Shiber Marches Into New Territory

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 10/17/2005 12:00:00 AM

Tappan, N.Y. — —

Tappan, N.Y. — Home textiles designer Carole Shiber has moved into new product categories — including kitchen textiles, accent rugs and decorative pillows — via a licensing partnership with Fallani and Cohn.

The alliance also represents a new design direction for Shiber, who has departed from her signature floral and organic motifs into a contemporary look she calls her Modern Collection.

For Fallani and Cohn, the partnership represents a new direction, and the company's third current licensed program, next to Woolrich and Waverly.

In table linens, Shiber is showing two styles — the indoor/outdoor Patio Puzzles, and Centerpiece Puzzles.

Both are sets of four placemats cut into quarter wedges that fit together to form a larger picture — such as a flower or citrus slice. In the case of the Patio Puzzles, the wedges assemble but leave a hole in the center to accommodate an umbrella pole.

Designs for both styles include citrus slices, daisies, sunflowers and various leaf patterns. The placemats are made of a polyester fabric with a vinyl backing, and coordinate with coasters and napkin rings made of the same fabrication. They also go with white cotton napkins, featuring stitched piping that matches each design.

Accent rugs, or as Shiber calls them, floor cloths, are also available as coordinates to each design group. These mats are made of heavy-gauge polyester and feature a non-skid backing. Decorative pillows in the shapes of the wedges — like citrus slices — are also available as coordinates.

Kitchen textiles are in development and will debut in February during the Mini-Market.

Shiber is also showing her new Modern Collection of table lines. The collection comes in 10 tone-on-tone geometric and linear patterns. Placemats come as rectangles, squares and rounds. And, for the first time, Shiber has created runners to coordinate.