This year marks a whole decade since we first brought Art Hide to the US, and what an experience it's been! From a single trade show booth to hundreds of projects across the country, our journey in America has been one of the proudest chapters in our story so far.
Where It All Began: Atlanta 2016
Our US journey started in January 2016, when we headed to Atlanta for AmericasMart, our very first international trade show, and our first real step into the American market. We were not entirely sure what to expect, but knew we wanted to bring Art Hide's fifth-generation craftsmanship and our proprietary color range to a country we knew would appreciate cowhide the way we do.
By the time we returned to the US for our third tour in 2017, we'd already seen huge growth in the market in just a year, and we brought the whole family along for the ride - three stops, Atlanta to Las Vegas to New York, with the kids in tow the entire way. Looking back on that trip, some of our favorite memories aren't even about the hide rugs: like our first customer of the tour discovering she'd chosen the exact same color we had, or squeezing in a family trip at Disneyland after our first show. But what really stuck with us was the reception: hundreds of conversations with designers, retailers and stylists who showed our designs a level of love and appreciation we weren't expecting so early on.
We love our second home in the States and look forward to continuing to meet new clients and work on all manner of residential and commercial projects. Kura Perkins (co-founder)
A Decade of Growth
In the years since those early tours, we've had the privilege of working on hundreds of projects across the US, partnering with interior designers and homeowners on everything from a single statement rug to large-scale commercial fit-outs. We've kept showing up at the shows that matter — from New York to High Point, Las Vegas and Los Angeles — and built collaborations with an incredible range of design partners along the way, including our collection with celebrated New York designer and friend, Sasha Bikoff, which brought a bold, maximalist energy into the Art Hide world.
Our growth has been steady, year on year, and we're proud that we now have territory sales reps supporting our clients right across the country, a level of on-the-ground support we simply didn't have in those early trade-show days.
Why We Love the US Market
Part of what's made the US feel like home is a market that already understands hide as a material, and one so diverse that there's something in our range for nearly every style. Our product offering is the same range we're known for everywhere, but with our Los Angeles warehouse alongside our Australian roots (Perth HQ), our American clients get faster access to everything we make.
Looking Ahead
We're not chasing rapid expansion in the US. Our Los Angeles warehouse continues to service the whole country, and our focus stays on deepening the relationships we've built with the designers and clients who've become part of the Art Hide family.
Find out more about our Trade Program or get in touch for for any queries on a custom hide rug for your space.