When Barbiecore hit the runways last year (prompted by the trailer for the upcoming movie), it felt like an instant take-off. With Kim Kardashian’s head-to-toe pink look and Valentino’s fuchsia-future Fall/Winter 2022 collection, the style can be found on everything from red carpets to TikTok outfit-info videos. The hashtag #barbiecore has nearly 248 million views on Tik Tok alone, and #barbiecoreoutfits in particular has reached 3.5 million.
When fashion weeks begin, it’s clear how the shows affect clothing stores and fashion trends around the world—but the looks at these shows have a bigger impact in the home. Over the years, fashion aesthetics have finally made their way into decorating, especially in a post-Covid world where we want our homes to reflect our personal style (everyone can see them on display now, after all).
“Design and fashion are both objects of self-expression and human connection,” says designer and owner Kelly Wersler. “Beauty moves with the zeitgeist, so naturally fashion and interior design are tied to broader cultural shifts. We’ve been able to invite more people into our homes through social media, so in recent years we’ve seen a greater focus on personal style than just what we wear.
For example, Gucci’s popularity in the fashion world has increased for about three to five years. Recently, cottagecore, beachy grandmas and millennial aesthetics have taken over people’s wardrobes and interiors. Even trending colors are intertwined in the two areas: chili-pepper red made huge waves at the fashion shows this season, and BHG’s predicted color of the year is a similar shade of magenta.
Ann VanderWiel Wilde
As a creative leader at Pinterest, Jankowski is among the first to see which trends are scratching the surface by looking at microcosms of what people are interested in. Over the past few months, he’s seen the rise of cozy aesthetics, furniture and fabrics, in everything from sweatpants and loungewear to buckley chairs. Monochrome is also big for a while, Jankowski says. (In this article, published in March 2021, we acknowledged how major fashion houses such as Chanel and Prada have featured prominently in runway shows and how they have crossed over to home.)
While fashion often sets these popular aesthetics, it takes a while to get into the home because of the time and effort it takes to design and put together your space.
“I think you slowly turn to these trends,” says Jankowski. “First I was inspired by the fashion, then it entered my home. I believe that we are into these trends, we are inspired, we are excited. We are reinventing ourselves and our image. And I think we’re going to start bringing that home because it’s your personal style, right? So it carries over to your home, and I think that’s where the lag happens.
Brands big and small are paving the way for this intersection. Patrick Church, an artist and dealer in clothing and interior items, first started by painting with brushes on anything he could find. Those designs were finally translated into ready-to-wear pieces, and a year ago, he bought a house. He designed the walls in the rooms and created ceramic pieces, which inspired him to develop a small interior drop: accessories such as pillows, blankets and jewelry. It quickly sold out, and has now evolved into making large vases, hand-painted tables, and wallpaper—all based on custom patterns and artwork.
Church first thinks of Fendi when he thinks of a brand that famously achieves overlap. They have created their own world with their clothes, slippers, ashtrays and custom furniture, he said.
“I’ve seen a lot of brands collaborating with interior lines or people realizing that design doesn’t have to be limited to fashion,” he says. “People can communicate that message in ways that are internal, which is kind of what happened to me.”
Justin Salem Meyer
This year’s fashion-inspired home trends
Which house trend has Jankowski been excited to see in 2023? Whimsical A cross between whimsical and goth, the style includes dark, moody decor but is lightened with more delicate fabrics, powdery patterns and greenery, and is usually associated with monochrome. He recently redecorated his kitchen to get the look by mixing all black pieces with white lanterns with salt and pepper.
“I think the easiest way to stay on trend and update your home is to really focus on accessories,” he says. “And when you make those big purchases, go for something that will stand the test of time, like a leather sofa. And the marbles aren’t going anywhere.
More than a trend, movement, eco-friendly shopping and second-hand shopping have also become staples in the interior and clothing world.
“Sustainability is at the forefront of both industries right now,” Wersler says. “This shows in the appreciation of wine, the creation of new materials and the recycling or reinterpretation of previously discarded.”
Saving your clothes and decor gives you a way to develop a completely personal style—searching for vintage items, collecting them from different eras, and putting them all together to create a unique look, whether it’s an outfit or a room.
“I think what people want right now is to tell some kind of story,” says Church. “The pieces are unique to them that no one else has.”
Ultimately, creating an aesthetic that reflects your personality inspires how you dress yourself and decorate your spaces, and it’s only natural to connect the two. Surrounding yourself with things that speak to you, especially when we’re spending more time at home than ever before, has become even more important.
No matter what you visit, whether it’s a certain “trend” on social media or the latest drop from your favorite designer, finding inspiration from styles that speak to you is always on trend.
“Home is where you express your most authentic self and continue to evolve alongside our growth,” says Wersler. “I’m seeing people of all ages upgrade their homes and give their interiors a makeover that’s more in line with their personal style.”
