08 Jan How Fashion is Impacting the Multifamily Industry
How Fashion is Impacting the Multifamily Industry
Fashion Inspires Design
If you ask our design department where the world of interior design gets its inspiration from, they would be quick to respond that it is the fashion industry. Really, it’s no secret that the way most people choose to present themselves by the clothing they wear is directly related to how they express their uniqueness in the home décor they buy. In fact, a little less than a year ago, one of our designers wrote a blog about the continually evolving relationship between the world of home décor and fashion. Our blog noted that the consumption of media across the seemingly endless assortment of channels has drastically changed the timing of when and where new trends are seeping into the lives of the average American.
How Style Drives Mass Consumerism
I just read a great, and eye-opening article in the Winter 2018 issue of Business of Home Magazine titled, “Need for Speed.” The article reports that what used to take seasons (months if not years) to go from the catwalk to the rack, has now increased to cycles as rapid as 15 days. As our culture and economy changes to one of mass production/consumption, it has become apparent that the fashion industry has taken its place at the front of the pack. The article points out that with such a quick turnaround time, the industry has made the idea of runway brands dictating the upcoming trends a thing of the past. Instead, top designers are coming out with abbreviated lines more frequently, and watching as the trends evolve from one day to the next.
A Change in the Design Industry
So what does that mean for the interior designers who look to the fashion industry for relevant trends and ideas? The answer is that like the fashion world, the world of furnishings and home décor has evolved to remain a top player in the world of consumer goods. In addition to the technology that has fueled the swift introduction of fashion/ design trends to the general population, the technology to create mass-produced clothing and furniture has changed the name of the game in just a few short years. Just like the H&M’s of the world, global retailers such as Target are offering home furnishings that are meant to be bought and sold for shorter lengths of time than what the furniture industry is used to seeing. With easier, more affordable access to trending interior design essentials, the population is naturally shifting from the concept that furniture is a long-term commitment to the present day mantra of, “out with the old, in with the new.”
Times Are Changing
As the leading provider of model apartments for the multifamily industry, I have seen such major shifts impact clients and how they partner with us before. The article I read in BOH Magazine got me to thinking about how the evolving shift in style, design and consumerism will inevitably impact both how we design our models and the turn around time for models in the communities we serve. It is important for apartment providers to understand the change of pace within the design world because it directly impacts the tools their communities use to attract residents both online and during in-person tours.
At Model55, we look to a myriad of inspirations and trends to help our clients reach their target residents. By designing beautiful apartments that tell the visual story of home to a set group of people, we are able to help our clients immerse their website visitors and tour takers in an ideal and accurate portrayal of how it would be to live in their communities. And, as their target residents evolve to keep pace with the rapid style cycles, so will their tastes in furnishings and designs.
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