We've certainly spent lots of time at home over the last few years. While travel has opened up again and many of us are taking the opportunity to jet off to luxury locales, the world's most famous fashion houses have focused on, well, home, revamping their interiors lines and opening flagships to immerse you in their universe. An iconic logo here, an unexpected couture touch there – there's something comforting about cocooning with your favorite fashion brands in the most intimate of spaces. If you are looking for inner peace, a few inner pieces from these five brands are a good place to start.
Fendi
Those famous intertwined Fs. The Fendi logo is one of the most iconic around. Now the brand has opened its first Fendi Casa flagship dedicated to home and design. Nestled under marble arches of Milan's Palazzo Carcassola-Grandi with expansive window views on the historic Teatro alla Scala, the shop sits in the heart of the design district. It's set on a quiet courtyard inside one of the city's grand 16th century architectural gems. The Casa store is spread over 700 meters of the historic abode, but the ancient pedigree and ceiling frescoes are only the dramatic backdrop for the completely contemporary furnishings. A maze of rooms dedicated to living, dining and dozing are set up on separate floors to fully pull you into the Fendi vision, set in calming tones of taupe and beige, with bright pops of deep jewel-toned glass. Pieces from designer Toan Nguyen reflect his sense of intimacy with an object, and Marco Costanzi's playful lamp collection dots the space. Fendi is also working on branded residences in the building. Miami and Shanghai outposts are due to open soon, followed by forty shops around the world over the next three years, so any Fendi Casa cravings will never be too far away.
Elie Saab
Elie Saab may fly under the radar as one of the world's quieter couturiers, but his exquisitely intricate gowns are a red carpet favorite for the world's most exclusive events from the Academy Awards to the Cannes Film Festival. The house has ateliers in both Beirut and Paris, where he opened the doors of his interiors flagship in March. Just off the Champs-Elysées on Avenue Georges V, the new Saab store's classic French facade falls open to thoroughly modern rooms. It's no surprise, considering Milanese architect Carlo Colombo is behind the made-in-Italy pieces. His vision brings together elements of Art Deco design, swings by some of the more sultry shapes of the Sixties and Seventies, mellowing out with a few Middle Eastern influences stemming from Saab's Lebanese home. The result is a soothing palette of creams and greys, with bronze, marble and stone adding a sleek edge. The collection encompasses everything for the interior, divided into day and night capsules, with lighting, accessories and art on display in the apartment-style setting. The Paris flagship brings in new pieces on rotation, though the entire collection is on order through touch screens. Like Fendi, Saab plans to grow globally this year – 20 new store openings are on the calendar for the U.S and Asia.
Versace
One of the most distinct design aesthetics in the fashion world, Donatella Versace's vision of all things sleek and sultry is translated to another immersive experience in Milan. The historic palazzo on Via Durini hosts the Versace Home flagship, opened last year. An entire home, it encompasses a world of contrasts of old and new, with the classical stone exterior giving way to the glitz of Versace's golden touches, Medusa head mirrors and pop art-colored chairs. Dynamic design duo Ludovica and Roberta Palmoba are behind the wares, bringing their architectural approach to every aspect. The golden couple of Italian design are known for their bold-meets-balanced approach, straddling the line between excess and minimalism. They update the iconic codes of the brand with clean, contemporary lines. The result is black couches against golden carpets, marble floors and chairs topped with zippers evocative of the brand's fashion core. Pieces were also designed with durability in mind, offering removable coverings in different colors, much like a seasonal catwalk collection.
Joanna Ortiz
Coming out of Colombia, Johanna Ortiz's all-encompassing aesthetic calls to mind open spaces, tropical touches and the breezy beauty of life in Bogota. It plays out in her home collection, now in its second year, balancing artisanal craft traditions with the more polished looks of Paris, where she shows her fashion line each season. The result is a curated interior accessories and tableware collection that borrows prints from her ready-to-wear collections, including palm tree-printed plates and linens. The beauty of her line is its simplicity – after all, she espouses “barefoot living” in the pampa – and all natural origins. Ortiz uses dyes from seeds, leaves and minerals recreating ancient techniques, delightful objets d'art are hand crafted by local artisans, while tumblers and decanters are hand blown. Ortiz has perfected her low-key luxury touches for the table here, and for her second collection also created handwoven rugs embellished with her signature prints. Now that Ortiz has dipped her toe in interiors, soon we can all swim in it. More, we hope, is on the horizon.
Hermes
There's perhaps nothing more classic than a Kelly bag. Hermes is known for its heritage, and the legacy luxury brand launched its interiors line over a decade ago with roots in its leather goods and equestrian aesthetic. The collection has evolved to become more ebullient and experimental, and now encompasses everything from tableware to textiles, games and baskets. Under the artistic direction of Charlotte Macaux Perelman and Alexis Fabry, the brand brings on some of the most inventive designers to contribute pieces, including Jasper Morrison for a dining set, and French design duo Jean-François Dingjian et Eloi Chafaï for a coffee table. Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai created a cheerful, candy-striped armchair while Italian artist Gianpaolo Pagni created the Hippomobile tableware with blocky sketches of horses, a playful nod to the house's heritage. Hermes has been willing to loosen up its image, and the result has been a new chapter for the brand.