Navigating Two Brands & Bringing Fresh Innovation to Textiles
For over a decade, Melissa Katz has played a vital role in shaping the textile offerings at LebaTex, a Stacy Garcia company. As Sourcing & Product Manager, she leads the charge in bringing innovative, high-performance fabrics to market, working closely with mills, designers, and clients to deliver trend-forward, quality-driven textiles for hospitality, healthcare, and commercial interiors.
But what makes this role even more unique is the dual-brand structure of LebaTex and Stacy Garcia Studio—two companies with intertwined histories and distinct product identities. As a long-time collaborator with Stacy Garcia, Melissa has developed a deep understanding of how to curate, differentiate, and develop textile collections that align with both brands’ DNA while continuing to evolve with industry trends.
A Brand with a Legacy: The Evolution of Stacy Garcia & LebaTex
When Stacy Garcia founded LebaTex in 1999, all product development was exclusively created under the Stacy Garcia brand. However, as Stacy’s licensing business grew, she launched Stacy Garcia Design Studio, a separate entity that allowed her to expand into wallcoverings, flooring, tile, furniture, and more through partnerships with leading manufacturers.
With this shift, LebaTex continued producing Stacy Garcia’s Blue Label textile collections under a licensing model, while also expanding to develop its own LebaTex-branded fabrics. Today, LebaTex is promoted as “A Stacy Garcia Company”, leveraging both the designer’s influence and the company’s extensive textile expertise.
At the heart of LebaTex’s continued success is Melissa’s expertise in sourcing, trend forecasting, and product development. She works closely with mills and suppliers worldwide to ensure that each collection balances aesthetic appeal, durability, and performance.
“My passion has always been about finding the right materials and working collaboratively to develop textiles that bring a designer’s vision to life,” says Melissa. “With LebaTex, we’re not only carrying forward Stacy Garcia’s design influence but also creating fresh, innovative collections that respond to the needs of the market.”
LebaTex vs. Stacy Garcia: Two Brands, One Vision
While LebaTex remains rooted in the Stacy Garcia legacy, the two brands serve different purposes:
✔ Stacy Garcia Blue Label – A licensed brand under Stacy Garcia Design Studio, offering designer-driven textile collections with bold, trend-forward patterns and color palettes.
✔ LebaTex Collections – Developed in-house, LebaTex-branded textiles focus on performance, versatility, and market-driven designs tailored to hospitality, healthcare, and commercial projects.
“The way we approach each collection is unique,” Melissa explains. “For Stacy Garcia Blue Label, we focus on high-style, bold patterns that make a statement. With LebaTex, we lean into performance textiles, functional design, and meeting the needs of our contract clients.”
This dual-brand strategy allows LebaTex to cater to a broader range of designers, offering both high-impact statement fabrics and everyday performance essentials.
What’s Next? New Collections Coming Soon
Melissa and the LebaTex team are constantly working on new collections that push the boundaries of design, performance, and sustainability. This year, they are set to introduce an exciting new textile group that showcase:
Trend-Driven Designs – Inspired by Stacy Garcia’s trend forecasting, upcoming collections will feature fresh textures, colorways, and weaves designed to enhance any space.
Stay tuned for the latest collection launches!