In our weekly digest, find all of the news you might have missed. Read on for the announcements crossing the BOH news desk this week.
BANKRUPTCIES, ACQUISITIONS AND MERGERS
Baker’s Hong Kong-based parent company Samson Holding Ltd. announced a shake-up of its executive leadership team today, on the heels of Baker’s High Point Market reveal of No. 10 collection, an in-house line spearheaded by now-former chief creative officer Tristan Butterfield. Both Butterfield and Russell Towner, who became president of Baker Furniture in April 2016, have left the company. Mike Jolly, COO, will be Baker’s new president. Before joining Baker, he held executive roles at Bernhardt and Thomasville Furniture; he now reports to Samson chairman Samuel Kuo.
Today, the sales of Thomasville, Broyhill, Drexel and Henredon are expected to be confirmed in court. Last week, an affiliate of the Schottenstein Organization and Authentic Brands Group was named as winning bidder for the Heritage Home Group brands, reported Furniture Today: “A hearing will be held on Oct. 23 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to approve the sales,” HHG chief restructuring officer Robert Albergotti said in a statement. “We anticipate that these assets should be transitioned to their new owners within 30 days. This announcement does not affect the previously announced sale of our Luxury business unit. We anticipate that our retail business will continue to operate through the completion of our inventory reduction sales, which we expect to last through the end of the year.’”
HHG had originally filed for bankruptcy in July; earlier this month, Rock House Farms closed its acquisition of the Hickory Chair, Maitland-Smith, Pearson and La Barge furniture brands.
Mattresses are making the news today: Furniture Today reports that Mattress Firm received interim approval for its “first day” motions as part of its bankruptcy proceedings, which will keep the company up and running during its restructuring. Meanwhile, Tempur-Sealy plans to grow its company-owned retail footprint to 60 to 80 stores next year—including opening new locations in former Mattress Firm outposts. (In light of Mattress Firm’s bankruptcy filing, BOH’s Market Watch columnist Warren Shoulberg analyzes the the myriad factors upending the mattress industry.)
PRODUCT LAUNCHES
Macy’s partnered with BuzzFeed to produce Goodful, a collection of textiles, kitchenware and garden supplies available in the department stores starting tomorrow, reported HFN. The collection will include bedding, bath, dinnerware, kitchenware and other gadgets, ranging from $13 to $350. This is BuzzFeed’s second licensed collection; its first, a Tasty cookware line, is available at Walmart. Goodful will be available in stores October 24.
Finnish furniture designer Artek and California-based Heath Ceramics have collaborated on a Finnish-American furniture collection comprising a tea trolly and nesting stools. The collaboration features glazes and hues inspired by vintage Heath tiles archived in the the company's Sausalito factory. The collection is available at Heath showrooms in San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as the brand’s website. Starting November 2, it will be available at Vitra’s showroom in New York.
Renowned interior designer and animal lover Ken Fulk has designed a line of slippers in collaboration with slipper startup Birdies. The four pairs feature a leopard, a golden retriever and equestrian elements. “I like to create very thorough narratives—or movies, as I like to call them—when I design anything,” Fulk told Fast Company. “With these shoes, I was thinking about the glorious home the woman would be wearing them in.”
OPENINGS AND EVENTS
On Monday, Texas Design Week Dallas kicked off with cocktails and conversations with speakers including Chad Stark, Mary Douglas Drysdale and Suzanne Kasler. Throughout the week, attendees will have the opportunity to experience design and art keynotes, book signings and salon talks with industry influencers.
New York’s third-annual October Art Week launches on Thursday. Spotlighting 13 pre-contemporary galleries on the Upper East Side, the event will commence with a public evening art crawl. Among the many noteworthy artists on view are Marcel Delmotte, William Pène du Bois, Chagall, Zoran Music and Cho Sung-Hee.
In other New York art news, the Art and Antique Dealers League of America’s annual Fine Art & Antique Show opens on Friday for a four-day fair showcasing Indian bronzes, English furniture and a sweeping array of other antiques. “It’s that rare chance to see Old Masters rub shoulders with Bugatti or an 18th-century English inlaid pedestal dining table,” says designer Brian McCarthy.
CUE THE APPLAUSE...
Tina Nicole, principal and co-founder of Nathan Anthony Furniture, won a fifth International Design and Architecture Award for her firm’s architecturally inspired Aerie occasional chair, which comes in a range of fabrics and 10 wood finishes.
Luxe Interiors + Design is now accepting submissions for its second annual RED Awards, which celebrate residential design. This year, entries are open to those outside the title’s 13 core U.S. markets and are due by November 16. Among the 2019 participating judges are Barclay Butera, Timothy Corrigan, Pamela Jaccarino, Amy Lau, Bobby McAlpine and Ann Sutherland. The awards ceremony will be held next April in Napa Valley, California; winners will be featured in the May/June 2019 issue.
