Revman revs branding engine

By Michele SanFilippo -- Home Textiles Today, 10/6/2003 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK —

With a solid market behind it, Revman International's change in focus and stepped-up global sourcing efforts are showing results.

"We're not trying to take an approach of using all our brands to get as much collective business as possible but [instead] have developed a more focused approach to partnering with the right kind of retailers for our brands," said Rich Roman, president and ceo.

He described this new focus as a coordinated merchandising, marketing and sales approach to all of its brands: Tommy Hilfiger, Laura Ashley, Echo Home, Nicole Miller, POSH, Marimekko, Complete BedReady2Go, Dean Miller and Showcase.

Showcase is the newest embellished bed-in-a-bag brand blending fabrics, textures and piecing with appliques, embroidery and metallics for looks that appear custom made. "We're really excited about this philosophy; each brand represents a distinct look and lifestyle," he said.

The Nicole Miller brand, which began rolling out at retail in late summer, introduced four new patterns (Think Pink, Green Tea, Modern Romance and Satin Slip) that continue the "updated modern woman" lifestyle established in the first two collections while staying true to its apparel-inspired roots.

Meanwhile Laura Ashley featured eight new looks: Daydream, Applemint, Buxton, Cressida, Rebecca, Jessica, Miranda and Vienne. Laura Ashley's new direction celebrates clean, contemporary living while maintaining the brand's heritage of 50 years of design. The collection offers a refreshed color palette and new twists on traditional style. Bold florals, both big and small that can mix with each other or with yarn dye plaids and stripes, create looks that are fashionable and fun, yet uniquely Laura Ashley.

To update country styling, Revman lets red take center stage with a new scarlet shade featured in fresh, white ground florals and checks, as well as embroideries and crisp white seersucker trimmed with gingham piping. A second, more classic coloration in chambray blues is also offered in all components to create additional color options.

According to Diane Piemonte, Revman's vp, creative services, "We needed to do more than just have print beds, so we started to readdress the Laura Ashley customer for the 21st century. Today's woman wants options that fit her busy lifestyle and reflect her sense of fashion, while offering comfort and relaxed style that is easy to put together."

In Echo, Revman introduced Indian Princess, Safari, Indigo Paradise and Botanical, all of which have been placed due to an "overwhelming reaction." Indian Princess offers hand-embroidered outline stitch on a curry engineered panel that reverses to paprika and a faux dupioni bedskirt with tassel fringe appliqué. Safari has a pieced chenille jacquard corded with faux suede, a jute bedskirt, carved wooden buttons and natural beads on decs, and two sheeting options (spice animal print or basket texture). Indigo Paradise is a plantation house look with burnt orange accents that is printed on chino, has a menswear indigo stripe as the coordinate and natural jute dec pillows with tropical shells. Botanical, placed before market, features a large leaf and flower motif on a scarlet ground with basketweave Euros and a basketweave coordinate.

The six-month-old Dean Miller brand attracted a good deal of interest this market, even though it wasn't prominently displayed in the showroom. According to Piemonte, the 12 new dec pillows this market have "really taken on a life of their own." Revman is working on something with sand-blasted denim, but currently has terry, jute, regular denim, corduroy and chino fabrications that are all embroidered. Also new were 12 patterns of 100 percent cotton 34" x 64" beach towels in embroidered terry and denim.

In Showcase, four beds were shown out of six new patterns that feature stepped pricing with a retail of $199 queen. They are Alchemy, Pink Champagne, Primavera and Venetian. Under POSH, Revman added Alexander, a reactive printed metallic look in Romanoff-inspired colorways and Francesca, a deep mitered comforter with a classic floral in copper and gold mixed with neutrals. Complete BedReady2Go had four new looks: Kimono, Ribbon Garden, Casbah and Polynesia.