With more and more foreign chains opening stores in the country, it certainly feels that more importance is being given to the Philippine market.
The latest one to open is Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids in Central Square at Bonifacio Global City, which opened on the day Typhoon “Glenda” whipped Manila and nearby areas.
Both stores are the first to open in Southeast Asia. “The next store will open at Estancia at Capitol Commons in Ortigas Center next year,” Anthony Huang Jr., executive vice president of Stores Specialists, Inc. and Rustan Marketing Corp., told Inquirer Lifestyle.
The two stores at Central Square share a wooden staircase as well as an elevator, with Pottery Barn occupying most of the area. Inside are carefully planned vignettes, including a dining table set with a nautical theme and a huge roll-arm couch outfitted with slipcovers and cushions in autumnal shades.
Lining the walls are the store’s basic lines, such as classic white dinnerware that can be dressed up with the addition of one or two seasonal items.
As more temperate countries get ready for Fall 2014, layering is this season’s theme. This basically entails the mixing and matching of texture, print and pattern.
“Almost 95 percent of the items on display are designed by local artisans as well as by our team of designers based in San Francisco,” said Michelle Hummel, Pottery Barn vice president of global merchandising. The bulk of the items, or 70 percent, is carried year-round with the remainder consisting of the seasonal layer.
Incidentally, lunch bags and backpacks as well as some of the baskets and ceramic vases are made in the Philippines. Every six weeks, new items will be displayed on the selling floor to inspire customers to work these pieces into items they already have.
Design assistance
“Aside from hiring two interior designers for the two stores, we have trained Design Studio associates who can assist customers, whether they want to update their living rooms or are putting together a room for their baby or children,” said Leigh Oshirak, Pottery Barn’s vice president of marketing communications.
Most of the larger pieces like the dining tables, armoires and shelves are sturdily built, often undergoing multiple steps to achieve that distressed or weathered look favored by many. Those who enjoy entertaining will like the melamine dinnerware made to look like painted and textured ceramic.
“We make sure our dinnerware is made to be used. While some of them may require careful handling, there are other pieces that can withstand regular use and are shatter-proof, like the melamine,” Hummel said.
At Pottery Barn Kids on the second level, there are items for infants like receiving blankets that can be personalized in-house with the baby’s name and date of birth.
There are also bunk beds for boys and a girl’s bed complete with matching bedding and a ruffled bed skirt.
“We also have a Design Studio where parents can mix and match bedding and carpets,” Hummel said.
“Here at Pottery Barn Kids, we also have foundational patterns like gingham, and iconic items like the ‘Anywhere’ chair that kids love to drag around. If we tried to get rid of them, our customers would mutiny,” Oshirak added.