Donna Salyers, who describes herself as “CEO and janitress” of Fabulous-Furs fame, has a wave of sticky-fingered upscale hotel guests to thank for her new home catalog out this month— Fabulous-Home ... Where the Adventure Begins.

        It was a boost when Philippe Starck, designer for the Ian Schrager Hotel chain, with high-end inns in San Francisco (the Clift), Miami's South Beach (the Delano), Paris and London, ordered her sumptuous faux fur pillows and throws for the luxe suites. But when the orders kept coming again and again, Ms. Salyers had to ask why.

Donna Salyers with the fake fur pillows and throws that have become popular hotel souvenirs. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        Seems the well-heeled took more than a keepsake soap and shampoo tafter their stays. They were toting away her pillows and throws as mementos, prompting a swell of reorders to keep the rooms and lobbies stocked.

        “We're thinking, "Here are people all over the world walking out with our throws. How wonderful. People think they are as wonderful as we do,' ” says Ms. Salyers, who started in 1989 selling sewing kits to people who wanted to make their own fake fur coats.

        “In our Fabulous-Furs catalog, we started out with coats and added jewelry, then accessories for women who like the distinctiveness of ethnic prints.

        “We noticed a lot of customers were ignoring the coats and going right for the cheetah coasters, hand-painted zebra prints, salad bowls. We'd been thinking about that sort of thing for a year, and just before Christmas, we decided we should put put out a home catalog.

        “Our concept is to say life is an adventure. Here are things for the home, garden and patio to enhance it.”

        A director of merchandising, Susan Clayton, came on board, and “we have become world-class travelers,” looking for things to supplement the faux signature line, Ms. Salyers says.

        The catalog is heavy on animal-print products — jungle-theme plates, leopard-print coffee mugs, zebra-print rugs, a leopard birdhouse — with a big helping of patio, porch, bath and home decor items in brushed, antiqued metals, weaves and natural fibers.

        “We have a beverage cooler that can double as a planter, ledge planters for herbs ... even a hammock for a kitty and a faux fur tennis racket cover,” Ms. Salyers says. “It's all functional, but fun.”

        The Fabulous-Furs and Fabulous-Home businesses operate from offices in Covington — a small showroom on Madison Avenue, “that's about 1 percent of the business,” another building with four floors, and a just-purchased 110,000-square-foot warehouse.

        The first year of operation, Fabulous-Furs made $200,000.

        “Now we're approaching $5 million in sales annually, employing 20 to 40 people, depending on the season,” Ms. Salyers says.

        “It's not just me anymore, running around the basement like a chicken with its head cut off.”

        She and her business have rated a write-up in the Wall Street Journal, and People magazine has come calling.

        Despite the publicity, Ms. Salyers plays down her success:

        “I'm not sure I am used to the business world. I just do what I can every day. It's a learning process.

        “But I think it's significant when people who can afford anything choose us.”

        To request a home catalog, call (888) 443-3003.
       

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