Why bother with conventional home decor expertise when you can just throw a designer label on a throw pillow and call it a day?
Photo: Amer Collection by Ritu Kumar x Ashiesh Shah
Fashion and couture have long been synonymous with luxury, and creativity. In recent times, several eminent designers have expanded their creative horizons beyond couture, venturing into home decor to find new canvases to express their artistic flair. Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal, Gauri & Nainika, and Tarun Tahiliani have all enriched living spaces with their very own aesthetics.
Partnerships with Home Brands
Fashion designers are forging partnerships with established home decor brands to blend their signature styles with functional and aesthetic home products. These collaborations often result in exclusive collections that bring the designer's vision into living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. By tapping into the expertise of home brands, fashion designers can ensure that their aesthetic translates into home decor items, from bedding and furniture to kitchenware.
Designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee partnered with Nilaya, a subsidiary of Asian Paints specializing in wall coverings, to launch a lavish home collection. The collection, a symphony of opulence and tradition, is divided into five captivating stories: India Baroque, Makhmal, Jodhpur, Spice Route, and Varanasi. Each wallpaper bears the mark of the Sabyasachi Art Foundation, where artists hand-render the intricate designs.
Curated Home Lines
The development of curated home lines is a significant avenue for fashion designers to channel their creativity into home decor. By crafting collections specifically tailored for home environments, designers can offer a cohesive range of furnishings, textiles, upholstery, and drapery that reflect their taste and design sensibilities. These curated home lines provide a comprehensive solution for consumers who desire a unified aesthetic in their living spaces.
Ritu Kumar, a stalwart in the Indian fashion industry, ventured into home decor with her eponymous brand's home line. Launched in July 2019, Ritu Kumar Home featured a diverse range of furnishings, wallpapers, homeware, and upholstery. The collections, numbering ten in total, drew inspiration from Indian textiles, motifs, and prints sourced from various corners of the country.
Limited Edition Collections
The allure of exclusivity is a driving force behind limited edition collections in both fashion and home decor. Fashion designers often release limited runs of home products, creating a sense of rarity and desirability. This approach not only caters to the collectors' mentality prevalent in the fashion industry but also allows designers to experiment with unique materials, textures, and designs that may not be feasible for mass production.
In 2016, celebrated designer Rohit Bal introduced his first home collection, "Husn-e-Taairaat," in collaboration with Good Earth. The collection, featuring home decor and dining pieces, comprised less than ten unique styles, with certain items produced in extremely limited quantities. Notably, some pieces, like the special tall vase, were crafted in sets of three, emphasizing the rarity and individuality that defines the world of luxury home decor.
The trend of fashion brands channeling into home decor signifies a democratization of design, where consumers can curate a living space that resonates with their preferred aesthetic.
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