A strong, and undeniable link between runway fashion and interior design has always existed but in recent years the two have fused to a point where the one has a significant influence over the other.
Fashion is not just about the clothes we wear or the outfits we put together, it dominates much of our day to day lives from the homes we live in to the offices we work in and the cars we drive. Everything, it seems, is governed by fashion trends.
One area where fashion has been particularly pervasive is in our homes and it is not uncommon now to sleep on Calvin Klein bedding or sit on Ralph Lauren chairs. Designers have been putting their names to high street homeware since the 1980s but it is only really in recent years that their designs have become more accessible with many more high profile designers such as Jean-Paul Gautier, Gucci and Armani all adding home lines to their runway collections translating couture techniques and details into upholstery and wallpaper. This in turn has resulted in interior design firms expanding to include a fashion component or working closely with fashion designers to offer bespoke services to clients.
Where once there was a definite gap between the catwalk and home decorating stores, today, the world of fashion is a significant driver and inspiration of the world of interiors design with furniture stores closely reflecting the latest season’s fashion trends.
Equally, the fashion houses are not afraid to borrow from the world of interiors. Yung Wong admits to admiring the architect Zaha Hadid and has openly reproduced her style using geometric mosaics that replicate vector graphics in some of his designs.
The similarities between fashion designers and interior designers are striking. Both share the same playground studying trends, sketching designs, selecting colours and fabrics and both experimenting with colour and material combinations. And of course there is always a captivating connection between the materials both select and the story we try to create. It is always interesting to see how fashion trends are adapted in the world of interiors and the ensuing parallel trends.
We should bear in mind though, that while there is a connection between fashion and interior design, they are still quite different. Fashion trends are usually a more vanishing, fleeting and passing trend with new collections coming out each season. But as a general rule we don’t tend to redecorate our homes that often. However, they both are an effective vehicles for self-expression allowing individuals to create their own identity through the way they dress or the way they furnish their homes.
Today’s social media culture means it is not difficult to stay up to date with what is happening in the world of fashion and because of this accessibility the gap we once had between fashion and interior design is much narrower now. In the past haute couture was reserved for just a select few with the majority having to wait until catwalk reports were published in the fashion magazines before getting a glimpse of the latest season’s trends. Today all that is required is a simple search on the internet to see the latest designs and collections from the top designers. Likewise it is very easy for consumers to create a connection between how they dress and how they decorate their home with influences from one rubbing off on the other.
By Elie Choucair, Associate Partner
