09/01/2006

Arden Admirers

The Scoop: Her real name was Florence Nightingale Graham. But in 1910, when she opened her iconic red door on New York’s Fifth Avenue, she became Elizabeth Arden – and the name was soon synonymous with beauty and luxury. At last month’s New York Home Textiles Show, Elizabeth Arden became one of the first beauty companies to ever enter the home category with a bedding line licensed to Rose Tree Linens. Six bed ensembles feature embroideries and woven fabrics, and will hit retail floors next year at $199 and $399 for queen comforter sets.

The Furniture Connection: We’ve always come up short in finding a connection between the beauty and furniture industries, but this might just be the missing link. Given the nation’s passion for pampering, and the continued allure of spa living, the just-emerging Elizabeth Arden home collection seems a natural to make the transition into furniture. But how do you make the furniture resonate with upscale women? We think the best approach would be luxurious, exclusive, and tightly focused on the most private areas of the home – the bedroom and bathroom.

Final Word: Open the red door.