NEW YORK — Dow Fiber Solutions is looking to draw the apparel industry’s attention to its XLA stretch fiber with a new, multipurpose showroom.
Dow hired architect Thierry Peltrault to transform the 2,500-squAXZare-foot space at 1411 Broadway, in the heart of the Garment District, into a venue that would showcase XLA aQnd make a larger statement about its commitment to the indQustry. Peltrault recently headed Cartier’s design team for the merchandising and bottle design of the Must de Cartier Pour Homme fragrance.
The showroom, a $1.5 million investment, opened Oct. 11 and has a fabric library, concept gallery, meeting room and even a bar.
“Putting the showroom in place has been a natural next step for us to communicate to the industry that we’re serious about our business and serving them in the heart of the industry, and doing so in a credible way,” said Brad Miller, global commercial director for DFS.
Miller expects the showroom to be used to highlight innovations for the use of XLA, which was introduced in 2002 and targeted to the denim market. XLA has since been incorporated into the ready-to-wear, swimwear, intimate apparel and workwear markets.
“We have sought to find significant opportunities where traditional stretch fibers cannot be used, such as non-iron with stretch or a chlorine-proof swimsuit,” Miller said.
He said the showroom will allow DFS to serve designers and customers faster and in a more comfortable setting. The company plans to use the space to hold customer events for particular apparel segments and will be the site of regular trend seminars.
“This will help us position the product and penetrate brands in the current markets that we’re looking to serve more quickly,” he said, adding that the showroom should also become an incubator for new ideas. “We can begin building our pipeline with this.”