ASHEVILLE, NC - As the Biltmore licensed products program marks its 25th anniversary this year, Capel Rugs is saluting the brand's special milestone in the home furnishings industry and celebrating a continuing partnership with Biltmore that has flourished for more than a decade. 

Mary Clara Capel, director of administration and Canadian sales manager of Capel Rugs told RugNews.com that the current lineup of Biltmore licensed rugs includes 33 designs, many of them dating back to the launch of the program. "This speaks to the classic and enduring style of Biltmore. From the beginning we wanted to partner with Biltmore, as both our brands speak to quality, North Carolina and family-owned." she explained.

Capel says the line resonates with consumers because it runs the gamut from authentic reproductions such as Biltmore's Legacy Collection to "inspired designs" like the successful Orchard House rings and Arrondelle Baroque patterns.  "Our Balustrade design is inspired by the ironwork bannister in the main stair foyer [of the estate], while the Arrondelle Baroque rug is taken from a ceiling design," she said.

"It is creative overload whenever I go to Biltmore on inspiration trips. There are so many details to pull from: ceiling designs, stonework carvings, ironwork, even the weathervanes on the greenhouse. The huge iron gates at the entrance to the estate were reproduced in our Gatehouse outdoor rug," Capel said.

Biltmore licensing traces its roots to April 1990, when Diana Cecil Pickering, vice chairman of the Biltmore board and great granddaughter of Biltmore founder George Vanderbilt, began visiting potential licensing partners at the High Point Market. Following a warm reception, Pickering and her partners began developing product ideas for a new licensed brand, seeking out beautiful and interesting items from George Vanderbilt's collection that would be useful and inspiring for consumers.

The initial licensing program - called Biltmore Estate Reproductions - focused on creating exact reproductions and adaptations of select Biltmore originals. Early products included a candelabrum from the Biltmore Library and Napoleon's chess table found in the Morning Salon.

Over time, evolving with the market, the Biltmore's product scope grew to encompass interpretations as well as new designs incorporating elements from across the estate. Product designers from all home furnishings categories take their inspiration directly from Biltmore, capturing the gracious lifestyle of this one-of-a-kind National Historic Landmark located on 8,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, N.C.

"The success of our licensing program reflects the power of the Biltmore brand and its steady growth over the years," said Tim Rosebrock, vice president and general manager of Biltmore's Licensed Products Division. "Our greatest strength lays in the rich legacy of the Vanderbilt family, our unwavering commitment to quality and the trust that consumers place in our brand." 

Biltmore attracts more than 1.2 million visitors a year, and the company is experiencing very solid business growth, Rosebrock added. "Today, consumers connect with Biltmore in so many ways - from visits to the estate and overnight accommodations to our highly successful wine business. The estate's hotel operations will expand this Fall with the opening of the new Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate. Our licensing program extends the Biltmore experience for our guests, enabling them to enhance the beauty and comfort of their own homes with products available from over 10,000 retailers across the U.S. and internationally."

Designed to reflect Biltmore's heritage of hospitality, craftsmanship, quality and design, the licensing program encompasses three distinct categories of product: home furnishings, bath and body, and gourmet and entertaining. In home furnishings, the current wholesale licensing partner roster includes five companies in addition to Capel Rugs: Artaissance, paper and canvas wall art; Fine Furniture Design, furniture and upholstery; Habersham, custom furniture and cabinetry; Larson-Juhl, custom framing; and Wildwood Lamps & Accents, decorative lighting and accessories. Wildwood is the newest licensing partner, having signed on in the winter of 2015, but many of the other licensees have been with the program for more than five years. Like Capel, Habersham and Capel has been a partner for over 10 years.

"We have a tremendous group of licensees that are committed to providing quality products and leveraging the brand," said Rosebrock. "They deserve an immense amount of credit for making our program what it is today. Working together, we've created a line of popular and exclusive products that captures the unique feeling and heritage of Biltmore."

In 2014, Habersham celebrated its 10th anniversary in partnership with Biltmore by introducing signature anniversary pieces inspired by architectural elements in the Louis XV room. Fine Furniture Design added a second furniture collection, Collector's Room, which was inspired by George Vanderbilt's travels to Europe, Asia and North Africa. Capel Rugs also expanded its Biltmore offerings last year, introducing the Legacy collection of hand-knotted traditional Persian designs.

During 2015, several Biltmore partners plan to add new merchandise to the program. At the April High Point Market, Habersham will expand its offerings to include custom cabinetry for the kitchen and bathroom. Later in the year, at the October High Point Market, Wildwood Lamps will introduce its first Biltmore lighting and decorative accessories collection.

"Our manufacturing partners are always on the lookout for new pieces and collections to develop, which keeps the line vibrant and relevant to emerging market needs," said Donnette Miller, licensing director for home furnishings. "There's no shortage of inspiration to draw upon. The collection in Biltmore House alone contains more than 70,000 fine art objects and antiques, covering a wide range of design periods."

In addition to ongoing collaborations with its licensed manufacturers, Biltmore also has a strong direct-to-retail licensing partnership with Belk, the nation's largest privately owned department store with more than 300 stores in 16 Southern states. Belk joined Biltmore as a partner in 2005, focusing on home textiles. Since then, the partnership has grown to be Biltmore's most in-depth, offering a full range of luxury products for every corner of the home - from cookware and serveware to bath and bedding and holiday products. Biltmore is carried in every Belk store and on Belk.com.

"There is a terrific fit between our companies. Belk has leveraged Biltmore into an extremely successful franchise," said Lydia VanderVoort, licensing director for Belk. "We are extremely pleased to be moving into the second decade of our partnership with Belk this year."

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Biltmore will conduct a consumer sweepstakes in late summer. The grand-prize winner will receive Biltmore merchandise to create a beautiful master bedroom, and five other silver winners will be awarded a selection of Biltmore products. During 2015, Biltmore will continue building consumer awareness of its licensed products through regular ads in Traditional Home and Southern Lady magazines. A dynamic website, communicating with guests during and after their visits, and social media activity will be staples in the efforts to promote Biltmore products and drive consumers to retailers.

04.01.15