Lazzaro Leather Adds Two Groups to Fast-Growing Metropolitan Home Program
Furniture World News Desk on
10/11/2016
The Cooper Collection is debuting as part of the Metropolitan Home line at market.
The Metropolitan Home by Lazzaro line reports that it is adding two new leather upholstery groups and an assortment of one-arm chaises and accent chairs at the October 22-26 High Point Market, expanding a new licensing program that generated rave reviews from retailers during its debut in April.
The first new group, in urban styling, combines top-grain leather in a relaxed finish with driftwood bases and trim. The second new group is a high-styled urban contemporary statement. Seats and backs are suspended on stainless steel frames with decorative belting adding visual interest and support.
"Both of these groups are very fresh, creative designs," said Lauri Cryan, president of Lazzaro Leather. "The stainless steel group is truly unique — we can't wait to show it to our customers."
This market, Lazzaro Leather is moving its Metropolitan Home by Lazzaro collection to the front of its showroom and more than doubling the amount of space devoted to the line.
"Spotlighting Metropolitan Home in this prime position shows customers how proud we are of this amazing collection," Cryan said. "It also gives showroom visitors an immediate appreciation for just how diverse our capabilities are, since this program features such a wide assortment of styles, materials and pieces."
At the High Point premarket held in September, Lazzaro Leather drew a very positive response to the Metropolitan Home collection as well as other new additions to its line. "Our premarket was phenomenal," Cryan said. "We saw a large group of Top 100 retailers as well as medium-sized independents. Business this year has been tough for everybody but savvy retailers are still on the lookout for innovative, high-value products to create excitement in their stores. Based on the activity we saw at premarket, we expect to have a strong October market."
To spur placements of Metropolitan Home products introduced in April, Lazzaro Leather will offer a 25 percent discount on floor samples purchased during the October market from the company's N.C. warehouse when retailers buy an additional piece for their own stock. In September, the Met Home program began hitting retailers throughout the country, including Furnitureland South, which features a large display of the product in its Jamestown, N.C., superstore.
New Metropolitan Home products being introduced at October market will ship to retailers in December from Lazzaro Leather's High Point warehouse or on a direct-container basis from its China facilities.
"Retailers love the distinct look and value of our Metropolitan Home products, as well as the power of the brand," said Cryan. "Part of Hearst Magazines, whose titles include Elle Decor, House Beautiful and Veranda, Metropolitan Home is a high-visibility name that consumers recognize and respect."
The Metropolitan Home by Lazzaro line now includes seven collections of classic, transitional and contemporary styled leather upholstery. Each collection features a sofa, love seat, chair and ottoman in a diverse mix of styles and leathers, ranging from crisp, clean neutrals to dramatic, eye-catching blues and purples. Details include nailhead treatments, intricate tufting and innovative shaping.
In addition to expanding the Metropolitan Home line, Lazzaro also is bringing out four other groups this market designed for apartment use and other small-space living. The new products will be showcased in a special area of the showroom designed to look like a hip, urban environment.
"With these new groups, we're targeting Millennials as well as older customers who are downsizing into a smaller house or condo or decorating a second home at the beach or mountains," Cryan said.
New designs for Millennials feature bright colors, streamlined profiles and unique combinations of materials, such as leather and stainless steel. One model sports acrylic legs rather than wood for an unexpected twist.
The new offerings for an older demographic include a transitional design in white, top-grain leather and another design with high backs and deep tufting. Another more traditional design combines a buckskin cover with nailhead trim and rounded arms.
Along with these new designs, Lazzaro Leather also is introducing a new Leath-Aire option that will be available on a variety of its best sellers sold on a direct-container basis. "This is a response to requests from our larger retailers," said Cryan. "They wanted the ability to offer their customers a more promotional product as an option to our top-grain leathers."
On select models, Lazzaro now will offer the option of all top-grain leather; a combination of Leath-Aire arms and backs with leather seats; and all-Leath-Aire.
"Leath-Aire is a breathable, high-performance polyurethane product that offers the look of leather at a much reduced price," said Cryan. "Unlike some other leather alternatives, it won't peel or crack. It's a highly dependable, fashionable alternative to leather."
At market, Lazzaro Leather also will update retailers on several other initiatives. They include a new feature on its website that will make it easier for retailers to check inventory and download product photography. In addition, Lazzaro is in the process of implementing a new ERP system that will accelerate order processing and shipping.
More about Lazzaro Leather: Lazzaro Leather is the exclusive distributor for the United States, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica of Guangdong Sunton Leather Goods, a 50-year-old leather tannery and quality furniture manufacturer located in Shunde, China. The frames of Lazzaro's upholstered furniture and other furnishings are constructed of kiln-dried birch hardwood indigenous to the Shunde area that is virtually knot free and bolted for stability. Lazzaro uses only 100 percent U.S. cowhide in its tannery — covers that are known for being larger and having fewer defects. Lazzaro offers solid-color leathers with a slight waxy hand for its more contemporary designs as well as vintage antiqued leather finishes for more traditional models. Since the company tans its own hides, it is able to monitor the quality in all facets of the tanning process to ensure consistency as well as quality finishes.