Five days and 1000 pictures later…

One day off from the official opening and we’re in the last of the set up! Here are a few shots from the preceding week. Tomorrow, will post the finished showroom shots. Enjoy.

It’s been a long summer and we’re ready for Fall. The High Point collection is complete: over 500 framed works of art are on their way to our new showroom at the C&D building. Our new SM2 brand receives great reviews from our soft launch last week and plans are in works for our Tweet Up during the upcoming High Point Market. So what’s next? A let up? Not quite.

Slogging through this economy is no small task, but one thing we’ve learned is that there are people on the sidelines waiting for a “reason” to jump back in and build inventory. Given some imagination in content and most of all value, they will reward us with orders. Evidence of this is in so many stories recounted to me last week by our reps in the field when presenting Sm2 for the first time. Our customer told them that indeed, SoicherMarin is seeing the future in its proper shape: a fresh approach with GREAT pricing. We didn’t invent this concept, though making the shift in thinking required some internal soul searching and a degree of invention. How do we create a new brand based on our core design sensibilities, have it look completely fresh and different, build it in America, distribute it through our traditional channels, and oh yeah, sell it for half our normal wholesale? That took months of concept meetings and back and forth debate as well as honest self critique. The exercise as a whole was cathartic for our team and brought out the best in them.

Given ownership of a concept allowed kids in design to stretch their talent. Handing our operations team the challenge to manufacture SM2 in the U.S. and  do it profitably created a framework for new Lean Manufacturing systems we otherwise may not have adopted for years. Asking our sales team to view SM2 as an adjunct (not a replacement) of the SoicherMarin brand took a leap of faith on their part as they had to adapt their own selling techniques to present both lines side by side and not diminish either. For me, I had to take my own leap of faith and trust the young eyes that were creating the line under my direction. Saying nothing, sometimes is the best edit one can make.

-em

I thought it would be fun to show you the process of how I work.

As you all know I love to collage to make inspiration books and I don’t think I ever posted these pictures, but here I am hard at work (in my living room). I have an accordian file of all my inspiring images and I have them grouped by size and mood and I pull them all out and try to create inspiring collages to get my brain moving when it stalls out.

 I was probably drinking coffee and watching some version of Real Houswives while working on these. To see the final images go here.

I thought I would do some collages for myself with some of the scrap sample prints we had laying around just for fun and they turned out pretty cool so I brought them in and scanned them and next thing you know they are framed and on their way to High Point!! It is exciting when that happens!

Here are the pieces framed and cataloged, I hope you all get to see them in person in High Point at our new showroom in the C&D Building.

There is a lot going on here at Soicher Marin, we’ve got some tricks up our sleeves for SM2 (yes we are still developing, it never ends) and big changes happening in general. We will be sharing it all soon and you guys are going to love it! So for now, while I am off working on the next big project (we have a new licenced collection coming out with a HOT HOT HOT designer) please enjoy these pictures of SM2 as it keeps pumping out from the factory. My favorite thing about working here is actually seeing the things I have stared at on my computer for hours and hours on end actually get printed and framed, that is when it becomes real, and there is a lot of that happening around here right now. I’m giddy with excitement to look through the stacks of art all around the office!

-tracy

When Ed is away, who does he leave in charge of the place? Daisy of course! She had a busy week in the office.

Starting the day off…

Lots of Important Meetings…

Crunching the Numbers

Designing the line

Checking out a sculpture, yep this will do.

Rewarding hard workers, it is important to show you care!

It’s been a long day…I think I need a vacation!

Ok, so as you all probably know, we are busy working on SM2 for the upcoming fall High Point Market. We are now in the process of printing and framing the samples that will go to the showroom. I wanted to share some of those pieces with you as we get them framed. This is just the beginning of a huge line that I think you all will LOVE when you see it in person. I wish I had a bigger house to hang it all in! I am so excited and am trying to figure out which pieces I want for myself ,  it is such a hard decision!!! This is the first round that have come out of the factory many, many  more to come!

Enjoy!

-tracy

We have been super busy around here getting the SM2 line ready for the OctoberHigh Point Market. I know it might seem a little early, but we still have a lot to do! We have to finalize all the sizing, make sure all categories are covered, create test prints, start framing, enter everything in the database, price, catalog, build a website, re-work weak ideas, and finally decide what makes the cut for High Point and what doesn’t. Now all of that wouldn’t be a problem if it was the only thing going on, but thankfully we are really busy with projects and orders on top of that so we are all running around trying to get everything done and consuming lots of coffee (well at least I am). Luckily we have a great team around here and I get a lot of help from my fav digital ladies Allison and Amanda !!(they did most of the stuff you see below)Woo Hoo!! So lets get to the good stuff…here are some more SM2 previews. I hope you all enjoy!!!

-Tracy

Everybody loves FREE STUFF and we’re here to dole it out…(a little). Be among the first FIVE (5) people to register on our e-commerce website as an Interior Designer with a RESALE certificate, and you will get this fun framed picture that the lovely Allison is holding, along with the cute T-Shirt (a SoicherMarin original) she’s wearing! The picture is part of our upcoming new collection called SM2. Below are a few teasers from the line. Good luck!

YOU ARE THE FUTURE.

Let that sink in for a moment.

If you are an independent designer working with limited or no resources in the way of staff, the home fashion world will soon beat a path to your door, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say: your computer.

Why? Modern business dynamics call for a shift in how our industry communicates and delivers its message. Whether it’s “new media”, social networking or the ubiquitous iPhone, the old model of jumping into your car or worse: an airplane, is an inefficient use of time and certainly not “Green”. Our vision is to liberate you from cross-town, cross-state and cross-country trips to view or buy products you can easily buy from your home or office.

Years ago the furniture giants treated designers as a nuisance, relegating them to a “distributor” (read RETAIL) outlet. In High Point, the major exhibition center would not let you in until their “official” bell rang and even then, you were categorized as a segmented part of the show. “Real buyers” had stores. The tide has turned however. Today, you are the impetus for tectonic market shifts in High Point and elsewhere. Where you were once shunned, you are now courted-big time.

With that in mind, this coming week we launch the e-Commerce component of our website. For the first time, you will be able to buy from our collection of designer art and wall decor without a sales person traveling to you, without the need to go to a design center or travel to a major Market. This may not sound like much if you live in L.A., San Francisco, Chicago or New York, but if you live in Ventura, CA or Sacramento or Springfield, IL or Albany or Jacksonville, you know the hours you spend in traffic just getting to the products. If you live in Louisville or Littlerock? Good luck.

We look to provide a full spectrum of options and grant full access to the Interior Design professional. Convenience and value are what you will get. You will be able to browse our entire catalog, save images, show clients (with or without pricing), view your discount options, buy and pay for your art and receive it freight-free within 2 to 3 weeks of placing your order. You can purchase 1 picture or as many as you need. No minimum: simple, efficient, empowering. -EM

Find out more at www.soicher-marin.com.