Behind the Brand with Perennials

What are the origins of the brand?

AS: After my husband David Sutherland and our business partner John Hutton founded Sutherland Furniture in 1994, we quickly realized we needed to find a solution for the lack of SOFT luxurious outdoor fabrics in the market. Everything at the time was of marine-grade quality and only available in harsh colors. We wanted fabrics that matched the echelon of our luxury outdoor furniture, so we all set off to find the ideal material. We settled on 100% solution-dyed acrylic fibers as they yielded the softest and most pliable yarn that we were able to spin textures out of, like velvets, bouclé, jacquards, and more. We of course had our first break by gaining distribution with all the Donghia showrooms (with immense gratitude to John Hutton in the early years) around the nation so that was a huge leap out of the box.

How did it get started?

AS: During the first few years, there was some trial and error! But that is to be expected as a trailblazer. We learned from each mistake and were the first brand to offer incredibly luxurious performance fabrics– and to bring them indoors! We were also the first innovators of luxury performance rugs. Progress isn’t always a straight line, but we have had an amazing team, some of whom, like Laura, have been here since the beginning over 25 years ago!

LH: A lot of perseverance!

What were the early successes of the brand?

LH: Sheer determination and perseverance meant that early failures fueled our efforts at creating the superior product we knew we could achieve. Our color direction from the beginning set us apart; no one else in the outdoor fabric business took the approach of design from a luxury, high-end aesthetic. So offering colors like Pistachio, Moss, Sunset, Fresco and Pearl meant the outdoor living space could now become a harmonious extension of the interior space. We also pushed ourselves to create constructions that had not yet been realized in solution-dyed acrylic: linen-like basketweaves, plush velvets and wool-like sateens. These were pioneers in moving this high-performance fabric into interior spaces.

What is exciting about the brand today?

AS: Our brand remains all about high quality innovative performance textiles for use indoors and outdoors. But now, we have leveraged what we started with to include high quality luxury performance rugs, either hand knotted or hand tufted, in order to answer the needs of the industry. We are constantly trying to innovate in design, color and constructions to supply not only the professional design trade, but also retail companies who serve the consumer directly. No one should be denied access to fine quality and good design.

LH: Bringing new products to the market has always been a key focus and means that we are always thinking about “what next?”. A sense of curiosity and creativity drives us to continually see new techniques and explore new product categories.

CM: Fantastically, some of the same things that were exciting when Perennials started! Our love of hand designed, and hand made products combined with our passion to bring innovation and luxury to the world around us continue to drive and inspire us in all that we do.

AW: Every collection allows us to present new colors, and a variety of fresh designs, which serves as inspiration for designers and can accommodate a wide range of creative preferences. We have showrooms across the globe, and we are passionate about attentively listening to our clients’ needs and preferences. We consider ourselves the ultimate resource for luxury performance designer fabrics, pillows, trims and rugs.

What has changed since the brand was founded?

LH: More people! More looms! More products! We have built out two world-class weaving facilities for our fabrics and rugs, so our own employees make our products.

AW: We have launched new collections of performance pillows, trims, and rugs, while continually innovating new textiles and rug constructions to stay ahead of the curve. Additionally, we spearhead collaborative collections with esteemed legends and icons of the design world.

CM: So much has changed just within the five years I’ve been with Perennials. We now exclusively make all our own rugs in India, having built there of our own facilities to house loom sand several hundred weavers and finishers. Our expansions in technology, combined with our respect of the artisanal craft of weaving, has allowed us to keep our attention to detail and quality at the forefront of our brand while expanding our showrooms domestically and across the globe.

What is significant about the brand being at 200 Lex?

AS: Being at the 200 Lex has been an important step to service the New York territory and expand our reach to new clients. Jim Druckman has been a dream to work with, and he has increased the visibility of this location with outstanding additions to the tenant mix. This location has taken over as the premier spot for Trade vendors to service the territory.

AW: We are extremely fortunate to be on the prestigious premier floor of The New York Design Center, which is the pinnacle resource for exquisite furnishings, fine textiles, artisanal rugs, and top-tier brands. Serving as the ultimate destination for designers, not only within the United States, but also internationally, 200 Lex solidifies its position as a cornerstone of the industry.

Are there any exciting things happening for the brand in the future?

AS: More of all! More new products–textiles, carpets, and a new category announcement coming in June, all branded Perennials. We will also be debuting more locations, as well as salespeople, to spread the word about our products and the appeal they present to modern day families and projects.

AW: While there is much we cannot divulge at the moment, we’re thrilled to announce our forthcoming Tufted Rug collection, scheduled for launch in April. We possess an insatiable curiosity, which drives us to constantly innovate and create.

CM: Always! We’re keeping the pedal to the metal and bringing more innovative luxury to our clients than ever before!

Where will the brand be in 5/10 years?

LH: In more homes! Continuing to bring beauty and innovation with new product, providing relevant products to elevate lifestyles, staying in tune with an ever-changing world and our clients’ desires.

What do you want people to know about the brand that they may not?

AS: Perennials continues to enjoy a very close relationship with professional interior designers and architects. They are the creative force that make projects special and offer collaborative ideas to keep the world looking fresh and exciting. We thrive because of these relationships, and how they advance this special art of architecture and design.

LH: The word “fun” is in our brand mission statement! The mission of Perennials is to invigorate the design universe with fun, resilient fabrics and rugs. We love what we do and love the products we create. We hope our clients feel a little bit of that love when they bring Perennials into their homes!

CM: I’m going to echo what Laura said, we LOVE what we do and will gladly spend hours telling you all about it! One of the first things people always seem surprised to learn is how much of our design and craftsmanship is completed in Dallas. Our fabric team is running trial samples and color blankets on looms while our rug team is designing rugs down to the single tied knot to create masterpieces for our clients. It’s a pretty spectacular sight to see!