Springs leads with Wamsutta

-- Home Textiles Today, 9/14/2009 10:09:00 AM

At the New York Market – Its Wamsutta brand will be the focus of Springs Global at market here this week, with emphasis on the brand’s legacy of design and color dynamic.

The collection of bed and bath product will be the only Springs Global brand to be featured in the firm’s radically reduced space in its long time home on West 40 Street here. Later this year the company will relocate its entire New York operation to a new facility further downtown in the Flatiron district.

The new offices and showroom here will occupy two floors at 110 Fifth Avenue.

The new Wamsutta strategy is based on consumer research “which showed that there is a 68% awareness of the brand at the consumer level,” said Joe Granger, president, Springs Branded Business. “We needed to evolve vs. reinvent the brand. So last market, the emphasis was on color and quality. This market, the focus is on fashion, packaging and the logo. In terms of fashion, this market is an evolution of the brand and a definition of it aesthetically,” he explained.

A series of images have been created “that are indicative of the brand and the creative approach” that will become more evident moving forward, said Edward Cardimona, chief global creative officer, who noted that the images evoked various lifestyle moments – relaxing, sleeping, awakening.

“Our new imaging this market is arresting and interruptive. Together with the new collection they illustrate how Wamsutta’s refined beauty touches the senses and celebrates a good night’s sleep,” he added.

The seven new bed ensembles with accompanying – not matched – bath and accessories items include looks that range from William Morris and art nouveau to embellished and layered design statements, Cardimona remarked.

Splashes of color, artists’ handprints, bold lines and hybrid colors are among the motifs reflected in the new collection.

“We’re excited about shepherding the Wamsutta brand on a new chapter with innovative detailing, arresting scale and authoritative color,” Cardimona said.

As for solid colors, the goal is “to make solid color beds evoke the difference between fashion and style” – the latter being more personal.

Spring Awakenings is inspired by the works of William Morris in a print with bold line and influences of panne velvet.

Hot House is a bold print with metallic overprint on an ombre ground in shades of oranges to yellows to browns, as well as sueded effects.