Buyers find innovation to generate sales gains

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

NEW YORK — Although retailers had no clear-cut favorites from among the soft window coverings manufacturers, innovation seemed to be what they were looking for.

Whether it was in designs, constructions or styles, retailers apparently wanted new ways to spice up their soft window sales while giving consumers something to be excited about.

Ruth Aylor

president

Carolina Linen

"Park B. Smith's new window concept is really innovative and I think the market is ready for that."

Eli Cohen

owner/president

Curtain Time

"S. Lichtenberg had a very nice line. I liked their sheer and striped programs. They had a lot of different innovations and colors, mix and match-type things. And A.L. Ellis has some very innovative soft window patterns."

Jim Whitehead

vp

HomePlace

"Veratex's free-standing window program looked very good. Croscill also looked strong."

Ed Grifenhagen

president

Katz Home Fashions

"There were some patterns from Stone-Cline that I liked. Whisper Dragonfly, had a dragonfly embroidered on the tab, Florete was a vertical embroidered floral on canvas-like cloth and Echo was a voile with appliqued leaves. I try to find different things and they were different."

Becky Shook

buyer

Luxury Linens

" Croscill's line was nice, as was Burlington's. CHF has nice top treatments. Park B. Smith's Window Magic was amazing, though for us it's a display issue."

Mark Grand

vp, home fashions/floor coverings

Sears

"I loved Park Smith's new Window Magic easy to use window concept. I also loved all the organza and taffetas for the window."