MOSCOW, Russia — Starik Hottabych, a 36 store home furnishings chain, is seeing growth in its window covering business of five percent each year and is increasing its purchases with mills and wholesalers on a 50/50 basis according to Natalia Vysotskaya, category manager, interiors division.

She is buying fabric from Italy, Belgium, Germany Spain and Turkey in medium to high levels unlike the competition in the mass market. “The Chinese are not so strong in window decoration in Russia today but this may change in a few more years,” she felt. “The Turkish suppliers are forward thinking. Sometimes they are selling us Chinese goods and embroidery brought from India.

“The typical customer is young, in the 25-45 year old age group,” said Vysotskaya. She is buying fabric in the eight Euro to 35 Euro price range for the stores and the business is growing at least five percent a year, she said. Natalya Vysotskaya

“We keep 1,000 items in stock at all times. We also offer the consumer hand drawn plans of their custom curtains free and simple sewing is also free on special window days in June,” she explained. “This is a very competitive business but customers look at their windows as status symbols whole upholstery is looked at in a very different way. Upholstery is utilitarian and not much time is spent purchasing it,” she said.

Starik stands for a folk character in the Russian culture and Russians are very familiar with this character, she said.