It was back in early November that WAG had the chance to spend time with Farooq Kathwari, the elegant and charming chairman and CEO of Ethan Allen.
As part of our visit (for a feature that ran in December’s “Power Brokers” issue), the New Rochelle resident toured us through the company’s Danbury global headquarters – including a room where the company’s book, “Muses,” was in progress.
Kathwari told us that the book was “not a catalog. It’s a question of inspiration.”
And indeed, mock-ups filled a large room, touching on muses that included art, dance and drama, among others.
It seemed an ambitious and quite special project for the worldwide furniture company now in its ninth decade.
The book, then still a dream and now a reality, has reached the WAG offices – and it’s incredible to flip through the pages that indeed touch on all kinds of inspiration.
In the accompanying press materials, Kathwari further explains, “We call it ‘Muses’ because it is all about inspiration. It showcases the many ways people are living today, and the many ways Ethan Allen fits into those lives.”
The company also informs that:
“The publication coincides with the brand’s next wave of new product introductions it calls The Next Classics. Last fall, Ethan Allen introduced several hundred new designs, and starting this month, hundreds more are arriving at the approximately two hundred Ethan Allen Design Centers across the country. In addition, all of the design centers are being renovated, relocated or refreshed. With this new product launch, the company has also strengthened its commitment to U.S. manufacturing, and now produces well over 70% of its products in its own North American workshops.”
The book is being introduced through launch events and style workshops at Design Centers throughout the month, where complimentary copies are available.
For more, visit ethanallen.com.
– Mary Shustack
