Russian Palaces Inspire Home Furnishings

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 5/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

New York — —

New York — The archives and architecture of the great Russian palaces and museums will be available to Americans via an extensive new home furnishings licensing program.

Concept Marketing Group here has been appointed to develop a broad range of home furnishings, from furniture to home textiles, tableware, tiles, rugs, ornaments and accessories inspired by Russian palaces and museums.

The palaces and museums contain a wide range of styles and tradition “and are a virtual treasure trove of style and splendor,” said Kerry Glasser, Concept Marketing's founder. “This is an amazing opportunity for the home furnishings industry to leverage the glamour, majesty and mystery of Russia.”

This program marks the first time that the vast archives of the museums and palaces will be accessible, Glasser noted, “What has been done before in terms of inspiration is merely a small part of the vast collections.”

The properties involved include The Hermitage, the Winter Palace, Pavlovsk Palace and Park and the Catherine Palace Museum. As an example of the scope of the collections, Glasser pointed out “The Hermitage's collection alone is so large that it would take years to view it in its entirety.”

The program is being targeted to the better department stores and upscale furniture and specialty stores. For licensees, there will be a flexibility in design and execution to bring the products into the 21st century, Glasser stated. All products in the program will have an official authorization from the museums and palaces, and packaging and marketing will project the same imagery.