Animal motifs continue to draw buyer praise

NEW YORK — In terms of design, animal is still a strong theme in decorative pillows. But embroidered looks and brick reds are re-emerging strongly.

Gene Kelley

buyer, soft goods

Belk

"Ex-Cell had a lot of product — they have it all. We liked their animal looks incorporated into a jungle theme. We also have a lot of coastal stores where their Nautical and Cottage pillows will do well."

Terry Handleman

merchant, soft décor

Dekor

"Ashford Court and Newport looked exceptional. And so did Sovee New York. At Newport, their most exciting mix is with Asian designs and silk. They've taken Asian to a new level. And Ashford Court has taken the animal statement to another level, especially with a new beautiful red background and the complimentary fabrics that go with it. Amy Bell [executive vp and design director of Ashford Court] has done a phenomenal job with alternative colors and animal/red backgrounds. Sovee has a different feel altogether with its new embroidered lines."

Allen Josephson

vp, merchandising

House2Home

"We liked the new colorations from Brentwood Originals on chenilles as well as their faux suede and fur looks."

Ed Grifenhagen

president

Katz Home Fashions

"Bess Manufacturing's pillow line, to me, looked better than it ever has. It was a group of beaded pillows and they were fancy and very, very good looking. Their entire pillow line just looked fantastic."

Becky Shook

buyer

Luxury Linens

"There's still a lot of animal out there, though the color "rust" was really big. Ex-Cell/Madison Landing and Newport both made impressive statements as well. Newport had great textured solids, including chenille."