Fashion Influences on Construction Architecture & Design
We’ve all seen that scene in The Devil Wears Prada where Meryl Streep tells Anne Hathaway about how she doesn’t know how she picked her “lumpy blue sweater” right? Miss Streep goes on about how she the editor of the biggest fashion magazine picked out a belt buckle with that particular shade of cerulean blue and put it on a model in a spread in her magazine and then later her assistant, Miss Hathaway, picks it out of the bargain bin not even knowing it was the “It” colour of the season picked by her, thereby schooling her in how un-fashion-educated she is. And then we all had a good laugh at the poor girl’s expense.
However, Miss Streep in her meanness, is exactly right; this is, exactly how fashion works. And I’m telling you this because this is how all art and design works, unfortunately. Once Pantone picks the Color of the Year, it is off to the races and you might as well read HGTV Home, Vogue, Elle, and Elle Decor all at the same time because you are going to see all the same colour palettes from clothes to couches.
You will even see lines, patterns, and aesthetics mirroring each other. Have you noticed this year how everything is yellow and grey? And last year everything was blue? Every designer wanted to paint your walls blue last year, every couch was navy, etc. This year the hot colours are yellow and grey and you’re probably seeing them everywhere without even realising it.
Now is it the only thing hot or the only thing being used, no, of course not. This is just a prime example of why keeping your eye on the fashion industry is important. There are many other examples being used in fashion today that can also be used in design such as sustainability, minimalism, old world glamour, 90’s call backs, and 60’s & 70’s vintage. They are ever changing things that are forever influencing each other and it’s a detriment to ignore them.
Architects may think they are above the fashion world. However, I would strongly advise you to keep an eye on it as art imitates life and the fashion world highly dictates what is going on in the design world. Whether you are commercial or residential you are being influenced by the fashion world. How the interiors of everything from hotels to offices to homes is being influenced by what just walked down the runway or what was featured in the pages of Vogue like it or not.
