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The Wednesday Journal of Cultural Insights.
I hadn’t visited the Maison et Objet fair for a while, and it has changed quite a bit. All trade shows in Europe have changed, whether it’s the IMM Cologne, Salone del Mobile, or Maison&Objet.
With fewer exhibitors, a lack of exciting stand scenography, and new trends, we miss the good old times (there are always exceptions, of course), but I believe we should be excited they still exist. It is a considerable effort for all parties involved.
Here are a few highlights from the Maison et Objet September edition and tips for your next visit:
1. Attend a conference at the talks forum. I was surprised by the many topics.
2. Visit their collaboration with their famous fleamarket, Les Puces de Saint Ouen. That was an exciting move, and the stand will be even bigger in January.
3. They highlight Rising Talent with a selection (Nordic European countries this time) and awards.
4. The Interior Designer of the Year, Lionel Jadot, set up a radical vision of hospitality with a series of artists who intervened with different techniques for processing recycled material.
5. Discover the trend corner. The trends change with each edition; this time, the Perclers Paris agency created Terra Cosmos.
So, the bottom line is that the fair organization does not stand still and is looking for different ways to connect with a diverse audience.
The two annual editions have different focus areas:
The September edition features younger, and Emerging Talent and the January edition will highlight more Luxury and Premium themes, including a new Collectible Edition.
Below are the pieces we found to offer novelty or unique nuances.
These highlighted designs are all quite vibrant, responding to Joyconomy, a Micro Trend that shows quirky, fun, and vibrant features where self-expression is a fitting antidote to sameness and boredom in an ongoing moment of cost of living crisis, global turmoil, and a feeling of an uncertain world. With color as a catalyst, this direction brings a smile, joy and wonder. The aesthetics can be surreal, over-proportioned and cartoon-ish, the aim is not to break rules but to not have rules.
Eclectic Trends
Other exhibitors focused on eclectic or Soft Minimalism themes that seemed more familiar or widely explored, and that’s why they are not included in this recap.
Belgian glass brand Henry Dean is probably not known for working with other materials and quirkiness. However, these furry accessories added to their collectible edition, and glass totems were a fun distraction on their stand.
Yoomoota tells a story through sculptures, paintings, mixed-media pieces, cartoons, storybooks, and NFTs.The objects of the universe represent humanity’s fantastic inner world. All pieces are created by Taras Zheltyshev, also known as Taras Yoom. His projects blur the boundary between visible reality and the hidden natural processes of organisms he observed during his former medical studies.
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Going for such a bold color scheme deserves special mention, especially since taking risks is no longer an option for most exhibitors. A raspberry setup paired with (almost entirely) green product mix was definitely a stopper at Italian brand Ovo Design, which specializes in clay objects.
These sculptural freestanding candles draw everyone’s attention thanks to their height and multistage handmaking process. What looks like a candle perched on a holder of the same color is, in reality, a fully freestanding candle.
In today’s accelerated society, presence is the new luxury. We see our candles as a simple gateway to self-(re)connection, a way to help transform our homes into sanctuaries for slowing down.
Experimental and unexpected, Marcantonio’s new collection Vitamins for Seletti celebrates the joy of play as a way to celebrate the importance and beauty of food, which gives us energy and nourishment every day.
Also, we made a reel; did you see our highlight from the Paris Design Week?
New Masterclass
Think Tank of Color + Materials Trends for 2025
This one-day masterclass, set to take place in Barcelona, is designed for creatives eager to explore the latest material trends firsthand. During the session, participants will engage in interactive discussions, hands-on exploration of 200+ materials, and collaborative brainstorming to generate innovative ideas for their application.
Everybody gets to take home a box full of materials.
Over the last 18 months, we have been watching something interesting happen in the way people search for new materials
Of all trade shows, festivals, exhibitions, Homo Faber is the one you need to experience in person. This was my
While reading Pablo Picasso’s autobiography, I found myself drawn not only to the artists of early twentieth-century Paris, but to
