The Forecast educational series will highlight which Las Vegas showrooms and exhibits will feature the latest trends in furnishings.

The Las Vegas Furniture Market, held January 28-February 1, 2008, will host a new three-part presentation called "The Forecast," in which experts will unveil the latest in color, the influence of fashion and fabric, as well as the hottest industry trends for the year ahead.

"The Forecast" educational series, featuring Pantone's Leatrice Eiseman, Merrill Greene of Stylesight, and Michelle Lamb of Marketing Directions, will highlight which Las Vegas showrooms and exhibits will feature the latest trends in furnishings. The seminar is free to Las Vegas Furniture Market attendees.

The seminar series is integrated with and inspired by Las Vegas Market's latest advertising campaign, which shows how the fashion runway influences today's interiors and how couture can move from the catwalk and into the home. The ads, tag lined with Home Furnishings' Runway and themed Preview the New World, utilize contemporary fashion images paired with furnishings to visually depict an "on-trend" experience and to indulge a passion for fashion in Las Vegas. The advertising campaign also underscores the fresh new product lines being unveiled at the semi-annual Market, according to Market officials.

"As the show and exhibitor base has grown and we have introduced fresh, design focused pavilions, Las Vegas Market has emerged as very fashion-forward event," said Dana Andrew, vice president of marketing and public relations for World Market Center. We expect this new educational series, like the Market itself, to be insightful, relevant and inspire buyers and designers in new ways."

On January 28 at 10:00am, Leatrice Eiseman of Pantone, Inc. will present The Forecast: Color Trends, The Most Directional Future Palettes. Color is a persuasive and pervasive communicator, affecting everything from the clothing people wear to the homes they inhabit. In the ever-evolving home furnishings world, where multiple design influences are felt, it is critical to be aware of future color trends and, most importantly, to understand how they impact the wants and needs of the consumer/client. Leatrice Eiseman explains the origin of color forecasts and shows examples of the most directional palettes for future selling seasons.

Eiseman is a color and trend consultant to a wide variety of industries, as well as the Director of the Pantone Color Institute. Named as one of the top international trend influencers by Fortune Magazine, she is the author of seven books on color, including "More Alive With Color" and "Color Messages and Meanings."

Merrill Greene, Creative Director for Stylesight, will present The Forecast: Fabric & Fashion on January 29, at 10:00a.m. Which runway collections shape the trends for the season and which ones fizzle? And which apparel trends go on to influence trends in the home furnishings industry? Greene will share her unique points of view regarding spring 2009 colors, fabrics and styling details from the runways, and explain which ones will impact the home furnishings industry.

Greene has been a leading visionary in trend forecasting for the fashion and design industries for more than 30 years. She first started her career as fabrics editor of Harpers Bazaar, and later in her career, as design director for brand concepts at Liz Claiborne, she built and led the company's corporate concepts. Merrill provides the kind of unique and thought-provoking commentary and image-heavy presentation that fashion experts, trends specialists and consumers alike love to hear.

On January 30, at 10:00a.m., The Forecast: Trendwatch Live!, co-sponsored by Accessory Merchandising, will be offered by Michelle Lamb of Marketing Directions Inc. Lamb examines the emerging styles, colors, categories, moods and motifs shaping the way people decorate in this special live edition of her popular, monthly Trendwatch column in Accessory Merchandising magazine. Attendees will discover why she is one of the most trusted trend authorities in our industry as she connects the dots between apparel, other cultural influences, international trade fairs and the latest furnishings—including up-to-the-minute examples snapped on-site in Las Vegas.

Lamb is founder and chairman of Marketing Directions Inc., which produces a full line of home furnishings trend and color forecasts, as well as the bi-monthly newsletter The Trend Curve™. Accessory Merchandising is the longest-running trade magazine serving the home accessories industry.

All seminars, except for "The Forecast: Trendwatch Live!" and "Brave New World Series" to be held at MGM Vista Ballroom and MGM Pavilion respectively, will be offered in World Market Center's Building B, World Forum on the 16th floor.