Home fashions pioneer passes

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 6/27/2002 12:00:00 AM

Los Angeles — Charles Bay, 82, a home fashions pioneer, died here June 18 due to complications following heart surgery.

As founder of the Eiderdown Studio, a carriage trade resource for down comforters, Bay was one of the industry pioneers, responsible for turning a commodity business into a high-price, high-margin fashion business.

Eiderdown Studio was only the first of a number of Bay's entrepreneurial ventures, and after selling Eiderdown Studio, he became the exclusive flannel bedding licensee for apparel manufacturer Lanz of Salzburg, helping to introduce and popularize the flannel category in the United States. He later founded and sold Charles Bay Linens, a table linens producer.

Bay became involved in textiles only after a successful career in luxury retailing, first as president of Cartier New York and as an executive vp of the former Bonwit Teller stores.

After retiring, he remained heavily involved in the work sector as a member of the federally sponsored Service Corps of Retired Executives.

As a goodwill ambassador, he was invited by Egyptian textiles producers to help them develop a bedding business. Later, he spent time in Hungary, helping down suppliers there develop their businesses and find markets abroad.