AW Industries is looking for growth next year with new mattress lines celebrating famous houses on two continents.
The Landover, Maryland-based producer is continuing to build on its success with the Highclere Collection, which spotlights the iconic Highclere Castle in England that is featured in the Downton Abbey television shows and movies.
The newest offerings in that line, introduced to much acclaim at the recent High Point Market, are tufted mattresses that take retails up to $3,999, a new ceiling for the line. The mattresses in the new Wessex Collection feature a cashmere blue colorway that joins the cream and black colorways featured in the first two Highclere Collection lines.
Once again Highclere Castle itself is embroidered into the mattress covers, but the treatment in the new line is larger and more dramatic, with a single image dominating the mattress surface.
“Every dealer has been blown away by this line,” commented Adrian Wertz, vice president of sales for AW Industries. “Retailers walking by our showroom came to a halt and said, ‘What is that?’”
The two new mattresses in the Wessex Collection are named The Wessex and The Arundel, and both are named for bedrooms in Highclere Castle. The Wessex Collection is also a nod to North Wessex Downs, the region in Hampshire where Highclere Castle, the current version of which dates back to the 19th century, is located.
The borders of the new mattresses highlight distinctive design elements. One look features the family crest of the Carnarvon family, which continues to live at Highclere Castle and to maintain its historic status as an English landmark, one recognizable around the world due to the enduring popularity of the Downton Abbey franchise. Another border look spotlights a striking paisley design.
All of the Highclere Collection mattresses feature wool from sheep raised on the Highclere estate.
Wertz said the popularity of the third Downton Abbey movie, recently released, keeps the Highclere Castle story alive in consumers’ minds and has given the Highclere Collection a boost.
AW Industries is not just looking overseas for inspiration for its new bedding lines. The producer also introduced a new American-themed Sleepwell line that is perfectly timed for the nation’s celebration of its 250th anniversary next year, Wertz said.
The beds, featuring red, white and blue colors and sporting names like Mount Vernon and Monticello, will retail at $776 in queen and at $1,776 in queen with an adjustable base – a nod to the country’s founding in 1776.
The new Sleepwell line will be a strong seller for President’s Day events, Wertz predicted.
He noted that AW Industries is working hard to give its dealers unique product lines that will help them increase their sales. “We are differentiating our brands from anything else in the marketplace,” Wertz said.
AW Industries continues to work collaboratively with its dealers to grow their business. “You can’t hide from the challenges in the marketplace,” Wertz observed. “We are helping our dealers through these times. We never forget that we are in a partnership with our dealers.”
