0% for the month, at the high end of expectations.

Home fashions were also a bright spot for TJX’s Marmaxx division, which reported a 3.0% total comp. In the company’s Winner’s and Home Sense stores in Canada, “the home category performed better” than apparel, which was impeded by unsea-sonably warm weather.

High double-digit online sales – up 39.2% for macys.com and Bloomingdales.com combined – benefi tted Macy’s Inc.’s same-store sales for its third quarter and year to date. But the department store behemoth’s total comp rose 2.2%. HTT

htt111101_018.indd 18 11/3/2011 4:44:43 PM

HAS THE ANSWER

Untitled-1 1 8/31/2011 12:50:57 PM

20 Home Textiles Today Business > hometextilestoday.com

NEW YORK — Strong growth in merchandising help offset poor performance in the print busi-ness during the third quarter at Martha Stewart Living Omni-media.

Merchandising revenues were up 29% to $12.3 million for the period, “led by strength in the Martha Stewart Living line at The Home Depot and the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy’s,” the company noted.

Operating income in mer-chandising was $7.2 million in the quarter versus $5.5 million last year.

Lisa Gersh, president and coo, said MSLO is “on track

with the retail sales targets laid out by the company earlier this year.”

At the Home Depot, the com-pany “saw good results across a number of categories, including home décor,” she added. “At Macy’s, we remain their num-ber one brand in the home cat-egory, with textiles and tabletop leading the way.”

Crafts generated strong sales at Michaels and Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts as well as the expan-sion of the craft line with the launch of Martha Stewart Crafts Paint and the Martha Stewart Crafts Yarn program; pet prod-ucts at PetSmart broadened its

assortment with the introduc-tion of a new product line for cats; and Emeril’s business “had a solid quarter” driven by three successful appearances on HSN and the expansion of a coffee line with Timothy’s.

Coming up next: offi ce prod-ucts, made with Avery to be sold exclusively at Staples starting early 2012.

Merchandising couldn’t over-come weakness in the compa-ny’s print segment, and MSLO posted a net loss per share of 18 cents compared a net loss per share of 16 cents a year ago. Total revenues rose 5.0% to $52.2 million. HTT

MSLO Merchandising Shines in Third Quarter

NEW YORK — With October in the rear-view mirror, Bon-Ton Stores and Ross Stores each up-dated their earnings expectations last week.

Lower than expected third quarter sales at Bon-Ton prompt-ed the department store compa-ny to lower its full-year guidance. The retailer now expects EBIT-

DA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) of $190 million to $120 million and a loss of 65 to 25 cents per share.

Ross Stores, encouraged by a healthy sales space and improved margins, raised its earnings esti-mates for the third quarter and the fi scal year.

Ross now estimates earnings

per share for the 13 weeks ended Oct 29 to increase between 23% and 24%, to $1.25 to $1.26, from last year’s $1.02 per share. It had previously forecast EPS of $1.16 to $1.18.

For the full fi scal year, EPS is now projected to be in the range of $5.54 to $5.61, up 20% to 21% over $4.63 in 2010. HTT

November 7, 2011

Bon-Ton, Ross Revise Guidance

NEW YORK — Despite a heavy storm that brought broad sections of the Northeast to a standstill, The Johnson Red-book Retail Sales Index was up 5.2% in the fourth and final week of October fol-lowing a 4.1% gain the pri-or week.

Month-to-date, October rose 4.7% compared to a year ago, relative to a target of a 4.6% gain. Month-over-month showed a 0.6% drop compared to September, relative to a tar-get of a 0.7% drop.

Catlin Levis, Redbook an-alyst, explained, “Our sample ended slightly ahead of plan in October, the fi nal month of the

retail quarter. Stores reported improved sales for the week supported by cooler weather and Halloween shopping.”

With Halloween being one day later this year than last year, some Halloween sales will be shifted into the November retail month. Sales of women’s wear, children’s wear and bed-ding improved during the fi nal week of the month, said Levis.

Meanwhile, the northeast-ern snowstorm on Oct. 28 forced many stores to close and left many residents with-out power.

“Our preliminary target for November is for 4.4% year-over-year same-store growth, generating a month-over-month gain, November versus October, of 2.7%,” Levis add-ed.” HTT

Same-store sales

October Comps Eke Past GoalJohnson Redbook Index

Fourth week of October, year-over-year % change

WEEK ENDED 10/8 10/15 10/22 10/29 MONTH TARGET

Department stores* 3.9 3.6 3.2 4.1 3.7 3.6Discounters 5.2 5.1 4.6 5.8 5.2 5.1Redbook Index 4.8 4.6 4.1 5.2 4.7 4.6*Including chain stores and traditional department storesSource: Johnson Redbook Index

NEW YORK — On the heels of the announcement earlier this week of its exclusive alliance with JCPenney for the Royal Vel-vet soft home program, Iconix Brand Group last week offered a summary of recent performances of its other home brands during the company’s third quarter earn-ings call.

Neil Cole, chairman and ceo, called Filedcrest “the shin-ing star” in Iconix’s home brand family.

“Target’s really gone after the brand and dramatically improved the business, so we’re excited about what’s happening with Fieldcrest,” he elaborated.

Charisma is “picking up mo-mentum -- in the last couple of weeks, especially, at Costco,” Cole continued, as well as with high marks lately at Blooming-dale’s.

“Cannon is okay, maybe not growing as dramatically as we would like,” he added. “And Wa-verly is on plan. Not a big busi-ness, but it is growing.”

As for Iconix’s hopes for Royal Velvet at JCP stores and online at www.jcp.com come spring 2012: “We see this as a substantial, long-term growth opportunity,” even if it means some likely shortcom-ings at fi rst as history has proven, Cole warned.

He reminded that Royal Vel-vet was previously licensed with Li & Fung, “where it had been underperforming. Reflecting a new start-up launch with JCPen-ney and a long fi rst year, we ex-pect royalties to be down signifi -cantly in 2012. However, we have found that strategically, some-times it’s better to take a near-term loss in order to procure a strong future as we did success-fully with our Mudd [apparel] brand when we launched it with Kohl’s.”

The new partnership with JCP, similarly to that with Kohl’s for Mudd, “will take time to fully expand, and therefore we expect short-term revenues to be down followed by long-term revenue growth.”

Results for the Sept. 30th-ended third quarter were some-what challenged against year-over-year comparisons, as total revenue dipped 9.87% to $92.7 million versus the year-ago peri-

od’s $96.9 million revenues, the latter of which included approx-imately $12.5 million related to a contract the company signed with ABC Network for the Pea-nuts holiday television specials.

Net income attributable to Iconix on a non-GAAP basis, which excludes non-cash interest related to Iconix’s two convertible notes, was up 1% to $30.1 mil-lion. Non-GAAP diluted EPS for the third quarter was $0.40, un-changed from the prior year pe-riod’s $0.40.

GAAP net income in the quar-ter was down 5.1% to $26.0 mil-lion compared to $27.4 million last year, and GAAP diluted earn-ings per share was $0.34 com-pared to $0.37 in the prior year quarter.

Year to date, total revenue was better off - up 12% to $274.3 mil-lion versus $244.6 million for the prior year period.

On a non-GAAP basis, which excludes non-cash interest re-lated to the company’s two con-vertible notes and two non-recur-ring items recorded in the second quarter, net income increased 15% to $96.2 million, and non-GAAP diluted EPS grew by $1.27 versus $1.12 last year. On a GAAP basis, net income increased 29% to $98.9 million and GAAP dilut-ed earnings per share was $1.31 versus $1.03.

“As we look to 2012, we are excited about the many oppor-tunities ahead as we continue to grow our platform through new retail partners, new categories and new geographies,” Cole said. “With now 28 diverse consumer brands in our portfolio that repre-sent approximately $12 billion in annual retail sales we have come a long way, and looking ahead we are focused on delivering contin-ued value to our shareholders.”

Iconix offered its guidance for 2011, “reaffi rming” its: full year 2011 revenue guidance of $355 million to $365 million; full year 2011 non-GAAP diluted EPS of $1.63 to $1.68; and full year 2011 GAAP diluted EPS of $1.61 to $1.66.

For 2012, the company’s guid-ance includes: revenue of $370 million to $385 million; non-GAAP diluted EPS of $1.77 to $1.84; and 2012 GAAP diluted EPS of $1.62 to $1.69. HTT

Iconix Sums up Home Brands

htt111101_018.indd 20 11/3/2011 5:26:55 PM

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22 Home Textiles Today November 7, 2011

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27 – February 2 New York Home Textiles Market Week

At 7 W New York (Jan. 27 to Feb. 2)At the New York International Gift Fair at Jacob K. Javits Con-vention Center & Pier 94, (Jan. 28 to Feb. 2) At 230 Fifth Avenue (Jan. 28 to Feb. 2)(914) 421-3200www.nyhometextilesmar-ketweek.com

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29 – February 2CGTA Gift ShowToronto International Centre; Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto(416) 679-0170www.cgta.org/Assoc/Home.aspx

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February 20125 – 9Spring FairThe National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, UK(609) 921-0222www.springfair.com

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13 – 16 TexworldParis Le Bourget Exhibition Centre, Paris+33-155-268-989www.texworld.messefrankfurt.com

Calendar 360 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10010Tel: (646) 805-0227; Fax: (646) 365-2307

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HOME TEXTILES TODAY (USPS 497-490) (ISSN 0195-3184) is published 29 times a year except for the weeks of 1/3, 2/14, 2/28, 3/20, 4/11, 4/25, 5/2, 5/16/,5/30, 6/13, 6/27, 7/4, 8/1, 8/15, 8/29, 9/5, 9/26, 10/17, 10/31, 11/14, 11/28, 12/12, 12/26 by Furniture/Today Media Group, 360 Park Avenue South, 17th fl., New York, NY, 10010 a subsidiary of Sandow Media LLC, 3731 NW 8th Ave, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. HOME TEXTILES TODAY copyright ©2011 by Sandow Media LLC. Annual subscription rates: U.S. and Canada $169.97; 1 year, other countries $325.99 for surface mail and $525.00 for airmail. All payments must be made in U.S. currency. Subscription inquiries: HOME TEXTILES TODAY, PO Box 5879, Harlan, IA 51593-1379. Phone: (866) 456-0405. HOME TEXTILES TODAY and THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY are registered trademarks of Sandow Media LLC, used under license. Sandow Media LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever. (Posted under Canadian International Publication Agreement No.40624074. Sandow Media/CDS (Mint Hill)

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HOME TEXTILES TODAY, P.O. Box 5879, Harlan, IA, 51593-1379 Email: [email protected]. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: RCS International; APC; PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Rich Hill, ON L4B 4R6

SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S.A. (866) 456-0405All other countries: (515) 247-2984

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FAX SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1-866-310-7181

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Marks10 Ocean Blvd #8B

Atlantic Highlands, N.J. 07716(732) 204-2012 | [email protected]

PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTORWarren Shoulberg

(646) 805-0226 | [email protected]

SENIOR EDITOR Cecile B. Corral428 Bianca Ave. Coral Gables, FL 33146

(305) 661-7493 | [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR Julie Murphy(646) 805-0224 | [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING GRAPHIC ARTIST Desiree Nunez(646) 805-0233 | [email protected]

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ACCOUNT MANAGER NORTHEAST/MIDWEST/WEST COAST/CANADA

Mary McLoughlin(646) 805-0227 | [email protected]

CLASSIFIED AD SALESSpencer Whittle (336) 605-1027 [email protected] Karen Hancock (336) 605-1047 [email protected]

MANAGER, EUROPE Mirek KraczkowskiTel: 48 22 401 70 01; Fax: 48 22 401 70 16 | [email protected]

MANAGER, INDIA Kaushal ShahCell: 91-9821715431; Tel: 91-22-6663 4597 / 24988658

Fax: 91-22-66634596 | [email protected]

ONLINE SALES MANAGER Penny Schneck(336) 605-1084 | [email protected]

PRODUCTION MANAGER Rich LambTel: (336) 605-1074; Fax: (336) 605-1143 | rlamb@ sandowmedia.com

DIRECTOR, WEB OPERATIONS Chris Schultz | (336) 605-1076 | [email protected]

MANAGER, CLIENT SERVICES, WEB ADVERTISING Dan Sage | (336) 605-1080 | [email protected]

E-MEDIA PROJECT MANAGER Missy Axe | (336) 605-1005 | [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE MARKETING Allison Ternes(704) 573-9007 | [email protected]

PRESIDENT, FURNITURE TODAY GROUP Kevin Castellani

(336) 605-1034 | [email protected]

FOUNDING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carole Sloan1979-2011

SANDOW MEDIA

PRESIDENT AND CEO Adam I. Sandow

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VP CREATIVE AND EDITORIAL Yolanda E. Yoh

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23 Home Textiles Today

14 – 16 ExpofilParc des Expositions, Paris-Nord Villepinte, France+33 (0)4 72 60 65 55www.expofil.com

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March 20124Home Textiles Today’s New York Winter Market Kickoff Party

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27 – 29Domotex asia/CHINAFLOORShanghai New International Conven-tion Center, Shanghai, China+86-21-6247-7668www.domotexasiachinafloor.com

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November 7, 2011

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Lolio_Rugs.indd 1 11/4/2011 5:06:26 PM