noted: The Laundromat Is Hot!

Hermès went even further last year, when the house known for its five- or even six-figure Kelly and Birkin bags opened its own pop-up laundromat in New York. Hermèsmatic, as the space was called, featured washing machines and laundry carts in signature orange, and a free service to dip-dye scarves (which are … not washable).

Why has a place associated with domestic toil suddenly become chic?

Dawn Nagle, the vice president of marketing for Laundrylux, the distributor of Electrolux commercial machines in North America, said it’s about juxtaposition.

“It’s that contrast between the beautiful and elegant fashion with the everyday task of washing clothes,” Ms. Nagle said. “You have a background of machines, granite, stainless steel, and everything repeats. It really draws your attention to the model and the outfit.”

And of course, laundromats are instantly recognizable, open to all and found everywhere. It’s the rare chore you can’t outsource to your phone, and in cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, the laundromat is one of the last democratic zones.

Perhaps that’s why on Instagram the #laundromatshoot has replaced the national park as the influencer backdrop du jour. A visual language has already established itself. There’s the sitting-in-a-laundry-cart pose; the casually-leaning-on-the-dryers; the risky crawl-inside-the-washer; and the hey-it’s-laundry-day-and-all-I-have-left-to-wear-is-my-bra. A group of dancers even went into a “heavy spin cycle” at a laundromat in Miami.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/style/laundromat-with-wifi.html?partner=rss&emc=rss