Atlanta—As is the case every year at this time, executives at the International Atlanta Area Rug Market are preparing for the onslaught of buyers, designers and exhibitors who will be attending the show’s winter edition in January 2003, which once again features the National Oriental Rug Show (NORS). Following a summer market which attracted somewhat lower traffic than in the past, Chas Sydney, vice president of leasing for the Area Rug Center, is optimistic things will be hopping in January. “We’ve got some customers—showroom owners—who are coming to the market for the first time ever. Burlington Rugs has moved into a big new showroom, while Balta US has moved into a beautiful showroom, as well. “Permanent showrooms are sold out as they have been for years and we expect our temporaries, while not sold out yet, to be sold out soon as we are well ahead of where we were last year at this point,” he added.

“Several buying groups, including Rug Decor, will once again be tying their conventions in with the show. We think that’s a good trend. It makes sense. Instead of people running around the country, they can just come here.” Sydney noted, for the first time at a January show, the second floor of the Mart, where the temporaries are located, will be open on Thursday, Jan. 16, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., so attendees can get a sneak peek at what these companies have to offer. Following their preview on Thursday evening, the temporaries will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Jan. 17 to Jan. 19. The dates and times for the market’s 2003 winter edition are Thursday, Jan. 16, through Sunday, Jan. 19, from 9 p.m. to 6 p.m., each day. On Friday, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., a panel discussion featuring top area rug professionals called “Re-Inventing Rug Design” will be moderated by Lissa Wyman, editor of Rugnews. com. The event will take place on the Mart’s first floor. 

Also among the many highlights of the 2003 winter edition is a brand new “Images of India” collection, the groundbreaking, hand-woven area rugs inspired by Indian art and culture, which will make its debut in an exhibition on the lobby level of the Merchandise Mart. Showroom hours will be from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will officially open the exhibition on Friday, Jan. 17 at 1 p.m. The Images of India area rug collection is the first to be based on authentic Indian cultural sources such as cave paintings, Kundan jewelry, folk art, architecture, Jamdani textile designs and other motifs reflecting India’s 5,000-year-old artistic heritage. 

The more than 90 new designs featured in the January exhibition will be available for purchase by retailers from participating Oriental Rug Importers Association (ORIA) members. ORIA is a co-sponsor of the exhibit. “The carpet industry continues to be a vibrant sector of the Indian economy, and has considerable potential for growth,” said Tinoo Joshi, India’s development commissioner of Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles. The Images of India project is a collaborative effort between the United Nations Development Program and the Indian government. “The collection represents an exceptional opportunity for us to develop and establish an exclusive identity for Indian carpets.” “From its inception, ORIA has been closely involved with the Images of India project, and has invited input from retailers to ensure that the collection keeps pace with changing home furnishings trends in the U.S.,” said Lucille Laufer, ORIA’s executive director. 

“This year’s collection is an evolution and refinement of the original collection that we believe will be especially appealing to buyers and consumers alike.” The America’s Magnificent Carpets Awards program, which showcases leading manufacturers’ and importers’ highest achievements in the centuries old art of rug making—including the best in both handmade and machine-made product creations—will take place on Saturday, Jan. 18, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in the Grand Atrium of the Mart’s second floor. The event, known throughout the industry as rug’s Academy Awards, is jointly hosted by Americasmart•Atlanta, the United Nations Development Program, the Government of India, and is held in conjunction with ORIA. 

As the winter market nears, both exhibitors and buyers planning to attend will be provided more ways to make their arrangements through an improved Web site. “Third party research commissioned by AmericasMart.com revealed the market’s exhibitor and buyer customers wanted an industry Web site like AmericasMart. com to provide extensive support and research for market plann ing,” said H. Lawton Hall, COO of AmericasMart.com. “In reviewing the responses to the research, we decided our primary goal for the redesigned site would be to make market planning easy and efficient for our customers. “We accomplished that goal with the introduction of brand new business services,” he explained, “all of which are encompassed in our exciting new, crisp and clean Web design.” 

The highlighted new market planning tool—myMarket! Plan—allows buyers to preview the exhibi tor, the products and lines, select product photographs, contact information, as well as the exhibitor’s physical location within AmericasMart. Buyers can select the exhibitors they wish to see at market. and place them in their market itinerary. They can also schedule meetings with the exhibitor, place orders, schedule seminars and events, and more. When completed, buyers are able to print their market itinerary or download it to a personal palm pilot. For more information on how to exhibit or attend the International Atlanta Area Rug Market, call 800/285-6278 or visit the Mart’s newly redesigned and enhanced Web site at AmericasMart.com. 

In other news, handmade and machine-made rug importer and manufacturer, Nourison, and home furnishings brand, Waverly announced a licensing partnership to produce a new collection of handmade and machine-made rugs under the Waverly brand. The introductory collection of Waverly rugs will include area, accent and scatter rugs in six to eight patterns that will coordinate with the depth of Waverly product currently available. Styles will interpret classic Waverly designs into a range of richly patterned rugs in both traditional and contemporary styling, noted Carolyn D’Angelo, vice president of marketing and licensing for the Waverly Lifestyle Group.

“We’re excited to add Nourison to our prestigious list of licensees. As an industry leader in product innovation and design, Nourison, and the Waverly rug collection will be able to offer the consumer even more options for easily coordinating their decorating schemes.” “The design profile of the Waverly brand is unique in the home furnishings industry,” said Ed Vairo, Nourison’s director of creative marketing. “We’re pleased to team up with Waverly and develop a collection of rugs that is well priced, high quality and will work with the coordinated products that Waverly offers the home decorator.” The Waverly rug collection will debut in the spring of 2003.