After launching fragrances, t-shirt, jeans and jewelry, designers have gone beyond their usual borders in a quest for all-inclusive style. The latest rage for fashion freaks: rugs. For those who need designer everything, even under their feet, The Rug Company from London opened a U.S. shop in New York City’s Soho. Ever since, celebrities are decorating their lofts with floor covering by Lulu Guinness, Marni and Paul Smith.

"They change a room in the same way a handbag transforms a tired outfit," says Lulu Guinness, who channeled her ‘50s edge into a black-and-white mat with lipstick-red rosebuds for The Rug Company. Other fashion companies are using rugs less as commercial ventures and more as art installations: at 55dsl Union Square flagship, artists Daniel Piwowarczyk and Denis Kamioka have installed one-of-a-kind floor coverings.

'Swirl' by Paul Smith is the best seller. Such a work of art, you could hang it on a wall. It’s 85 USD a square foot, of hand-knotted Tibetan wool. It’s fun to see fashion designers expressing themselves in home design. This rug makes such a statement that it requires a space with minimalist furniture, or you can custom order and uses it as a runner on stairs.

January 28, 2003