Umbra Highlights CHF Offerings

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 10/11/2004 12:00:00 AM

At The New York Market —

While CHF Industries' flashiest introduction this New York Home Textiles Market is its Umbra home textiles license, the company has other initiatives on the showroom floor: the expansion of Kim Parker into bath, an array of juvenile window offerings, and more casual interpretations in its upstairs Peri window collection.

But the spotlight falls unquestionably upon Umbra, licensed from the stylish Canadian housewares design firm that also produces bath accessories and window hardware. CHF's Umbra collection includes bedding, soft window and shower curtains.

"This is an international design company with an extraordinary and unique point of view," said Joan Karron, executive vice president, CHF. "It creates good-looking and contemporary design that is eminently friendly."

Umbra beds feature 320-count sateen, printed sheets, some employing trompe l'oele effects. The program is largely grounded in woven duvets, although some comforters will be offered as well, Karron said. Sewing techniques and texture are important components in accent pillows, which variously use faux suede and leather, mohair, felt and other highly tactile fabrications.

Umbra window launches CHF into the window shade category. These layer with simple but stylish window panels in various constructions: worsted, sheer netting, raw silk, lightweight tweeds and cotton shambray among them.

"It's 'easy Umbra 1-2-3,'" said Karron. "Hang the shade, hang the sheer. It's not complicated."

The line targets specialty and department stores. Duvet retails range from $180 to $250, with window panels retailing from $30 to $40."

CHF's Loft Style bed ensembles are shown in three design classifications: loft looks, luxury looks and "American style." The collection is crafted according to customer needs as bed-in-a-bag, comforter sets or open stock pieces.

The overall direction in Loft Style is a lightening up of construction devices, scaling way back on the piecework, overall embroideries and profusion of appliques that were broad design trends among domestic suppliers in recent markets.

"You don't have to have a lot of heaviness to have value-added," Karron said. "A little bit of embroidery, a little bit of applique, a little bit of faux suede is all you need."

The debut bath collection for the Kim Parker line includes printed fabric shower curtains, ceramic accessory pieces, embellished towels and scatter bath rugs.

In children's bedding, CHF has pushed the envelope on its Hello Kitty license to call out its appeal to older teens. This market's Passion Kitty bed is an embroidered and ruched satin. CHF is also offering coordinating window treatments and window hardware.

Reflections children's bedding includes reversible satins, seersuckers and "The Lounger," a sleeping-bag sized blanket/cushion cover in a reversible poly/cotton twill that can be rolled up and carried around by a stitched-on fabric handle.

Also new in the line is a square canopy with scalloped velvet trim.

Juvenile window includes 72-inch fabric strips called Car Wash that can be used on the window or as a room divider. Other panels feature tap tops, tie tops and rod pockets.

CHF brand value-oriented window treatments favor metallics this market.

The more upmarket Peri window brand, which has traditionally focused on opulence, layers in two new fashion directions: a super-opulent black-and-cream story and an array of more casual looks.