Home Is Where The Art Is: The Fashion Of Home Décor
More and more, we are seeing a crossover of fashion and beauty brands into the home décor and lifestyle sector. But in our current cultural climate, this hardly comes as a surprise. In a world where brands are no longer selling specific products as much as they are selling lifestyles — aspirational ones, at that — it only makes sense that more and more companies are capitalizing on this opportunity by tapping into the no-longer-dormant home goods market.
The success of the homeware sector is largely due to the fact that consumers are hungry for something that is more experiential, rather than focusing on simple functionality. “It's about creating a complete lifestyle experience for the consumer,” says Allyson Rees, senior retail lifestyles editor at forecasting service WGSN, who has been tracking the trend.
For every bombshell who's ever wanted to bathe in Chanel No. 5, there's now a figurative possibility for that. Many of our favorite designers have launched successful lifestyle projects that marry the everyday functionality we need in our living spaces with the beauty and innovation we swoon over on the runways. At glitzy stands, galleries and historical homes during Milan Design Week and Maison et Objet, luxury labels showed their capable hands at homeware. Armani debuted the sleek, minimalist Armani/Casa, featuring everything from custom upholstery to beds, tables, chairs, rugs, and lighting. At Versace, the inimitable Italian vibe permeated everything from bathrobes to bedding and dinnerware, while Hermès showed off their iconic chic whimsy on a plethora of homewares including coffee mugs, trays, and picture frames — even a deck of cards. And there’s nothing to stop beauty brands from getting in on the action, too; in addition to skincare products, California-based Herbivore constantly sells out of a number of new age lifestyle products, including crystals, batik throws, adaptogenic herb blends, books, tarot cards, and more.
Looking at the big picture, homeware sales still make up a very small slice of overall revenue, which means the category is not getting the attention it deserves from top management — but that's all about to change. As consumer focus increasingly tilts toward the lifestyle-centric, more and more brands will add their contributions to the mix. Even fast fashion outlets such as H&M and Zara have added home décor items to their retail offerings. Beyond finding a home in our closets and medicine cabinets, these brands are now adding color and vibrancy to the way we live our lives.
From private label collections to promotional accessories, homeware items are part of a buzzing market that is sure to continue growing. From trinket trays and picture frames to calendars, throws, and much more, the time is ripe for fashion and beauty brands to create exciting new bespoke products that can inject their brand visions with a dose of home-sweet-home.
