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EXPLORE JONATHAN LOUIS PRODUCTS
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Market in the Making
Market in the Making
Market. A word that brings joy, fear, anticipation…and blood, sweat, and tears. For the uninitiated, “market” is a place that sells things, a place where you shop. But for those who’ve dealt with Market, it’s a source of pride, a source of anxiety, and most pragmatically, a source of income. At its very core, Market is about showcasing one’s goods and wares with the aim of having retail buyers buy products for their store. But like fashion’s Fashion Weeks’ evolution, High Point Furniture Market has become much more than a transactional event. What began as a humble endeavor to sell our manufactured goods, has now become an opportunity to make a statement, to be an expression of our identity, and to create an indelible experience, imprinted on the minds of our buyers.
Follow our teams’ journey through our Market process for the April 2024 season. And check back often! This page will continue to be updated as we sprint to the finish line. The links below will go live as we add more content for each section.
Brainstorming and Trend Forecasting
Brainstorming & Trend Forecasting
As the jewel of the crown, product drives the process. Our Product Development team kicks off the season with trend research and brainstorming, six months out, right after the last market wraps up. Research includes utilizing a forecasting agency as well as getting out of the office for inspiration trips. Attending Interwoven is also an important part of this early stage, as Product Development gets to see new and upcoming fabric, helping to solidify trend direction.
Sample Development
In the meantime, Product Development begins developing a product strategy to decide what styles to feature in the upcoming show. Reviewing our current catalog, the PD team identifies gaps in the assortment. The collections that go to market are composed of existing best-sellers, underperforming styles revamped, and brand new inspirations, and Product Development connects with the Sales team to get input on product performance and fabric and frame recommendations.
Once product selection is finalized, Engineering takes the baton to begin producing prototypes. This first round is scrutinized, critiqued, and sent back to Engineering with notes for changes. Initial rounds of review are held by Product Development only; later rounds include Marketing, Sales, and Management for input.
Supporting Activities
While Product Development and Engineering move forward with prototyping, Marketing is working towards telling the story on all channels. In addition to working closely with the agency to create designs and execute the build, the Marketing team also creates ancillary tools to support Sales in their efforts. Visual merchandising tools like swatch racks, informational table top displays, tags, photography of the new product, etc. are part of the standard kit-and-kaboodle needed for shows like these.
