Designers Want to Dress Your House Too

NEW YORK — I’m feeling a little homesick in the rush and chaos of Manhattan, where I’m covering the fashion collections for spring 2000.

The thought of home is so comforting that I set out to explore new ideas here to spruce up my Silver Lake pad. Much of the buzz during Fashion Week has been about three new designer stores noteworthy because of their push into home furnishings and accessories.

Move over, Ralph. Donna Karan, British designer Nicole Farhi and even Coach leather are following the Lauren lifestyle marketing concept you so deftly pioneered in the 1980s at your flagship store on Manhattan’s 72nd Street.

Their take, more than a decade later, is quite different from the Lauren spin on the yuppie lifestyle--preppy privilege with antique shaving sets for men, Southwestern print sofas fit for a Montana ranch house and skiwear for the slopes of Aspen.

The new DKNY and Nicole Farhi stores are decidedly minimal, modern and innovative in their architecture and presentation. The retail ambience emphasizes a way of living rather than simply clothing oneself. After all, clothes these days are just part of a lifestyle.

Karan opened her new DKNY flagship store on Madison at 60th about two weeks ago. The colorful home furnishings in magenta and orange and clothing of different hues shine through the glass-walled, two-story corner site, creating an eye-popping presence at the drab and busy intersection.

Her “lifestyle design” floor on the ground level is mostly stocked with home lamps, acrylic or concrete board chairs, desk items, picture frames and bath items. They can be found next to DKNY knit bags. Most of the home items have two purposes: store decoration and inventory, since they’re all for sale. About the only things not for sale are the $8,000 Ducati motorcycle (you’re referred to a local dealer) and basic store fixtures, like bookcases and racks.

On the second floor, wedged amid DKNY clothes, are vintage clothing pieces. The men’s clothes are on the basement level. Everywhere music is blaring. There’s a lot happening in this store--so much that it seems too hip to be homelike.

A few doors away on 60th Street, British designer Nicole Farhi opened her first U.S. store last week. At the shop’s entrance, there’s a bridge entry from which you can see the lower level. The idea, according to U.S. store director George Poulios, is to create a floating platform. One does feel suspended in the space, which was designed by architect Michael Gabellini, who used American walnut and New York blue stone for accents.

The store’s main floor offers Farhi’s trademark clothing as well as antique furnishings, pottery, linen and other home furnishings. Farhi, whose fashion show was scheduled for late Wednesday, launched her home line in spring 1998. The lower level of the New York store houses her men’s collection and a 100-seat restaurant, called--what else?--Nicole’s.

The big disappointment of the day was not being able to see the new Coach flagship store at Madison and 57th, which is not opening until Sept. 25.

An entire floor will be devoted to furniture--overstuffed leather sofas, director’s chairs and ottomans.

I’ll just have to wait until the home furnishings are available in Southern California later this year.

Michael Quintanilla can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].