Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
household Name Cindy Crawford
March 25,
2007 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Accessories on March 2007
Were you looking to get into furniture licensing when you started with Rooms To Go?
No, I was not looking into furniture licensing. I was kind of looking at licensing opportunities, but what happened is (Rooms To Go Founder) Jeff Seaman had read a story on Kathy Ireland and all the success she was having (in furniture licensing). A short time later, he was looking through a magazine at his moms house and saw a picture of me from my Omega watches campaign. He put two and two together and got in touch with me. I wasnt familiar with Rooms To Go because its only in the Southeast, so before I really wanted to get into discussions with them, I told them I needed to come and see a store. I went down to Dallas and checked it out. That trip made me very, very interested, and we moved forward from there.
What was your impression of Rooms To Go?
I think my initial concern was that if I want to put my name on a product, it should be something I really believe in. So, when I went, I was really impressed to see the quality, how well they put their stores together and how they present the products to the consumer in a way thats so easy (and affordable). Im from the Midwest, and my dad was an electrician. We rarely had new furniture, and if we did, my parents couldnt afford to buy a whole room at a time. But, when you go to Rooms To Go, you see how they make furniture accessible for people, and they also help with the coordinating of it. The prices were amazing to me, and, on top of that, you can get it the next day. Plus, its all put together in a way that takes some of the guesswork out of decorating. I loved Jeffs whole concept.
With sales of more than $100 million a year, Cindy Crawford Home is one of of the most successful licensed collections in the industry. What do you think it is about the collections that have such appeal for Rooms To Gos customers?
After we decided to move forward, I had (Rooms To Gos team) come out to check out how I live and really, really talk about how Cindy Crawford Home is going to be different from just Rooms To Go. I guess their goal was to use my collection as a vehicle to reach a little bitto a little higher price point and better leathers. Im in a great situation because Im the luxe line within Rooms To Go. But, its great product. Thats why its great partnering with Rooms To Go because in their areas, everyone is already familiar with them and they know what they stand for. And, then they know Cindy Crawford, and when you bring two brands together like that, it works very well.
Weve heard there are some large regional furniture retailers in areas outside Rooms To Gos trading areas that are going to start selling Cindy Crawford Home. How soon will that start?
With the success of the collections, other retailers became interested. So, fortunately, were now able to become more of a national brand through working with these other retailers. We already have deals with several people, and youll hear more about those in a couple of months. Im going to go for some of the (Cindy Crawford Home) launches over the next few months.
How involved were you in your own home décor before all this started?
I always traveled so much that my home was my sanctuary, even when I was a struggling young model in a dorm room. Even when I was in high school, I remember decorating my bedroomgoing out and choosing the wallpaper and everything. I always cared about my home, and I think that has just grown, especially now that I have a family, because you spend more time at home and we entertain at home more. Ive worked with a decorator on some projects, and on others not. My tastes have evolved, obviously, as we all do. My New York apartment looked much different from my home in Malibu where we live now. What I chose for my New York apartment that I had then is different from how I want to live in Malibu. Were very indoor-outdoor here. I also think having traveled pretty much everywhere and being fortunate enough to go into some incredible homes and museums, you cant help but be influenced by everything that you see. I think my taste is much more international now than it was when I was 20 years old in DeKalb, Ill.
Do you have a favorite sofa or chair and how and why is it your favorite?
I have a favorite room, I guess. In our house in Malibu we have a kitchen that is open to the family room and thats just the hub of family life, and we have a sofa that is very deep and wide and my husband and I and our two kids can get on it and everything gets done out of this room: homework and meals and watching the X Games or whatever we do. Its funny, the decorator I work with a lot, he always says that a room has to have a television, a bed, a refrigerator or a toilet in it for it to get used. Theres a lot of truth to that because a lot of people have living rooms that they never use because theres nothing in there that really draws you in until you have company, and I dont want a house for company, I want a house that the family enjoys. Its great if your company enjoys it, too, but 90 percent of the time, its just you and your family.
Do you have Rooms To Go furniture at your house?
Yes, we did a great denim sofa that I wanted to be like a favorite pair of jeans, but its also great because I have kids and I never want to have to tell my kids, Dont sit there or have to worry about spills. Slipcovers are great because you can take them off and clean them. Also, some of the furniture we had designed for my house here we used as inspiration for part of my home collection, and I think the Rooms To Go versions are even better because Id lived with the (originals) long enough to know what the improvements should be. For example, we did some beds for my sons room that were designed to fit in the corner, and when we did a version for Rooms To Go, we added storage underneath. Im also concerned when we do childrens furniture that there are no hard edges. Im very conscious of family life.
Most of the most successful licensed furniture collections are by former models such as you, Martha Stewart and Kathy Ireland. What is it about a modeling background that transfers so readily to furniture?
I really think its about having had the opportunity of creating a brand. Really, my gosh, no one has done that better than Martha Stewart because So Martha has become a phrase everybody knows. I think modeling gives you an opportunitywhen youre consistent about the kinds of products you representto create an image and a brand. Thats something you can apply to other things when you combine it with an opportunity and desire to do that. With furniture, its such an incredible business, and I really feel like Im taking grad school business classes, because I get to learn so much every day, and, I couldnt have a better teacher than Jeff Seaman.
What have been the biggest lessons youve learned since the collections debuted two years ago?
Its that you just dont know what people are going to respond to. You make an educated guess, but some things work and some things dont. What Ive learned is thats why you always have other things in the works. In our first collection, there were some things that didnt work. Jeff told me in advance that is to be expected. There are always going to be a few things that just dont work, and thats the furniture business. So, you try to anticipate and you do things that you respond to and you feel good about. Its also fascinating to me how regional the furniture business is. What works in Florida may not work in Texas. The scale, the colors ... I just wouldnt have thought it would be so different, but the (sales) numbers prove me wrong.
Theres a lot of variety in the collection. It ranges from soft modern to cottagey looks. What is it that ties all of Cindy Crawford Home together?
I think quality and value. You cant be everything to everyone, but I like a lot of different things, and Ive lived with a lot of different things. Were trying to build a vacation home right now, and were doing it more modern. I appreciate all different types of designs. I dont want it to be so limited that its like Im only this look or that look. How I choose to live in Malibu is a lot different from how I lived in New York. It really needs to feel good to you, but it also needs to suit the environment youre in.
Tell me about the move into accessories. Is that primarily for Rooms To Go or do you have other retailers in mind?
It will certainly be for Rooms To Go, but were excited about being able to get into a lot of different distribution channels. For me, its icing on the cake. These pieces help pull a collection together. Were already doing some of it within Rooms To Go, but I think these pieces really help round out the collection, so Im really excited about that.
As a designer, is it easier or more difficult to focus on the kinds of price points Rooms To Go is known for?
I dont really have to focus on the value side. I do what I like, and then I leave it up to those guys to figure out a way to do it in a way that makes sense for the price point. I worry about the style and I let our manufacturers worry about bringing it in for the right price. Whats amazing to me is that you really dont have to compromise on the designs. As an example, I wanted the top drawers of our bedside tables lined with a velvet material because I just think thats nice, and it turned out to be something we could do easily.
Youve stepped back a little bit from modeling and entertainment, but has anybody ever told you youd be perfect for Dancing With The Stars?
Its funny you asked about Dancing With The Stars because they asked me to do that for the first season, but I dont think I can make that long of a commitment. A friend of mine did itLisa Rinna and her husband (Harry Hamlin). It was hard on their kids. I continue to work with Omega (watches). Ill get some modeling jobs, too. I just did something in New York for a fashion house. Im not used to working every single day. Since Ive had kids, Ive been able to arrange it so I work maybe two days a week and I can be home with the kids all day on the other three days. I like that balance. Were expanding, and weve done a deal with Mohawk for rugs and are looking at other things, as well, but I dont want to go into the office five days a week. What would be the point if I cant enjoy my family? Thats what its all about.
How much do you enjoy the store events youve done for Rooms To Go and will be doing for some of the other retail partners soon?
Well, theyre great partners. We did a store opening in Naples in December, and we were worried because it was not great weather that morning, but we ended up getting a tremendous turnout. Whats exciting for meand its actually more exciting when Im in the stores unannouncedis seeing people looking at the furniture that I helped create. I know theyre not looking at it because its mine. They like the sofa and then go, Oh, its a Cindy Crawford. I was in a store recently, and a lady was purchasing the denim sofa, and I walked over, and she realized it was me and said, I just love this sofa! Thats really satisfying to me. A friends sister lives in Florida, and I heard from my friend her sister had bought the whole Coconut Grove Collection for her new house. I just love hearing stories like that. Its exciting to me because I know theyre getting great product, great guarantees and great style. HFB