ITMA Showtime 2011

It's almost June which means it's almost time for ITMA Showtime. This is the second time I'll be in attendance since I left my last company, where from 2003-2008 I was an exhibitor with a large booth in the temporary spaces.

Showtime is an opportunity to look at a segment of the American textile industry, but not as large of one as I would like. On the showroom floor you will find a number of fabric companies, importers really, who bring in thousands of rolls of cookie cutter cloths with generic patterns and constructions, in all of the typical colors. I shy away from this type of fabric because it never excites me.

With my last company, I learned how to buy the very best for aggressively cheap prices and then move these prestigious high end fabrics through wholesale channels to retailers all across the country. I've always felt that fabric stores would do well by stocking the best fabrics they can afford instead of whatever it is that passes for fabric on the low end.

Showtime is also a chance for me to see my friends within the industry, an industry that is always in flux but always in some way familiar, and a time to visit my family, who also live in High Point. My grandmother is quickly approaching 80 years old. Where has the time gone?

Stout Brothers: Embroidery Expressions Book 1254

My friends at Stout Brothers just sent me three new sample books of Spring 2011 collections. I wanted to take a moment to say how much I like some of the embroideries in their Embroidery Expressions Book.

Simple and to the point, but it feels great...

Embroideries are a dime a dozen these days, typically you find them in silks or polyesters. I really couldn't care about polyester taffetas embroidered or not because they look and feel cheap. Stout's collection features light weight cotton, linen, and viscose cloth with rayon embroidery. The result is a much more sophisticated textile that strikes the correct balance between weight and drape. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the color range is right on key with what's going on in upscale interior design these days- and that is cool neutrals and earthy elemental tones- almost biomorphic textile hues.

There are many stand-out patterns in this collection, which is over 50 pieces deep, and I suspect this will be a good collection for Stout. I'll spend the rest of the weekend looking these pieces over and making them available for purchase at www.draperyrow.com

Overall Grade: A-