Lexington Inks Licensing Deal with Barclay Butera

February 10, 2017  by Larry Thomas in Designer Weekly, Industry, Licensing   

The initial portfolio will include two complete lifestyle collections set to debut at the October High Point Market in the main Lexington showroom complex located at 1300 National Highway.

“In today’s market, and from a retailer’s perspective, a design license makes sense when the collaboration adds significant value to the product, and there exists a compelling business case for the proposed style category,” said Phil Haney, Lexington’s president and CEO. “In the case of our partnership with Barclay Butera, we are totally confident in our ability to add significant value based on the strength of his design aesthetic, its relevance to our target audience and the pressing need for an updated interpretation of traditional in the marketplace.”

Haney said the initial launch will feature two indoor lifestyle collections. Each will include a significant upholstery component, highlighting Barclay’s unique styling touch, his keen eye for tailoring, and talent for creating statement frame and fabric combinations.

He said Lexington’s upholstery operation in Hildebrand, N.C. is ideally suited for this type of bench-made custom work, offering specialty finishes, COM options, and delivery times averaging 30 days.

“In recent years, we have seen a rapid and dramatic shift towards transitional and contemporary styling in home furnishings,” added Haney. “However, when asked about their lifestyle preferences, over half of affluent consumers still describe themselves as traditionalists. We believe that the industry’s race to contemporary has left a void, creating an important business opportunity for reinventing neo-traditional design.

“We were very intentional in seeking out the designer with whom we would partner on this project, and Barclay Butera was our first choice. He brings a proven body of work, a proclivity for offering a fresh vision and relevance to the classics, and four highly successful retail boutiques that ground his design vernacular in the realities of retail.”

“I am thrilled and honored to be collaborating with a company that has such an impeccable reputation for spectacular design and incredible product development capabilities” said Butera. “I have been a Lexington dealer for years, and I am also ecstatic with their commitment to quality and customer service. Lexington has intelligently positioned themselves as a designer line with broad appeal because of their innovative styling, lifestyle merchandising and strong relative value. Lexington products are totally relevant for my high-end design jobs, yet resonate with consumers in my retail showrooms as well.”

In addition to his private-client design business, Butera is an accomplished speaker, author of five design books and operator of retail boutiques in Newport Beach, Corona del Mar and West Hollywood, Calif., and Park City, Utah.

 “I intend to create two initial comprehensive collections for Lexington that are quintessential Barclay Butera but with a fresh, traditional twist,” added Butera. “The aesthetic will energize those in the trade, while retaining the approachable luxury to ensure success for dealers in the traditional retail channel. My own business has demonstrated that the two are not mutually exclusive.”