Biltmore Celebrates 2 Decades of Licensing

December 21, 2009  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on December 22, 2009 The licensing division for Biltmore, the Asheville, N.C., estate built for George Vanderbilt and widely considered America's largest private home, will celebrate 20 years in licensing during 2010.

"My great-grandfather, George Vanderbilt, brought together an amazing collection of antiques and shared his treasures with a multitude of guests over the years," said Bill Cecil Jr., president and CEO of The Biltmore Company. "Today, Biltmore hosts nearly one million visitors each year. We're proud to be able to offer our guests and others the chance to bring the inspiration of Biltmore House into their home with Biltmore's licensed partners."

Diana Cecil Pickering, vice chairman of the board and great-granddaughter of George W. Vanderbilt, founded Biltmore's licensing program and first introduced the Biltmore brand to prospective partners at High Point Furniture Market in April of 1990.

Originally marketed as Biltmore Estate Reproductions, Inc., the company initially focused on reproductions produced with authenticity and integrity, created exactly as those found in Biltmore House.

"In the beginning, we were very committed to exact reproductions," said Pickering, who explained the learning curve in developing Biltmore's licensing program.

Restrictions on manufacturing processes to achieve perfect authenticity in each item slowed production, which led Pickering and her associates to add the licensed categories "adaptation" and "interpretation." This allowed partners to produce items inspired by Biltmore's collections, while using modern production techniques.

"Our partners do an amazing job of turning the inspiration of Biltmore into a incredible array of products," said Tim Rosebrock, vice president and general manager for Biltmore's Licensing Division. "They deserve a huge amount of the credit for making our brand what it is today."

Rosebrock brings a unique perspective to Biltmore's licensing division as a former employee of one of Biltmore's early home furnishings partners.

Today, Biltmore's licensing division is comprised of 50 active partners that offer Biltmore's estate-inspired furniture, bedding, tabletop, cookware, custom frames, accessories, cabinetry, flooring, outdoor décor and many other products for the home and garden. Partners include Belk, Sarreid/Encore, Capel Rugs, Larson-Juhl, Anderson Flooring, Habersham and Executive Kitchens.

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, Biltmore will open The Biltmore Legacy in May 2010, an exhibition in the new Antler Hill Village showcasing the Vanderbilt family, historic objects and furnishings from Biltmore House, as well as licensed products. The new showcase will be the first exhibition to illustrate the creative process behind Biltmore's licensed products.