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CAFOM Australia Brings European Lifestyle to the Australian Market
French design company Habitat enters the Australian market through European Lifestyle, with a Sydney showroom and online store.
European Lifestyle has launched in Australia, bringing the design heritage of Habitat, the brand founded by Terence Conran in 1964 and now part of France's CAFOM group. A Sydney showroom and online store are now open, with New Zealand to follow shortly.
Terence Conran built Habitat on a simple idea: good design should be available to everyone. Sixty years on, European Lifestyle is bringing that same thinking to Australia, with an appointment-only showroom in Alexandria, Sydney, and an online store. It enters a market the brand believes is ready for a more considered approach to furniture and homewares.
Background and ownership
European Lifestyle draws its heritage from Habitat, a European interiors brand, and part of the French group CAFOM. With one driving force at its core.
Alexandre Clerch, European Lifestyle CEO, said:
"Terence Conran, who founded Habitat, had the central idea that great furniture should be accessible to everyone, that is central to our positioning, and we will stay true to it."
What the brand did not fully anticipate was how alive that heritage already was in Australia.
“One of the more surprising aspects has been the following Habitat already has here. We expected the French and UK communities to remember it, but the positivity has been overwhelming. Childhood memories, family visits, people who still have pieces in their homes from 10 or 15 years ago. Our job is to keep those memories positive and stay true to the heritage.”
Why Australia, and why now
The decision to enter the Australian market was a considered one, built on a clear reading of where the market is heading.
"It's clear the furniture market has been expanding in Australia and New Zealand over recent years, and there is a gap in the market for premium European furniture at mid-level pricing," says Clerch. "This allows us to compete with some of the premium players, driven by our global network of premium manufacturing sites. We also bring a strong European design focus, with many pieces designed by European designers."
What sets European Lifestyle apart is the pairing of European design with genuine affordability. The range is shaped by European designers and carries the design sensibility that built Habitat's name 60 years ago, with a selection of pieces made in Europe and the broader collection manufactured across the globe. It positions the brand between the two ends of the Australian market that are already well served: the large-volume retailers competing mainly on price, and the high-end design houses where European provenance carries a steep premium. The middle ground, considered design at a price that is not a luxury markup, is where European Lifestyle sits.
A considered way to arrive
Rather than a conventional retail rollout, European Lifestyle has opened with an appointment-only showroom in Alexandria, paired with a full online store. The model reflects the brand's approach. It is personal and built around the customer rather than the transaction.
The brand is also clear that arriving well means adapting, not transplanting.
"It always feels right to reflect the country you are working in. Expect to see collaborations with local Australian designers, and a palette that is more Australian than traditional European."
Asked what the best seller will be, he is candid.
“You never really know until consumers start using the pieces. My prediction would be to watch Mogliano, one of the most loved pieces across the brand. Nothing beats a swivel chair moment.”
Looking ahead
European Lifestyle enters the market with plans to expand further. New Zealand follows as the next step.
“Bigger and bolder. The plan is always to expand and bring a physical footprint here, to let people interact with the pieces in store. Nothing beats being hands-on with a product.”
Source: CAFOM Australia
