ML - Maison & Objet Americas

Maison & Objet Americas - 2015 - Issue 1

MAISON&OBJET Americas

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photography © alexis narodetzk y; opposite page © anne-emmanuelle thion Visitors take in the exhibition "Words," featuring work by Elizabeth Leriche, at the Paris fair last September. Maison&objet began with an ambitious mis- sion: to gather the best and brightest talents in home décor and interior design in order to expose industry leaders from around the world to exciting develop- ments in the feld. two decades ago, salons Français et internationaux (saFi, a subsidiary of ateliers d'art de France and Reed expositions France) merged sev- eral Paris-based trade shows, including Paas, Moving, tex'styles, Mic, arts Cuisine, and Parallèle, under one brand name, and Maison&objet was born. it was a hit right from the start, with 1,250 exhibitors and more than 38,000 visitors attending the event at the Parc des expositions Villepinte, the second-largest convention center in France (conveniently located near Charles de gaulle airport for international guests). today, Maison&objet is known worldwide, with its fairs in Paris, singapore, and Miami ser ving as influential international platforms for all that is new in the design and living arts. as the fair grew in scope and reach, the saFi team that organizes Maison&objet created new sec- tors within the show to stimulate thinking about design, to analyze new trends, and to introduce fairgoers— architects, interior designers, retailers, and other indus- try infuencers—to fresh talent and ideas. these sectors offered new aesthetic perspectives, demonstrating, for example, how such diverse themes as "ethnic chic" (ref- erencing far-fung cultures and contemporary notions of exoticism) and "urban nature" (exploring options for sustainable living) were essential to advancing the design discourse. in 2000, now! design à vivre (now! design for life) was introduced. this important sector looks at up-and-coming designers who are experi- menting with form, transforming materials, mixing interior styles, and working with familiar objects in unfamiliar ways. over the years, visitors to Maison&objet fairs couldn't help but be impressed by the extraordi- nary range of objects on display in the many exhibition halls, the heavy turnout, and the vibrant mood as so many design spheres came together under one roof. if Deyan sudjic, director of London's Design Museum, is correct in stating that we are living in a world drowning in objects, then trade fairs like Maison&objet might m&O m&O 2 0 t h a n n i v er s a ry 28 m a i s o n - o b j e t. c o m

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