Fashion designer Nicole Miller enters her first foray into home furnishings. The licensee will debut the Nicole Miller Collection of upholstered and wood furniture at the September 2005 High Point pre-market.
“A great designer like Nicole Miller can express freshness and innovation that relates to the consumer at retail,” said Bud Konheim, CEO of the exploding brand that began with a “little black dress.” He added, “She is a great American designer by understanding the aspirations of her customers.”
Miller’s design aesthetic – contemporary flair meets classic style – inspires her 70-plus piece casegoods, leather and fabric upholstery collection.
The licensee will produce bedroom, dining room, and occasional furniture in Italy, where the company’s other products are made.
The company will manage all aspects of sales and marketing for the new line.
“The opportunity to offer our customers a well-known and highly regarded designer brand is unprecedented,” said Steven Kayne, president of the icensee. “There’s no question our dealers will be able to capitalize on Nicole’s name recognition and her lifestyle connection to entice consumer interest.”
A scalable gallery program is also being developed, along with a broad assortment of point of purchase displays, presentation materials and marketing tools to support the retail launch, planned for the first quarter of 2006.
It is expected that this integrated gallery program will be of interest to a wide range of retailers including home furnishings specialists, major independents, and department stores.
The Nicole Miller brand includes a collection of soft goods distributed exclusively at Bed, Bath & Beyond, and a multi-tiered program of women’s apparel and ready-to-wear, including Miller’s couture collection, sold in exclusive boutiques, and a new, moderately priced line available through J C Penney.
