Fashion struts (back) into the home!

Major fashion brands and smaller industry players put their names to thousands of objects for the home, with at least three different reasons underpinning these continual cross-sector liaisons. Elizabeth Leriche, director of the eponymous style consultancy and curator of one of the 'What's New?' zones that feature at each edition of the Maison&Objet trade fair, has been carefully observing the mutually beneficial bridges between the two sectors for years. Fashion and the home have, indeed, always shared the spotlight in La Double J’s collections, with the brand’s founder, American JJ Martin who has now made Milan his home, relentlessly blending the two worlds on all kinds of scales. Both individuals can offer a well-informed perspective on this fruitful, stimulating and often desirable unison.

When fashion meets lifestyle

“Fashion brands are now gaining a foothold in the lifestyle sector, selling us an all-encompassing way of life. We dress in their clothes and inhabit a world imbued with their essence.” The recent appointment of Pharell Williams as Creative Director for Louis Vuitton menswear only serves to further underscore Elizabeth Leriche's words. The fact that the brand has chosen to hire an artistic director with such wide-ranging talents – he started out in music before developing streetwear brands and then dabbling in design – provides a clear indication of the fashion world’s desire to branch out into other spheres. 
Sometimes, that foray into other areas makes a strong statement. Take the “Chairs” collection from fashion brand Loewe, for example, a series of seats transformed into one-of-a-kind creations by using artisan techniques to inventively shape raffia and leather, showcasing the Spanish firm’s creativity and expertise. “They show that the firm has its finger firmly on the pulse of the latest trends. It is a stylistic exercise that plays on the fact that artisan creations are currently very much in vogue. The brand is capitalising on its expertise” and ensuring it remains firmly in the spotlight by finding surprising new ways to shine. 
The collaboration between Gaetano Pesce and Bottega Veneta mirrors that approach. The airbrushed bags created by the iconic designer showcase the Italian fashion house's signature weave, with the highly theatrical immersive installation in the Via Montenapoleone store in Milan making for an extremely Instagrammable event. 
Up-and-coming brands such as La DoubleJ can really hold their own in this sphere: “For Fashion Week last September, we took over a tiny but extraordinary little trattoria in the centre of Milan. We made the cushions, curtains, menus, tables, window dressings, everything! It was like a full-on La DoubleJ dinner!” recalls JJ Martin. An operation that perfectly captured the brand’s essence and demonstrated its ability to saturate spaces with style. 

If the cloth fits... 

In this context, brands with long-established roots in the clothing industry have no problem whatsoever branching out into household textiles. Zara Home has, indeed, become a key player in the home decor sphere. A collaboration with Belgian designer Vincent Van Duysen, whose universe initially seemed worlds away from that of this fast-fashion empire, has recently injected new life into Zara’s homewares offering. At H&M Home, meanwhile, sheets, towels, rugs  and tea towels proudly take centre stage, surrounded by decorative objects and tableware, serving up a lifestyle that makes accessories a must. Just like fashionistas, we embellish our homes with throws and candles. 
It’s not just a market, it’s a mindset. One that’s upbeat and personal, if we follow JJ Martin's philosophy: ”Each colour has its own unique energy frequency, and I’m a firm believer in the mood-enhancing power of different patterns and hues. Lighter, brighter hues can lift a space’s mood, while richer, deeper tones can be more grounding and soothing, providing you with whatever you need or crave at that particular moment in time. Your home should reflect your innermost self and be a sanctuary, a place that brings you joy.”
The decision by La Double J’s founder to upholster Italian brand Kartell’s signature chairs with a range of truly eye-popping prints has resulted in some unapologetically joyful creations. Other joy-inducing designs include Raf Simmons’ fabrics for Kvadrat, or Gae Aulenti’s Locus solus armchair styled by Simon Porte Jacquemus for Exteta. Co-branding and capsule collections give design houses and manufacturers the opportunity to dip their toes into the world of fashion, and allow fashion designers to broaden their creative horizons by joining forces with interior design specialists. 

A veritable mindset 

The founder of Ma poésie initially launched her brand with a colourful range of scarves and stoles all jovially emblazoned with geometric motifs. Today, however, the graphic universe of Elsa Poux, a graduate of France’s National School of Decorative Arts (ENSAD) and author of a thesis entitled ”Matières vécues et à vivre du siège“, is now crossing the line into the lifestyle sphere with rugs and household linen. The lines between a designer’s training and their personal interests and passions are, indeed, often blurred, and frequently end up evaporating altogether, erased by the diversity of their collections. 
”Above all, La DoubleJ has always been a state of heart, a state of mind. (...) It didn’t take us long to start producing pieces for the home. The decision to launch all of these projects came entirely from the heart. They were all things that I personally loved and found exciting,” JJ Martin continues. ”La DoubleJ is all about luxuriance, audacity, fusion, exuberance,” deciphers Elizabeth Leriche. At the upcoming edition of Maison&Objet, Leriche’s pattern Factory promises to whisk us all off on a vibrant pattern-infused journey, inviting us to explore yet more ways of dressing our homes. 
 
Double J  
Ma Poésie