Martha Stewart Shows Off Her Furniture

Martha Stewart gave 100 furniture dealers a private showing of her new furniture collection at a High Point showroom. It's the latest indication that she has no plans of letting her legal problems prevent her from doing what she does best: marketing everything from paint and carpet to sofas and dining room suites, reports the Associated Press.

"This might be the biggest thing ever to hit the furniture industry," says Alex Bernhardt, chairman and chief executive officer of Lenoir, N.C.-based Bernhardt Furniture Co. His company is moving forward with plans to unveil the Martha Stewart Signature Furniture collection at the International Home Furnishings Market in October. The collection will not appear in stores until March 2003.

Mr. Bernhardt announced the Martha Stewart license last November, before the first allegations of insider trading surfaced and began to tarnish her public image. He says the success of the dealer preview tells him the scandal has not hurt Martha Stewart's appeal with her most loyal fans.

Moderator Comment: Will the negative publicity surrounding Martha Stewart's securities dealings doom her new furniture line before it gets started?

Retailers selling Martha branded furniture can only hope that Ms. Stewart's cult of personality continues. [George Anderson - Moderator]

• Martha Stewart Collection Debuts - Associated Press