In Fashion At Home

Well-established fashion designers often eventually enter the home goods space, but it can be a challenging business for them, whether they extend their labels through licensing or some other business model. As a result, expansions of this type tend to be cyclical. Currently the technique seems to be on the upswing, if the number of announcements in the past six months is any indication.

Some of the designer labels that have embarked on home goods adventures, several of them for the first time, include:

• FUBU. In March, FUBU (For Us By Us), co-founded by Shark Tank star Daymond John, debuted a FUBU Home Collection with PEM America consisting of comforters, sheets, throws, pillows, and other décor for all channels of distribution. The retro brand, which was popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, has been re-energized through a number of limited-edition and collaborative collections, leading up to this licensing deal. FUBU’s history and culture as a Black-owned brand is also resonating with consumers today. The Brand Liaison is FUBU’s licensing agent.

• J. Crew. The retailer/fashion label entered home goods for the first time last month through a short-term collaboration with the British brand Liberty. The limited-time assortment features the floral, paisley, and other prints for which Liberty is known. The collection is an extension of what the two companies have been doing together in the clothing area for more than 10 years. The products, which include table linens, napkins, placemats, sheets, duvet covers, crib bedding, and sleep masks, are part of a larger assortment driven by women’s apparel and accessories.

• Brooks Brothers. In late April, Brooks Brothers announced it had paired with Turko Textile for a limited luxury collection of bedding, towels, bathrobes, pillows, and comforters. The pieces, made of cotton along with linen, down, wool, bamboo, and microfibers, all sourced from Turkey, take their cues from Brooks Brothers’ well-known style elements, including herringbone and contrasting colors, as well as its American heritage. Home goods is a new category for the brand, which has previously extended from its signature menswear into categories such as children’s apparel and fragrance. Authentic Brands Group (ABG) owns the Brooks Brothers brand.

• Rebecca Minkoff. Minkoff, known for her handbag, accessories, and apparel collections, not to mention fragrances, books, and a podcast, launched a home goods collection at the beginning of this year, focused on bedding and especially mix-and-match solid-color sheets made of a variety of materials. There are also duvets and quilts featuring patterns familiar from her ready-to-wear clothing collections. Her customers have expressed a desire in surveys for her to offer home goods.

• Forever 21. This fast-fashion retailer and fashion label launched its inaugural home collection last October, with the pieces for sale in its own stores. Items include throw pillows, shearling pillows, soap dispensers, string lights, bedding, mirrors, and more, for a total of 200 items. Many have a fun spin to appeal to the chain’s young consumers, such as a cat-shaped spatula and a bath mat depicting an avocado.

• Danskin. Also in October 2021, Danskin teamed with EverGrace Home for four earth-toned collections of sheets, quilts, comforters, bath rugs, towels, shower curtains, and accessories for the U.S. and Canada. Most of the pieces are made of cotton or recycled poly and use a sustainable process to add antimicrobial, moisture-wicking, and anti-odor-control properties. Iconix Brand Group owns Danskin.

In addition to these new collections, Eddie Bauer, which has already been active in the home space with Revman, extended into children’ sheets, blankets, and quilts last fall. The pieces highlight themes like bears, rainbows, and fish in child-friendly hues.