Fashion and interior, two words that were rarely associated with each other and recently we can see the gap between the two blurring and flourishing together. My vision is imagining a world where the two are combined, you can completely immerse yourself within a particular brand and live their dream. To blur the line between fashion and interior I will be taking an existing fashion label and reimagining the direction they progress in, pitching a homeware counterpart.
My 360 campaign will be catered for Generation Z and their relationship with luxury lifestyle. The concept will be encouraging an existing fashion brand to capitalise on the opportunity to explore a homeware counterpart to their existing clothing collections. I am going to develop an entire lifestyle for consumers to purchase into and immerse themselves in, it will be a new way for consumers to identify with a brand. Particularly created for the luxury market, my 360 campaign will reference Olivia von Halle (world-leader in luxury loungewear). I feel that by approaching Olivia von Halle I am not only future proofing the brand I am also identifying a gap in the market which I sit within. By creating this campaign, I will give a full insight into how brands can adapt to the gap between fashion and interiors closing and how important it is to recognise a shift in consumer. Upon graduation when I enter the fashion industry, I want to enter the luxury lifestyle market with a forward-thinking concept, and I believe my 360 campaign is the fix. I believe I have not only created a strategic planning approach to my FMP, but it is also a contemporary narrative of what I can bring to industry.
Who is Olivia von Halle? Olivia von Halle is the dreamy doyenne of luxury loungewear inspired by the lounging pyjamas worn by Coco Chanel. Olivia von Halle is the answer to ditching sky-high heels and constricting outfits and finding a glamorous yet comfortable outfit to enjoy a gin and tonic in before sliding off to bed. The statement making pieces for at-home dressing are proud to be known as a multinational brand and as a champion for a certain kind of empowered feminine glamour, worn by the most recognisable millennial faces. As discovered in my research I am very much an introvert, my style is minimal with a feminine touch. I feel passionate about my 360 campaign because it is tailored to a brand I very much resonate with and a brand my personality and character sit alongside.
As previously mentioned in my introduction, my 360 campaign will be catered for generation Z. This cohort are born between 1997 and 2012, the oldest of this generation are reaching 25 years old meaning they’re closely following the millennials. It was vital that I developed an advanced understanding of Generation Z’s behaviour and purchasing habits as this is a key aspect of my campaign. By 2030, Generation Z will soon become the largest cohort of consumers, it is therefore critical to understand their needs and tendencies (Meola, 2022).
Since the global pandemic (Covid-19), our relationship with interiors has changed as most of us spent most of the time confined in our homes, this meant finding new means to express and experiment with who we are because the importance of self-expression is core to this generation (Francis & Hoefel, n.d.). To reflect upon this, I reached out to immediate friends in the Generation Z cohort. 83% of people agreed with this statement ‘You channel your sense of style not only in the way that you dress but through the way you express yourself at home’ and 50% of people said they express their identity more at home. Generation Z value individuality, innovation, and creativity when it comes to interior design trends, these indoor spaces make us feel comfortable and secure to express our identity.
This generation purchase homeware in a similar way to the way they buy their clothes, I believe Generation Z shop this way because they are continuously flooded with home inspiration on social media platforms. TikTok trends are encouraging this generation to be more invested in homeware. Videos of home organisation, cleaning, assembling furniture and home hauls circulate and engage with millions of users around the globe on the platform. I suggest a growing interest for interiors and furnishings have stemmed and peaked since the platform’s meteoric growth in 2020 (Untinen, 2021).
Generation Z are the latest generation to be buying their first home, they will be moving out of their teenage bedroom and begin pouring this new interior obsession across their property. Already it is evident that Generation Z take pride in their environment, I have taken quotes from recent conversations that I have had to empathise this “You are your environment”, “I love my room so much” and “I feel like my room reflects my personality”. I predict this can only escalate due to the power Gen-Z hold in terms of their purchases and disposable income (Bewicke, 2022). These consumers will invest in luxurious brands and favour value-based purchases and high-ticket investment for more of a connection to products (Gividen, 2021). With sustainability widely understood across this cohort, we can expect to see this generation ‘pay more, buy less’ as they make conscious decisions regarding the planet and value for money.
I found great interest in the luxury lifestyle market, knowing that this was the market I want to pursue a career in, it felt appropriate to base my 360 campaign on it. I was particularly drawn to luxury brands during my latest visit to London, for me the excitement of exploring the home department in Harrods was a realisation that this was exactly where I sat and what I should strive for in the industry. As identified in my research I live a luxurious lifestyle, I enjoy investing in luxury goods and my part-time job encourages me to interact with an upper-class consumer. This was an indication that I am comfortable interacting with this market level and can confidently bring ideas forward.
I began exploring various areas that I could develop a campaign around and the concept of creating an entire lifestyle for a consumer to buy into became most prominent, I decided to move this idea forward. In my opinion, luxury lifestyle is booming. Many fashion specialists and young consumers are beginning to shop homeware in a similar way to the way they buy their clothes, which suggest the gap between interior and fashion is certainly closing (Trapasso, 2020). Whilst they have been friendly neighbours over the years, the industries are blossoming together. Therefore, it felt like a suitable time to focus my campaign on this market and come up with a new and exciting concept.
Right now, interiors is hitting an all-time high and it is clear to me the success this market is experiencing. The first fashion branded hotel Versace has been labelled as the world’s most desirable resort destination, it was born from the desire to combine design and spirit(Palazzo Versace, n.d.). Armani and Missoni are two other examples of luxury fashion houses that have branched out into hotel suite design (Doran, 2012). Evidently, the success of the hotel chain’s gives me the impression that immersing yourself in a particular brand and to live the lifestyle is desirable.
Generation Z are the largest drivers in the luxury market and are set to account for 40% of the consumer base by 2035, gaining a share of Gen-Z spend is emerging as a critical growth lever for the luxury sector (BoF LIVE: How Gen-Z Buys Luxury, 2021). My campaign which is tailored to Olivia Von Halle currently target the Millennial consumer, my research has identified that a shift in consumer to Generation Z will future proof the brand. In my opinion, this shift will be easy for the brand to achieve. Selena Gomez, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Rhianna, Kendall Jenner, Lily Allen, and Jade Thirlwall are a small example of the current consumer, these recognisable celebrity faces hold a great influence on the younger demographic purchasing habit’s as we live in an online world. When deciding where to shop, Generation Z trust people more than brands, meaning this cohort will likely shop somewhere new because an influencer or celebrity have recommended it.
As previously mentioned, Versace have found tremendous success by expanding into lifestyle products and they’re not the only fashion publication to successfully release a homeware counterpart to their established fashion lines. Identifying very much as a maximalist, brands that hold a strong, bold, and fearless heritage seem to be dominating the market. I am introducing a feminine, glamorous, and chic luxury sleepwear label to fill the gap. Sleeper, Sleeping with Jacques, Desmond and Dempsey and Skims are some examples of brands that sit alongside Olivia von Halle. These brands share similarities, they all found great success during lockdown because loungewear became the ‘in’ thing, however along with the pandemic came the fascination with our homes. My 360 campaign will keep the brand ahead of the curve as the competitors are yet to adventure and join the movement into the lifestyle market.
Since TikTok’s growth in popularity lifestyle and interior trends have reached millions of users around the globe and until now there has always been emphasis on the latest handbag or clothing trend, now our attention turns to the latest craze inside our homes. Focusing my 360 campaign on this new found obsession appeared to be most prominent at this time.
I took a significant amount of inspiration from Ralph Lauren’s Holiday 2022 ‘The Gift of Togetherness’ collection. This collection ranges from men’s wear, women’s, kids, home, and accessories, encouraging the consumer to purchase into every aspect of their life. The theme of timeless style and modern sophistication, focusing on black and white emboldened with touches of red runs across all garments, furnishings and accessories making it identifiable you’re living the Ralph Lauren lifestyle. Kate Spade are also adopting a similar approach, I recently recognised a line of polka dot products displayed in one of their stores. This design was imprinted across dress’, tops, handbags, purses, phone cases and flasks to offer their consumer not only a singular product but a lifestyle recognisable to the fashion label.
I was inspired by how fashion labels have opened hotel chains following a homeware release and how successful they have been. This was inspiring because it was an insight as to how far this campaign can be pushed and that my initial idea could only be the beginning of a new direction for the brand.
Hussein Chalayan (a British designer) inspired me with his intellectual concepts and artistic elements in his designs and shows, he turned furniture into fashion. Chalayan understood that the gap between fashion and interior was closing. At the finale of his show a model approached a table, removed the inner wood ring and stepped inside, the furniture piece was instantly fashioned as a skirt. I was inspired by this because like Chalayan I want to create a concept that hasn’t been done before as this would make my campaign more desirable for both the consumer and brand.
My fix to the gap in the market that has been identified is for Olivia von Halle to release a homeware counterpart to their luxurious sleepwear label. I am intending to produce a range of interior furnishings and accessories that coincide with the existing pieces that elide the party and the after-party. I want the collection to be highly recognisable to Olivia von Halle’s style, this means incorporating artistic patterns, unique colours, and luxurious fabrics (an array of silks) to create statement furnishings and accessories. The nightwear described as inviting, stylish and glamorous once began as a single pyjama set, it has now expanded to include posh robes, slip dresses, nightshirts, and eye masks. I will push the movement one step further with my 360 campaign and provide home furnishings and accessories. Similarity to the existing lines of Olivia von Halle, I envision a home furnishings and accessories line that affords style as much as it does genuine pleasure. It will be a collection that contains moments of surprise and delight whilst embracing luxurious fabrics and design. The homeware line will reinvent the lifestyle market with a heavy dose of glamor.
Understanding the consumer’s lifestyle is important when establishing what furnishings and accessories are desirable. What does a glamorous day at home mean to a woman? My 360 campaign intends to cater for the luxury woman who spends their evening in the bath with a cup of tea in hand (or a gin and tonic) before rolling into their silk pyjamas. On the other hand, I also want the collection to speak to the woman who enjoys hosting a sleepover for her friends, they spend their evenings making cocktails and opt for a comfortable evening out of the heels.
What will it all look like? I am intending to print patterns and colours across bedding, sofas, curtains, pillows and even wallpaper to continue spreading joy across all occasions of the consumers life and to completely immerse you in the glorious whimsical world of Olivia von Halle. Tableware, lampshades, bar carts and dressers are other envisions I have for this campaign. I want to move forward existing lines whilst also reimagining prints and designs for new concepts. In my opinion, the colours and artistic patterns Olivia von Halle print across their collections is not the only recognisable feature to the brand. Olivia von Halle’s loungewear is so inviting because of its array of luxurious silk fabrics, silk cashmere, cotton, crêpe de chine, devoré, satin and velvet. Therefore, for the homeware line I will heavily incorporate these fabrics into the ‘head turning’ products and ensure I continue to align the commitment to craftmanship and sustainability. Furthermore, the homeware counterpart will continue to sell at a high price point, products currently range between £80 and £3495, prices can only be expected to increase for home furnishings and accessories.
I envision my campaign to have a presence on social media, this will reach Generation Z globally to promote the brand (my campaigns) awareness. Arguably this is the best approach to advertise to a tech savvy cohort who are easily influenced by the media and influencers. I imagine advertising and showcasing my campaign on two social media platforms, Instagram and TikTok. In comparison to other social media apps, these two normalise and commonly share and bring viewers into their home environment - something you wouldn’t see on Snapchat, Twitter, or Facebook.
Why Instagram? With over 1 billion monthly users, Instagram is the most important social media platform for the luxury market (Felsted, 2020). In my opinion, this is because users upload carefully curated, polished and high-quality imagery to their feed. My campaign would adopt this approach and upload only finalised imagery on Instagram to build a strong, luxurious, and clean aesthetic. Instagram is widely used by established influencers and celebrities who I could potentially reach out to and pitch for a paid collaboration, paid advertisements are a great approach to showcase the campaign to my target audience.
Why TikTok? TikTok is a platform to reach a global audience almost instantly, by joining TikTok trends my campaign can be advertised to the youthful consumer immediately, this is powerful when trends cycle around so quickly. TikTok users engage with ‘behind the scenes’ content of people’s homes, it is popular to watch short 60 second videos of content creators organising, cleaning, and re-evaluating their indoor environments and I believe my campaign can certainly benefit from this. Many luxury brands are beginning to take to the platform to advertise and reach a new consumer, to emphasise the power of the platform, Gucci achieved 43.6 million views on one singular upload which supports how possible it will be for TikTok to get my idea out there.
Olivia von Halle are already actively running accounts on both platforms, but I will continue to push this to get as much outreach as possible.
As discovered in my research I am certainly organised, structured, controlled and I immerse myself with the research and development of a project. Whilst I understand the importance as a communicator to tell a story visually, I favour a more business and written approach to my work. Because of this I quickly came to realise that moving forward into industry and for my 360 campaign I would take the role of project manager. As project manager I worked alone during the research and development of my campaign as I had a strong vision as to what I wanted to achieve. I think because I found a brand that resembles my personality so well, I didn’t need additional input from stylists or interior designers to see the vision. My role consisted of using my organisation and time management skills throughout the entire process of developing my concept and capturing my concept.
I believe my 360 campaign is not only a strategic planning approach to my FMP, but also a contemporary staying ahead of the curve response that I can take forward and pitch to industry. In my opinion my concept is new, fresh and something Olivia von Halle and retailers across the market will want to adopt and capitalise on to stay relevant. Based on my understanding of ‘Brand Me’ I successfully identified the best market level for my own taste and fit and created a campaign strategy based on a gap in the market and through tougher interrogation I found the best solution and aimed it towards a particular consumer.
References:
Bewicke, H. (2022). Gen Z consumer behavior: What you need to know. Talon.One. https://www.talon.one/blog/gen-z-consumer-behavior-what-you-need-to-know
BoF LIVE: How Gen-Z Buys Luxury. (2021). Business of Fashion. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/how-gen-z-buys-luxury/
Doran, S. (2012). 7 Home Collections by Luxury Fashion Brands. Lu xury Society. https://www.luxurysociety.com/en/articles/2012/01/7-home-collections-by-luxury-fashion-brands
Felsted, A. (2020). TikTok and Instagram Face Off for Luxury Influencers. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/tiktok-and-instagram-face-off-for-luxury-influencers/2020/09/18/91ede2cc-f981-11ea-85f75941188a98cd_story.html
Francis, T., & Hoefel, F. (n.d.). ‘True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved December 15, 2022, from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/ true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies
Gividen, A. (2021). How Gen-Z Buys Luxury. The Business of Fashion. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=EutA9CPbetU
Meola, A. (2022). Generation Z News: Latest characteristics, research, and facts. Insider Intelligence. https://www.insiderintelligence.com/insights/generation-z-facts/
Palazzo Versace. (n.d.). Versace. Retrieved December 16, 2022, from https://www. versace.com/international/en/palazzo-versace/
Trapasso, C. (2020). Generation Z Is Buying Homes: Here’s What You Need to Know About This Group. Realtor.Com. https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/everythingyou-ought-to-know-about-gen-z-home-buyers/
Untinen, P. (2021). TikTok vs Instagram: Who’s Winning at Social Media. Digital Agency Network. https://digitalagencynetwork.com/tiktok-vs-instagram-who-iswinning-at-social-media/
Image references:
Photograph 1: Ralph Lauren [@ralphlauren]. (2022, November 22). Woman lighting candle. [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/ClElJnaOnQT/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Photograph 2 : Ralph Lauren [@ralphlauren]. (2022, November 22). Women holding bag. [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/ClR7PeUrD2V/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Photograph 3: Ralph Lauren [@ralphlauren]. (2022, December 6). Three people. [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl14cS4Ayzp/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Photograph 4 : Ralph Lauren [@ralphlauren]. (2022, November 22). Girl holding bag. [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/ClUOttjuvsZ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Photograph 5: Ralph Lauren [@ralphlauren]. (2022, November 17). Tableware. [Photograph]. Instagram.https://www.instagram.com/p/ClEQYrbOgvm/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
