“Fashion is like architecture or design: it’s just a matter of proportions.” Those were the famous words of French designer Coco Chanel. Often co-existing in conjunction with one another, the fine line separating fashion and furniture have long blurred. Whilst they represent different forms of artistic expression, they remain closely aligned, especially with multidisciplinary art becoming more prominent in creative spaces.
As of late, more fashion designers are beginning to expand into the world of interior design. The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art explored this new creative language in a 2004 exhibition, entitled ‘Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the Eighteenth Century’. Visitors were treated to a series of clothing and furniture from 18th century France that were greatly influenced by Rococo and Neoclassical interiors.
When it comes to runway shows, Hussein Chalayan’s autumn/winter 2000 collection remains a pivotal moment in melding both worlds. The Turkish fashion designer transformed four chair covers and a wooden coffee table into various dresses and a skirt. The show was inspired by refugees of war who were forced to flee their homes. The furniture and household items that seamlessly turned into dresses represented their worldly possessions that they had to carry on their backs. The collection also had a personal significance to Chalayan, given the designer’s Turkish Cypriot heritage and the conflict that occurred in that area during the late ’70s. As such an unorthodox and theatrical presentation was rarely seen at the time, the audience broke into rapturous applause following the stellar presentation.
With more fashion designers incorporating furniture into their runway shows (think Moschino autumn/winter 2022 where creative director Jeremy Scott sent models down the runway dressed as lamps, vases and clocks), it is about time fashion and furniture are seen as intertwined. Below, Vogue takes you through furniture favourites in the fashion space, from abstract designs to timeless collections.
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Rick Owens
Rick Owens has cultivated a legion of fans over the years with his bold and unorthodox designs. The designer’s eponymous label’s furniture line is no different. Rick Owens’ furniture is often sculptural and brutalist in design, using industrial materials like unpolished wood and steel as the main components. Unique objects such as stag horns add a certain level of pizzazz to the otherwise minimal pieces, which include bronze chairs and leather sofas.
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Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades collection
Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades collection is an ode to travel and art, with its collection of furniture and household objects often made in collaboration with internationally renowned artists.
In 2012, the fashion label invited an impressive lineup of artists which included famous architects Andrè Fu and India Mahdavi to collaborate on the first Objects Nomades collection, featuring “functional furniture pieces and design objects”. To date, many other designers and furniture makers have contributed to the one-of-its-kind creations at the French fashion house, ranging from hammocks to foldable stools.
Shop Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades here.
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Hermès
Known to be the pinnacle of luxury fashion, Hermès offers a stunning collection of furniture, textiles, ceramics and wall coverings. The renowned fashion label first launched its homeware products in 2011, with its first set being crafted by Enzo Mari, Antonio Citterio and RDAI Studio—three iconic names in furniture design.
The collections feature everything from ergonomically designed chairs to elegant plush sofas. While its products may seem understated, the unparalleled quality and craftsmanship of the maison ensures the house remains at the forefront of luxury.
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Ralph Lauren Home
One of the first American fashion houses to enter the home decor business, Ralph Lauren Home was launched in 1983. The brand’s house codes of honouring traditional Americana is infused within its furniture, which boasts a wide range from beddings to bookshelves.
The pieces are made to last, with a focus on four signature RL motifs: Thoroughbred, New England, Jamaica, and Log Cabin. Often, the pieces are reimagined staples of vintage furniture from as early as the ’40s. According to designer and founder Ralph Lauren himself, the home decor products are designed to be “beautiful and unique, with an eye for attention to detail”.
Shop Ralph Lauren Home here.
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Armani/Casa
The eponymous Italian fashion label was founded by fashion designer Giorgio Armani in 1975 and opened its home decor line Armani/Casa in 2004. Armani/Casa is centered around modernism, with its bespoke furniture made from elegant textiles and precious materials. Emerald green quartzite, tempered glass, and satin-finish brass are among the materials used for some of these items, highlighting the design philosophy of the brand: elegance, essentiality and simplicity.
The line designs for exotic villas, luxurious hotels, private planes and even yachts all across the world, with the acclaimed Armani hotel in Dubai as a prime example.
Shop Armani/Casa here.
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Versace
The iconic Italian fashion house forayed into home decor in 1992 with textiles and porcelain dinnerware, gradually expanding to luxury furniture which included leather sofas and lighting.
Versace’s furniture are exquisite pieces of art due to the use of Baroque and Greek motifs, similar to the house’s garments. The brand pieces are loud and eye-catching, with their products seemingly befitting of a palace. Bold colours of gold, red and blue seem to be the primary colours used in the maximal designs, with brass and velvet silk as the main materials.
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Off White
Virgil Abloh’s tenure in fashion was significant and impactful, with one of his most notable traits being his penchant for collaboration. His work often combined art and street culture with fashion, and that influence trickled down to the furniture sold by the label.
Best known for its collaboration with Swedish furniture brand Ikea, the “Markerad” collection was made up of inexpensive yet well-crafted decorative pieces. It combined contemporary art culture, street art culture and Ikea’s Scandinavian product aesthetic.
Shop Off White furniture here.
