Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Veteran Designer Conducts ITA Showtime Trends Tour, Previews Textiles for 2020
July 3,
2019 by Jane Chero in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, High Point, Industry, Market 
Veteran designer Stephanie James of High Point interior design firm, Allen and James, conducted a trends tour during the recent ITA Showtime Fabric Market in High Point. Visiting major line fabric showrooms throughout the Market, James was able to preview and identify developing trends being exhibited at the market across all textile styles and constructions.
“The fabric market provides an exciting opportunity to preview what will be showing up on furnishings, draperies and accessories in the furniture showrooms during the upcoming fall High Point Market,” said James, who is the co-owner of the design firm. “The fabric market occurs two times per year in June and December. During this market, the ITA creates a platform to allow manufacturers to view the latest designs and textile innovation.”
Elements in textile constructions that were seen as on the horizon and recognized by James included the continued popularity and innovation of performance fabrics. Sustainability was seen as another rising trend, with the introduction of Sustain yarns by Valdese Weavers. As far as designs and colors, James pointed out sheen velvets and low pile chenille’s were delivering excitement. In High 54 Mill showroom, extravagant textures were identified. At Hamel, James saw a trend in lux meeting organic while color-wise, greys were seen as moving to incorporate more purple hues for 2020.
From the introductions James experienced in the textile showroom, she said, “I work in an immersive manner for such showrooms as Tomlinson from creating the inspiration boards to the final layout and fabric selections. This preview of fabrics also allows me to educate the sales team as to what else is out there for a client that has a specific design requisite.”