Home Time: In Search
Home is where the heart — and money — are at.
According to Fact.MR., the market research firm that studies homeware is expecting it to grow at a rate of 5 percent annually between 2021 and 2031.
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Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the fashion industry was quick to invest in homeware to replace lost growth.
The homeware industry is strong despite the elimination of lockdowns. There are more retailers and brands entering the market.
At.Kollective — the design project made up of designers Natacha Ramsay-Levi, Bianca Saunders, Isaac Reina, Kostas Murkudis and architect Bernard Dubois — will launch its e-store in January with made-to-order products and then a physical retail store will open in June.
Ecco Leather, a Danish shoe manufacturer/retailer, created the collective. It assigned each designer to create a capsule collection with ready-to wear, footwear/accessories, as well as a design piece.
“Fashion designers are people with a very close relationship with culture and society, maybe that’s why we have a great facility to widen our field of creation, it’s a playful and entertaining change,” Reina told WWD, adding that it’s “always very stimulating to change the field of work” into new territory.
“In my personal case I am developing small leather objects for the home to enrich our range and our general offer, I am very attracted to this category because it is still a field with many forms and functionalities to explore,” said Reina.
Designer Murkudis has been experimenting with glass from an early age — which at first started with objects that were part of exhibitions and videos in the context of fashion.
New Zealand-born fashion designer Emilia Wickstead Following the success of her line, she opened her London shop to sell homeware in December. Items in her line include heavy crystal water and wine vessels hand blown in Tuscany by artisan glassmakers for Giberto Venezia; table linens featuring embroidered geometric motifs produced in Tuscany by her mother Angela Wickstead; porcelain plates, made in Limoges, France, by heritage manufacturer Leglé, and silver plated cutlery handmade in small batches in Sheffield, England.
Poppy Lissiman, an Australian accessories brand, will be expanding its rugs line up to June. Oceanus swimwear label is launching embroidered cushions. Paul Smith, who shows no signs of slowing down, has already begun growing his home fragrances. collections.
However, it’s the smaller brands that are nurturing the idea of homeware by adding a spiritual touch to it.
“I feel that our customers who buy fashion and beauty want an entire lifestyle. People are spending more time at home and want their homeware to match the cool fashion and beauty brands they have,” said Joanna Nicole, founder of online Oxygen Boutique, which stocks Farm Rio, MZ Skin, Emma Lucky Rocks and more.
Nicole moved into the homeware market in 2021 to provide a 360-degree experience for her customers. She’s searching for new homeware brands and will be expanding her own collection, Cacuro, which combines crystals with ceramics.
Mariella Tandy is the founder of luxury jewelry brand Alemdara. She specializes in protection and luck symbols using the evil eye and hand hamsa.
Tandy began making platters and bowls while locked down as a way to procrastinate since she was spending so much of her time with her. family cooking. Within 24 hours, the idea was a huge success.
“Feedback from customers was that they loved the multipurpose aspect of our products — our small bowls in particular can be used for everything from a jewelry keeping bowl to serving starters,” said Tandy, adding that it ushered in more requests for custom orders for wedding and baby showers.
Cocktail size napkins have also become a hit with the Alemdara’s customers — in 2023 the line is extending and the brand is launching jewelry boxes in the first quarter of the new year.
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