Trend Tracker Discusses Fusion of Fashion & Home Furnishings

Furniture World Magazine

Jayne Mountford, director of trend reporting for Stylesight, enlightened Las Vegas Winter Market attendees about the growing overlap between fashion and furnishings in a seminar sponsored by Furniture Style magazine. Stylesight is a leading provider of trend forecasting and product development tools for creative professionals in the fashion and style industries. Jayne Mountford has more than 20 years of experience working in the U.S. fashion and retail industries. Mountford said the home furnishings industry is more in tune with the runway now than ever before. The internet, television and technology are all huge influencers in this area, according to Mountford. Consumers want what they see on YouTube and on MTV’s “Cribs.” She showed fashion collections for spring/summer 2009 and corresponding images in the home furnishings arena. “Trends come from the same place and from the world in general.” Mountford put the trends in the context of global trends and forecasted four major trends for Spring 2009 -- each related to the elements. “We looked to nature overall as the inspiration for the season.” FLOAT The “float” trend relates to the sky and the sea and features the home as a quiet sanctuary. The look is marked by a range of clear blues and icy, cold pastels anchored with grays, plus lighter-than-air fabrics in layers and laser-cut. We are seeing prints and florals in fashion and furnishings with fluid lines that mimic ripples of water along with wave motifs on upholstery. Animal motifs are also important in furniture and fashion. Mountford showed sleek glass accessories, an origami-like dish, ‘50s style paper lanterns coming back into fashion and more designs inspired by wings and waves. ROOT Grounded in the idea of all things to do with the countryside and the beauty of nature, watch for a range of earth tones, particularly moss and sage greens mixed with gray, plus dusty mid-toned pinks and blues. Product takes inspiration from trees, pods, mushrooms, roots and leaves. Abstract camouflage continues to be a huge trend along with natural-colored snakeskin. Revamping vintage novelty plaids into intricate patterns recalls thrift shop chic. Sustainable and recycled materials are increasingly important each season, but now with something new and fresh in terms of design. Products, too, resemble aspects of nature, such as a velvet that looks mossy or resemble the veins of a leaf or petal and glassware that looks like stems. And look for artisnal, rough-hewn styles. HEAT This ethnic, global trend relates to the element of fire and hints at modern multi-culturism. Along with the expected colors of red, orange, green and teal blue, we’ll see spicy shades like brown, indigo and purple working off a neutral base. Materials are in khakis, crinkled silk and cottons. Prints are working together, along with tropical florals and animal prints mixed together in new, bright colors. Animal prints are mixed with stripes. And there are hand-painted woods and fanciful florals in big, bold prints. Safari chic looks will be sported in furnishings and fashion alike. Today’s textiles have a Mexican flavor to them. Watch for Japanese and Chinese prints along with brighter-than-bright colors. FUSE This is the most high energy of the trends, featuring “the happy home,” which is an overload of artificial color and cyberdelic delight. Watch for whimsical kitsch that is eye candy for furnishings and tabletop. Gold was the over-riding metal on the runway -- and iridescent shine remains pivotal. For furnishings watch for bright, loud colors clashing together but working back to grays, silvers and whites. There are very geometric, circular prints, like a retro modern chair with geometric patterns. Mountford referred to what she calls the “kid-ult,” adults that favor styles that are child-like and brightly colored. She showed a multi-hued striped refrigerator, spoons with bright plastic components and bright floral chairs. According to Mountfold, with each year we see the number of these types of vivid products increasing. It’s a retro, modern feel that creates an atmosphere for the home rendered in bright colors. Bright, striped refrigerators aren’t for everyone, of course. Many consumers fuse color into furnishings through accessories. The Winter 2008 Las Vegas Market runs January 28 through February 1, 2008 at World Market Center’s Buildings A, B and Pavilions with temporary exhibitors at the MGM Grand Hotel starting January 29. The semi-annual Las Vegas Market is the world’s fastest-growing trade show for home furnishings. When fully built out to 12 million square feet, World Market Center will boast the greatest depth and breadth of furniture-related products and will be the largest trade fair complex in the world.