Home furnishings retailer West Elm, a member of the Williams-Sonoma,
Inc. portfolio of brands (NYSE: WSM), and Inscape Corporation (TSX: INQ)
announced an exclusive partnership today that capitalizes on the
strengths of each company to reimagine the user experience in the
commercial furniture market.
In Spring 2015, the two brands will launch West Elm Workspace, a
collection of more than 50 office products designed by West Elm’s
in-house design team in collaboration with Inscape and available
exclusively with Inscape. The collection will combine West Elm’s
exclusive designs, approachable price points and commitment to conscious
business practices with Inscape’s long and celebrated history of
creating functionally innovative products for the contract furniture
industry.
“There is an increasing desire for meaningful change in the way that
offices are designed – and this doesn’t just apply to businesses in the
creative sector,” said Jim Brett, President of West Elm. “The ability to
truly personalize a workspace of any size based on needs like style,
function, productivity and collaboration, is missing from the office
furnishings market. Our partnership with Inscape and the forthcoming
launch of West Elm Workspace will change this, giving businesses of all
sizes the ability to design an ideal and differentiated workspace.”
“We’re very excited about this partnership with West Elm which will
allow us to bring a residential aesthetic to the office while
maintaining the standards demanded for contract interiors,” said Jim
Stelter, CEO of Inscape. “We’ve gone beyond just creating new product
collections and reimagined the entire process, from selection and
visualization to specification and use of our designs.”
Highlights of the collaboration:
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Over 50 new products, designed by West Elm in collaboration with
Inscape, in Modern, Mid-century and Industrial collections, launching
in late Spring 2015. The new collections will span benching, systems,
private office, tables, task, guest, occasional and lounge seating,
storage and accessories.
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A fresh approach to distribution that includes a distinct reseller
program in the top 35 markets in North America and a new user
experience utilizing West Elm’s residential style.
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Immersive visual and selection experience for customers and the design
community that simplifies and improves the design and purchasing
process.
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A sustainability program that originates with merchandizing and
continues through delivery, production, and use of the products.
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Sit/stand options and ergonomic solutions to help facilitate wellness
in work environments.
Partnerships with resellers will be key to delivering this new
experience to the commercial furnishings industry. “We have already
begun discussions with potential resellers and expect a commitment to
supporting the brand standard. Our industry must evolve and we’re
excited about where it’s going,” said Stelter.
About West Elm
Mixing clean lines, natural materials and handcrafted collections from
the US and around the world, West Elm creates unique, affordable designs
for modern living. The brand offers choice in products and services,
builds community through connections with customers, collaborators and
associates, and focuses on consciousness in everything we do, from
handcrafted and local products to supply chain transparency and
sustainability. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, West Elm introduced its
first catalog in 2002, followed by its first store in 2003. The brand’s
complete assortment can be found in 68 retail stores in the United
States, Canada, Australia and the UK and around-the-clock at www.westelm.com.
We also offer international shipping to customers around the world and
have an unaffiliated franchisee that operates stores in the Middle East.
West Elm is part of an active community on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter
and Instagram and a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of
brands.
About Inscape:
Inscape, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of office furniture,
has been initiating change in workspace design for the past 125 years.
With an emphasis on quality, innovation, technical design and
unparalleled delivery and service, Inscape has been consistently awarded
for its design, including 4 Gold and 1 Silver Best of NeoCon Awards at
NeoCon 2014, North America’s largest design exposition and conference
for commercial interiors. Inscape collaborates with leading European
partners and manufactures their designs in North American facilities.
Their systems, storage, seating and wall solutions delight users, foster
agility and empower technology in the workplace. Flexible and designed
for sustainability, Inscape products enable easy customization and
readily adapt to keep pace with changing needs in the workplace.
Forward-looking Statements
This announcement includes certain forward-looking statements that are
based on best information and judgments as at the date of this
announcement. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially
from those anticipated in the announcement.
Copyright Business Wire 2014