Fashion has to fit into a world,” explains Jonathan Anderson, creative director of the luxury house Loewe, of his first furniture collection. Featuring antique chairs by Baillie Scott and a wardrobe vivified with leather marquetry, the 15-piece range was unveiled last month at Salone del Mobile, Milan’s annual furniture fair. “It’s like Instagram; you articulate your character through your association with different things that make you who you are,” he continues. “Brands have to do that too, more and more. It’s about trying to re-contextualise and find newness.”
Loewe is not the only fashion house developing homeware lines to further its brand reach. La Perla, Christian Lacroix, Atelier Swarovski, Raf Simons for Kvadrat, as well as veterans Paul Smith, Hermès and Bottega Veneta, all had a palpable presence at Salone del Mobile, which also saw the launch of the Dolce & Gabbana “Frigorifero d’Arte”, hand-painted editions of 100 Smeg fridges that retail from €30,000 a piece.
For Anderson, the focus on furniture was instinctive; the designer’s addiction to Arts and Crafts and early primitive design has long informed his vision for the luxury house he joined in 2013. He has decorated stores with furniture by William Morris and Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and “curated” the AW16 Loewe catwalk with Miró artworks, George Platt Lynes photographs and mid-century furniture.