Joan Gunin — Furniture Today,
CHINO, Calif. — Kathy Ireland Worldwide has added a new licensing partner, Omnia Leather, now known as Kathy Ireland Home by Omnia.


The multi-year deal unites the 17-year-old family-run domestic producer of contemporary upholstery and the licensing organization founded in 1993.

“Kathy Ireland Home by Omnia Leather is a great way to approach our future,” said Omnia President Peter Zolferino. “We are very pleased to announce this new partnership.”

He said the licensing association will give Omnia access to Top 100 retailers, other full-line dealers and East Coast accounts. “We miss a lot of business with the Top 100 and the larger mom-and-pops,” Zolferino said.

He said the company also will benefit from developing synergies with other licensing partners’ sales forces. “We have a lot of open territories,” he said.

Leather and microfiber covers will continue to be cut, sewn and upholstered at Omnia’s newly expanded, 175,000-square-foot production facility here. But the alliance with Ireland also positions Omnia for future Chinese production, the company said. The manufacturer also will explore international distribution opportunities.

“We’ll work together on a global strategy,” Ireland said.

Zolferino said the company will continue to provide private-label merchandise to existing specialty accounts.

Other Kathy Ireland Home partners include Standard (bedroom, dining, occasional) Martin (office, entertainment), Shaw Inds. (rugs, flooring), Pacific Coast Lighting and Therapedic (bedding).

“All of our partners in home work together — it’s seamless,” Ireland said.

At the Las Vegas Market in January, some 150 SKUs will debut under the Kathy Ireland Home by Omnia brand, including accent chairs, theater seating, recliners, sofa sleepers, conversational sofas and sectionals.

Omnia also will manufacture office chairs under the Kathy Ireland Office label to correlate with pieces from Kathy Ireland Home by Martin.

Omnia will pull out of the San Francisco Mart in December but the new partnership will most likely bring Omnia back to High Point in April, Zolferino said. The company is scouting locations.