From Colonial America to 1970s Apparel, Emphasis on ‘Made In America’
While Joe Ruggiero is revered for translating European and Asian cultures into compelling home furnishings for the North American marketplace, his emphasis for the April 2013 International Furniture Market in High Point will be on “made in America.” From hand stitching and quilt making in the Colonial era to colorful apparel from the 1970s, visitors to the Miles Talbott Furniture showroom will discover new Sunbrella® fabrics that continue to push the limits of design aesthetics for performance fabrics.
“During my travels across the country, we have found that retailers are really gravitating toward products that are inspired by American culture and made in the USA,” Ruggiero said. “It’s important that we never lose sight of our classic American heritage whether it’s great architecture or menswear from design icons such as Bill Blass and Frank Lloyd Wright. These are themes that define the classic American look and are now captured in our new Sunbrella fabrics.”
Ruggiero’s Sunbrella fabrics debuting during April Furniture Market are comprised of four groups – Hand Woven, JOE Geometrics, Native American and American Quilts. The new fabrics emphasize deep color ways and rich textural effects throughout.
The sophistication of Sunbrella design and manufacturing technology is best illustrated in the Hand Woven group, which authentically mimics the effects of stitching and weaving by hand. Leading this group is the pattern Loomed in the colors Gravel and Parfait creating an artsy, raw linen look in a striped effect. Loomed would be right at home at a fine crafts fair.
The JOE Geometrics group is comprised of geometric shapes based on squares within squares popular in home décor and apparel. JOE represents a new design attitude for the Joe Ruggiero Collection that offers an “edgy,” colorful look. Leading this group is the pattern Savvy, which offers a youthful look in the colors of Coffee, Sunset and Dusk. Adding depth to the group is the pattern Graduation, which Ruggiero first introduced several years ago. Look for Graduation to re-emerge in two color ways: Paprika and Sand.
The Native American Group was inspired by the looks of the Southwest, but with variations on traditional colorations. The pattern Pistrano is an ikat design with a hand woven look in the color Dusk with hints of lavender mixed with shades of gray.
American Quilts is the fourth group making its debut in the Ruggiero Sunbrella collection for Furniture Market. The inspiration for this fabric was colonial times when early American settlers incorporated candle wicks into handmade fabrics, creating the effects of embroidered French knots found in the finest fabrics of the day.
Willis is the standout pattern in this group, representing one of the most complex constructions yet to join the Ruggiero collection for Sunbrella. With the sophistication of an antique textile, Willis has the look of fabrics that you might find in the Smithsonian as an early example of the finest quilters’ art. It’s a very traditional pattern in every way, yet offered in contemporary colors of Pebble and Putty.
“We are continuing to make great strides in our Sunbrella fabric designs, yet remaining highly attainable by most American families,” Ruggiero said. “The fact that these are performance fabrics – fade resistant, cleanable with bleach – is simply a wonderful gift to the purchaser.”
About Joe Ruggiero
Joseph Ruggiero & Associates, Inc. is a multi-media home design and television production company based in Los Angeles. In addition to his Sunbrella fabrics collection, Ruggiero also designs upholstery for Miles Talbott Furniture, an MT Company Collection; casual furniture for Terra; wood furniture for Gat Creek (American made with wood from sustainable forests); decorative throws for Textillery; decorative trims for Phoenix and bedding and drapery for Casa Fiora. On the web at www.joeruggiero.com.
About Miles Talbott
Miles Talbott Furniture, an MT Company Collection, was founded in 1993 by Michael Thomas Furniture to expand its offering of top quality furniture for the growing market of lifestyle upholstery. On the web at www.milestalbottfurniture.com. The Miles Talbott Furniture High Point Showroom is located at 1690 English Road in High Point.
About Sunbrella Fabrics
Introduced in 1961, Sunbrella revolutionized the way the world thinks about how beautiful fabrics look, feel and perform. The Sunbrella brand is the leading premium fabric choice for awning, marine and furniture manufacturers, offering legendary durability, fade resistance and ease of cleaning.
Upholstery fabrics from Sunbrella are continually advancing in design sophistication and comfort, resulting in applications both outside and inside the home for coordinated décor. Sunbrella fabrics have been certified by GreenGuard, an international standard, for contributing to indoor air quality.
Sunbrella fabrics are manufactured and marketed by Glen Raven, a 132-year-old family-owned company based in North Carolina with operations worldwide. For more information on the Sunbrella brand, including fabric resources, visit www.sunbrella.com.
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