Buzzword to Watch For: "Heritage"
The September issue of W arrived in my mailbox last week and when I opened it to the letter from the editor, one single word stared me right in the face: "heritage."
The letter wrote about "heritage" as the current buzzword in fashion, where it seems to refer to anything even remotely related to the past (and considering how quickly fashion trends evolve, the past could be about five minutes ago).
I like vintage clothes as much as the next girl, but my noticing has less to do with my interest in fashion trends than with my interest in food trends, though. "Heritage" has been all the rage in food for the past few years - just ask the heritage turkeys that grace every food mag around each November.
If it's hot in the fashion world and hot in the food world, you know what's next, right? That's right: heritage design.
In food, "heritage" means more than just "old" - it has something to do with pedigree and with knowing where a food item comes from. In this case, design is more like food than fashion, with trends that last longer than one season, and where a single piece - an armoire, for instance - can long outlive a pair of even the most finely made jeans (and requires a larger investment). Heritage in design is about the history of an item or even materials, and also about the history of the people who have interacted with those items.
So watch for it. I expect we'll start to see more articles and posts about "heritage" design - starting here:
The letter wrote about "heritage" as the current buzzword in fashion, where it seems to refer to anything even remotely related to the past (and considering how quickly fashion trends evolve, the past could be about five minutes ago).
I like vintage clothes as much as the next girl, but my noticing has less to do with my interest in fashion trends than with my interest in food trends, though. "Heritage" has been all the rage in food for the past few years - just ask the heritage turkeys that grace every food mag around each November.
If it's hot in the fashion world and hot in the food world, you know what's next, right? That's right: heritage design.
In food, "heritage" means more than just "old" - it has something to do with pedigree and with knowing where a food item comes from. In this case, design is more like food than fashion, with trends that last longer than one season, and where a single piece - an armoire, for instance - can long outlive a pair of even the most finely made jeans (and requires a larger investment). Heritage in design is about the history of an item or even materials, and also about the history of the people who have interacted with those items.
So watch for it. I expect we'll start to see more articles and posts about "heritage" design - starting here:
The renovation of this barn is a great example of the type of "heritage" project that's been happening in the architecture world for generations.
This detail of the barn's stone is typical of the type of preservation work that's key to heritage projects.
Reclaimed and reused materials are already hot - like the wood of this counter.
The preservation of the architectural detail in this 1920's Tudor Revival home is key to its Tudor feel, but it also tells the story of the home itself, which is fairly old by American standards.
Heritage isn't just about architectural details, either - it's often found in specific pieces, like this old rocker.
Or this armoire.
Books are actually a great way to keep a family history alive - with a little care, they're easy to pass down, and they tell a story of a family's interests and experiences. And that is really at the core of "heritage."
There's a lot of "heritage" in this space, but it's the faded rug that gets me. I'm a sucker for rugs that look like they've been carefully tended and handed down for generations.
Like rugs, blankets (especially vintage Hudson Bay blankets) are great hand-me-down items.