LA Rug Show Round-Up Part 2

LOS ANGELES - The Rug Show in L.A. featured exhibits, new products and breaking news from exhibitors and visiting rug dealers, interior designers and architects during its three day days last week at the L.A. Convention Center. New rug collections revealed a comeback of color, a continuing trend to zero pile and distressed rugs albeit in more sophisticated iterations, and a continued penchant for pale colors and pastels in the Western section of the country.  Look for rugs adorned with butterflies, birds and beds of flowers - the more elaborately detailed the better. 

Here is Part 2 of our coverage featuring the second half of exhibitors in alphabetical order.

Momeni

"The West Coast is all about light tones," said Aria Momeni who responded with pale Peshawar and Oushak rugs suited to the designer market.  The space was filled with a potpourri of one of a kind rugs including Super Kazaks, modern and vintages rugs from Turkey.  "The Anatolian vintage rugs in 4x8 and runners got a great reception.  We brought some broadloom and programmed rugs also, to give a sampling of what Momeni has to offer dealers here," he explained.  Momeni has supported the Rug Show @ Javitz, and this was their first time showing in L.A.

Nalbandian and Rugzy

Whittier, CA-based Sue and Gabriel Nalbandian displayed reproductions, antique and vintage rugs at the Nalbandian booth at the L.A. show.  Grabbing attention was a selection of Scandinavian reproductions, and a rug displaying refinishing techniques done through a new company called Rugzy.  The sample showed examples of over-dying, shearing, distressing and cleaning.  "We had been doing this in Europe for our clients, and now we are doing it in the USA," Sue Nalbandian said.  "Every dealer has stacks of rugs they've been holding 20 to 30 years that they can't sell.  Now we buy the rugs and make them saleable."

Pasargad Decorative & Antique Rugs

"First time exhibitor Pasargad opened several new accounts at the Rug Show in L.A.," said Edward Verdiev, general manager for the Greenvale, NY-based company.  "We are encouraged and will be working with these new people throughout the year," said Verdiev of the show.  Pasargad, which also exhibits at the Javitz show, introduced silk programmed contemporary rugs in standard sizes.

Rug & Kilim

Art and rug weaving became one at the Rug & Kilim booth where principal Josh Nazmiyal was ahead of the designer trend to Scandinavian rugs with samples from his newly curated collection. Displayed museum-style, the rugs had "a life and energy like the Bauhaus movement did. They are soulful and original; Americanized to meet today's needs for larger rugs.  They have been very well received by people who know and understand decorative and vintage carpets in the high end market," Nazmiyal said. 

Samad

"This is my first LA Show," said David Samad president of the eponymous East Rutherford, NJ- based rug company. "We are meeting old friends with new rugs," said Samad, referring to Larry Stone, whom he has known as a high end gallery owner in Vail, CO for 23 years.  Of the show, Samad says, "It is growing and it will soon reach critical mass.  Then rug companies can't afford not to be in it." He says show organizer Ramin Mobayen has a lot of passion and wants the shows in N.Y. and L.A. to be fun as well as successful from a business perspective for vendors and dealers.  "Ramin is an unsung hero," Samad declares.  Two of the most buzzed-about rugs in his booth were from the Tre Jolie and Amour collections in hand carded wool and carved silk.

Slocum Rug Gallery

An eye-popping transitional Sultanabad from an exclusive collection hand woven in Turkey was an attention-grabber at the Slocum Rug Gallery space at the Rug Show in L.A.  Showroom manager James Arsin a third generation member of the Arsin family says the Dallas-based gallery owned by Saied Arsin is the only showroom carrying these Sultanabads, although Arsin family members have rug stores around world. 

Soufiane Zarib

Fashion and color breathe new life into the traditional Beni Ouarain rugs at first time exhibitor Soufiane Zarib's booth. Ismail Zarib of Soufiane Zarib in Marrakech learned of the Rug Show in L.A. from fellow exhibitors at Domotex 2015, and was happy with the response from West Coast buyers. "We're taking an old Nomadic weave and making it in a modern style with new patterns and colors.  Everything else is the same quality loved by designers around the world: The same weavers, the same wool, the same texture," Zarib told RugNews.com.

Tahoe Rug Studio

Though always fashionable in the Western states, Tahoe Rug Studio's American Classics rugs made in Nepal are the epitome of the trendy "rustic chic" look in transitional and as well as traditional interiors, in addition to being popular choices for rugged style and durability in ranch, mountain and lodge homes.

"All my dealers came by virtually all yesterday, and today we are seeing new people.  Clients are really buying more western Tibetan weave rugs than ever before," says owner, George Postrozny.

Tamarian

"The design interest is great at the show," said Chris Saliga, director of sales for Tamarian Hand Crafted Tibetan Rugs.  Designs shown were new to the West Coast, but had previously been shown in Atlanta.  In High Point, however, Saliga says the company is targeting big furniture accounts with programmed and in-stock rugs.  Made in Nepal with the Tibetan weave, the high style rugs are popular with designers because of their textural interest and directional fashion colors. "Texture is big; it's very important," he adds.

The Creative Touch

Designer source Creative Touch brought a sampling of luxury rugs to L.A., from traditional classics, to award-winning high-end designs and some of the latest fashion looks in the industry.  The company, which specializes in contemporizing traditional rug motifs into new and organic designs showed its dramatic Patchwork, Sari Silk and Bamboo Sari Silk collections to dealers and designers based in Western states at the L.A. show.

Wool & Silk

Wool & Silk premiered its award-winning Steppe collection to the West Coast market at the L.A. show. The designs feature woodland themes for each of the four seasons in wool and silk and received Best Modern collection at Domotex 2015.  "This is the fourth year in a row that we are the proud recipient of this prestigious award," said the artist, Erbil Tezcan at the Wool & Silk space. The company has garnered 6 German design awards in the past four years.  Last year Tezcan's Manhattan Collection won for Best Collection in the modern category, and the company won two additional designs at the Hannover show. 

Zollanvari

Zollanvari's presentation in L.A. featured the official USA launch of new Kundan Diffusion Koti Silk collection and also an extensive display of Pure Silk rugs from the Kundan collection. Using man-made fibers from pulp of bamboo or banana plants, Koti Silk line builds on Zollanvari's award-winning silk carpets from India by introducing a totally new quality at attractive price points. "Though competitively priced, these carpets are as stunning as our pure silk rugs and both collections are hand-knotted in Rajasthan," explained Sanjay Purohit of Zollanvari USA.

 Click here for The Rug Show in L.A. Part 1

04.06.15