Surprise! The Row launches homewares (in the most The Row way possible)

On a crisp, overcast Monday afternoon in Milan, a mysterious invite beckoned editors to Palazzo Belgioioso, an 18th-century architectural wonder in the heart of the city’s Quadrilatero della Moda district. The discrete entryway was marked only by a young woman, dressed in head-to-toe black and clutching an iPad; after being ushered through the courtyard, a series of spartan rooms with whitewashed plaster walls awaited. As waiters began circulating with platters of kumquats, asparagus spears, and crumbly ingots of Parmesan cheese – along with Japanese lacquered trays carrying dainty glass cups of Prosecco and sparkling water – the purpose of the event was revealed with a whisper: this week, The Row is launching its first homewares collection.

In the first, hushed room, an enormous sculptural clothing rail custom designed by Julian Schnabel sat pride of place, a blanket artfully draped across it. But this was not just any blanket: it was a blanket handwoven in India from the finest cashmere, brushed by hand from the bellies of Kashmir Valley goats to showcase the fabric in its purest form. (It turns out this specific variety is harvested from goats that are less than a year old; known as “baby” cashmere, at a weight of less than 14.5 microns, it is even lighter and finer than the kind you might buy from your average luxury store.)

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After heading through to a second space with fading frescoes on the ceiling, a milky, monastic light illuminated the raised tatami mat bed in the center of the room, flanked by a pair of Maison Baguès wrought iron chairs from the brand’s own archive. In an alcove, opposite an ikebana-style floral arrangement, a stack of bed linens invited the gathered editors to touch and turn over the pillows and duvets in their hands. Their peachy-soft surfaces (yes, even the bed sheets are 100% cashmere) were hand-quilted with postage-stamp-sized squares and dyed a black so deep it felt almost hypnotic, like staring into one of Anish Kapoor’s Vantablack voids. And where other brands venturing into the homewares space may be inclined to plaster their logo across every conceivable surface, The Row’s approach is, well, very The Row: the only concession you’ll find to any kind of branding is their monogram subtly embroidered onto the corners of the blankets and sheets.

In truth, whispers have been circulating for months that a The Row homewares line might be in the works. (A PR for the brand confirmed the project has been in the works for many years.) As ever, the lengthy gestation period was a result of designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s notorious perfectionism: it took many, many iterations of the fabrics before they found the precise softness, suppleness, and heft they were looking for, and it was only after much deliberation that they decided to launch the products with a quiet afternoon event at Milan Design Week, the annual celebration of interior design that coincides with the Salone del Mobile furniture fair every year. This approach has echoes of the genesis of the brand itself, which famously came about after the Olsens spent years trying to craft the perfect T-shirt; when they debuted back in 2006, it was with just seven pieces, all minimalist separates. With homewares, they want to master the basics – in this case, sheets and blankets – before expanding further.

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The timing, however, feels just right. One needs only glance at the packed schedule of fashion brands at Milan Design Week to know that the pandemic-era interiors boom is showing no signs of abating. And few labels have the kind of fully fleshed-out world surrounding it as The Row: given the impeccable design credentials of their stores, which feature historic furniture pieces by the likes of Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, it’s not exactly hard to imagine what their customer’s home might look like. Meanwhile, the brand is riding high following its $1 billion valuation and investment from the families behind Chanel and L’Oréal at the end of last year – and in 2026, the Olsens will be celebrating 20 years in business.

What better way to honor the milestone than by launching homewares? The designs are oh-so-The Row, whether in the restrained palette of ivory, black, and mink (I overheard a hushed conversation that mentioned an off-white shade had been scrapped after being deemed too bold) or the unapologetic opulence of the product. Sure, the majority of us may not be in the market for cashmere bedsheets: I think I’ll continue enjoying the more peaceful slumber that comes with not having to worry about drooling on a pillowcase that probably costs more than my monthly rent, thank you very much. However, one can imagine that the target audience for these products isn’t too worried about spilling toast crumbs or leaving peanut butter stains on their sheets. For the brand’s fiercely loyal clientele, the news that they’re looking to expand The Row-iverse once again will surely provoke feelings of warm, fuzzy, cashmere-swaddled joy.

And in case you were wondering, the Parmesan was rich, creamy, and very, very delicious.