SIA selects OneCoast for U.S. distribution
Jenny Heinzen York -- Home Accents Today, 4/1/2005
SIA, a European decorative accessories producer, has entered into an agreement for OneCoast to be its exclusive sales representative in the Northeast, Midwest and Northwest.
SIA products will be showcased in OneCoast's New York, Chicago, Minneapolis and Seattle showrooms, and sold by its rep teams.
The partnership follows SIA's two years of successfully testing a "store-within-a-store" concept at 80 Macy's stores, and on the heels of opening a pilot freestanding SIA boutique in West Palm Beach, Fla. The launch of SIA into the U.S. is being led by Yves Coleon, president of SIA North America, based in Bronxville, N.Y.
SIA creates two collections per year — Spring and Fall, each with four to six color themes. The Spring 2005 collection themes are Limone, Hamptons, Bora-Bora and White Flower Market. SIA shows about 500 SKUs each season, with 60% of those being new products. The line includes permanent florals, vases, frames, candles and textiles, and is shown at major European markets.
"Any time you see SIA at a market, there is a lot of energy around the booth," said Jeremy Hirsch, vice president of marketing for OneCoast. "You can always tell where the really hot, popular and trendy products are. We want to show that same type of energy within our showrooms and our retailers' stores."
Coleon said the line is crafted with independent stores in mind, and this is what drives the market traffic. "The excitement comes from the freshness of the line," he said. "People come to shows to discover new products that are in line with fashion trends. We try to bring something very different."
"The timing of the launch with OneCoast could not be better," said Johan Nilsson, president of the SIA group. "The U.S. home decor market is huge and American consumers are placing increased importance on their home environment and decoration. SIA offers U.S. retailers a range of interior decor products from traditional to contemporary, something to complement every interior. The brand can express itself in every room of the house. Given OneCoast's strong track record in servicing the home market and national coverage, we feel the partnership is ideal."
The SIA Group was started more than 40 years ago and now represents $160 million in annual sales, with distribution in 30 countries.
SIA's Spring collection is available to ship to select U.S. retailers immediately.
This orchid arrangement is part of the Bora Bora collection new this spring.
The Limone collection employs dramatic citrus hues.
