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Pottery Barn, Ayesha Curry Team on Sweet July

Pottery Barn, a portfolio brand of Williams-Sonoma, Inc., the world’s largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer, has launched a collaboration with Sweet July, a lifestyle brand founded by renowned restaurateur, chef, two-time New York Times best-selling author and entrepreneur Ayesha Curry.

Anchored by natural textures, fresh patterns, and earthy tones, the Sweet July by Ayesha Curry collaboration for Pottery Barn features a well-crafted collection of beautiful items for the home.

The new Sweet July by Ayesha Curry x Pottery Barn collection is inspired by summer celebrations and embraces a range of neutral tones with pops of bold and rich terracotta for an elevated, modern look that mix and match seamlessly. From guest-ready bedding and bath accessories to modern barware, table linens, and Calacatta marble serveware and dinnerware debossed with a herringbone pattern, the collection’s thoughtful details celebrate Ayesha’s passion for design and love of al fresco dining.

“Our collaboration with Ayesha Curry has been so organic and inspiring because we share core values of bringing together good people and products through meaningful design,” said CEO of Pottery Barn Brands Marta Benson. “The new Sweet July collection showcases our shared passion for family and beautiful living in the home.”

“It’s been a dream working with the Pottery Barn design team to create a collection featuring products and designs that offer comfort and serenity throughout the home,” said Ayesha Curry, CEO & Founder of Sweet July. “I was inspired by neutral palettes, playing with clean lines and textures that can be mixed and matched in the spaces that mean most to you and your loved ones.”

The Sweet July by Ayesha Curry x Pottery Barn collection debuted for Summer 2023 on May 5 at potterybarn.com/sweetjuly and in select California Pottery Barn stores — the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, the Westfield Galleria in Roseville, and Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek. See the new collection by following @potterybarn and @sweetjuly on Instagram.

Pottery Barn, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands, is a premier specialty retailer for casual, comfortable and stylish home furnishings. The brand is dedicated to beautiful ideas for real life, quality products that are crafted to last, sustainability and service. Key product categories include furniture, bedding, bath, rugs, window treatments, tabletop, lighting and decorative accessories. Nearly all Pottery Barn products are designed in-house and are exclusive to its catalogs, stores and website. Pottery Barn operates company-owned stores in the United States, Canada and Australia and has unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in the Middle East, India, the Philippines and South Korea, and stores and ecommerce websites in Mexico, as well as an ecommerce site at www.potterybarn.com that offers international shipping to customers worldwide. Pottery Barn provides complimentary design services and a comprehensive gift registry program for weddings and other special events. Pottery Barn now offers products for all life stages and every room in the home through Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and Pottery Barn Teen. Pottery Barn is also part of The Key Rewards, a free-to-join loyalty program that offers members exclusive benefits across the Williams-Sonoma family of brands, the world’s largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Ayesha Curry is a renowned restaurateur, chef, 2x New York Times bestselling author, producer, host, entrepreneur and was featured on the prestigious Forbes “30 Under 30” list. Her accessible approach to cooking has made her one of the most sought-after experts in food and lifestyle. Ayesha is the Founder and CEO of Sweet July, her burgeoning lifestyle brand with a focus to uplift an inclusive and eclectic array of creators through the products sold and stories shared. In 2019 Ayesha launched Sweet July, a quarterly lifestyle magazine that covers a range of topics such as wellness, fashion, fitness, beauty, entrepreneurism and food. Following the launch of the magazine, Ayesha opened a brick-and-mortar Sweet July storefront and café in Oakland, CA and its accompanying website, featuring thoughtfully created products alongside other carefully selected items from Black-owned and female-founded companies. In 2020, Ayesha launched Sweet July Productions, which focuses on creating content centered around food, family, faith and female empowerment. Most recently, Ayesha served as host and executive producer of HBO Max’s ABOUT LAST NIGHT. In 2022, Ayesha announced Sweet July Books in partnership with Zando. Sweet July Books will acquire fiction and nonfiction work, with a focus on diverse authors and women’s stories. Ayesha, along with her husband Stephen, is the co-founder of Eat. Learn. Play., an organization dedicated to unleashing the potential of every child and making a positive impact for generations to come.

Sweet July is a Black, female-owned lifestyle brand founded by Ayesha Curry. Launched in 2019 with an eponymous lifestyle magazine, Sweet July aims to uplift an inclusive and eclectic array of creators through the products sold and the stories shared. Additionally, Sweet July creates products for the self and home, from pantry essentials to self-care staples. The company opened their flagship store and café in 2021 in the heart of Oakland, featuring products from Sweet July, in addition to Black-owned and women-owned brands, thoughtfully curated by Ayesha and the Sweet July editorial team. Sweet July has also expanded to include a production company, Sweet July Productions, a publishing imprint, Sweet July Books and an online digital platform in sweetjuly.com for quality journalism with profiles, features, recipes and more content from a diverse array of contributors.

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Tips, Tools for Sleep Awareness Month

March is National Sleep Awareness Month and Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. offers tips and tools to improve nighttime routines and encourage a better night’s sleep. From solutions to avoid overheating overnight to calming a fussy baby so everyone can rest, the experts at Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy BABY have products at every price to help get the right balance of sleep.

“At Bed Bath & Beyond, we know sleep is incredibly important and product choice can be very personal based on what works for each individual,” said Rebekah Chase, vice president, general merchandising manager at Bed Bath & Beyond. “From fabric and softness to color and style, which is why we offer options at every price point, online and in stores, to ensure our customers can always find what suits them and their sleep preference.”   

Elevate Your Sleep
Modern pillows offer a variety of choices based on personal preference including cooling, temperature regulation, neck and body support, moisture wicking, and anti-allergen qualities. To ensure the best experience, it is recommended that most pillows are replaced every two years, and Bed Bath & Beyond offers many options to find the one that’s just right for any sleep style.

Mamas to-be can also get a better night’s sleep with a body pillow like the Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow, that supports a growing bump. The pillow can be placed anywhere more support is needed, including between the knees or under the back.

The best type of bed sheet differs by person, depending on a variety of factors, including temperature when sleeping, fabric features like anti-wrinkle, or price point. In warmer weather, consider swapping a comforter for a quilt or flannel sheets for the cool and crisp percale cotton.

Adding light pressure with a weighted blanket can also be soothing. The soft and cozy Therapedic Weighted Blanket, available in varying weights, offers calm and relaxation for drifting to sleep.

Enhance Your Unwind Routine
Set the stage for a great night’s sleep with small additions that can make a big difference in any room. The SpaRoom PureMist Directional Mist Ultrasonic Diffuser delivers a gradient lighting effect and calming aroma while allowing adjustment of the 360 degrees of mist. Choosing a soothing sound like the ocean or rainfall from the HoMedics SoundSpa Sound Machine can help clear the mind from distractions. When tossing and turning, Vitafusion Melatonin Gummy Supplements and hims & hers Melatonin Sleep Gummies can help to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Better Sleep for Baby
Sound machines like the Hatch Baby Rest 2nd Generation provide soothing sounds for baby to help them fall asleep and stay asleep. It can also grow with baby, by teaching them bedtime cues with the nightlight feature. Portable, on-the-go options, like the Fridababy 2-in-1 Portable Sound Machine, are also available so baby can sleep soundly anywhere.

As blankets are not recommended for young babies, parents can keep them warm and provide a sense of security and comfort with a swaddle or wearable blanket like the ever & ever Muslin Swaddle Blankets or HALO SleepSack. This can help babies sleep soundly until they are old enough for more traditional bedding.

“Swaddling is a great way to get your baby to fall asleep and stay asleep longer,” said Jenny Son, vice president, general merchandising manager at buybuy BABY. “Since every parent, and baby, will have their own preference on how they like to swaddle, we carry a great assortment, from traditional to innovative, so you’re sure to find one that works for you and your baby. Many of these wearable blankets can continue to be worn as they grow.”

‘Smart’ bassinets like the 4moms mamaRoo sleep bassinet and Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet with Cry Detection Technology can help soothe a fussing baby back to sleep with movement and white noise, helping everyone get their much-needed rest.

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Atlanta Market Optimizes Temporary Exhibits

Category expansion and strategic reorganizations optimize Atlanta Market’s temporary exhibits – the largest in the nation with some 1,100+ brands in 39 categories in 10 exhibit halls – for the Winter 2023 staging.

“The industry’s most comprehensive temporary exhibits are growing again in Winter 2023,” said Scott Eckman, IMC executive vice president, chief revenue officer. “Two new luxury categories, relocation of key collections and expanded showcases by top industry organizations create a dynamic marketplace primed for discovery.”

Atlanta Market highlights high-end, fine products in Winter 2023 with the addition of two new categories – LUXE and General Gift LUXE – expanding its signature luxury neighborhoods to nine. LUXE is a juried collection of high-end artisan handmade, global and museum goods. General Gift LUXE is a juried collection of high-end resort, stationery, collegiate merchandise, pet products and more.

Additionally, two more LUXE categories have their Winter Market debuts: Boutique LUXE – a juried collection of luxury accessories and apparel products – and Cash & Carry LUXE – a juried collection of high-quality jewelry and fashion accessories for immediate delivery. Five more LUXE categories are Body & Soul LUXE, Gourmet LUXE, HIGH DESIGN LUXE, Tabletop LUXE and Outdoor Living LUXE.

“Atlanta Market’s luxury offerings are a differentiator,” added Eckman. “LUXE and General Gift LUXE round out our high-end offerings allow us to offer a full-spectrum of product to discerning retailers.”

Two home décor temporary categories – Fine Linens & Home Textiles and Home Accents & Home Furnishings – relocate to Building 1, Floor 8 placing them directly below AmericasMart’s six floors of home showrooms. The 60+ temporary exhibitors join 300+ showrooms to present a comprehensive collection of accent furniture, accessories, linens, lighting, pillows, textiles, wall art and more.

Expansion of GC Buying Group’s GCX Expo necessitates a relocation to a larger space in Building 2, Floor 4. This showcase of nearly 100 top gourmet foods and tool brands offers more resources to GC Buying Group members (including retailers who join on-site) at its second staging at Atlanta Market. The GCX Expo shares the floor with three categories: Outdoor Living, Outdoor Living LUXE and Seasonal/Gift.

“The expansive nature of the Atlanta Market temporary exhibits is simultaneously exhilarating and daunting,” said Eckman. “Updating category locations and layouts make our extensive offerings even easier to shop and navigate to encourage exploration.”

Top industry organizations grow their Atlanta Market participation for the Winter 2023 staging. In addition to the GC Buying Group expansion, Fair Trade Federation launches a new pavilion of 12 brands that are committed holistic fair trade (the entire business is socially and environmentally responsible).

Additional organizations return to Atlanta Market to connect their member brands with the market’s expansive buyer universe. Greeting Card Association’s *Noted at Atlanta Market Village presents 10 up-and-coming brands showing greeting cards, custom invitations and imprintables, gift wrap, journals, planners, notebooks and more. Museum Store Association’s (MSA) The Gallery Collection presents 30 members with apparel and jewelry, books, educational products, games, garden, home décor, paper, reproductions, toys, souvenir/promotional merchandise and more. Georgia Grown presents food products made in Georgia in a pavilion of nearly 20 brands in Gourmet.

Celebrating Booth Design Excellence

A new award programming celebrating visual display ingenuity launches at the Winter 2023 Atlanta Market. All temporary exhibitors are eligible to win a “Best Booth” award which recognizes the most creatively and effectively merchandised booths at the market. All booths will be judged with winners identified on the opening day of the Atlanta Market temporaries, Jan. 11. In addition to bragging rights, winners are eligible to win booth credits and more.

For more details about Atlanta Market, get the January issue of Kitchenware News & Housewares Review. Subscribe now so you don’t miss anything!

Molly Yeh Launches Girl Meets Farm Kitchenware Line for Macy’s

Food Network star Molly Yeh is launching her first kitchenware collection exclusively at Macy’s. Girl Meets Farm by Molly Yeh puts the fun in functional with a bright, whimsical and timeless collection of products curated by Molly to showcase her signature style. The line features cookware, bakeware, kitchen storage, food prep, textiles, cutlery and serveware.

In addition, it includes the line of “parent and me” kids’ mealtime products. Ranging in price from $9 to $129, the Girl Meets Farm by Molly Yeh collection is available on macys.com, Macy’s mobile app and at select Macy’s nationwide.

“I find such joy working in my kitchen and wanted to design a product line that can spark that same feeling in others. We selected tried and true tools that I use every day and incorporated bright, cheerful colors to create a line that is both accessible and beautiful,” said Yeh.

“My design aesthetic brings together my family roots and my life on the farm as seen on Girl Meets Farm, and I am so excited to see what families cook up with these tools.”

Each item in the Girl Meets Farm by Molly Yeh collection is crafted to merge charming with practical by reimagining kitchen classics with a pinch of playfulness to help spark anyone’s imagination in the kitchen.

“We are thrilled to partner with Molly Yeh on this kitchenware line exclusively for Macy’s. The Girl Meets Farm by Molly Yeh collection brings to life Molly’s vibrant and whimsical style, designed to inspire our customers to style their kitchen and cook meals that bring the same kind of joy that this line embodies,” said Stephanie Muehlhausen, Macy’s senior fashion director for home.

Cookbook author, food blogger and Midwest transplant Yeh embraces her country life on the border of Minnesota and North Dakota in the Food Network hit series “Girl Meets Farm,” which returns for a new season on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. ET/PT. In her cozy farmhouse kitchen, Molly makes dishes inspired by her Jewish and Chinese heritage that are not only delicious but also beautiful to look at. With her fresh and tasty ideas, Molly brings multicultural Midwestern inspiration and fun to kitchens across America.

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Bed Bath & Beyond Overhauls C-Suite

Amid a Q1 sales decline of 25 percent, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has made significant changes to its senior leadership to focus on reversing recent results, addressing supply chain and inventory and strengthening its balance sheet. Sue Gove, an independent director on the company’s board of directors and chair of the board’s strategy committee, has been named interim CEO, replacing Mark Tritton, who has left his role as president and CEO and as a member of the board.

“After thorough consideration, the board determined that it was time for a change in leadership,” said Harriet Edelman, independent chair of the Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. board of directors. “Our banner’s heritage is built on the premise that when customers are shopping for the home, Bed Bath & Beyond is the perfect destination for unique solutions and inspiration. We must deliver that proposition for customers, drive growth, and unlock the value of the banners.

“Today’s actions address company performance, the macroeconomic conditions under which we are operating, and the expectations of the Board on behalf of shareholders. We are committed to addressing the urgent issues that have been impacting sales, profitability, and cash flow generation. We are confident Sue brings the right combination of industry experience and knowledge of Bed Bath & Beyond’s operations to lead the Company, focus our resources, and revise strategy, as appropriate.”

The company has named Mara Sirhal as executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. Sirhal will be responsible for driving the company’s omnichannel merchandising, planning, and owned brands strategies, while also retaining her position as general manager for the Harmon retail banner. Sirhal will report directly to Gove. She replaces Joe Hartsig, who is leaving the company.

The board has retained Berkeley Research Group, a leading retail advisory firm, to focus on cash, inventory and balance sheet optimization. In addition, Russell Reynolds, a nationally recognized search firm, has been retained to commence a search process for the permanent chief executive officer role.

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