Baltic Linen Going Broad with Spode

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 8/7/2007 12:00:00 AM

At the New York Market —

From a Christmas Tree pattern that "blew out the doors" has sprouted a new collection of Spode-branded bedding and bath collections by Baltic Linen Co. for this market.

Baltic and the 237-year-old English dinnerware company Spode recently forged a three-year partnership for sheets and top-of-bed sets as well as for bath towels, accessories and coordinate groups – an extension of the "gentleman's agreement" they made late last year to test a one-time guest bathroom collection for Spode's popular Christmas Tree pattern exclusively for one major home textiles specialty chain.

Rick Lipton, Baltic's director of bath coordinates, said the grouping of a shower curtain, hand towel, lotion pump, tray and covered jar has had an "incredible" response at retail: "It was a one-time buy, and every piece sold out."

With this feather in its cap, Baltic decided it wanted to take the relationship "a step further" and work with Spode to add its first-ever bedding and bath collections to the assortment.

The result is a presentation this market that includes three bedding collections, two stand-alone towel ensembles, and two bath coordinate groups.

The designs for the launch were inspired by, and use the name of, some of Spode's best selling china designs – Blue Italian, Floral Haven, Stafford, and Stafford Floral.

In bedding, there are two comforter sets and one higher end duvet set; all are available also as sheet sets.

The comforter sets are Floral Haven and Blue Italian. In both cases, the sheets are 300 thread count – Floral Haven's are sateen with a reactive print, while Blue Italian's are printed on a textured cotton ground.

These both feature embroidery and layered looks, including pique and matelasse, said Baltic bedding designer Matthew Sudock.

Stafford is being treated as the luxury duvet set. It includes 300 thread count 100% Egyptian cotton sheets detailed with intricate embroidery.

Sudock emphasized the three beds "were directly inspired by the china patterns by the same name."

The stand-alone towel ensembles are: Stafford Floral, interpreted on embroidered and embellished towels and fiber reactive prints; and the higher-end, heavy weight woven jacquard with rayon border Stafford grouping, available in six to eight solid colors.

In bath coordinates — which include bath accessories, shower curtains, bath towels and rugs -— there are two current designs, and two ready for winter preview (Stafford and Stafford Floral).

Blue Italian includes a textured cotton shower curtain, a printed acrylic rug, a heat-transfer banded bath ensemble, and decaled ceramic accessories.

Floral Haven comprises a printed and embroidered cotton sateen shower curtain, cotton and embroidered rug, embroidered cotton terry bath towels, and decaled ceramic accessories.