An Interview
With...
Kathy Ireland "Shades of America"
Monday, January 28, 2001
www.kathyireland.com
www.shawinc.com
FlooringGuide.com: First of all, thanks for talking with us so
early, I know it's early local time.
Kathy Ireland: No problem
FG: And you'll have to bear with me, I'm a little nervous, us
flooring guys don't often get to speak with celebrities.
KI: (Laughs)
FG: As you may or not know, FlooringGuide.com is a professional
online flooring resource, we provide information primarily to
consumers rather than just industry people.
KI: Yes, um huh.
FG: But we do have industry people who use our services, so my
questions are going to come from both sides, industry and consumers,
and hopefully your answers, along with the information provided
by Richard Morales from Sterling Winters, and the press conference
in Las Vegas, we'll work up a nice article and post it on the
web-site. So if I'm jumping around a little, just bear with me
OK?
KI: OK
FG: The Kathy Ireland Shades of America Collection comes in 4
styles and 90colors. How much input did you have in the selection
of both colors and styles inthe line?
KI: Well, first of all, it's so important to me when I'm choosing
a strategic partner,because the way I like to work is very closely,
and I need to be involved in everyaspect. I have a very challenging
team of people that I work with in my office inLos Angeles, I
have a staff which includes art directors, we work with colorsurfaces,
both domestic and foreign, I am very much involved with them,
andultimately I am forced to be the editor, and at the end of
the day I have theresponsibility of deciding what will be our
product, what we'll go with, um, it's atremendous responsibility,
but it is one that I do cherish, Shaw has been such agreat partner,
I mean the world's leading floor coverer, I mean the work that
theydo is incredible and what I'm most impressed is that this
company is made up of really good people and it's a great quality
product, I'm so excitedabout it. The mission statement at Kathy
Ireland Worldwide is to provide solutions for families, especially
busy moms, that's just what I relate to, and I feelreally a passionate
about our color-wall, we have such great success with our arearugs,
both the area rugs, and the wall to wall contain so much quality,
and are providing so many solutions for families, one in particular
is just by virtue of theway that we have named them. We have focused
on 90 colors and we named themin a way that conjures up emotion,
and one of our goals is to take away the fearsof putting a room
together, which can be such an intimidating process.
FG: Yes it can!
KI: I just tell people, "start from the ground up", and my
apparel collection began with socks. And, I also have a home furnishing
collection, and I think if you start with the ground up, it's
a wonderful way to start. And, either with an area rug, or your
wall to wall carpeting what these carpets have--well, so many
benefits, I mean, the way that we have named them just to give
an example, it makes it so easy for a person, if she chooses "Midnight
Blue" carpet, she'll know that anything in the blue family will
work for her room. If she chooses "Cinnamon Toast", anything in
the earth tones, "Frosted Peach", anything in the peach family,
and, we think this will be really helpful for her, and, more solutions
that we have the "R2X" and it isincredible, I have to tell you,
I have two young children--
FG: Yes.....
KI: And, we tested this product...
FG: You installed it in your own home, and you let them go to
it, eh?
KI: OH ya!
FG: Good for you!
KI: We had found some of the most disgusting things out of
the refrigerator, and science projects that just covered the carpet
with it, because, you know, we want to make sure that this stuff
does what it says it does.
FG: Exactly.
KI: And, its amazing, it just cleans up, and, as a mom, that just
made me feel so good. You just think of all the disputes and hurt
feelings that this will avoid.
FG: Yes.
KI: I just think that this is wonderful, I'm just thrilled
about that, it's just so easy to care for, and you know life is
messy, and who wants to be so careful that you can'tspill anything.
FG: Exactly that's very true. Actually, you've probably answered
my next question, but I'll just run it by you anyway. With the
area rug program being so successful, the natural progression
seems to be wall to wall. Was it that way for you?
KI: Yes it was. We had to, you know, take things slowly, and
make sure everything was on the right track, and we had such success
with the area rugs that this was just a natural progression.
FG: OK, good. And, again, you've touched on this already, the
people at ShawIndustries, of course, they're famous worldwide,
the largest producer of floorcoverings, you've obviously placed
your team together with their team, andyou've worked together
very well. I guess in one sentence, very quickly, can yousum up
what it's like working with Shaw?
KI: Shaw is a company that is made of up wonderful, creative
and talented people. It's a company with integrity, and they respect
my values, and they are great partners in helping me to execute
my vision.
FG: Well that's great. Of course, with your accessory lines, furniture,
area rugs, and now the carpet, the Kathy Ireland Home Collection
is growing, both in theproducts it offers, and in it's brand name
recognition, can you let me in on what'snext, maybe wallpaper,
or paint, or something like that?
KI: (laugh) We're currently researching all of that. It took
me a long time to launch my Home Collection. This is something
that I was working on for years. And, justlaunched it a few years
ago. My reasons for wanting to wait until, I wanted to waituntil
the product was just right, and that we really had a complete
package for ourconsumer. I know how intimidating it can be to
put a room together
FG: You are absolutely right
KI: And most of it is not something that we do every day, and
the choices can be limitless, and we've just found a way to make
it work. Shaw worked with me, andmy other strategic partners,
we can put rooms together that can make sense.
FG: Right.
KI: My collection is an eclectic mix, and, it makes it really
difficult to make a mistake. It mean, I really believe that you
can't make a mistake, everyone has their ownunique tastes.
FG: Sure.
KI: It's like this collection was designed to mix and match.
I mean, for example, we have a pine table that will work, a dining
table that will work with any chair in thecollection, a bench,
an awning striped chair, a wicker chair, a traditional diningchair,
you just can't make a mistake. And um, that's something that we
reallywanted to work out, to get it just right. And as we grow,
I think we will keep thatsame pace. We will move forward, but
we will make sure that we have it just rightbefore we reveal anything.
FG: Well it's working so far, so why not keep that strategy, right?
KI: Ya!
FG: This is kind of a weird question, I think, but your design
choices, have they changed since becoming a wife and mother of
two? Or have you always preferredthat comfortable approach to
home decor?
KI: Well, the comfortable approach to home decor is how I live,
and it's pretty much how I've always lived, however being a mother
of two small children has reallyopened my eyes to allot more needs,
I mean, first and foremost, women are timestarved, and we want
to be wise with our money, whether we can support it ornot, we
have to be wise to get good value, and when we have children there's
somany better things to spend money on.
FG: Absolutely...
KI: And, that's really at the forefront of my mind, how can
we get them a great quality at a great value, another thing is
just the way children are, safety, this is more interms of the
furniture. I'm looking at the corners, and the edges. I'm looking
atpieces in the children's collection. We have a bunk bed that
comes with thesechests, dressers and shelves that you can attach
to the foot-board of the bunk-bed. My first thought on fitting
the completed project, or product, first of all, I'mliving in
California, I'm thinking about earth-quakes, of having small childrenwho
I know like to climb, so when a person purchases this, they will
also get thenecessary tools to affix it to the bed. It's not going
to topple over...
FG: Right, right so...
KI: ...on a child, so we're always looking at those items,
safety is the most important. I'm thinking of working moms, you
know, how crazy and hectic that life-style is, like the R2X, is
a perfect example, it's a great solution, the luxury, Luxury SoftbacPlatinum
is another great solution, which you know, customers may not be
awareof what this is, but what it gives to carpet is great foundation,
and you get awrinkle-free installation, and they might, the consumer
may not know why theyare happy, why it looks so great, but that
extra-added quality, so they're going toget a beautiful installation,
they're not going to get re-stretch problems, youknow, we'll have,
happy customers.
FG: Right. And that's the main thing. Will there be a web-site
for this product, or will it be tagged on with yours and Shaw's
individually, or will it have it's own?
KI: Um, currently, it's on my web-site, and the Shades of America
program is available through all Shaw aligned dealers, and if
a person wants to find out where to purchase them they can visit
shawinc.com.
FG: OK!
KI: And, I have information on my web-site, kathyireland.com
as well.
FG: Ok, great. Just one more question Kathy, because I know you've
gotta run, I guess in a very quick summation, tell a customer
what they can expect when theypurchase a Kathy Ireland Shades
of America carpet?
KI: When a customer purchases a Kathy Ireland Shades of America
carpet, they are getting a great quality, beautiful, product,
and, I feel really passionately about it.It's beautiful, it's
great quality, it's easy to take care of, and it's a great value.
So,you can't go wrong. I mean, I've sold all my family and friends
on it, they love it,I'm really excited about it!
FG: That's terrific, and if we could all be so passionate about
our work, we would probably all enjoy it a little bit more, wouldn't
we?
KI: (laughs)
FG: Kathy, I'm going to let you go. We'll be seeing you in Las
Vegas, at the press conference, and I appreciate your time today,
and I wish you all the luck with this project.
KI: Thank you Jason.
FG: All right. Thank you.
KI: Bye-Bye.
FG: Bye now.
Author:
Jason Walker - FlooringGuide.com Editorial Staff
Jason Walker is a Professional Flooring Consultant
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