Audrey names new design director, adds new category

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 6/10/2003 2:49:00 PM

Tappan, NY — Table linens legend Audrey Friedman has left the company that owns her name and brand, Fallani and Cohn, which in January changed its name to Audrey/Fallani and Cohn.

Replacing Friedman is Leslie Brooks, who joined the company last month as director of design. Brooks formerly worked for Arley as director of design, bedding division.

Aside from designing table linens, Brooks has been assigned to create a new product category, kitchen textiles. Half of the program will be stand-alone and the other will coordinate with table linens. A launch of 25 kitchen textile collections — made of cotton, cotton blends, heat transfer prints, embroideries and other constructions and styles — is slated for September at the New York Home Textiles Market.

Audrey Friedman was an independent table linens designer and vendor for 27 years when investment company VKO Inc. bought her company in January 2001. In June 2002, Fallani and Cohn bought the Audrey Table Linens division from VKO Inc. and hired Friedman as director of design and product development.