Whether it’s water bottles, pet care, alternative milk or laundry, some of the least glamorous corners of consumer goods are acquiring the kind of cultural cachet once reserved for fashion.

“When was it normal for a laundry brand to partner with Nobu? Never,” says Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst at The Future Laboratory, referring to stylist-turned-entrepreneur Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe’s laundry brand, Le Luxe. “But now, with Melissa’s brand identity tied to luxury selfcare, wellbeing and the elevation of the everyday, that’s normal.”

As a result, categories once associated almost entirely with utility and necessity are adopting the mechanics of fashion. For example, Stanley 1913 turned its water bottles into collectible accessories through collaborations with cultural figures like Post Malone, alongside a steady stream of limited-edition colorways and seasonal drops. Holdbrook-Akposoe’s Le Lux sells sleekly packaged tumble dryer sheets and laundry beads that look more akin to the beauty world than household goods. Love Island host Maya Jama co-owns pea-based milk brand Sproud, which prides itself on being the “alt alt m*ilk” dressed in a monochrome carton. Even cleaning products are getting the luxe treatment: Diptyque’s La Droguerie collection includes a £35 multi-surface cleaner, a £35 washing up liquid, and a £28 leather and wood care lotion, all packaged in its signature refillable glass bottles and scent.

“Consumers still want quality and performance, but they also want products that reflect who they are. Utility and self-expression are no longer separate ideas. People expect both,” says Kate Ridley, chief brand officer at Stanley 1913. “A water bottle, a coffee cup, or a tote can be as intentional a choice as a pair of shoes or a favorite handbag.”

Photo: Courtesy of Stanley

As fashion becomes crowded, and as consumers look beyond clothes for more accessible ways to express taste, the opportunity is moving into less expected corners of the consumer market. The next status symbol might not be hanging in your wardrobe, but sitting in your fridge, your cupboard, or your gym bag.

How functional products became the new fashion brands

Fashion has long offered one of the clearest ways to buy into a cultural identity. But after years of explosions in independent labels and streetwear brands, it is becoming a harder game to crack

“Clothing will always be a powerful cultural signal, but the space has become increasingly saturated. So many brands look alike, make similar claims and repeat the same collaboration playbook, which means some of the edge and novelty has been lost for consumers,” says Reece Kellman, founder of These Sweets, a better-for-you confectionery brand. “Fashion can also be expensive and less accessible; not everyone can buy into a brand through a £500 jacket or a limited-edition drop.”