Woolrich® Home Furnishings Division Holds Third Annual Summit Meeting

Furniture World Magazine

Woolrich’s Home Furnishings Division recently held its annual Summit meeting in High Point, NC. The Woolrich Brand Partners met on Wednesday, June 15 in downtown High Point where they attended sessions on branding, advertising and PR, retail strategies and channels of distribution, and design direction. In attendance were management representatives of Lexington Home Brands, Shady Lady Lighting, Fallani and Cohn, Southern Textiles, Sphinx by Oriental Weavers, The Zrike Company, York Wallcoverings, O’Sullivan Industries, and Colonial Mills (cmi). Also in attendance was The Media Matters, the PR and marketing agency for Woolrich Home Furnishings. According to Woolrich Home Furnishings Manager, Sharon Kepley, “Woolrich conducts these annual meetings to communicate information about the Brand and to generate enthusiasm and a sense of camaraderie among the Brand Partners. Each Brand Partner is given an opportunity to share their sales and marketing experiences with each other. Our brainstorming sessions allow us to discuss strategies for growing our business.” Speakers included Bob Stec, CEO of LHB; Michael Devine, senior fashion editor of HFN; and Kathy Wall, president of The Media Matters. Stec discussed the state of the home furnishings business and the importance of branding. Devine shared visuals of new trends in fashion and home furnishings from the latest shows in Europe and how they translate into the American home furnishings market. Wall communicated information about Woolrich’s ongoing commitment to build the Brand’s equity through consumer advertising and public relations, as well as the development of new marketing materials. Kepley and Todd Banik, vice president of design and merchandising for LHB presented a vignette featuring product from Woolrich’s second collection, Summerstone Falls™, scheduled to debut in October 2005. This lifestyle group of home furnishings will include case goods, upholstery, rugs, lighting, wall décor, bedding ensembles, dishware and tabletop linens. The entire collection will be presented in a comprehensive display at the Lexington Home Brands showroom. About Woolrich, Inc. In 1830 John Rich founded Woolrich® in Central Pennsylvania. Now celebrating 175 years, Woolrich is the authentic American brand that celebrates the outdoors with functional, durable products for outdoor enthusiasts. As the nation’s oldest continuously operating apparel and woolen fabric marketer and manufacturer, Woolrich’s heritage and experience are unparalleled. Trusted by generations of loyal consumers, Woolrich continues the tradition with furnishings and accessories inspired by the outdoors for the home. For more information on Woolrich visit www.woolrich.com.