Posted on 02/20/2012 3:37:29 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Warren Buffett, who appreciated their shared experience as newspaper deliverers, once told her that fashion changes but the home remains far more secure. In apparel every celebrity with a Q rating above zero either had a line or was pitching one. But precious few celebrity licensors dabbled in home furnishings, even though the dynamics of buying a dresser are no different from buying a dress. "A known brand name gives people a comfort level when buying," says furniture industry analyst Wallace Epperson.
In 1999 Ireland went to the biannual furniture convention in High Point, N.C. with a line of sofas, chairs and end tables. "She had a passion and she was very smart," says Irv Blumkin, head of Berkshire Hathaway's Nebraska Furniture Mart, a 450,000-square-foot megastore that helps drive the direction of the industry. "As she told me the stories of her different products I felt we should give her a chance."
With furniture Ireland mandated that her brand would mean something: "Finding solutions for families, especially busy moms," which is now the company’s motto. So rugs were treated with a spill protection chemical that also holds the colors and allows the rugs to have longer lives. Tables were designed with rounded corners so running children don’t get hurt falling on the edges.
The furniture business showed potential, and within a year Ireland signed with Berkshire's Shaw Industries to expand into carpets, flooring and floor tiles. She remains a staple for the company.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Good for her!
She and Christie Brinkley are 2 of my favorite super models.
I always considered her one of the most beautiful of that supermodel boom crop that became popular in the 80s. To know she was as beautiful on the inside and super-smart just made her all the better.
She and Christie Brinkley are 2 of my favorite super models.
I have heard her on interviews, she is not that smart....but who cares! :) :) :)
Only one reason Kathy is my fav model.
YIKES!!!
Both Ireland and Brinkley are extremely attractive women whose looks have held up through the years. Ireland seems, tho, to lead a more exemplary life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFfhnH_humY&feature=related
Here’s an example of her “acting” and her squeaky voice from the movie “Alien from L.A.”, MSTK3 style!
Well done. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for the mamar — uh — memories.
The only time I’ve ever seen Kathy Ireland was when I was in school at UC Santa Barbara in 1980/81, and found myself at a party in Hope Ranch. There was one girl at the party who stood above all the others and was constantly surrounded by guys. She was 17 at the time and was staggeringly hot. Everyone knew who she was so I guess she had already been discovered by that time. I forgot about her until I saw her in SI, and then instantly remembered her from that party. Man was she beautiful....and tall!
Well, she’s smart enough to be a conservative, so she’s probably got 9/10 celebrities beat in that department.
Most of them are out of stock in the rug department.
How to make money in America: get your name attached to a product.
A friend who used to (before he got married and had to put away his childish things) like softcore porn (what a waste of time that stuff is, borrr ring) had a Playboy tape that was a beach shoot and included Kathy Ireland. At the beginning of her segment they showed her up in the tall grass, on a towel reading the Bible.
[bookmarking for later]
First you have to make your name mean something.
...who does a lot of well-known shots of celebrities.Well, wouldn't you? ;')
Hey, maybe that’s what it’s for.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.