Hollander extends Laura Ashley
By Marvin Lazaro -- Home Textiles Today, 11/20/2000
BOCA RATON, FL -The success of its Laura Ashley line of licensed products has prompted Hollander Home Fashions to add several new items to the collection.
Fall Market saw the Laura Ashley Division of the manufacturer, based here, introduce several new products, including some higher thread count pillows and two new down comforters. The success of those items has led to a printed, peachy down blanket, a new luxury pillow and a fleece-top feather bed.
"Placement is good and over-the-counter acceptance is even better," Sandy McNeil, vp of Hollander's Laura Ashley Division, told Home Textiles Today. "Several customers are looking to add skus to their current assortments, so we are very pleased."
The success of the Sophia pattern prompted the addition of the new printed, peachy coordinating down blanket. It will be offered in a blue and white pattern with 75-cluster white down fill, blue satin binding and top stitching. Packaging will be done through blanket-sized vinyl zip bags with a color insert. Sizes will include twin (64x96), full (80x96), queen (90x96) and king (108x96). Retail price points will begin at $69.99 for a twin, with products available for shipping in approximately 90 days.
The new luxury pillow will be constructed from a 550-count silk and cotton jacquard and contain DuPont cluster fill, a hypoallergenic fill offering many qualities of down. A standard pillow will retail for $39.99 and be packaged in a twill and vinyl zip bag.
Adding plushness to a basic item will be the new fleece-top feather bed. Retailing at $69.99 for a twin, the baffle-channel feather bed will come with a thick, wooly fleece top and will also be packaged in a twill and vinyl zip bag.
"The combination of color, pattern, cording and embroidery, along with luxury fills at realistic price points, is real value for the retailer and consumer," McNeil said. "The customer is very happy with some color in a sale of basic white goods. I feel this allows our product to stand out on the sales floor; and consumers gravitate to the look."
