Interior Industry & Design Events December 2019

It’s never too late in the year to seek out new inspirations so brush up on the latest industry trends and product launches with the must-attend design events for November. With BATIMAT 2019 set to take Paris by storm with it’s international trade event for architecture, building and construction, Downtown Design 2019 takes on Dubai to offer design professionals insight into the Middle East’s fast evolving design scene. SBID Members can also reap the rewards with exclusive member offers, VIP access and complimentary tickets… Scroll down to find out more!

 

4th – 8th November

BATIMAT 2019 – Paris, France

Le Mondial du Bâtiment returns to Paris-Nord Villepinte with INTERCLIMA, IDÉOBAIN and BATIMAT coming together as the leading international event for the architecture, building and construction industries. It is a one stop shop for all industry players to get a 360º view on the newest products in the sector, boasting up to 2,400 exhibitors from construction and bathroom materials, to comfort and energy efficiency. Helping professionals to rise up to the challenges of today and tomorrow.

SBID Members get VIP access with complimentary tickets, email [email protected] 

 

12th – 15th November

Downtown Design 2019 – Dubai, United Arab Emirates 

A key event of Dubai Design Week, Downtown Design is the Middle East’s leading design fair for original and high-quality design. The Fair offers design professionals the opportunity to gain a competitive edge in the Middle East’s fast evolving design scene with a dynamic programme of discovery and networking.

Alongside the latest collections from international brands and a line-up of thought-provoking talks and workshops featuring global design experts, the fair’s Trade Programme is curated to help architects, interior designers and other trade professionals raise their profile in the industry and make meaningful relationships with industry decision-makers.

SBID Members receive access to the VIP opening and preview on 12 November.

Click here to register

 

13th – 15th November 2019

MAPIC: The international retail property event – Cannes, France

With 8,600 participants including 2,100 retailers and 2,500 developers, MAPIC is considered one of the world’s most important events for the retail real estate market. It offers UK companies access to key decision-makers seeking to attract new retailers and innovative ways to increase footfall and provide entertainment and experiential offerings to augment the traditional retail mix within shopping centres and future mall developments. The Department for International Trade (DIT) will host a UK Lounge at MAPIC 2019 promoting the wealth of established brands that exist within the UK’s retail sector and the innovative services UK designers and experiential companies can offer the international market. The Lounge will bring together a host of experienced UK companies working successfully within the retail, creative design and experience economy sectors to showcase their expertise and services at this key international event.

Click here to register

 

21st November

SBID Breakfast Meeting – London, United Kingdom

The first of the leading sanitaryware brands in Europe to offer taps from a 3D metal printer, GROHE will host the next SBID Breakfast Meeting on Thursday 21st November. In collaboration with Cradle to Cradle certified, tile manufacturer Mosa, the event will take place at their showroom in London. The Breakfast Meeting offers designers to attend 2 SBID Accredited CPD seminars:

Mosa will present their Accredited CPD on ‘How cradle to cradle contributes to a sustainable design’

Grohe will present their Accredited CPD on ‘Water Saving without compromising on performance’

To register your interest in attending, email [email protected]

Beginning with fresh insight into the Vectorworks® 2020 to help designers and architects harness the latest software tools and workflows, October is punctuated by the announcement of the SBID International Design Awards winners for 2019. The month culminates with the eagerly anticipated SBID International Design Awards ceremony to celebrate global design excellence on 25th October, as well as SBID’s popular annual networking event which is due to return with a brand-new series of business seminars.

1st October 

Vectorworks Annual Design Day – London, United Kingdom

Meet the Vectorworks team in London on Tuesday 1st October as they present the powerful new workflows in Vectorworks® 2020 at Vectorworks’ Annual Design Day 2019. Explore the future of Vectorworks while enjoying opportunities in the following areas:

• Architecture– Discover how Vectorworks supports the entire design process with 2D, 3D and BIM capabilities. Project case studies will be presented and the team will be on hand to show the latest features.
• Interior Design– Learn how to establish a client’s vision using Vectorworks, with presentation boards, immersive panoramas, photo-realistic 3D rendering and augmented reality, while also having the tools required for collaboration.
• Networking– Meet and connect with over 250 of your industry peers, over lunch and through casual networking opportunities. Key personnel from Vectorworks in the USA and UK will be on hand to discuss any questions that you may have.

To register your interest in attending, email [email protected]

9th October

Learning Environment Transitions – Edinburgh, United Kingdom

The SBID Education Council invite both Designers and Education professionals to an event hosted by University of Edinburgh and City of Edinburgh Council on Wednesday 9th October to hear a presentation from Anne Knock on Learning Environment Transitions. Having spent 17 years as a primary school teacher and 15 years working directly with schools, systems, teachers, school boards and architects to facilitate change and create collaborative learning environments, Anne has learnt the language of design. Anne will be visiting Edinburgh as part of the International Study Tour that she hosts, with guests including educational leaders and architects. Earlier in the day the tour group will visit a local nursery and schools. During Anne’s presentation she will be sharing her insight about design principles and shaping the educational brief with a focus on the Learning Environment Transitions. This will follow on to an open discussion about the observations and considerations of the transitioning between learning environments form Nursery through to University.

To register your interest in attending, email [email protected]

15th October 

Designs From the Past, Inspiration for the Future (CPD Talk and Tour) – Maidenhead, United Kingdom

Join this CPD talk and guided tour on the origin and history of the Textile Design Archive held by the John Lewis Partnership in their Heritage Centre based in Maidenhead. Starting at 11am, this talk focuses on historic textile printing techniques, the work of reputable designers and how these have inspired more recent designs and products. This is followed by a Q&A session with a John Lewis Partnership Archivist, then a guided tour of the Heritage Centre including the textile gallery where the original artworks for many designs from c1800 onwards are displayed.

To register your interest in attending, email [email protected]

24th October

SBID Meet the Buyer  – London, United Kingdom

The Society of British and International Design’s popular annual networking event returns on 24th October with a brand new location and even more opportunities for attendees. Set to be the biggest to date, the one-day event will feature a new series of business seminars, new manufacturers and a new home – Grosvenor House, Park Lane in London. The SBID Meet The Buyer event brings together some of the best interior designers, architects and specifiers to meet face to face with leading, design-led product manufacturers from around the world. Complete with networking opportunities, face to face contact with decision makers, the event also presents a brand-new series of business seminars for designers and manufacturers to gain valuable advice – as well as engage in discussions about challenges the industry faces from some of the most esteemed experts in their field.

Click here to find out more or book your place now

25th October

SBID International Design Awards 2019 – London, United Kingdom

The SBID International Design Awards became the first interior design award scheme to be accredited with the GOLD Standard Awards Trust Mark by The Independent Awards Standards Council, who commended the programme as “exemplar in how awards should be operated”. The SBID Awards programme is set to culminate with a dazzling ceremony at one of London’s most iconic locations in the Ballroom at Grosvenor House hotel in Mayfair on Friday 25th October. In opulent surroundings, the finalists, judges and sponsors from across the world come together to celebrate being part of a community that represents excellence in global design; where the winners across 15 categories will be presented with the beautiful SBID International Design Award 2019 trophy, expertly crafted by Czech glass specialist, Sans Souci Glass Deco.

To rub shoulders with the world’s leading interior designers, click here to book a table

This year sees Clerkenwell Design Week celebrate its 10th edition, taking up residency in one of London’s key hubs for design and architecture. Set across three days from 21 – 23 May 2019, CDW is the annual focus for London’s leading design district. The festival programme has been tailored to reflect the unique nature of this culturally rich area playing host to hundreds of showrooms, fringe events, talks, workshops and installations. Giant customised candle like beacons will be found throughout the area, while showrooms, practices and seven exhibition venues throw open their doors as part of this annual design week. CDW has firmly established itself as one of the UK’s leading independent design festivals, which each year attracts a diverse and international design community to this vibrant district.

We’re sharing a preview of what to expect from some of the SBID members who are set to be exhibiting at Clerkenwell next week. Scroll below to discover more or click here to register to attend now.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Two of the biggest problems designers usually face in business are lining up the next project and getting paid the final instalment of the project in hand. The latter is rarely talked about but after a recent experience, I feel it is time to end the taboo and discuss this issue more openly. 

I recently won a legal case against administrator Keith Algie of RSM UK Group LLP acting against my client who was unfortunately pursued relentlessly by the administrator’s solicitor; Matthew Whyatt formerly of Cassell Moore Solicitors (no longer trading) now trading as Alexander Whyatt LLP. They wound my client’s company up for a debt of £13,000. Unfortunately, they had failed to correctly serve the payment request at the correct address provided by the client. Papers were served at an address entirely unknown to my client which resulted in their rightful ability (due to non-payment) to wind up the company and also bankrupt my client for non-payment. The claim was unopposed (due to my client not receiving the documents served by Whyatt).

After my client was put into administration, together they (Whyatt on instruction from his client Algie) tried to reclaim the designer’s fee I’d received by incorrectly claiming that no design work was carried out and that the fee therefore belonged to the administrator. My client ceased works when administrator’s fees were added to their sole debt of £13,000 for court costs. The administrator claimed £7 million. Proof of design boards, research and sourcing materials and prices was provided as evidence however it was rejected without explanation.

The solicitor, Whyatt, and his client, Keith Algie of RSM UK Group LLP, seemed hellbent on destroying my client’s business. Together they were relentless in their claim to recover the first payment of my design fee (£32,500), claiming it was a deposit and no work had been carried out. Despite supporting evidence confirmed that was not the case, they ignored this and continued to pursue me tirelessly for the repayment across a total of three years, finally ordering me to give financial evidence in court, which I did this year.

Why would I give someone my money purely because they demanded and put pressure on me over a long period of time to do so? That’s bully tactics, which I absolutely despise. I had earned my fee and proved it, so was not going to back down. When it became clear to me that they would not stop, I instructed law firm Mischon de Reya. After three years of unrelenting pursuance generating almost £150,000 in legal fees and other costs to me and £100,000 in fees for RSM, they lost their case and I was awarded over £100,000 costs.

In the vindictive pursuit of £32,500 the tables were turned. Now Mathew Whyatt’s business, Alexander Whyatt LLP, is itself in administration, just weeks after the order was made.

The first payment of £35,000 has since been received from RSM Group via Algie, the claimant, complying with the court order and advising that his solicitor had since gone into administration.

I will never walk away from a bully. When things don’t make sense to me in finance and compliance there’s usually a reason more complex than the surface suggests. Sometimes it takes years to conclude as in this case but over many years in the past, I have won several successful cases where I have challenged a bully or a conglomerate.

It is my right and my duty to stand up for my profession and for myself. I could not walk away from an injustice, regardless of personal or financial risk.

If you find yourself in a legal dispute, especially when it comes to being challenged for your work. My advice would be to stand your ground if you know you are in the right. You can buy insurance to cover legal costs, you can use mediation and you can lean on the SBID for support on legal direction and introduction without prejudice. Designers are often caught up in the issue of non-payment; largely due to the misunderstanding of the role of an interior designer on a project; and in some cases it can destroy a designer’s business. When you are paid to provide a service and fulfil the brief, regardless of gender, age or industry, you deserve to be paid.

Written by Dr Vanessa Brady OBE

Award-winning Interior Designer, CEO & Founder of the Society of British and International Design

Exclusive competition for SBID members to win a 3-day pass to Salone Del Mobile this April! 

SBID have launched a competition exclusively for SBID members to win a 3-day pass to the world renowned trade event Salone Del Mobile.

In collaboration with FLA Eventi, 10 lucky winners will receive a free 3 day pass to the 58^th edition of the event held from the 9^th – 14^th April at Rho Fiera, Milan.

Salone del Mobile describes themselves as a system of connections, creativity and innovation. Within the space of a week, more than 300,000 creatives unite in Milan to gain inspiration. The show is split into three sections, classic, design and xLux and remains the home of furniture with over 2000 international exhibitors worldwide.

The competition is now closed. Winners will be notified by 6pm tonight (Friday 5 April 2019)

 

Competition Terms & Conditions:

1.No purchase necessary. 2. One entry per person, no bulk or third party entries. 3. Email entries for competitions should be sent to [email protected] clearly stating in the subject header the competition you are entering. 4.Competitions are open to all UK & International residents except employees of SBID, the companies or organisations with whom the competition or offer is being run, their agents or anyone directly connected with the promotion. 5. No responsibility can be accepted for entries lost, delayed or mislaid 6. Prizes are as stated only and no cash alternatives will be given. However the promoter has the full and free right to alter arrangements or prizes should circumstances change. 7. The decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. 8. All entries and copyright in them automatically become the property of SBID. 9. All entrants to competitions and offers are deemed to have accepted these rules and agreed to be bound by them and agree to co-operate in any publicity that may arise. 10. The closing date for receipt of entries is as stated for each individual competition. The winner will be decided by a random from the correct entries received during the promotion period. Decisions of the promoter relating to the drawing and all matters relating to this promotion will be final and binding. The odds of winning a prize will depend on the number of eligible entries received. 11. By providing your email address and entering this competition you agree to receive relevant email communications from SBID including news, events, offers and competitions. 12. The Promoter reserves the right to verify the eligibility of entrants and check their identity 13. The prize is a free 3 day pass to Salone Del Mobile in Milan. The prize does not include flights or accommodation. 14. The prize may not be used in conjunction with any other offer hosted by the Promoter. 15. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute a prize of equivalent or greater value if this is necessary for reasons beyond its control. 16.The winner will be contacted and notified by SBID. 17.  The Promoter reserves the right to re-draw the winner if they cannot be contacted within a reasonable period of time (to be established at the promoter’s sole discretion) and the right to disqualify any entrant or select an alternative winner in the event that it believes that any entrant has contravened these Terms and Conditions. 18 Submitting an entry to this Competition is deemed to be acceptance by the entrants of these Terms and Conditions. The Promoter reserves the right to alter, amend or foreclose this Competition without prior notice in the event that unforeseen circumstances make this unavoidable. 19. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage, injury or disappointment suffered by any entrant resulting from entering this Competition or by the entrant’s acceptance of the prize. 20.  Promoter: SBID 10 Molasses Row, Plantation Wharf. London SW11 3UX

Whether you want to ensure your client’s showers are safe and stylish with innovative design and anti-slip surfaces; make your colour selections easier with the newest Colour Atlas on the market; or even design a bespoke, statement finish for your glass projects – browse our December edit of newly released products and developments to upgrade your designs for the year ahead.

The new RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus, D4 Colour Atlas has been released

The new RAL DESIGN SYSTEM is based on a 3D MODEL. It arranges the colours in three dimensions, according to hue, lightness and saturation. The Colour Atlas makes the system available in a handier binder and thus presents a swift, systematic overview of the over 1,825 current colour nuances with colour codes and additional colour information, which, for example, helps trend consultants in the development of collections.

Click to shop

 

RAK Ceramics shower tray Collection receives Award for ‘Best Bathroom Innovation’

Imagine a shower area where quality and harmony merges with form and functionality, providing users with the utmost comfort. The new RAK Ceramics shower tray, RAK-Feeling, with elegant and contemporary lines will give bathroom designs unique character and enhance those essential moments of relaxation. A luxurious finish with stone effect adds a distinctive feel to the shower area, as well as being pleasant to the touch.

RAK-Feeling is also made of RAKSOLID, a durable material composed of a mixture of natural minerals and resins with anti-slip safety. RAKSOLID meets the highest safety standards, classified in DIN 51097 Class C (the highest achievable level of slip resistance). With a surface that prohibits the growth of bacteria and fungi, alongside an excellent resistance to chemical products, the design ensures greater safety and hygiene. This is confirmed by the strictest chemical resistance tests required by the EN 14527 Standard. Additionally, the shower trays are not affected by exposure to light, proven by xenon arc lamp tests, which simulate sunlight on shower trays and verify the effects of ageing (EN ISO 4892 Standard).

Click to shop

 

Sandy Bay London introduces the new Gentlemen’s Club range

Sandy Bay London was borne from my love of interiors and home décor. With the desire of providing an accessible luxury, for both male and female customers which can be used every day. So this is where the new range comes in; the Gentlemen’s Club Collection is designed for men, but the ladies love it too. The range is presented in impressive black and gold glassware, with stylish branding featured on both the candle and packaging. The Gentlemen’s Club comprises of 7 on-trend Fine Fragrance Blends which have been given catchy names such as City Boy, Forever Man, The Charmer, True Gentleman, Countryman, The Boss and Oudh Enigma.

Click to shop

 

Franklite launches 80 new product lines in their new Supplement for 2018/2019

Franklite announced the launch of their latest products for the 2018/2019 season. With the new Supplement showcasing over 80 new product lines, from traditional to contemporary, Franklite provide products to meet all a designer’s lighting needs. Featuring the Centrix 14 light fitting in a classic old gold finish, this light was designed to add contemporary focal point to any design scheme and even comes with fully adjustable arms which can be manoeuvred to fit and suit any space.

For the latest edition please email [email protected] quoting the reference: SBID1825

 

Bespoke glass designs for the interior industry with Daedalian Glass Studios

View portfolio

 

VELVENOIR released their December selection of curated art with SBID member discount 

The international boutique art consultancy and concierge, Velvenoir offer SBID members complimentary art consultancy services and access to a curated, in-house art inventory with expert guidance as well as exclusive trade offer of 10% off any piece of art within their December selection.

Browse the selection and quote your SBID membership number to claim your discount 

As you’re resetting your focus for the New Year, start 2019 as you mean to go on – with a steady feed of interior inspiration and regular updates for the latest interior industry innovations and design developments to integrate into those new and exciting projects for the year ahead. What better way to start than with a host of design news and essential industry events to attend this January… 

Scroll down to discover more about Maison&Objet this January and how SBID Members can claim FREE tickets to attend…

Winners of the Designed for Business Student Awards were announced!

SBID and BE OPEN announced the winners of the student design competition, Designed for Business, at the House of Commons on Thursday 29 November. Designed to showcase emerging talent and nurture relationships between students and the working world, competition Finalists, design professionals and leading educational establishments gathered for the prize-giving ceremony as the culmination of a six-month judging process.

Katarina Spenerova was announced as the Overall Winner, claiming the life-changing cash prize of £30,000, along with five other Category Winners across Art & Design, Interior Decoration, Fashion, Interior Design and Product Design. The 2019 edition of the Designed for Business Student Awards will be launching in the Spring!

Click to see the winning projects

8th – 11th January 

Heimtextil – Frankfurt, Germany

Heimtextil is one of the biggest and most important international trade fairs for home and contract textiles, acting as a climate and trend barometer for the whole business year. At this leading event for interior textiles, design and trends, international manufacturers, dealers and designers present their products and innovations to a large audience of trade visitors. Heimtextil features over 2,900 exhibitors showcasing the very latest textiles and textile designs, attracting around 69,000 trade visitors from across the world.

11th – 14th January

Domotex – Hannover,  Germany

From 11-14 January 2019, the Hannover Exhibition Centre will serve as a four-day hotspot for the global flooring industry, acting as a meeting point for the industry and bringing together industry professionals from all over the world with 1400 exhibitors and 38,000 visitors. Both exhibitors and visitors enthusiastically embraced the launch of a fresh exhibition design that introduced a clear hall layout, an annual keynote theme and the special Framing Trends showcase.

Many of these exhibitors are finalising the finer details of their showcases, eager to put their best foot forward when they present their product innovations in January. The show’s new keynote theme, “CREATE’N’CONNECT”, is a bold statement that puts the spotlight on the current connectivity megatrend. Connectedness is an important aspect of flooring in the sense that floors are unifying, connecting elements of room design. They inspire us, give us orientation and set the stage for human interaction. With their numerous design options, floors play an important role in providing the very foundation for the rooms in which we live and work.

SBID Members can claim complimentary tickets to attend – email [email protected] to claim yours! 

13th – 15th January

Top Drawer – London, UK 

Presenting thousands of leading and undiscovered UK and international brands, expertly curated and chosen for their beautiful design, exceptional quality, originality and commercial appeal. Top Drawer encompasses the dynamic worlds of Home, Gift, Fashion and Craft, providing unique access to this season’s hottest new products giving buyers the ultimate choice for a successful season.

This year, the SBID Colour Council will make an appearance at Top Drawer 2019 on the 14th January at 12:30pm with a dedicated colour seminar to discuss those all-important colour trends for the year ahead, inviting a range of experts from the industry to talk about how they interpret colour for 2019. Click here to find out more.

SBID Members can upgrade their tickets to VIP for free – email [email protected] to register!

14th – 20th January 

imm cologne – Cologne, Germany 

imm cologne presents the trends that will be shaping the furniture and interiors sector – and the products that are good for business. At the imm cologne, you will find a unique variety of interior design ideas for every room, every style and every requirement – from the basics all the way to designer items and luxury furnishings.

For 2019, Hall 11 will be transformed into Pure Atmospheres as part of the conceptual development of the ‘Pure’ design segment. The new direction means even more inspiration combined with a stronger business focus.The name underscores the nature of the presentations, shaped by the exhibitors’ holistic interior concepts. Exhibitors will showcase inspiring brand concepts: their own take on domestic culture, their personal signature, their interpretation of good design. Here, the focus is not on the individual product but on the interaction of all the elements.

18th – 22nd January

Maison&Objet – Paris, France

Since 1995, MAISON&OBJET has inspired generations of interior designers and retailers by maintaining a high level of creativity, diversity and excellence throughout the years. With 2 aptly named hubs, Maison and Objet, M&O showcase an excess of 3,000 international brands to over 70,000 interiors professionals twice a year in Paris. The next edition is set to take place on 18-22 January 2019. Find out more about the upcoming event in January, here.

SBID Members can claim complimentary tickets to attend – email [email protected] to claim yours!

20th – 23rd January

January Furniture Show – Birmingham, UK 

Perfectly timed at the start of the year to reveal the newest launches, the biggest names and the freshest trends at the UK’s largest furniture event, the January Furniture Show is back on 20-23 January 2019 at the National Exhibition Center, Birmingham. New for 2019 will be the JFS Contract Trail. Over 150 of the 2019 exhibitors either regularly, or occasionally supply contract. For the first time contract suppliers will be identified on the exhibitor listing on the JFS website, making it easy for buyers to plan their stand visits in advance.

Show Director, Cleere Scammell said, “It is important that we give our buying visitors as much useful information as is feasible, to make their visiting time at JFS as productive as possible. Adding the Contract Trail was an easy decision given the number of requests we receive for the information, and given the large number of contract suppliers that we have among our exhibitors.”

30th – 31st January 

Architect@Work – London, UK 

Architect@Work is an exclusive event for architects, interior designers and specifiers taking place at the Old Truman Brewery. The carefully curated trade show aimed at interior and design industry professionals will return to London for its 2019 edition on 30-31 January with a brand new theme. The theme is future-proof. In an age when change is measured in seconds, not years, and sustainability is a necessity not an optional extra, architects and designers are increasingly tasked with proposing projects that have longevity. How can practitioners ensure they are taking the lead when it comes to future-proofing their projects and who is setting the agenda for tomorrow’s built environment?

Have you discovered the new Maison&Objet yet? Since the last edition in September 2018, Maison&Objet (M&O) totally revamped its layout, entirely tailored to designer’s needs. Reconnecting with the fundamentals, M&O reorganised its offering to launch two new aptly named hubs: Maison and Objet!

The professionals-only trade fair introduced this new layout 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. This change was implemented in order to simplify the structure of the fair’s offering, improve visitor experience and encourage chance discoveries. With 119,633 visits made from across 171 countries, the success of the previous edition will once again pave the way for another memorable and inspiring design event in January. New visits, new audacious and intuitive purchasing experiences, inspirational and surprising itineraries… They’ve got a host of insightful surprises in store, so if you’re an SBID member, make sure you claim your free tickets to attend next month!

The Inspirations Forum introduces the theme, ‘Excuse my French’

For each session of M&O, NellyRodi analyses the latest consumer trends and sociological phenomena, and encapsulates them into a theme. The topic chosen for January 2019 may have a humorous note to it, “Excuse My French!” but, it looks very seriously at a re-emergence of the country of Molière on the international scene. All about the French art-de-vivre in France and abroad, Excuse my French will explore what makes French style so distinctive and attractive in a globalised economy, who are its inspirations and symbols today, and which designers, manufacturers, artisans best express the modern French heritage.

Vincent Grégoire at NellyRodi attributes this theme with the renewed curiosity about the French as “A sort of fascination at the moment”. For him, the movement is linked to globalisation “In a world where things are becoming standardised, people are looking for something different”. We couldn’t think of anywhere more fitting to bring this trend to the forefront than the quintessentially Parisian trade fair set in the city of the indescribable Gallic quality that exudes an easy allure, an effortless chic and a distinctive sense of style.

The country has long been a reference world-wide for the arts, fashion, design and lifestyle. For many, it is quite simply the epitome of elegance. Grégoire pinpoints a number of factors responsible for the country’s new-found resurgence. Leading the way are a whole host of smaller companies – Petites Maisons, who reinterpret traditional savoir-faire with product lines characterised by a spirit of invention and exclusivity. A “nouvelle vague” of creatives open to multicultural influences has also emerged. They shake up traditional French chic by injecting inspirations from elsewhere in a new mood of fusion.

In light of this mix’n’match approach, the Trend Forum in Hall 7 will be presenting a selection of products, à la française which will embody the essence of this new cultural phenomenon and encapsulate the renaissance of the French scene. Adorn in theatrical décor inspired by the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, a small truck displaying the essential M&O trend mook will be parked in the centre, surrounded by a number of handpicked contemporary items to create deliberate contrast against the classical setting. “There will be disruptive, dissonant elements and a spirit of contradiction”, promises Grégoire.

Save the date! Rendez-vous with trends lovers from 18-22 January 2019

SBID Members are entitled to complimentary tickets 

Tickets are limited and available on a first come first served basis until the 14^th of January 2019

To claim your free ticket email [email protected]