New players add to new bath looks

Staff Report -- Home Textiles Today, 4/16/2001 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK — With so many new manufacturers participating in the bath accessories category, retail buyers had a lot to pick from at April market.

Buyers from Belk and Carolina Linen were impressed with the new palm motif lines of hard goods from Springs and Saturday Knight Ltd., as were Pioneer Linens buyers with Labrazel's animal skin hampers.

Park B. Smith's new tufted shower curtain caught the attention of Stein Mart buyers. Several of Croscill's new shower curtains were well liked by Dekor buyers. And Macy's West described Springs' new shower curtain lines to be "gussied up" enough to make them look like "evening gowns."

Fabricland and Stein Mart were fond of Avanti's Cheri Blum towels and Spring Wamsutta's new Royal Velvet towels.

Gene Kelley

buyer, soft goods

Belk

"Springs and Saturday Knight had this whole tropical look with palm trees going on that we liked. The palm motif works anywhere, especially with bath ensembles, and it was for us the biggest thing in bath."

Terry Handleman

Merchant, soft décor

Dekor

"Croscill was among the best. I especially liked their Windsor shower curtain and its coordinating accessories, and also the Alexandria and Willow Brook striped shower curtains. Settings By Mona had some phenomenal organza and embroidered shower curtains. Burlington had great shower curtains and great prices. They had an exceptional presentation of embroidered and beaded Moroccan-style looks. I liked their metallic paisley and floral vine designs. For not being as big in the bath category as Croscill, Burlington has really made strides."

Larry Zweigbaum

Buyer

Fabricland

"Our assistant bath buyer liked the two new Cheri Blum introductions in bath [from Croscill]. Springs Wamsutta had a new towel that we're interested in from the Royal Velvet line."

Maureen Ciacco

buyer, bath, kitchen & floor coverings

Fingerhut

"Allure no longer just has oblong bath rugs but actual cut-shaped rugs we liked in the shapes of fish and flowers. They are very cute. And Saturday Knight looked very good. They had a very good lighthouse group for the bath."

Allen Josephson

vp, merchandising

House2Home

"We liked the Abboud towel from Davidson. And in new bath accessories we liked Creative Bath's new Abboud license product. Creative Bath does great surface techniques."

Thom D'Addario

buyer/manager

The Linen Store

"Creative Décor came out with some nice new bath accessories. Flo Baron does beautiful bath accessories and has some excellent new patterns."

Julian Tomchin

senior vp

Macy's West

"In bath, the five-star hotel programs were outstanding, Calvin Klein with its thicker luxe towel, and lots of great color in Charisma, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan. Also Springs gussied up shower curtains with new fabrics that made them look like evening gowns."