Belle Maison Weathers Tariff Storm; Turns to Spanish, Turkish Sourcing
November 18, 2025
Liz Romano and the Martinique by Belle Maison
NEW YORK–”Belle Maison is a successful boutique converter that shifted its sourcing from China years ago in favor of Turkiye and Spain,” says Liz Romano, a principal of the firm.
“This has led to new tariffs requiring internal IT modifications, an almost endless readjusting of pricing. “Since Covid, We’ve all had issues every year with transportation costs, energy costs, raw material costs and now tariffs,” she says. “These constant changes have given purchasing agents an endless workout.”
Belle Maison specializes in digital prints and drapery sheer fabrics. It maintains a fulltime staff of 10+ employees including a chief designer who develops exclusive collections with outside designers. Romano emphasizes her company has a competitive edge through quality design, coloration, and affordability, having moved away from commodity items like plain fabrics. She notes all Belle Maison prints are digital, and they have been sourcing prints from Spain since 2013 or 2014, valuing Spain's quality control and environmental responsibility.
Every new collection contains what she calls a “conversational” print design which “wakes up the customer who can tire of looking at traditional and transitional fabrics.” Prints are 60 percent of Belle Maison’s business today, all in the $10-$18 price range. “We are very quick to make changes as a small, boutique firm,” she says, “especially in a volatile market.”
In addition to prints, Belle Maison stocks commodity voiles and batistes which are sold in volume from its own warehouse.
Romano says Belle Maison has maintained a consistent base price since 2022 and worked hard to absorb the extra tariffs as often as possible with her suppliers and customers despite dollar devaluation, rising mill costs, and increased transportation costs, opting instead to list tariffs clearly on the invoice.
Romano explains that tariffs for Turkey and Spain started at 10% before increasing to 15%. “Spain introduced a unique structure where duty plus tariff could not exceed 15%, necessitating internal IT system modifications to calculate tariffs based on commodity codes rather than just country of origin,” she adds.
Tariff Omissions:
In the previous item on the subject of US Tariffs on imports, Egypt, Morocco and Turkiye were not listed.
The US import tariff for these three countries is now 10%.
“This has led to new tariffs requiring internal IT modifications, an almost endless readjusting of pricing. “Since Covid, We’ve all had issues every year with transportation costs, energy costs, raw material costs and now tariffs,” she says. “These constant changes have given purchasing agents an endless workout.”
Belle Maison specializes in digital prints and drapery sheer fabrics. It maintains a fulltime staff of 10+ employees including a chief designer who develops exclusive collections with outside designers. Romano emphasizes her company has a competitive edge through quality design, coloration, and affordability, having moved away from commodity items like plain fabrics. She notes all Belle Maison prints are digital, and they have been sourcing prints from Spain since 2013 or 2014, valuing Spain's quality control and environmental responsibility.
Every new collection contains what she calls a “conversational” print design which “wakes up the customer who can tire of looking at traditional and transitional fabrics.” Prints are 60 percent of Belle Maison’s business today, all in the $10-$18 price range. “We are very quick to make changes as a small, boutique firm,” she says, “especially in a volatile market.”
In addition to prints, Belle Maison stocks commodity voiles and batistes which are sold in volume from its own warehouse.
Romano says Belle Maison has maintained a consistent base price since 2022 and worked hard to absorb the extra tariffs as often as possible with her suppliers and customers despite dollar devaluation, rising mill costs, and increased transportation costs, opting instead to list tariffs clearly on the invoice.
Romano explains that tariffs for Turkey and Spain started at 10% before increasing to 15%. “Spain introduced a unique structure where duty plus tariff could not exceed 15%, necessitating internal IT system modifications to calculate tariffs based on commodity codes rather than just country of origin,” she adds.
Tariff Omissions:
In the previous item on the subject of US Tariffs on imports, Egypt, Morocco and Turkiye were not listed.
The US import tariff for these three countries is now 10%.
