old post, but a goodie
/Eco may be chic, but the argument is weak
The September issue of Elle Decoration magazine had a new section called ‘The Trend Report 2011’. This was subtitled ‘Our guide to the trends that will define the future of style’. Apparently, over the coming year it’s going to be all about natural and humble and simple, and good quality. So, it’s official – at least as far as the clothes on our backs – that eco style is hip and fashionable.
On the one hand it is great to see these qualities that we have been practicing for the past 13 years of our work be suddenly in vogue – hey, we like to be told we’re fashionable as much as anyone. It’s even good to see this as a constructive reaction to overly bling consumerist, fashion, style statements on home decor and remodeling.
What is cringeworthy is the way in which designers conjure up a transient label that we may wish to temporarily tag on to our lives. What’s more, humility suggests a lack of vibrancy, which is very far from our experience of working with nature. Nature is not humble – it is glorious, spirited and shamelessly original. And eco is not reserved, but bold and protective and optimistic. By all means call it humble fashion. Please don’t call it eco fashion.
We have spent our years in practice focusing on homes and materials that bring together, yes, natural and simple and well made, but also character and style in abundance, and originality that belongs uniquely to the people who have fallen in love with their home. These qualities are the essence of good design and beautiful, comfortable homes. Humility? No. Modesty? That’s more like it.
Fashion and style-oriented designers may get some aspects of the look, but they miss the spirit of this work that, for us, is based on both craft and deep love. Don’t get us wrong, we hope that some of this latest fashion can become more deeply embraced by the wider culture, providing they understand eco’s fuller potential as a statement of optimism and sassiness, not earthen drabness and shoe-staring meekness. We also know that, ten years from now, we’ll still be exploring the riches of this more natural approach to creating homes regardless of where the next style trends have gone. And we know from our clients that to live with the deeper meaning of eco in all its celebratory glory makes for a more deeply satisfying, healthy and comfortable home.