Libby Langdon’s Q&A with Furniture Today
You’ve made a mark as a cook, designer, actress, film producer, TV celebrity and as best-selling author. So, what prompted you to design your new line of upholstery with Braxton Culler at this point in your career?
It’s true, I have had many “lives” and the desire to create my own line of upholstery was born out of working with various clients, doing makeover TV and seeing furniture shapes and styles that people continually gravitate to. I firmly believe that all my life experiences have gotten me ready to be where I am right now, and in designing furniture I think the more lifestyle information I can use the better. I sort of feel like I am on the “front lines” of design, there is no middle man in what I do, I literally sit down with people and we look at furniture styles and they tell me what they like and tell me what they don’t like. There were enough times when I would show people things and they would say, can we get it like this? I wanted to offer them exactly what they wanted and that’s what made me want to design a line of upholstery. Getting the wants and needs of the consumer directly has been invaluable in helping me to create my designs, I know what they are looking for and I am going to give it to them!
What do you look for in a business partner? What was it about Braxton Culler that led you to conclude your two entities would be a good fit?
What I look for in a business partner is someone that’s a great communicator, someone that I can share ideas with and someone that’s focused on getting the work done and creating a gorgeous product. As a designer, I know the exact looks and silhouettes that I want but I rely on other people to get the construction right, the foam, the mix of down and the frame shapes for a comfy piece of furniture. The team at Braxton Culler has worked so hard to bring my designs to life in the most comfortable and affordable way. I am excited to partner with them because I feel that I am bringing a whole other style to what they currently offer, it’s a sleeker, more updated look.I wouldn’t want to work with a company that is already offering those shapes, the exciting move is to bring something new to the party and I’m thrilled to be doing this with Braxton Culler.
My understanding is that you and your family have a long history with Braxton Culler.
I was born and raised in High Point and the Culler’s lived down the street from us. My sibling’s and I went to the same school that the Culler kids went to, so of course we carpooled to school together. I have had a blast working with Brack Culler on this whole project, we have worked so well together and he completely shares and supports my vision for this line. We did a photo shoot in the summer to get pictures of some of the furniture and I looked at the pictures when I got back to New York and had to laugh when I saw of picture of me with Brack and I thought, “oh my gosh, we went to grade school together”! Working with him has been amazing and to be on the same page with someone when you are starting something new is imperative, he totally gets it and see’s a new group that the company can tap into with my collection. We are both excited to see where this line can go!
What do you think you and Braxton Culler will bring to the table that is unique and fresh?
What makes my collection unique might not be things that people will be able to see from the outside but they are the reasons WHY things are designed the way I designed them. It’s all about the fact that working in makeover TV I have had the chance to travel across the country, go into real people’s homes and see how they really live and what they really want. The pitch of a certain chair and the arm height is just right for someone who loves to read; a bench is used at the kitchen table because staying home is the new “going out” for family entertaining and lots of kids can sit together on a bench (and they think it’s FUN to sit on a bench!); a headboard is higher than usual because it instantly adds a feel of luxury and makes a smaller room seem bigger…everything is done for a reason and I am putting everything that I have learned about peoples lifetsyles into this collection.
How loudly do you think that furniture made in the U.S. resonates with consumers?
I think furniture that’s made in the US resonates with the consumer on a couple of levels; I feel that the everyday consumer can feel the difference of a piece of furniture that’s made overseas versus a piece made in the US, the weight of it is different and the quality is very different and they can see that. In this economy, I see that if people are going to plunk down their hard earned cash on a piece of furniture they need to know it will last because they are most likely counting on having it for many years. The other reason that my clients prefer something made in the US is as simple as timing! We all seem to be working in the “how-fast-can-I-get-it” world and furniture made in the US will show up within a certain amount of time, guaranteed. There’s nothing more frustrating than having to tell a client “the manufacturer said your pieces are on the water and they will let us know when they arrive in the US”. It can be anywhere from 30 days to 3 months and people realize they have no control on arrival time with items that are made abroad. Again, the minute the money leaves their wallet the clock is ticking for them to get their goods!
Where will the furniture be made, how extensive will the launch be and where will it be positioned in the good/better/best pricing structure?
The furniture is proudly made at the Braxton Culler Plant in North Carolina. We are incredibly excited about the launch at the October furniture market in High Point and Braxton Culler has committed so much to this line and I feel that we will really make a mark with the collection. I will be doing the “Lunch with Libby” seminar series giving retailers and designers insights and information based on my experiences with private clients as well as makeover TV. Braxton Culler will be the host and I will be the moderator in the showroom for the WithIt Competitive Intelligence panel where the speakers share their take on what’s hot now in the industry. We have a lot of dynamic and exciting events that we will be presenting during the launch that I think market goers will respond to. One of the most important reasons that I wanted to partner with Braxton Culler is their fantastic price point. I have used their product with clients for years and when it came to designing my own line with them, I was crystal clear that I wanted to add an updated look to their line and all the while keep it in their great price point. They have also reworked the construction on all of the items in my collection and upped the “comfy factor”. All pieces come standard with blend down cushions, we are offering gorgeous fabrics and beautiful finishes so the look and feel of the furniture is incredible, it’s the bang-for-the-buck that all my clients are looking for no matter their budget.
With your visibility in so many different arenas (film, publishing, TV, etc), what do you think this strategic partnership will do to extend the Braxton Culler brand?
I hope my partnership with Braxton Culler broadens their retailer and consumer base. They have a fantastic group of retailers and designers that they currently sell to and I am excited to raise awareness to others that if they haven’t taken a look at Braxton Culler lately that they should stop in this market to see the new looks and styles that the Libby Langdon Line is going to offer. It’s normal as a buyer or a designer to get into a rut and just continue to buy and show the same product in a new fabric. I think the High Point market is the time to shake things up and find a new resource, with fresh shapes and a great price. I find that with all my clients, their taste evolves and changes so as retailers and designers we should learn to grow and move with the market as well. I have great experiences working in makeover TV, traveling to promote my book and doing articles for various magazine and newspaper outlets and I want to capitalize on those media outlets to let people know that I have a line of upholstery (and rugs) and what makes my line special.
Your Libby Langdon for Braxton Culler is expected to launch this October at the High Point Market. You will also be unveiling a new rug line. Will the two lines coordinate with each other and will your cross-brand/cross merchandise them?
My upholstery with Braxton Culler and my Rug line with Tiger Rug will definitely coordinate with each other and I will show the rugs with all my Upholstery at the Braxton Culler Showroom in High Point. I hope that some of the furniture retailers will see my Tiger Rug collection and want to show the rugs with the upholstery, they have been designed with each other in mind. It’s a natural progression for both lines to work together because they have been created and designed out of the same purpose, giving clients something special, stylish and well made at a great price. They naturally work together since I design for what people seem to want over and over again. I guess I could show a hot pink velvet chair on a bright lime green rug for wow factor at the market but I have never sold either one to a client so I’m not going to show that. I’m excited to show what sells and to display it in the same dynamic way I would in a client’s home. I’m putting all my insider information with customers to good use and I’m looking forward to people taking a look at it this market!
