Calvin Klein touts Collection’s quality
By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 3/29/2004
At the New York Market — Moving into a solid-color sheet program, Calvin Klein Home is focusing on high quality constructions.Double Band Percale, the new solid, is designed as a stand-alone item or as a working partner with the Calvin Klein Collection beds. The five-color palette is understated in a 400-count singles Supima cotton construction, said Rudy Schmatz of Calvin Klein Home. The flat sheet is 10 inches wider and 5 inches longer than standard for all sizes, and the fitted sheet has a full 18-inch pocket that fits all mattress depths, he said. The five colors are sulphate, neutral, raffia, cream and white. Queen fitted and flat are priced at $129.99 each.
“We’re targeting the very upper-end customer,” Schmatz emphasized.
Collection is launching five new beds, Khaki has two introductions.
In Collection, Veridian marks a departure for the line with a color statement that has quite a bit of punch, Schmatz observed. The bed, which is pieced and sewn with accent stitching, mixes shades of yellow green and palm green for the duvet cover. A sateen voile, quilted and stitched with an accent of silk organza, is shown in lentil green. Stitched velvet shams are embossed and enzyme washed for a random textural effect and pieced with decorative stitching.
Deconstructed is a traditional damask made contemporary in a fresh sea color, enhanced by a textural interest. Broken Lines Matelasse is the quilt in aqua with ribbon like lines on an ottoman weave.
Branches, a sateen panel print, is engineered to fit each bed size and features orchid branches that create a blurred, color-blocked design in rich plums, violet and smoke — another strong color departure for Collection.
In Khaki, actual tie-dye techniques in the pillows, and a simulated tie dye effect in the bedding, are the highlights of Shibori, the Japanese word for the printing technique.
Nara sports blocks of a piece dyed-cord weave in smoke, a yarn-dyed stripe in blond and smoke, and a small scale yarn-dyed plaid, all pieced together for a layered look.
New colors — Pompeii, palm, aquamarine, pink and endive — have been added to the Collection towel, bringing the total color offering to 18 at $29.99 for the bath.
Khaki is $169 for the queen. Collection prices for the queen range from $239 to $349.
The company now has more than 500 doors carrying Khaki, Schmatz reported, and, “We’re looking for additional doors. We could go another 70 to 100.”
In Collection, there are about 300 doors “and we’re looking for a footprint we can Calvinize,” he said. “We’re selling a lifestyle, not just sheets and towels. The solids will migrate throughout the collection.”
As for business, Schmatz said, “We see it staying tough. I don’t see a lot of job creation and, without that, the economy will remain tepid.”
