Homestead Has a License for Market

New York —Homestead, the home textiles division of London Fog, is pushing ahead with its micro-branding strategy at the upcoming New York Home Textiles Market with the introduction of a slate of new licenses.

Boutique-oriented Peacock Alley has licensed with Homestead to produce a sub-brand for a broader market. Dreams by Peacock Alley is being positioned as a luxury classification for the moderate retail channel, emphasizing “classic Americana,” said David Greenstein, founder of Homestead and CEO of parent company London Fog.

Maine designer Angela Adams also has licensed with Homestead to produce a contemporary line of home textiles targeting department stores. Adams' core line of made-to-order rugs sell at Design Within Reach and other décor-oriented studios. She's also extended her brand into furniture, handbags, glassware, belts and notebooks.

The division has also updated the Gloria Vanderbilt Home brand, which rolled out last year as a Kohl's exclusive but is now available to other mid-tier department stores. The brand has shifted gears on both the apparel and home side, Greenstein said.

“They have launched a design and marketing campaign that is fresher, younger, and more fashionable,” he explained.

In addition, home furnishings label Havana 1515 is moving into the Homestead stable. The company, founded by sisters Rita Vazquez and Sara Vazquez, sells to high-end specialty stores and catalogs. Their Casa Cuba Co brand will be offered for the mid-tier.

Next month's market will also see the reintroduction of twenty2 in modern jacquards. Home textiles will be based on the designs of the modern wallpaper and fabric brand by Kyra and Robertson Hartnett. Homestead did a previous offering with twenty2 in spring 2004 when it launched the micro-branding concept.

“We believe it can live at any tier. We want to see where we get the most interest at market, Greenstein said.

One of Homestead's new licenses, Collier-Campbell, has already found a home and will launch in November at Kohl's as an exclusive, Greenstein said. The debut collection will include three patterns and a range of solids.

Homestead has also expanded its Nancy Koltes license, which brings the fine linens designers' works into more mainstream retail stores. The collection now has two tiered exclusive lines — one for the department store channel and one for the specialty store realm.

“Retailers today are sort of boxed between national brands and private label,” Greenstein said. “We can do for some of the mass merchants what Target has done so successfully for itself.”