HIGH POINT, N.C. — Spring is here and the world’s largest home furnishings industry trade show is wrapping up its final day in High Point. This year the show focused on doing something different by adding influencers into the space to help reach a new audience. They partnered with people whose brands bring in audiences from different backgrounds.
“Really important to sit, feel, touch the furniture so that you’re able to take it back to your clients and give them the depth, because it’s something that you can’t get through the computer,” said Mia Johnson, an interior designer.
Johnson is on a tour of Hooker Furnishings inside the High Point Furniture Market.
“It makes you feel really comfortable. [I] recommend these products to your client,” Johnson said.
She’s an interior designer from Michigan and is one of 10 design influencers on a two-day tour of showrooms in the market.
“We’re responsible for reporting back for what we find. And the really cool thing is a lot of the brands have taken a lot of time to really make it special for us,” Johnson said.
The High Point Furniture Market is an exclusive sneak peek of upcoming styles and trends from furniture manufacturers all over the world. And being on this tour gives Johnson a way of giving an inside look for her followers on social media.
“A quick way to get your work out. A lot of times, clients, our potential clients, are interested in seeing a little behind the scenes. It’s something that gets a sneak peek into the world that you’re not able to put on your website,” Johnson said.
This tour also gives them a chance to make connections, network with vendors and learn the history of the different companies. But, for Johnson as a Black woman, she said it also helps with diversity.
“Statistically there are only 3% junior designers that are Black. And so it does really change the landscape. I’ve been coming to market since 2021, and it’s really diverse,” Johnson said.
And it gives her a chance to be in different spaces and be a voice for others.
High Point Furniture Market ends Wednesday.