The sleek lines and premium North American leathers featured in the new MW Home collection at Manwah attracted Top 100 interest at Las Vegas Market.

LAS VEGAS — Despite the threat of recession and ongoing challenges caused by COVID as well as inventory resets, many upholstery manufacturers at the summer Las Vegas Market brought new product to their showrooms, adding that they are optimistic about the next six months and positioning their companies to meet anticipated buyer demand.

“Retailers are here for a reason,” said Jackson Carpenter, president of MW Home, a division of Manwah USA. “I think we’ve turned the corner, and inventory is much more manageable. Retailers are focused on what they really need, not just what they can get.”

MW Home introductions included a premier motion group with clean profiles and premium leathers. Carpenter noted that the introductions were very well-received by retail customers who noticed the higher-end features.

“We have dedicated production lines that run slower for this group, and the retailers noticed the attention to comfort and detail. We’re getting credit for using the best materials: North American hides that allow for bigger panels and fewer seams for a cleaner look.”

The modular design of the new pieces allows for 26 size configurations that fit a variety of living spaces, large and small. The group offers some 30 colorways, including trending blues, greens and butterscotch hues, a customizable collection produced with the efficiencies of mass production, noted Carpenter.

“We’re seeing retailers planning for fall and planning for inventory to meet demand versus sitting on their existing inventories,” he said. “A much larger demographic than people might think likes these lower, sleeker looks, and this group checks all the boxes for eye appeal and comfort for everyone in the family.”

Bellini Modern Living’s Escape collection attracted buyers sourcing made in Italy motion upholstery.

Frederik Winther, vice president of sales at Bellini Modern Living, agreed.

“The buyers who attended Las Vegas Market this week were serious about moving their businesses forward,” Winther said. “While traffic was obviously light, we saw all the large customers that we expected to see, as well as a Top 100 retailer that we do not currently do business with who asked us to put together a presentation. That was a very positive development. Overall, it was clear that the buyers who made the trip were on the lookout for products that would stand out on their floors and excite their customers.

“In terms of the current environment, we remain bullish and are looking forward to the High Point Market this fall with real excitement,” he continued. “We will be celebrating our 20th anniversary at Bellini Modern Living, and we’re working on several surprises as part of the celebration. While we see the economy shifting just like everyone else, we believe we are positioned very well because high quality and beautiful design become even more important to consumers in times like these, and the made in Italy label resonates with shoppers.”

David Koehler, executive vice president at AICO, agreed that retailers are in a reset mode of varying degrees. According to Koehler, the sales strategy at AICO is simply to “help our customers be successful.”

“A lot of retailers are definitely over-inventoried,” he said. “People bought product during the pandemic to satisfy demand, and some of it was not A1 product they haven’t sold through it all the way. But when a couple comes into a store and the retailer needs something to inspire her to reach into her bag and pull out the checkbook, that’s where we come into play.”

Several collections in the showroom featured AICO’s signature glam aesthetic, but a significant number of SKUs featured more casual fabrics and less ornate frames. Many upholstery pieces also showcased curvy silhouettes, a look that received huge retailer response, Koehler said, noting that big plans are on the horizon for fall market in High Point, confirmed by CEO Michael Amini.

“We will have a very big introduction at High Point Market, the largest upholstery introduction in the history of the company,” Amini said. “We anticipate introducing as many as 17 new collections with upholstery, tables and occasional pieces.”

Infinity’s Genesis massage chair was one of the company’s best sellers at Las Vegas Market.

“Our Las Vegas Market experience was incredibly positive because retailers are looking to attract shoppers now with products beyond traditional furniture, and they know consumers continue to gravitate toward the health and wellness categories,” said Michael Milone, vice president of retail sales and business development for Infinity Massage Chairs. “We wrote orders with major buyers who traveled to the Market specifically to close deals with us and we also gained a number of new customers.”

Top picks in the Infinity showroom included Genesis Max, the company’s high-end massage chair, along with the Smart X3 3D4D chair offering chiropractic movement that allows the user to change the intensity of the rollers. The Prelude, Infinity’s entry-level chair, attracted retailers who were “moving to hedge their bets in this economic environment” with the addition of an entry-level price point.

However, Infinity will introduce a new chair at High Point Market that comes in at the other end of the price spectrum.

“We’ll be launching a chair in the $10,000 retail range in High Point this fall that will take robotic therapeutic massage technology to a level that the industry has not previously seen,” Milone said. “I don’t want to give anything away, but the new model we are introducing incorporates the best of our top-selling chairs. While we believe it will be six to eight months before retailers are back to full speed, we’re still on track to double our business this year, and that goes back to the fact that shoppers see massage chairs as more than a piece of furniture. The pandemic heightened everyone’s awareness about the importance of investing in good health, and this category is therefore well-insulated from the downturn.”

At Diamond Sofa, company officials said there had not been notable decreases in demand, adding that “we are well-positioned with regards to inventory flow.”

“Both traffic and order writing surpassed our expectations,” said Diamond’s Charles Song. “Overall for Diamond Sofa, this was a better market than the January winter show.”

The Cara square lounger is a freeform concept, allowing large scale groupings or individual seating with positionable or removable back supports in a textured boucle fabric.

Song said that retailers had a strong response to “light, airy, neutral colors, textured fabrics and interesting shapes.” Top retailer picks included the Savannah slipcover sofa and chair, the Cara square loungers, the Palm sideboard and the Skyler boucle dining chair paired with the Sonoma table, according to Song, who added that all the pieces also will be available at High Point Market.

“We position High Point as a continuation in that all of our summer 22 introductions also will be on a hand for a different segment of buyers we do not see in Las Vegas,” he said. “The past few years served as a valuable learning experience. A closer scrutiny will be placed on inventory with the sudden shifts that can take place regarding demand, freight, costs. We think it is essential to factor for these considerations on a daily basis and have adopted that into our own efficiencies.”

The Park Hill Collection showroom at Las Vegas Market built on the traffic momentum the company saw at Atlanta Market, said company President Herren Hickingbotham. At Vegas, Higgenbotham announced that Park Hill Collection will continue its upward trajectory with a debut at fall High Point Market in the International Home Furnishings Center, space C-403.

“Park Hill continues to remain cautiously optimistic about the upcoming 12 to 18 months,” he said. “We have seen increased buyer activity at our markets this year, and we are finding steady increases encouraging as we head into the fall/holiday season.”

In the Moe’s Home Collection showroom, company officials reported a busy market, attributing the positive buyer activity to new products and on-trend merchandising.

“The showroom was quite busy!” said Sara Samieian, co-CEO. “Many people are already familiar with the brand, and it was great to also meet some new faces this market. We felt our showroom was looking its best with all the new intros. Our teams did an amazing job.

The Zeppelin modular sectional design references the ’70s with a low profile, rounded edge pillows, detailing and padded form.

“For High Point, we will have many more new products, which we are very excited about showcasing,” she continued. “Additionally, in May, we launched our own tradeshow at our headquarters in Vancouver, and the next market date for that is Sept. 19-21. This will be the first time customers are able to view our newest assortment before they even hit Las Vegas or High Point. It is also where our customers can work & discuss initiatives directly with our teams, including product development, visual, logistics and marketing.”

Leigh Kalvelage, director of key accounts for Moe’s, said that “dark, rich, oily woods” were a big hit with buyers, as seen with the company’s Post dining table and bench in blackened oak and the solid walnut frame on the Asta and Harlowe lounge chairs.

“Also trending is the sculptural allure of ancient forms, one of our key design directions this year, as well as the subtle, yet meaningful inclusion of pops of color,” Kalvelage said.

Several upholstery manufacturers interviewed at Las Vegas Market said that issues including rising interest rates, changes to financing guidelines and cautious consumers with fewer discretionary dollars will no doubt impact 2022 sales. However, despite the unpredictability of current market conditions, many remain bullish on the category’s growth.

“In the current environment, consumers expect and are used to paying higher ticket prices,” Carpenter said. “We have to help our retailers faced with deflationary prices keep their ticket prices higher.”

Lighting continues to be a focus category in the AICO showroom, and the Sheer Waves chandelier was a top pick for retailers.

Koehler suggests that retailers also consider adding new categories to their product inventory, pointing to Michael Amini’s Sheer Waves lighting collection as an example.

“A statement chandelier is lighting, but also a beautiful piece of art,” he said. “Retailers can maximize their square footage by adding product to their ceilings, walls and floors. It’s one way to add more dollars per square foot to revenue sales.”

I’m Cindy Hodnett, executive editor of brand development for BridgeTower Media’s Home Furnishings Division. Most recently, I worked in a marketing content development role, and now I’m putting my editor’s hat back on for Furniture Today, Home Accents Today, Gifts & Decorative Accessories, Designers Today, Home Textiles Today and Home Furnishings News. My first introduction to the trade side of home furnishings was as an editor for FT in 2012 and founding editor of Designers Today in 2015, and now I’m once again working alongside some of the industry’s most dedicated professionals to keep our readers informed about the events, people, and companies that impact their business.

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