Classic vistas across 5th and market

NEW YORK — From its fifth floor, living room-like vista overlooking Fifth Avenue across the street from the 295 showroom building, Classic Linens was in position to gain a broad perspective of the marketplace during market week. It was equally apparent that its line-up of bath towels was attempting to achieve the same result.

It was Classic's second market showing after company principals and former Fieldcrest and Davidson Cotton executives Steve Puckett and Jim Fitzgibbons launched the company last fall as a manufacturer and supplier of towels, terry cloth accessories and bath robes doing much of its manufacturing from its factory in Mexico.

Among this market's introductions was Galaxy, a two-play yarn towel, featuring space-dyed yarn adding threads of changing colors in a 27" x 50" bath size, according to Puckett.

Also, SoHo was a ribbed cuff towel made in Mexico featured in brick and sage colorways. The tonals also featured color stripes and a 27" x 52" 2-ply towel weighed in at hefty 13 pounds. It was priced at about $29.99 retail for an eight-piece bath set.

Twills were also featured, with a Bahama theme, whimsical fish and florals everywhere — with an approximate $7.99 retail price point in bath.

The point was to offer a myriad of constructions, design and color, said Puckett, company president. "We've worked to add greater value," to the product equation, he said.