Springs joins growing Susan Sargent lineup

By Carole Sloan -- Home Textiles Today, 11/26/2001 12:00:00 AM

Pawlet, VT — Springs will join the growing ranks of home furnishings companies making product under the Susan Sargent Designs umbrella.

Sargent, known for her signature colors and designs in hand-painted bedding and high-end rugs, already has signed licensing agreements with Robert Allen@Home for a collection of decorative fabrics and Lexington for furniture, both of which are planned for a spring market launch, as well as York for wall coverings. John Richard offers high-end bedding ensembles for the furniture store distribution channel as well as decorative accessories.

Springs will launch a major collection of bed and bath at the February mini-market, according to Denise McGinley, vp, product development for Susan Sargent.

"We are developing a program for bed and bath with Springs' Wamsutta line, using the kind of vivid and comforting color palettes that appear in all my work," Susan Sargent told HTT. "We are thrilled about having this opportunity to expand our distribution in these categories."

Included in the debut will be 12 beds for adults and six for kids, each with bath coordinates that are not strict coordinates, McGinley explained.

Each bed also will have a complementary quilt. Bath rugs will be part of the introduction as well, with bedroom rugs to come.

In terms of design, McKinley said "the kids beds are image-driven, some with animals. The adult beds use some graphic emphasis, some florals in Sargent's style and other imagery."

Sargent's signature looks focus on colors — "an uncanny sense of blending colors. Her neutrals are very different, more lavender and sage rather than beiges, that balance her brightness," McKinley said.

Springs also is developing a collection of infant bedding that will be introduced later as well.

While complete details are not yet finalized, McGinley said that the bedding fabrics will primarily be all-cotton percales and sateens, including the kids bedding.

The fabric collection at Robert Allen@Home will have about 50 skus, according to Gary Filippone, vp, design, mostly prints but some important piece dyed wovens.

The fabrics will be used by Lexington for furniture and also will be marketed through specialty fabric retailers, interior designers and specialty furniture retailers.

— Marvin Lazaro contributed to this story.