Matteo focuses on luxury sheeting

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 11/12/2001 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK —

Matteo made a noticeable push into the fine sheeting category at the recent New York Home Textiles market here.

"We focused on luxury sheets and colors this market," said Matthew Lenoci, president, "coordinating them with our top-of-the-bed products."

The Los Angeles-based luxury manufacturer expanded the available colors in its existing Raso sheeting line with the addition of persimmon, navy and taupe, for a total of 15. Raso is a 300-count sheeting program, and Raso Due is a 600-count, solid-color sateen line. Their hems can be customized in three ways: with a viale stitch, a hemstitch or a plain hem.

Matteo also bowed a 400-count percale sheet program named Aurora, as well as a yet-unnamed 600-count percale line, both of which are also available in the 15 colors. For the holiday season, the company will also have multi-colored striped sheets.

In addition, Matteo discontinued a lot of its basic whites, said Victor Derdak, account manager. "They've been around for so long, and we're always looking for something fresh," he said. So Matteo premiered four solid-color jacquard sheets. Mosaico, Seltzer and Deco incorporate designs into 600-count sheets and top-of-the-bed, while Link is a piqué for top-of-the-bed.

Matteo's top-of-the-bed line expanded with two cotton blend fabrics from Belgium. Focusing on geometrics, Cubica uses small squares into its design, while Etch has small dashes. Both are reversible and are available in grape and persimmon colorways.

In addition, Matteo experimented with the new J6 top-of-the-bed product, using two zippers to enclose the comforter, instead of the typical buttons. Made with white Raso sheeting, the duvet, shams and pillowcases may soon be available in other colors as well.

Queen-size duvets wholesale for about $450, while shams range from $75 to $125.

"Our designs all work together," said Derdak. However, he added, "We're not dictating how the collection should look; customers can pull together their own looks."

Lenoci expressed his optimism about the company. "We've been able to develop so many new products; we're just cranking along. It's going to be exciting in 2002; business in the luxury arena will be good."