Nicole Miller

Fashion designer Nicole Miller enters her first foray into home furnishings with manufacturing partner Excelsior Designs. The company 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. Excelsior Designs will produce the 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 21-year old, New York based Excelsior Designs. “There’s no question our dealers will be able to capitalize on Nicole’s name recognition and her lifestyle connection to entice consumer interest.” The collection will be shown in its entirety in the Excelsior Designs showroom, IHFC D1110, during High Point’s pre-market in early September this year. 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.

With the licensing agreement, arranged through Hacker Dolan + Partners located in New York City, Excelsior Designs holds all furnishings rights under the Nicole Miller brand label. At present, the company is involved in negotiations with an established lighting manufacturer and is seeking partnership with a qualified outdoor furnishings manufacturer. Additional proprietary product opportunities are under consideration.

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 stores.
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