High Point x Design (HPxD) is a growing group of flagship showrooms envisioning High Point as a year-round hub of design and creativity open to all. The significant paradigm shift is strategized in a series of phased flagship openings: by appointment and during planned events, ultimately graduating to regular opening hours. Today, HPxD announces its first event. Thirteen brand flagships will open for Premarket Week, September 14-18, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m..
This will be the first Premarket for HPxD membership, including Oly Studio, Verellen, Schwung Home, Mr Brown London, South + English, Red Egg, Cohab.Space (and its brands), Mill Collective (and its thirty makers), Branch Home, Splashworks, 214 Modern Vintage, The Royals Project and Randall Tysinger.
Industry experts and the media have noted a groundswell of interest surrounding Premarket. This traditional High Point Market preview event has typically not attracted the attention of designers and designer brands. HPxD is promoting the Premarket event as an opportunity to “shop fashionably early,” previewing new October introductions and welcoming the design community for a first chance to shop - and buy.
Many HPxD showrooms will also host exclusive designer events Premarket week. More detail will be available on hpxd.com, the organization’s preliminary website.
Tom Van Dessel, Splashworks founder and HPxD team leader notes, “Premarket is the ideal launch event for HPxD. Designers and boutique retailers are eager to connect, see what’s new, support client projects and update their retail floors. It’s an opportunity to extend the power of High Point Market, connect with interior designers and set trends. Customers want access, and our flagships are ready.”
While HPxD envisions a High Point open to all, including fans of design, Van Dessel notes, consumer promotion is not part of the Premarket communications plan.
Van Dessel explains, “High Point Market is the ultimate design trade show, and as such, Premarket too. HPxD champions big change in incremental steps. Calendar development is underway. We are looking at special events in partnership with the trade to engage design enthusiasts in the near future. Stay tuned.”
High Point Market Authority president and CEO Tom Conley notes: “This a smart and strategic first event for HPxD. Premarket was originally conceived as a strategic precursor to Market, where large manufacturers could in essence focus-group products for key retailers and lock-in major accounts. HPxD is making it a fashion event too. It’s good for the Market.”
Designers and retailers are invited to schedule HPxD flagship appointments with simple outreach to individual brands. HPxD flagships share a group commitment to COVID best practices, understanding beautiful environments are also safe. Measures include: masking requirements, showroom capacity control, increased sanitation and social distancing.
To learn more about HPxD brand flagships and to sign up for news alerts, visit hpxd.org. Additional commentary from participating HPxD flagships:
Tom Verellen, Verellen: “Private visits and Zoom calls with designers are already part of our day-to-day. The Verellen showroom never went on hiatus. New designs will be floored for Premarket. Not a problem: All Verellen upholstery is made by hand in our workroom just a few miles away. We are ready.”
John Muldoon, Cohab.Space: “We are excited about welcoming designers and retail clients for Premarket and have lots of new introductions and vintage one-of-a-kinds ready to launch early. It’s a natural for us. Cohab.Space is open daily so the extra hours are really SOP.”
Palmer Smith. South + English: “The Premarket event timing is perfect for South + English. We have two waves of new designs arriving, both made in America. The first hits in time for Premarket; the other for the Market itself. We will have new looks for both shows.”
Frank Leyon, Oly Studio: “HPxD is all about thinking outside the box. The idea of reinventing Premarket with a new designer spin is brilliant - and right for the times. It’s an additional designer touchpoint.”
Tim Branscome, Mill Collective: “Designers will find Mill Collective and our thirty small-batch manufacturers in a new home for Premarket, an entire floor at Bobo Intriguing Objects on High Point’s Broad Street. New digs. New designs. We’re ready.”
Carol Gregg, Red Egg: “My designers will embrace the invitation to shop fashionably early. HPxD’s Premarket event extends the reach of the Market - masked, sanitized and with proper distancing. All in, it’s irresistible.”
