International Home Furnishings Market, High Point, N.C., Spring 2009: Eclectic pieces, placed exquisitely side by side and stacked on top of each other in perfectly crowded vignettes. A visual feast that whisks you to the busy side streets of Paris circa the turn of the century. That's the vision the Hooker Furniture Family of Brands is presenting with their Paris Flea Market collection introduced at the High Point Market in April. Inspired by the world-famous flea markets in Paris, the new merchandising concept combines selected pieces from the Hooker, Bradington-Young and Sam Moore lines to create a sense of excitement for retailers, designers and shoppers.
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The pyramid-style groupings of accent chairs and tables, hand-painted occasional pieces, architectural consoles, leather club and cigar chairs and dining tables debuted in a 4,500-square-foot presentation in the new entrance to Sam Moore and Bradington-Young's adjacent showrooms on the 10th floor of the International Home Furnishings Center. The displays mix current products from the three brands with over 60 new pieces.
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"With Paris Flea Market: Origin of the Eclectic, we're offering an inspired shopping adventure in a high energy, high-chemistry environment," said Alan Cole, president of Hooker Furniture Upholstery.
The Paris Flea Market concept was created by Tracey Gibson, an independent furniture designer who saw the combination of the three brands as having enormous potential. She sought to recreate the ambience of the sprawling network of Paris shops and street vendors that began in the 1800s, offering fine furnishings, antiques and accessories. "We want shoppers to be delighted by the pieces and transported to another place and time by the experience," she said.  | | Paris Flea Market |
Cole added, "Just as the French passion for beautiful things helped make the original Paris flea markets a world-famous shopping destination, this new collection will captivate shoppers in search of truly distinctive furnishings. It's a diverse and visually powerful presentation that blends cultures, styles, tastes and time periods in an engaging retail setting."
"This is truly a 'collection for collectors'," said Mike Spece, executive vice president of merchandising for Hooker. "We've recreated the same feast-for-the-senses flea market flavor that first captivated Europeans two hundred years ago. By integrating stand-alone elements from all three brands in a fresh and exciting way, we're offering the ultimate in eclectic expression and great value for today's home furnishings buyers."
"Instead of predictable suites, shoppers will see furnishings stacked and layered like a true flea market stall. "All are one-of-a-kind pieces in styles that range from antiques to French Deco to mid-century modern," Gibson said. "The rich woods and hand-painted finishes are softened by fabric themes that include laser-cut leathers, 18th century brocades and silky velvets, all flavors that bring a bright, fresh feeling to time-honored designs. There's a high 'wow' factor, thanks to an intangible 'je ne sais quois' (that 'certain something') quality that permeates the presentation."
The synergistic blending of the three Hooker brands is of strategic importance, Cole said. "This unique approach takes three niche-oriented companies, pulls together what each does well, and elevates it to an art form," he said.
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