Spending 15 years in the fashion industry and then morphing into furniture design and home furnishings, my first reaction is an absolute no.
In the fashion industry, we had to create and manufacture new collections every year. Yearly, is Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer, and Transitional Fashion Collections. Each had to be unique and vibrant and new. If we missed the mark on any one of the collections, our entire year could be a bust. That’s not to say it didn’t happen more than once. And then there were the knock off artists. Designing and manufacturing on a small platform afforded the flexibility and creative license to create out of the box products. But, sometimes these products were copied, very quickly, and distributed on platforms with larger market shares. Disheartening and flattering at the same time.
Is Furniture Fashion? Yes. And we are the runway.
The home furnishing industry moves at a little bit of a different pace. Forms and bodies are repeated season to season and year to year. The five time a year turnaround is not a factor. The pressures are different and unique. Just as fashion morphs and changes, interior design follows a similar course. One client may want a minimalistic approach to their environment, while another chooses to surround themselves with comfort and nostalgia. Either way, it is our responsibility to design and create that piece which is perfect for that person and their environment.
Furniture Fashion Trends
What I have been seeing in the furniture industry is a more fashionable approach to furniture collections. Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams have been presenting new forms and bodies, new colors and fabrics twice a year. This freshens the approach to presenting home furnishings in the store and showroom. The pressure comes from keeping current with the trends and color options that are being presented.
Is Furniture Fashion?
Yes. And we are the runway.