Home Depot's High-fashion Appeal
is really having a moment. In recent weeks, the Home Depot orange tote bag became a must-have accessory amongst the fashion elite. The large logo bags are long gone, but for those still looking to hop on the trend, a smaller reusable tote is still available. But 99 cent "It" bags are not the only trendy fashion item available at your local home improvement store.
Carine Roitfeld, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue, has used Home Depot's $9.50 white painter's jumpsuit for a new fashion shoot on her website, CR Fashion Book. For the latest installment of her "Seven Ways" series, the industry expert "puts a twist on wardrobe essentials" by styling the disposable one-piece garment for various occasions. "So, basically, Roitfeld is saying that a disposable painter's jumpsuit from The Home Depot is an essential," writes Fashionista. "And it turns out it goes great with Courrèges boots and tutus." We found one painter's jumpsuit still available for just $4.10.
Fashionista reached out to Home Depot, who, it turns out, is completely aware of their current stylish status. Fashion is about look and functionality-two things we're all about at The Home Depot," a store spokesperson told Fashionista. She said they were psyched about "making their debut in the fashion arena." And when it comes to those popular tote bags, the spokesperson added, "We've always thought orange was a great color."
Is Home Depot the new go-to store for the fashion world? We reached out to designer Kerin Rose of a-morir, the eyewear brand adopted by big celebrity names like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Katy Perry. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she's a huge fan of the big box store. "I've definitely spent time browsing Home Depot's hardware section," Kerin Rose told Yahoo! Shine. "My design career is largely based on re-appropriation of common objects and using them in unconventional ways on eyewear. I've used nails aesthetically in a lot of my work, and also find some industrial cleaning items to be much better on my delicate items. I've found inspiration from small building supplies, painting supplies, and most recently I purchased wire and screws from Home Depot to create the custom multi-lens eyewear for Lady Gaga's ARTPOP promotional photo."
Kerin Rose says the convenience of Home Depot-mere blocks from her Manhattan design studio-makes it a frequent destination for picking up materials. "Most of my items aren't sourced from where one would think, she says. "Hardware stores are definitely my number one go-to."
So perhaps Home Depot has more to offer than once assumed. There are safety glasses for $3.98 just like the ones Michael Kors showed in his spring 2013 fashion presentation. Not to mention painters hats, hardhats, workman's gloves, and yellow safety shirts begging to be re-appropriated. If the tote bag and jumpsuit are any indication we'd expect these pieces to sell out and wind up in a fashion spread very soon.
