Eclipse Int’l and Blue Ocean Sleep Opening Van Vorst Store in China

December 21, 2017  by Jane Chero in Business Strategy, Industry, Store Openings   

The first two stores are slated to open in China in March, 2018.

The Van Vorst Studio stores will be run and managed by Van Vorst Partners Ltd. of China.  The first two dedicated stores will be located in Hunan and Shenzhen, two large Chinese cities with flourishing luxury goods markets.

The planned 4,000-square-foot stores are an integral part of the overall strategy to grow the luxury heritage mattress brand in China. Plans call for implementation of an e-commerce platform as well as outreach to traditional full-line department stores in China.

“The Van Vorst brand offers an aspirational look, feel and design that can only be told through a high-end retail experience,” said Stuart Carlitz, president and CEO of Eclipse International. “The Van Vorst Studio stores will allow us to offer that dedicated luxury experience for discriminating consumers.”

The brand-dedicated stores will feature a selection of 14 Van Vorst mattress designs, all manufactured in the North Brunswick, N.J., factory and shipped to China. The high-end, luxury line is priced to retail from $999 to $5,000 in queen in the U.S., and delivers strong brand appeal in a country where consumers have a healthy appetite for American-made goods.

“In addition to the branded stores, we will target Asian retailers that are tired of the commoditization of bedding and want to address an upscale, affluent consumer,” said Mike Malkiewicz, president and founder of Blue Ocean Sleep. “We’ll be delivering made in America product that is completely different for the Asian market that will speak to consumers looking for a luxurious sleep experience.”

Eclipse International and Blue Ocean Sleep partnered in April to resurrect the historic Van Vorst Mattress brand. Since then, the brand has been introduced by Eclipse licensee Luxury Sleep into Southeast Asia through retail giant Harvey Norman in Malaysia and Singapore. The new initiative will expand the Van Vorst brand further into the Asian market.

“With our recent visit to New York, we were extremely impressed with the U.S. team behind Van Vorst,” said Katie Lian, managing associate for Van Vorst China. “The product collections were amazing and very competitive, and we look forward to introducing Van Vorst to Chinese consumers who value American craftsmanship.”