Mohawk brings Scurry look to home line

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 10/6/2003 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK —

Now that her children are grown and graduated from college, designer Pamela Scurry said the time was right to expand her business from a one-store home furnishings upscale boutique here into a more national presence beyond Manhattan.

"I decided to branch out because I'm in a better place personally," Scurry told HTT. "I'm in a better place to look for other opportunities. People out of state are always looking for my product. They ask me where to find it in Atlanta, Dallas, St. Louis, wherever. Now I can finally get there because I've experienced a personal evolution."

Helping Scurry tailor her offerings to a broader customer base that shops mid-tier stores is her newest licensee — Mohawk Home, which debuted its collection during last month's market.

"My line with Mohawk is influenced by my antique collection of matelassé spreads and textiles that I own personally," Scurry said. "They are inspired by my own personal belongings. It's all a personal reflection on simple elegance."

Mohawk Home's Pamela Scurry collection is made of cotton and is imported from China and India. It includes a top-of-bed design titled Ana, which includes a solid color woven matelassé and coordinating shams and decorative pillows. The bedspread will retail for $129.99 queen.

The collection also includes 10 decorative pillows in various patterns and featuring various types of embellishments like ruffles, lace and appliqués, set to retail for $24.99 to $29.99 and four quilted 50" x 60" throws priced from $40 and $50.

"Everything is standalone, but it all mixes and matches because Pamela's different looks all work together," said Merle Johnson, vp, Mohawk Home.

Mohawk's only other top-of-bed licensee is designer Raymond Waites. That line is set to launch in April.

"The neat thing is that Pamela is a great contrast to any designers we are already working with — Susan Sargent is more contemporary and brighter in color, and Raymond Waites is more traditional and uses deeper colors," Johnson added. "Pamela offers a vintage French country look."

Scurry designs and custom makes about 80 percent of her merchandise — furniture, textiles and other furnishings.

She signed her first licensee two years ago with Vaughn Furniture, which produces three lines of furniture — Cottage Garden, French Country Garden and Carmel Cottage.

Thereafter, she partnered with other companies for lighting, cribs and porch rockers.

Mohawk Home is her first textiles licensee, and Scurry is looking to expand into other textile product categories like bath products and rugs.