Fashion Interior Motives
Among other things, this spring could be known as the season when the term “fashion insider” takes on a new meaning. That’s insider as in interior, as in interior decoration. As in a print of a Baroque molding blooming out of the bodice of a striped Prada dress, or Rodarte’s collection of grainy faux-bois tops and skirts inspired in part by Stephen Shore’s photographs of 1970s suburban interiors.
Wearing an interiors-inspired look isn’t difficult. It’s an entirely manageable and stylish hop from wall to dress when it comes to the multitude of wallpaper-style prints. Take the immediate appeal of the neat and ladylike dresses from Jonathan Saunders. Their fruity-hued prints hint at flocked floral wallcoverings. Some do more than hint. Designer Henry Holland plucked his decadently glamorous banana leaf print straight from the walls of iconic New York restaurant Indochine after picking up the tome marking its 25th anniversary, “Indochine Stories: Shaken, and Stirred.” And at Rochas, designer Marco Zanini’s endless parade of ornate florals may reference scarves but they undeniably began in the homewares department. Clearly he had the topic on the brain when he asked fabric mill Bucol to recreate a vintage 1930s wallpaper for his following collection.
What’s interesting is that the fashion world is giving wallpaper something of a second wind. “Wallpaper has been saturated in terms of interiors,” said set designer Stefan Beckman. “But I think now fashion designers are looking at those kinds of prints in different ways to reinterpret them.” Mr. Beckman stands squarely at the intersection of fashion and furniture having worked closely with Marc Jacobs on his elaborate runway environments for many seasons and on photo shoots with Karl Lagerfeld, whose historic mansion on Lake Champlain he decorated. “Most designers have a clear vision of things they like and dislike,” Mr. Beckman said. “Their personal spaces reflect that.” He reported that Mr. Jacobs, who is renovating his New York apartment, is currently jonesing for ’20s-era antiques. “I feel like there’s an appreciation, and a lot of designers can take and reinterpret their design in an interior space,” Mr. Beckman said of the two aesthetic disciplines.
Laura Ashley and Lilly Pulitzer are both infamous for their take on the cross-sell of fabrics between interior design and fashion. It makes alot of sense from a financial and marketing standpoint. I suppose it could be a bit awkward if you happen to be wearing a dress that matches someone’s upholstery and drapes.