For the September 2018 edition, MAISON&OBJET’s layout was entirely revamped. This change was implemented in order to simplify the structure of the fair’s offering, improve visitor experience and encourage chance discoveries. While some adjustments are still needed and will be made as early as the January 2019 event, – initial feedback confirms the positive impact of these changes.
A more intuitive categorization
The success of MAISON&OBJET has always relied on the breadth of its offering. More than 20 years after its inception, the fair has revealed a brand new structure. Featuring two aptly named Hubs — Maison and Objet —, the new layout allows for a more intuitive experience of the fair, which promises unexpected and exciting discoveries for visitors. Paired with an increase in average stand size, this change shone a new light on the fair’s offering and helped bring about new partnerships.
New products at a glance
In order to help visitors gain insight into emerging trends, the show has scaled up the ‘What’s New?’ exhibitions. For the first time this season, the inspirational displays starring new products by exhibitors expanded to four locations. Complementing the Trends Forum, their approach offers a chance to get a quick read of the season’s innovations. A wonderful opportunity for 500 of the 3,000 exhibiting brands to enjoy additional exposure for their most exciting products.
Continuing the experience on and offline
MAISON&OBJET now provides two new ways for visitors to keep the experience going. In addition to MOM, the platform that features exhibitors’ collections all year round, this season also saw the launch of the Trend Mook. This new and improved version of the Inspirations Book offers a wealth of information indispensable to grasping the emerging trends that are reshaping the market. In a deeply ‘Virtuous’ spirit, the first issue explores new eco-friendly and visually pleasing materials, a selection of the season’s absolutely not-to-be missed product launches, and the definition of a new profile of demanding consumers: The so called “ambitious class.”
Design and decoration take over the city of Paris
In parallel to the trade show, the 8th edition of Paris Design Week was held from September 6th-15th 2018. Themed walks took design enthusiasts and all those interested in the latest trends to discover 200 different places, each featuring original
exhibitions and the season’s latest creations. Partnerships with La Biennale Paris (at the Grand Palais), and AD Intérieurs exhibition, which pays tribute every year to the work of the greatest decorators of the moment, make Paris a highlight in the international decoration, design and lifestyle calendar and the place to be in September.
Visitor numbers
76,502 unique visitors from 171 countries (i.e. -2,2 per cent compared with September 2017, an all-time attendance record). Including: 31,928 non-French visitors (i.e. +0,2 per cent compared with September 2017). This year there were 44,574 French visitors (i.e. -3.6 per cent compared with September 2017). 119,633 visits in total (+1 per cent compared with September 2017). The countries with the highest numbers of visitors were Belgium – 4,147, Italia – 2647, Germany – 2437, UK- 2,306, Netherland- 2,250, Spain- 1,605, Switzerland – 1,480, USA – 1,455, China – 1188, Russia – 1016, Japan – 978, Portugal – 727, South Korea – 642, Denmark – 510.
Exhibitor numbers
There were 3,112 exhibiting brands in total including 647 new brands. Seventy two countries represented 1,238 French exhibitors and 1,874 non-French exhibitors. The top 10 most represented countries were France: 1,132, Germany: 207, Italy: 195, Netherlands: 167, Belgium: 159, United Kingdom: 148, Spain: 121, Denmark: 104, Portugal: 74, Sweden: 51.
A New Visitor Experience
This September, MAISON&OBJET reconnected with its fundamentals and reorganized its offering to launch two new aptly named hubs: Maison and Objet! The professionals-only trade fair introduced a new layout designed to help visitors find their way around the event’s vast offering. The two main themes were further divided into four styles for Maison and seven product families for Objet.
MAISON: Four distinct ambiances waiting to be explored, brimming with the very best of furniture and interior design solutions grouped by style. OBJET: Seven sectors showcasing the most compelling objects, accessories and home accents by product family. Objet is all about going off the beaten track, refreshing and intuitive purchasing experiences, unexpected and surprising discoveries, and new opportunities to meet people and share…
Rising Talent Awards Spotlight Lebanon
Bridging the gap between East and West, the choice to honour a country with a booming creative scene confirms MAISON&OBJET’s commitment to keep pushing back the boundaries of creation. The event was placed under the patronage of Rabih Kayrouz, whose fashion label has immensely contributed to the worldwide popularity of the Lebanese style over the years.
The jury was composed of seven distinguished personalities: Aline Asmard’ Amman, Director of the studio Culture in Architecture, who oversaw the renovation work for the Hôtel de Crillon, Hala Moubarak, the mind behind the first Beirut Design Fair last year, Joy Mardini, Director of Galerie, Marc Baroud, designer, Cherine Magrabi, founder of online platform House of Today, and Nadine Fares Kahil, Editorin- Chief of Curve Magazine. The six young Lebanese talents to watch are: Carlo Massoud, Marc Dibeh, Carla Baz, Anastasia Nysten, Studio Caramel and Paola Sakr.
The Talks & The Retail Lab
At each edition, MAISON & OBJET presents a programme of more than 50 conferences chaired by leading personalities in the field of design and decoration. Amongst September’s guest speakers were Pierre Yovanovitch, who spoke about the domestic space from a historical standpoint; Thierry Marx who participated in a round table entitled “Does colour govern our senses?,” and Vincent Darré, who regularly shakes up the accepted practice of French decoration.
For specialists in the distribution sector, Emma Fric and Patricia Beausoleil from Peclers presented “Consumer trends that are guiding innovation for tomorrow’s retail and design”; Lucy Johnston, Author of The Creative Shopkeeper (Thames & Hudson), spoke about “The revenge of bricks and mortar retail”; and finally Paul Nulty and Anna Sandgren highlighted the decisive factor of lighting design in the world of retail.
Since 1995, MAISON&OBJET has been the world’s foremost event for professionals of the lifestyle, interior and design industries. Every edition brings together some 3,000 exhibitors and more than 80,000 unique visitors – of which 50 per cent hail from outside France.
Promoting new contacts and emerging talents, the show presents twice a year the latest sources of inspiration by shedding insight into current and future trends. As a result, the event has become an effective catalyst for brand development and business growth. Launched in September 2016, the digital platform MOM (MAISON&OBJET AND MORE) offers a comprehensive overview of the latest news from and products by exhibiting labels, manufacturers, artisans, craftspeople and designers. A never ending source of inspiration, it also provides a tool for visitors to establish a direct conversation with thousands of brands all year round.
“MOM allowed us to make a significant number of new contacts, both French and international, all of which with qualified professionals, and we have already received several orders as a result. MOM has also helped us tremendously in our international development, because it was a chance for us to meet buyers from all over the world,” Nadia Dafri, Founder of her namesake accessories brand.
