Eichholtz and The Met partner on extensive home furnishings collection

An estimated 150 pieces across accessories, furniture and lighting will be revealed at October High Point Market

HIGH POINT — This October, luxury furniture resource Eichholtz will unveil one of its largest collections in partnership with The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The Met has also partnered with other companies to launch licensed lines of bedding and linens, decorative art, accessories and furnishings.

But The Met X Eichholtz collection is expected to be the biggest presentation, featuring some 150 pieces in upholstery, case goods, lighting and accessories. Nearly a third of the mix will be furniture, and 50% will be accessories and 20% lighting, Alyssa Abrams, Eichholtz marketing director for the U.S., told Home News Now.

“Ours is actually going to be the largest because we have the whole home offering,” Abrams said of the product mix across different categories.

She said the museum approached Eichholtz with the idea for a licensed collaboration, probably over a year ago.

“Which was really exciting,” she said. “They are looking to expand their brand, taking the experience of The Metropolitan Museum of Art outside the confines of the museum and bringing it into people’s homes and sharing a little bit of that lifestyle.”

The companies said that this is a multiyear partnership that will offer seasonal collections “inspired by The Met, drawing on a varied range of influences from the over 2 million works of art in The Met’s holdings.” The Eichholtz furniture, lighting and accessories will be inspired art and motifs from around the globe that date back some 5,000 years.

“In keeping with The Met’s mission to bring art to life and lives to art, our collaboration with Eichholtz allows the museum a unique opportunity to bring the stories of art and culture into the homes of consumers around the world,” said Stephen Mannello, head of retail and licensing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. “We hope that these designs will become a treasured part of family legacies over generations, inspiring a continued love and curiosity about art and design.”

The museum plans to host a launch event at the museum in New York, but the High Point Market is expected to be the major launch for the industry, falling before a subsequent introduction at Maison et Objet in Paris the following January.

Although exact pricing has yet to be determined, the collection is expected to fall within typical Eichholtz price points, while also offering the same type of quality and design aesthetics that aim to appeal to customers around the world.

“It was designed with the intention to have global appeal,” Abrams said, noting that the museum’s offerings provide a mix of Greek, Roman, African, Egyptian and Middle Eastern references. “Because we do business in 105 countries, that is why you see a lot of references to Asian and European design that span across centuries. And that is why they approached us because we have this global appeal not only from a commercial standpoint, but also from a style standpoint.”

Company officials are also pleased at the multiyear aspect of the partnership as it will allow them to draw on many more design influences in The Met’s extensive collection.

“We are so proud to be working with The Met on this project,” said Michiel Herkemij, chief executive officer at Eichholtz. “We have immersed ourselves in the galleries of the museum to select iconic works of art alongside more subtle details of historic design that will inform our artistic approach to designing this unique collection. As lovers of art and design, this has been an unparalleled opportunity to explore The Met as an archive of historic design. We can’t wait to reveal this collection.”