MAISON&OBJET Americas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/676176
22 m a i s o n - o b j e t. c o m Y e a r i n r ev i ew m&O m&O M a i son&obj e t h a s t r i u M p h e d i n it s quest to master the crossroads of the Americas. The show had a successf u l lau nch la st yea r i n M ia m i Beach, continuing Miami's evolution into the vibrant capital of high-end décor and interior design for the Western Hemisphere. Once again, the key players in international design will gather at the epicenter of two continents, the Miami Beach Convention Center. T he choice t o ex pa nd t he M &O label t o t he A mer ica s ma kes globa l sense. M ia m i benef it s from a st rateg ic locat ion, a n open economy, a nd a dynamic, all-inclusive reach across the fields of archi- tecture, art, fashion, and design. The gateway of two continents and culturally embracing t wo ling uistic temperaments, the city attracts over 14 million visi- tors per year. It has become a platform for business and art—for example, as the first American outpost of Art Basel, beginning in 2002. The city has proven to be a strong and energetic influencer in the global creative economy. T h e b i a n n u a l P a r i s i a n t r a d e s h o w M A I sOn&OBj e T h a s a lw ay s m a rked a pivot a l moment when international design brings together manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. The show takes place at the second-largest convention center i n Fra nce, t he Pa rc des e x posit ions de Vi l lepi nte. Visit or s a re spel lbou nd by t he swa r m s of people streaming in and out of the numerous halls and alley- ways, where a pa ssionate a nd awe -inspir ing spir it drives the different areas of the show. In january of this year, the fair was reorga- nized into three main areas. Maison highlights a wide ra nge of inter ior decorat ion; Objet is t he inclusive, allover concept store; and finally, Luxury, Design & Interior Decoration showcases t rends and new ideas. This unique itinerary has been created to facilitate new discoveries within the show. new digital solutions have also been devised to per mit exhibitors to int roduce t heir collect ions to buyers, architects, interior designers, and product designers before the show opens. These online tools will give design and lifestyle professionals the oppor- tunity to continuously share, keeping the worldwide community abuzz all year round. As the fair has g rown in scope and reach, t he t ea m s at sA F I (a subsid ia r y of At el ier s d'A r t de France and Reed expositions France) have con- sidered how to st rateg ica lly reposit ion M&O in a n i nter nat iona l context , beg i n n i ng i n 2 014 w it h t he first edition of its overseas expansion in singapore. M&O AsIA focuses primarily on property develop- ment and the hospitality industry in the Asia-Pacific region. M&O AMeR ICAs attempts to bring high- end déc or f r om bot h nor t h a nd s out h A mer ic a under one roof. By visiting the trade show in any hemisphere, one can see evolutions in society that run parallel to the show itself. MAIsOn&OBjeT seeks and strives to harness this energy. Last year it was Miami Beach's tur n to shine, a cit y a lready evolv ing into a power - house desig n capit a l. Wit h t his yea rly rendezvous, MAIsOn&OBjeT has raised the bar for American trade shows. new standards have been set. The inaugural Miami fair welcomed over 11,0 0 0 v isitors, a nd t he f ina l numbers showed t hat 39 percent were inter ior desig ners, a rchitect s, a nd decorators, while 33 percent were high-end retailers and distributors. Last year the show was held in one hall of the Miami Beach Convention Center, but in 2016 it will use two halls. In 2018, after renovations to the Convention Center are completed, the fair will expand to include all four halls. MAIsOn&OBjeT relentlessly pursues the challenging goal of "putting on a show" through award prog ra ms, such as R ising Ta lent s, which ident if ies up-and-coming creators; the international Lifestyle summit , which gat hers key players in t he lifest yle industry; and, of course, the Designer of the Year. W hen nisi Ber r y ma n, t he ow ner of niba H o m e i n M i a m i 's D e s i g n D i s t r i c t , h e a r d t h a t MAIsOn&OBjeT was coming to the city, she knew she w a nt ed t o be a pa r t of it . she t old T he Miami Herald, "It's always been my favorite show, by far the best curated, the most beautiful displays, the most inspiring. I've been to Paris several times, and I was so excited it was coming here. I couldn't believe it, actually. Once you think about it, it makes sense." L a st yea r i n t he Desig n Dist r ict , v isitors experienced a series of MAIsOn&OBjeT-inspired h a ppen i n g s , i nc lud i n g t he honor i n g of t he f i r s t