From couture runways to retailers' floors

“The details are not the details. They make the design”
-- Charles Eames

In fashion, it’s the details that take a classic silhouette from good to great. We absorb the finer points, even when we are not aware of it. Our brain quickly calculates the value added by every additional tuck of fabric or jeweled embellishment. We see luxury, innovation, and exclusivity then decide we are worth it!

Fashion in furniture and clothing has never been so interrelated. Trends that used to filter into our industry over the course of years are now being translated within months. The most current contributing factors to furniture design are being picked up from the couture design houses.

When asked where his company is looking for design inspiration, Bob Maricich, President & CEO of Century Furniture, noted that handbag design is going to be a key influence. I think we can safely generalize to include all accessories. Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik are now household names.

This season Chanel ties it all together with bows and ribbons on everything from headbands to handbags. Kravet Furniture hits the trends with tufting, pleats and bow ties on their Ariel Headboard and Rye chair.


Shell charms, corals and inlays fresh from the sea are popular for necklaces, rings and even dangling from shoes. These nuggets are used in polished or natural form. Currey & Company connects us by encrusting a chandelier with seashells, while multiple pieces from Maitland-Smith have a distinctive flair from rich hued shell inlay.

Exotic skins like Crocodile, Lizard and Python, real or embossed in leather, are accenting the hottest runway handbags and heels. The Safari Collection from Laneventure has captured the mood perfectly with the Raymond Waites sofa. Not only do you see stitching, studs and croc leather, but actual Saddle Bags are attached to the sides! How very Prada of them!

Runway trends can seem short-lived, but in reality fashionable accessories turn into classics. Watch out for these details to identify the keepers!