Product:SUNDAY Date:04-29-2007Desk: SPC-0004-CMYK/20-04-07/13:31:49
COMPOSITECMYK
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SUNDAY ON SU3
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TORONTO STAR
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SUNDAY, APRIL 29, 2007
NEW LOOK
The fashion runways and home
interiors have always had a lot in
common. The trends from your
wardrobe, sooner or later, find
themselves splashed about your
house. So it’s no surprise that
more fashion designers are ex-
panding their brand and capital-
izing on their esthetic with
home collections.
But as the list of designers-
turned-interior decorators
grows, a few of these fashion
brands get lost in translation.
Let’s just say some designers’
distinctive signatures and brand
identities seem more tailor-
made than others for the home
arena. (Can you picture what
bedsheets from the über-hot
but difficult-to-wear label Ba-
lenciaga might look like?)
But one contender whose
strong fashion vision seems just
right for home décor, is the ven-
erable Italian label Missoni.
Known for its colourful graph-
ic print knits, the family busi-
ness actually started in textiles a
century ago, providing home
furnishings like linens, sheets
and hand embroideries. It
wasn’t until almost 50 years lat-
er that it entered the fashion do-
main, with T-shirt designs.
And those famous zigzags and
lines were born. But it was no
major design feat. The knitting
machines back when they start-
ed the company couldn’t do any-
thing else but simple stripes.
Today, those knitwear prints
prove to be architecturally
pleasing lines — they work won-
ders on small spaces by giving
the illusion of height and width.
Returning to their roots a few
years ago with a home décor
line, the company has just
launched Missoni Home in
Canada. The 2007 collection
features an expansive lineup
that includes textiles for uphol-
stery for sofas, home linens,
rugs and furnishings. The home
collection also takes the compa-
ny’s rich mosaic of colours to the
outdoors with fabrics that can
be used for cushions, ham-
mocks and patio furniture that
would be perfect for upscale cot-
tage country or to add some
glam to a poolside deck.
But lest you think it’s all about
those famous eye-popping col-
our bars, less adventurous home
decorators can find other pat-
terns such as herringbone, plaid
and some luscious florals. This
cacophony of prints can be an-
chored by the range of solids al-
so offered in the line.
And it looks like this colourful
fashion company’s brand will be
further expanded. Up next on
the design horizon: Hotel Mis-
soni. The company will be
launching its first hotels in Du-
bai and Edinburgh by next year.
Lovers of Italian design can al-
so look forward to Fendi, when
the fashion powerhouse launch-
es its home line in Canada later
this year.
Missoni goes home, again
THE ITALIAN
LABEL
RETURNS TO
ITS ROOTS
WITH HOME
FURNISHINGS
B Y D E R I C K C H E T T Y
Now you can wrap yourself —
and
your living room — in designer stripes from the newly launched Missoni Home line.
To find it, find us.
find it
find it
find it
find it
find it
find it
find it
INTOUCH
.
INSTYLE
.
INSPIRED
.
2575 Dundas Street West
(just east of Winston Churchill Blvd.)
www.homeanddesigncentre.ca
From major pieces to finishing touches, you'll find it all at over
20 inspiring shops at the Mississauga Home & Design Centre.
The Missoni Home
Collection can be found at:
*
Missoni Home Gallery at
Castlefield Design Centre.
1400 Castlefield Ave.
Toronto
*
Finn Boutique
1 Yorkville Ave.
Toronto
*
Nord Sud Home
20 Hazelton Ave.
Toronto
*
Prima Lighting
51 Jevlan Dr.
Woodbridge
Stars in stripes
