Attn: kinder, gentler shoppers; global design, personal comfort guide the '90s market, and mills are playing to a more outer-directed consumer - bedding manufacturers - HomeMarket Trends supplement

Discount Store News, April 23, 1990 by Pete Hisey

Attn: Kinder, Gentler Shoppers

Global design, personal comfort guide the '90s market, and mills are playing to a more outer-directed consumer

The 1990s promise to be an exciting and profitable decade for the home fashions industry, and at Market Week this spring, most mills seemed to be gearing up for a radically different consumer.

A J.P. Stevens presentation set the mood for Spring Market. The consumer of the '90s, Stevens said, will be almost unrecognizable after the self-involved, materialistic 1980s. Tomorrow's family will be much more outward-directed, caring, and philanthropic. Quality leisure time will be more important than carving up the competition in the corporate jungle. Family and family activities will be more important than finding out where David Byrne is eating this week.

Americans, Stevens suggested, will have a more global view of life, leading to a "cultural exchange" in design and aesthetics. Lately, Chinese, Persian, Scandinavian, French, Greek and Latin American inflections have found their way into major mass market introductions, and these and others should continue to gain influence through the '90s.

And building a comfortable, stylish home environment will take on ever-increasing significance to a (dare we say it) kinder, gentler America. Walking through major showrooms earlier this month, differences were immediately recognizable. For one, luxurious 200 count sheets, which hit the mass market only recently, are now nearly universal. Stevens, Cannon and Pacific have all introduced and/or expanded 200 count offerings this year, as fashion continues to move from the department store floor to discount and specialty shelves.

But nowhere was the trend to fashion orientation more marked than in design, where traditional country has virtually disappeared in favor of contemporary, French country, Southwestern and other innovative design stories. In most showrooms, the design differences between upstairs and mass market product were, at best, marginal.

And, from preview comments, it appears that Target, with a rejuvenated and expanded Country Estates coordinated program and a redoubled dedication to 200 count products, is leading the mass market. The Minneapolis-based retailer has already tested several new and bold patterns, and plans to add a second run of Country Estates products to produce an "aisle" effect similar to its Nintendo and Fisher-Price Power Alleys.

K mart's Martha Stewart program, which is now headed by Marilyn Gill (Ron Buch has assumed her former role), will also have a "new and improved" aspect this year. And Wal-Mart, which experimented with a fully coordinated collection, Taffeta Ribbon, earlier this year, is evidently planning on two more (one from Cannon, one from Pacific) for spring/summer.

Caldor, a past fashion leader among mass retailers, is back in the hunt this year, according to several suppliers. And Montgomery Ward, which has turned home fashions into a dominant product area, is reportedly pushing its fashion image (and price points) further than ever.

Significantly, the trend toward fully coordinated collections aimed at the mass market accelerated this year, as did new improved packaging from most suppliers. Pacific and its upstairs division Wamsutta have completely redesigned their packaging, and Stevens and Cannon have also improved their salesmanship.

J.P. Stevens 1990 will be a Barbie-Style year, according to J.P. Stevens, which will debut a full ensemble of Barbie-licensed home fashions this year. According to the company, the Barbie collection will not emphasize the doll, but more a lifestyle consistent with the Barbie image. The collection is aimed at more grown-up Barbie fans, according to Stevens' Bob Gehm, and consists of light pink designs on white grounds.

The Gloria Vanderbilt license, which was a major hit last year, has been expanded with the addition this year of four new patterns. Rosecliff is a soft pink rose design laid over a ribbon and lace motif, while Portsmouth keys in on renewed interest in yellow with a soft bouquet design laid on a creamy yellow ground.

Stevens president Thomas Ward noted that "stores are back to merchandising, not talking finance," and promised that with American taste levels rising, Stevens will continue to push fashion to ever higher mass market levels.

Wamsutta/Pacific

"The new Pacific collection offers greater diversity and special attention to quality details," noted Albert Sardelli, director, creative services, Wamsutta/Pacific. Pacific is the mass market arm of the company, and this year, the division has entered the 200 count wars, as well as adding multiple coordinating prints in each ensemble, and providing upmarket accents like contrasting hems, satin piping, corded hems and ruffles.

The standout in 200 count, which the company calls Lustercale, is Aurora, a turquoise and purple stripe. the company is also offering 12 solid colors in 200 count, including rich earth tones and dramatic ebony.