NEW YORK -- Bespoke area rug atelier Lapchi, with showrooms in Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Portland, Ore., shares its expectations for its inaugural The Rug Show at Javits, which will serve as a platform for presenting nearly 50 new rugs available exclusively through Chicago's Lapchi Rug Design Studio.
Lapchi's Nathan Tucker, director of the Chicago showroom, tells RugNews.com the reasons the design studio took the leap and what buyers can look forward to seeing at The Rug Show and beyond.
What is the major news in terms of your rug assortment for 2016?
NT: This year will be quite a large unveiling. In addition to adding around eight new patterns using our Nepali production, we'll be introducing a new collection designed by a longtime colleague of ours, Maurizio Battilossi, from Turin, Italy. These are produced with our Punjab-based weavers, using many new, innovative techniques.
Battilossi for Lapchi is a new multi-textural collection created by Italian rug and textile designer Maurizio Battilossi and handmade in Punjab, India.
What are you hoping to accomplish at the show?
NT: We'd love to make some new connections in unexplored markets. The focus, though, is our core customers. It's always a great time to reconnect with our dealers from around the country. Above all -- sell some rugs!
Lapchi will showcase its Waveforms collection, designed by Nathan Tucker. Pictured, the range's Bucchla in gray color combination.
What are you showing Rug Show audiences and why?
NT: Aside from the Battilossi collection, we will revisit some of the formality and elegance from Lapchi's earlier periods, mixed with other lovely transitional looks. There will be an emphasis on easily-customized and reimagined palettes. Largely, this is to highlight the core of Lapchi; our reliable custom infrastructure.
What are you hearing from your customers? What things are on their mind and how does Lapchi address those concerns?
NT: I try to keep an ear on the ground, but I'm mainly focused on our designer clientele in Chicago, so it might not reflect opinions of our dealers. Almost always though, certain themes are front and center -- range in price and aesthetic. This year is a direct reflection of that.
A new Lapchi rug composition called Adela will be showcased at The Rug Show at Javits.
Tell me a little bit about Lapchi's plans for the near term.
NT: At the show, we'll be introducing a new sales rep we're very excited about, Kristen Wolfe. She'll be based in Chicago with me, and will handle a range of territories, including some of our wholesale clients.
In addition to this year's collections being shown at The Rug Show, we'll be introducing work from a very respected Chicago artist, Francine Turk, for which we'll be unveiling four to eight pieces in December.
Our Chicago showroom, after just signing a new five-year lease, will be getting a minor facelift in the coming months, as well.