Hall signs on to help revive Royal Velvet

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 2/23/2004 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK —

The process of resuscitating the Royal Velvet brand took another step forward last week with the appointment of industry veteran John Hall as vice president of brand development at Group Three Design, the brand management firm handling licensing of Royal Velvet and Cannon.

Group Three is one of the firms that has been hired by GGST, owner for the former Pillowtex brands, to find licensees and steer the brands back into the marketplace. Earthbound has been retained to handle the Charisma and Fieldcrest licenses.

Royal Velvet will be directed into the upscale and better stores segment of the home furnishings market for the first time, according to Group Three. Hall will head up the Royal Velvet branding initiative, which involves multiple licensees, including Li & Fung for bedding and bath products. Group Three has not yet disclosed whether the initiative will involve new logo creation, nor has it publicly discussed how it will coordinate the lines.

Licensees for Royal Velvet bath rugs and basic bedding have not yet been announced.

Hall reports to Mary Gleason, president/CEO and founder of Group Three Design.

Most recently, Hall was senior vice president of marketing and sales for the department and specialty stores retail segment at Dan River. During his 12-year tenure at the company, he was also the point man for all better marketing and non-juvenile licensed brand programs. In addition, Hall was involved in managing the company's Alexander Julian, Lily Pulitzer, D. Porthault and Nautica licensed businesses.

Hall began his home furnishings career in 1981 as a sales representative for the consumer products division of WestPoint Pepperell, then advanced through various levels in the sales, marketing and merchandising organization. In 1990, Hall left the company as vice president of merchandising for bed products, to join the new management team at Dan River.