Marmite hijacks the home shops

Love it or hate it, the iconic brand Marmite is taking over the home shops next season. As new Autumn/Winter 09 collections filter onto the shelves, it's impossible to ignore the widespread recognizable iconography of Marmite. Here are mydeco's top picks from the new wave of Marmite home ware.

1. Why we love marmite

It's no surprise that Marmite is a hit the same year that the Union Jack has hiked up the trend ranks. With the recession in full throttle, consumers crave nostalgia and Britishness. And Marmite ticks every box. It has been a well loved part of our everyday lives since 1902 and was even sent to Kosovo peacekeeping troops to boost morale. "The Marmite jar and label have barely changed since it was first created over 100 years ago", explains Noam Buchaltr, Marmite's marketing manager. "Marmite has a really strong design identity and has been in people's hearts from childhood". We love the Pop Art Marmite canvases (from £65) from John Lewis.

2. Limited editions boost popularity

Until a few years ago, Marmite was simply the dark sticky paste spread on toast. Then the savvy team at Marmite created limited editions featuring champagne, then Guinness and most recently this quirky, cricket ball shaped Marmite Jar (£75) from silvercompany.co.uk, to mark the 2009 Ashes. Soon enough, collectors and Marmite fans alike were snapping up the one-off pieces.

3. The paste goes posh

Back in January, the divisive goo got a further status boost when The Dorchester hotel served Marmite Afternoon Tea. Add some extravagance to your own tea break with this hallmarked Sterling Silver Lid (£49.50) from Not on the High Street. Who knew a spread "with the visual properties of an industrial lubricant", as Bill Bryson puts it, could be so luxurious

4. Marmite hits homes

"It is becoming an increasingly popular trend to design interior products based on the theme 'what goes around, comes around'", says Sarah Theobold, Buyer at Debenhams. And so began Marmite's assault on the home market. Look out for Marmite tea pots, toast racks, oven gloves and more. Our top pick for your kitchen cupboards are these Pastel Mugs (£7.99) from On the table.

5. Crafty collaborations

Any trend this hot leads to a battle between discerning brands, all clamouring for a partnership. So far, it looks like Dualit are the front runners. Their special edition Marmite Toaster(£134.99) from House of Fraser is embossed with the distinctive Marmite font and gives a kooky edge to a boring kitchen.

6. Marmite meets Warhol

Next up was an assault on the art world. "Rather than just slapping the Marmite logo onto products, we decided to experiment with its design iconography with a Pop Art style. It's one of our most successful ranges," explains Buchaltr. New to John Lewis this season are Pop Art Marmite Canvases. Give a nod to two trends with a Marmite egg cups (£11.99) from Amazon in hot pinks and greens - this season's brash colours.

7. Mix in some Marmite

Now, us Brits are so enamoured with the sticky stuff that we're adding it to our favourite dishes with joyful abandon. This Marmite Cookbook (£7.99) from giftmonger, is packed with ingenious ideas to Marmite-up your meals. Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes is an avid advocate of Marmite and once served a three-course Marmite dinner at his London restaurant. There was even Marmite-laced chocolate sauce. Whoever said that British food was boring?

8. The icing on the Marmite cake

It is possible to take a trend too far, so we don't recommend actually baking a Marmite cake. But for bog standard baked treats that need a funky home, we have the answer. This perfectly practical Set of Cake Tins (£29.99 for 3) from Not on the High Street is sure to elicit covetous glances from style savvy guests.

9. Save your pennies in style

With the economy still looking gloomy, Marmite have invented a cheery antidote to the credit crunch. Hark back to Britain's glory days and smile while you save with this Oversized Marmite Money Jar (£19.95) from Prezzybox. Don't forget to empty it now and again splurge in our shopping section.

10. Pass on the Marmite love

"You either love it or hate it and acquire that mantle as a toddler through your parents," asserts Buchaltr. "It stays with you for life and when you grow up, you give it to your children - so it passes on." Give your kids a reason to love it with this Marmite Sandwich Box (£4.95) from Prezzybox. Long live the Marmite legacy.

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2nd September 09