THE COVER STORY
fashion and feel engage the senses “Consumers are overwhelmed with choices, so they go to emotional filters within seconds,” says Laura Allred, design director for mattress fabric supplier CT/Nassau, who points out that companies like Proctor & Gamble spend millions measuring what catches shoppers’ eyes. “When shoppers go into a mattress store, there has to be something to attract the eye. Fabric and detail is what creates emotional appeal and makes the connection with the consumer.” It’s important for sales associates to be alert to what’s going on with the customer’s senses and emotions, not just what she’s thinking, fabric executives stress. “Fabric is the first thing that helps the RSA get a consumer to walk toward a bed,” says Eric Delaby, vice president of sales for fabrics company Deslee USA. “It attracts the eyes and the emotions—it’s your ally in making the sale.” “People have less time to make
& Sons. Lava points to the sequential stages shoppers go through: “Look, touch, try—so the way a bed looks makes a difference. Every bed is on stage.”
The fashionable bed Imagine that you are attending a fashion show watching the runway as models sail by in the latest mattress collections and jotting down E.S. Kluft/Aireloom notes on the trends that catch your eye. (OK, this might be a stretch for some of you used to create individual islands of guys, but since the majority of matdesign rather than a continuous stitch tress shoppers are women, it’s the pattern. female perspective we’re mostly focusSplashes of color—often in bold, ing on, so just go with it.) contrasting shades—are spotted in the Supple stretch knits that conform to tape or cording that joins the panels the body and complement the characand side borders, in the gussets of teristics of today’s specialty sleep and some pillow-top or euro-top designs, hybrid constructions dominate the and in the handles of high-end modcollections, especially in the top panels. But it’s in the distinctive styling els. Whites and off-whites are the of the mattress and foundation bormost popular background hues ders—the fabrics on the sides—that for mattress panels, but patterns you see the freshest fashion. and accent colors that are knitted or woven into the fabrics add Bordering on beauty increasing visual interest. Beautiful borders with contrasting At the higher end, heavy knits color and distinctive textures are with textures that have the eye quickly becoming the big eye-catchers appeal of quilting—without the quilting—add a dimensional quality. Some knits feature the extra elasticity or 4-way stretch of specialized fibers such as Spandex or Lurex. Some are zoned for more Restonic Here are some of the generally stretch where needed, such as the accepted psychological meanings of shoulder and hip areas. drawn-out decisions, so the initial Classic motifs such as florals, fleur six colors that are popular in today’s impact is much more important,” de lis, medallions and scrolls abound, mattress covers: says Anne Lucia Bushell, design direc- but they are evolving into simpler, tor for fabrics manufacturer Bekaert more open and more contemporary White symbolizes innocence, Textiles USA. “What speaks to me as interpretations. Larger-scale patterns purity and cleanliness (though it’s the a woman is what I gravitate to. It’s a and stylized themes from nature are most difficult color to keep clean). subliminal appeal.” popular. The use of sophisticated White is popular in decorating and in “If you can’t get a woman over to quilting techniques allow updated fashion because it is light, neutral and a bed, you can’t sell it,” says Adam designs, including asymmetrical patgoes with everything. Lava, vice president of sales for preterns, to be stitched into the fabric; sewn mattress cover supplier A. Lava “tack and jump” technology is being
The psycho
14 SleepSavvy • April 2011
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