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 ...
LOL!
Of course, back then it was “Ye Sportfe Illuftrated”.
Thanks!
/ditto
:’)
I tried that, but she turned down my offer of marriage years ago.
There are a bunch of threads in the Google search hits about that very thing. I kinda figured she was, because of her Bible reading.
Close to 50 messages too, I didn’t expect that, but should have known with this crowd.
"I was not making enough time to take care of me," says Ireland, 46, a mother of three kids ranging in age from 6 to 14 and CEO of Kathy Ireland World Wide, a $1.4 billion design empire. She also runs a mentoring program for single teen mothers. [Kathy Ireland's Shocking Weight Gain (and Loss), by Monica Rizzo, Thursday April 02, 2009]
http://www.kathyireland.com/aboutkathy.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathy_Ireland
http://www.google.com/images?q=kathy+ireland&sa=X&oi=image_result_group
A companion to “Yorker” magazine.
She’s a good egg.
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.
