Rug and home décor manufacturer Safavieh and Ralph Lauren Home are teaming up for an outdoor rug launch this week at the High Point Market.
The initial collection of outdoor rugs will consist of 10 new SKUs using a kilim flatweave technique and will be available at retail in the spring with an expanded collection scheduled for later in the year.
Inspired by the motifs of Native American trade blankets with hints of ikat textiles from India, Indio Hills from Safavieh and Ralph Lauren Home offers an eclectic mélange of pattern.
"Ralph Lauren pushed the envelope, creating a unique, high-end look in indoor-outdoor rugs that will bring unprecedented luxury to the category," said Arash Yaraghi, a Safavieh principal. "The result is a true hand-woven kilim flatweave using extremely soft polypropylene yarns that mimic wool in both the warp and weft of the rug."
The new collection of indoor-outdoor rugs is designed with layering in mind, a defining characteristic of Ralph Lauren Home. Playing with the scale of these graphic motifs offers a modern interpretation of two of Ralph Lauren's top lifestyles: the American West and the Coast., the company said.
The assortment is woven in India and available in standard sizes from 2 by 3 to 9 by 12. Retail for the 5 by 8 size is $440.
"Visually, it is impossible to distinguish between the new polypropylene rugs and wool kilims. Therefore, the collection will be marketed as indoor-outdoor, and we are projecting sales for indoor use in high traffic areas to be very strong," said Yaraghi, adding that the enhanced polypropylene provides the easy-care and weather resistant attributes of Safavieh's best-selling outdoor rugs.
The new collection will be presented by appointment in Safavieh's Market Square 120 showroom. Safavieh will also host daily cocktail receptions in celebration of the new line at 4:30 p.m. as well as serving breakfast and lunch daily during market.
