Article Number : 2110 |
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| Date | 7/3/2007 9:06:28 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=2110 |
| Abstract | By Deena Bouknight What’s in a name? Plenty, it seems. Martha Stewart, Liz Claiborne, Kathy Ireland, Donald Trump, Tommy Bahama, Jaclyn Smith and others are recognizable names who carry weight... |
| Article | By Deena Bouknight What’s in a name? Plenty, it seems. Martha Stewart, Liz Claiborne, Kathy Ireland, Donald Trump, Tommy Bahama, Jaclyn Smith and others are recognizable names who carry weight. And, because of this, rug manufacturers and importers continue to jump onto the licensing bandwagon—perhaps more so than any other flooring category. Rug companies contend licensing brings more brand recognition to their businesses. Savvy consumers know a designer’s influence on a product results in the latest trends and colors for their homes. “Our Jaclyn Smith Home collection has helped us expand our offerings to our established customers and helped gain some new ones,” said Bryan McIntosh, director of marketing for Dalyn Rug Co. “The ‘name brand’ helps seal the deal.” Shaw Living started out with Kathy Ireland Home and has since added five more famous names to its licensing lineup: Tommy Bahama; mary-kateandashley Home; Jack Nicklaus; Phillip Crowe, and the Museum of New Mexico. Kim Barta, brand manager for Shaw Living, said new licensing partnership possibilities are only considered if the company sees a need in total rug offering. “Our philosophy on licensing has always been that we keep an open mind when it comes to finding for new brands that can help us gain additional distribution or that have a look we are missing in our collections.” Targeted approach Each licensed line targets a particular trend or lifestyle. For example, Kathy Ireland rugs—Shaw’s top selling brand—have an all-around casual family feel and good/better/best price points. Mary-kateandashley Home is popular among young girls and teenagers due to its printed nylon designs in bold geometrics and funky florals. That’s why, according to Barta, rug companies think carefully about what the needs are in the marketplace and within their own companies before entering into a licensing agreement. “Licensing does not make sense when a name is added and it takes market share away from a current collection bearing another license. It’s important to grow the business, not trade it out between products.” When Jaclyn Smith Home was brought to the market last October, it was the first time Dalyn had introduced a branded collection. At the time, Dalyn’s David Adams said, “As a company, we had never felt compelled to enter the brand market, but the grace, style and elegance of Jaclyn Smith is a natural complement to our company’s vision and values.” However, McIntosh believes that a name attached to a product does not make it a quality, best-seller. “The product quality and style is vital to the success of any branded line.” Gael Towey agrees. She is a veteran of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) and the company’s chief creative officer. She points out that surveys have found Martha Stewart is one of the most recognizable women in America. Making a connection Women connect Stewart with the home, Towey notes, which is why the home furnishings line by Bernhardt continues to be a best seller. So when MSLO decided to align itself with a rug company to work on a licensed line, it sought one with a quality reputation. That one happened to be Safavieh, a manufacturer and importer of fine rugs that has been headquartered in New York since 1978. Towey said that with this new rug program, and with a lamp line that will be unveiled this fall, “our entire decorating vision is finally coming together. We feel the designs we’ve done for this program are of the quality and the aesthetics of Martha Stewart Living.” Martha Stewart Rugs range in price from around $500 to over $3,000 for a 6 x 9. There are affordable cotton rugs, and then there are higher-end hand-knotted silk and wool blend products in the collection. When the Trump Floor Fashion Collection was launched at this year’s Spring International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C., the licensing agreement became the second for Miresco Decorative Rugs—for some time the rug company has had a licensing agreement with the designer Alexander Julian for his At Home collection. The Trump rug line was introduced in conjunction with a furniture collection by Lexington Home Brands. As expected, the Trump line has a high-perceived value. The billionaire himself said, “Trump Home offers consumers the opportunity to enjoy high-quality home furnishings at an affordable luxury price point.” Two groups of rugs are currently offered in sizes ranging from 5 x 8 to 10 x 14, with rounds, squares and runners as options. The Trump Home Rug collection ranges in retail price from $369 to $489 for hand-tufted rugs. Trump Home Hand Knotted rugs are available in sizes 6 x 9 and larger for $1,049 to $2,499. The rugs are made of New Zealand wool with silk highlights and constructed using tufted and hand-knotted methods. One group, Westchester, is inspired by mansions and properties that Trump has restored and has a classic look. The other group, Central Park, reflects a metropolitan, modern feel. New for Nourison is a licensing agreement with Liz Claiborne. The area rugs will complement the Liz Claiborne Home furniture collection that also happens to be manufactured by Lexington. Different audiences Nourison already has the successful Calvin Klein line of rugs. Where Calvin Klein offers a more contemporary look for the floor, Liz Claiborne is about texture, color and casual living, pointed out Julie Rosenblum, brand manager. Another new name to the rug scene is Nicole Miller. The fashion designer already has a line of furniture with Excelsior Designs and has recently paired with Carpet Creations to produce a rug line. Customized looks Each area rug is handcrafted in Thailand from fine silks or 100% New Zealand wools. For this particular rug program, sizes, colors and textures are all customizable. Suggested retail prices for the line start at $1,499 for a 6 x 8. The colors and patterns complement Miller’s art deco and mid-century modern influenced home furnishings line. All of the Martha Stewart Rugs coordinate with her line of furniture for Bernhardt. In fact, this October, at the upcoming Fall International Home Furnishings Market, visitors will have the first chance to see the completely merchandised Martha Stewart look—from walls to the floor. “We will have style guides for retailers,” Towey said. In order to get the most bang-for-their-bucks in retail stores, she said her hope is that retailers will display at least one complete Martha Stewart room on their floors. “We will create those rooms in High Point in the fall,” she added. “Retailers can see how the rooms were put together, and then use our style guides to recreate them back at their stores. It’s a way for them to bring individuality to their stores and generate interest with consumers.” The important thing to remember, Rosenblum said, is that “retailers just need to avoid these licensed area rug lines getting lost among the rest of their rug inventory.” For a dealer to have the most impact on their floors, Shaw’s Barta said it is definitely important to draw attention to the collection or brand through advertising and point-of-purchase material—as well as vignettes. Creating inspiration “Showcasing a product in a nicely designed vignette really speaks to the consumer by inspiring her with ideas for her own home,” she explained. McIntosh agreed, noting how Dalyn has developed a number of resources for the dealer to use on his sales floor that put the spotlight on the Jaclyn Smith product; the company will also assist dealers in communicating the collection via advertising. All in all, rug companies are saying—when highlighted—a licensed line will help increase sales for retailers, bring more brand recognition to their company and help bolster sales of existing, non-licensed lines. Licensed lines “bring rugs to the forefront,” Rosenblum told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “[Consumers] may not know who the manufacturer is, [but] what they know is there’s a line by that designer. It takes the business to a whole new level.” |