Sferra Expands Offerings

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 1/29/2007 12:00:00 AM

Edison, N.J. —

It has been a month of introductions for Sferra Bros., maker of ready-to-ship luxury Italian linens. Two new collections will show this week at the New York International Gift Fair, following their debut earlier at gift shows in Atlanta, Dallas, and Chicago.

The Cotswolds Collection is inspired by the rambling estates of the landed gentry. The set-pieces of the collection — Sferra calls it "Manor House style" — are two new Italian-woven Egyptian cotton jacquards, a pair of matelasses, and a lace-trimmed percale. The collection also marries back to last year's Saxon embroidery introduction, which coordinates with both the new jacs and the matelasses.

Cotswolds marks Sferra's re-entry into blue, with both jacs offered in the watery-hued Lake tone.

Preston is a 560-count jac employing new textiles technologies to create a smooth and sleek surface uncommon for jacquards. Witney is a 700-count cinoserie jac with punto ombra detailing and flanged edges.

Cecily, Cotswold's percale offering, adds to Sferra's chamois-soft Egyptian cotton sheeting with Italian-made lace netting, overstitched with a delicate flower-berry design. The edging is scalloped and stitched with a motif curl that runs the length of the sheet and pillowcase cuffs. Cecily is offered only in ivory.

The collection also includes Essex, a formal paisley coverlet drafted in tonal relief. The Egyptian cotton coverlet is offered in two colorways: chocolate and meadow.

Taking an opposite tack from the manor house is the new Ludlow Collection, which emphasizes geometry and modernism to create a design sensibility that is smart, spare and sophisticated. Sferra calls the pieces "basics with a bit of zing."

The collection is meant to be mix and match. Price points, compared to conventional Sferra offerings, are "moderate," according to the company.

Ludlow is "more an entry-level grouping, designed for mix-and-match, targeted to the burgeoning affluents of Gen X who want great-quality linens" and know the Sferra brand, according to Mary Shields, marketing manager.