JCPenney brings Madden home

NEW YORK — "Turning Home into Haven," the Chris Madden total home furnishings collection for JCPenney, has the potential of adding 20 percent to the already huge JCPenney Home Collection that does $1.5 billion in business.

"We see this as incremental business for our home brand," explained Charles Chinni, executive vice president and general merchandise manager of home, fine jewelry and family footwear for the Plano, Texas-based retailer.

Discussing the Madden collection and its development over the last year, Chinni added, "The Home Collection, while very successful, lacked a personality with fashion and design expertise. The added dimension of Chris will add an ingredient of confidence for consumers." This will be in addition "to our ability to manufacture, source and deliver."

At a preview here last week for the collection, Vanessa Castagna, president, JCPenney stores, catalog and Internet, commented, "The moderate customer has had a major void in home furnishings design that the Chris Madden Collection will fill. We're building on our tradition of basics with a design elevation."

Chinni added, "There was a good fit between our companies, and we worked real hard to get to know each other. Chris has years of experience in style and design for the whole home."

In response, Madden commented, "There was a moment where everything came together."

The 1,700-sku collection will be launched nationally in May, supported with an extensive public appearance schedule by Madden with a media tour, in-store and television appearances. Simultaneously, Madden's 16th book will be published.