OUR HERITAGE
What's The
Big Idea?
Terence Conran and friends set out to bring London a new, European way to shop for contemporary homeware.
Sunday 10 May
Making Headlines
The Sunday Times titles its glowing review of the new Habitat store on Fulham Road, 'What the smart chicks are buying'.
Monday 11 May
Lift Off!
The doors are open! Duvets, chicken bricks, paper pendant shades and a selection of modern, stylish home furnishings arrive in London courtesy of Habitat.
Cataloguing
Cool
Habitat’s first printed broadsheet catalogue is published, which offers a peak of products curated in store with illustrations by Juliet Glynn Smith.
Breaking New
Ground
With sales consistently up at Fulham Road, a new Habitat store opens on Tottenham Court Road.
Going
Postal
For the first time, Habitat By Post allows those out of reach of a Habitat store to buy into the lifestyle.
Getting
Carried Away
Habitat furniture is now available in store from ‘take-away’ racks – the flat pack revolution has arrived.
Image
Rights
Habitat commissions a collection of original prints from four of Britain's most important contemporary artists including David Hockney and Peter Blake.
Sex
Sells
Outrage ensues when the '73 catalogue shows a scantily clad couple lounging in bed with nothing but a Hadji duvet to cover their birthday suits.
Tour De
France
The first French Habitat store in Tour Montparnasse is a roaring success with Parisians.
Thinking Outside
Of The Box
It's now possible to order the essential elements to furnish a three-bedroom house - all packaged in a six-foot-high container – via the new Housepack service.
Living In
Colour
Habitat launches the Graffiti sofa, which comes with a loose white cover; red, blue and yellow spray kit; plus stencils for applying your own pattern.
Open
Kitchen
Chef Michel Guerard collaborates with Habitat on a range of new cookware: "If there is no great cooking without imagination – there is no good cooking without good equipment," he declares.
A House
Extension
Habitat undergoes huge expansion both in the UK and internationally with 53 stores around the globe.
Country
File
Habitat introduces its 'Country' collection – a family of products with a rustic look and feel.
Paradise
City
Modern urban dwelling is now the height of cool and, accordingly, Habitat launches its 'City Living' collection.
New Trends
New Directions
Habitat expands its collection by launching Habitat fitted bedrooms and teams up with the Victoria & Albert Museum on a range of fabrics and wallpapers.
Thirty Is The
Magic number
Habitat celebrates its 30th birthday with a major exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum: Selling Lifestyle, 30 Years of Habitat.
Going
Clubbing
The Habitat Art Club comes to life, selling original paintings from young artists and limited-edition prints from established names including Tracey Emin and Gillian Wearing.
The Way
Of Zen
1998 brings a strong Japanese influence in which 'layered living' is the chic, new style.
Directed
Development
Tom Dixon joins Habitat as Head of Design becoming Creative Director in 2001, a role he will hold until 2008.
A New
Look
Entitled 'People, Places, Culture, Style, Beauty, Ideas, HOMES, Things to Buy', Habitat's 1999 annual catalogue highlights a bold new look for the brand.
Legendary
Talent
20th Century Legends - a collection of thirteen re-editions by legendary contemporary designers – makes its debut.
Habitat's
Heart
In May 2002 Habitat announces an evolutionary change to its famous word mark, by adding a symbol depicting the 'heart within the home'.
Notorious
VIP
VIP (Very Important Products) collection makes its mark with 22 products designed by a series of experts and famous names.
Hello
Theo
Theo Williams is announced as new Creative Director of Habitat. A post he will hold until 2011.
A Series
Of Collaborations
Working with the likes of House of Holland and Jackson & Levine, a new series is introduced to create limited edition collections like no other with acclaimed artists and creatives.
Habitat Joins The
Sainsbury's Group
The Sainsbury’s Group acquire the UK arm of the brand, along with Argos. The brand also opens their first Mini Habitat inside Sainsbury’s stores.
New Flagship
Stores Open
The doors are open! Two new flagship Habitat stores open in Brighton and Westfield White City in London.
Shrimps X Habitat
Collaboration
The Shrimps X Habitat collection lands. Shrimps founder, Hannah Weiland, translates her iconic designs into a series of must-have textiles and artwork for the home.
Say Hello
To Kate
Kate Butler joins Habitat as Head of Design.
Quentin Jones
For Habitat
Mixed-media artist Quentin Jones collaborates with Habitat to create a statement collection of rugs and cushions.
Brighton-inspired
Designs
The Brighton Art Project competition launches, allowing one lucky artist to win the chance to create their own limited-edition Habitat product.
Luke Edward Hall
X Habitat Collaboration
Artist Luke Edward Hall launches his first capsule collection for Habitat with a range of sofas, lighting and accessories.
