From September 7 to 11 Maison&Objet (the exhibition dedicated to the art de vivre and interior design professionals) will be back at the Parc des Expositions in Villepinte, Paris. This year’s theme is Virtuous, as Nellyrodi‘s Vincent Gregoire explains to us: “The disruptions that are affecting our daily-life environments have grown so deep that we are now facing the urgent necessity to change things on all levels. We need new rules, a more virtuous ethic, innovative solutions for alternative growth and consumer practices”. The theme will be explored in the Inspirations Space and Bookshop-Café and is based on four values, as Vincent Gregoire says: “Responsible production: focusing on ‘makers’, artisanship and fair trade, with the emergence of upcycling and repairing. Environmental consciousness: a theme that advocates for sustainable development, alternative materials, and the ocean’s potential. Local sourcing that stems from the need for traceability and the growing popularity of products manufactured domestically. Lastly, respect for our kin addresses the social dimension of the production process and the question of fairness that inevitably comes with it”. And for the installation, he explains: “I had a vision of a human-scale village square. A sort of paragon of a social environment, the perfect place to meet people, make discoveries, exchange ideas, etc. … a dozen houses, each illustrating a different notion through a variety of expressions. It is a non-linear exhibition, with multiple accesses, and no pre-determined path”.
More than three thousand exhibitors from 65 countries are expected to attend this edition, with 600 new exhibitors, on an area of 115 thousand square meters. Many are the novelties, starting from the new set up of the fair around the main two pivots, the home and the object, allocated by trends and furnishing styles. The Maison space will be divided into four spatiotemporal universes: Unique&Eclectic dedicated to the most unique brands, Today for contemporary names, Forever dedicated to evergreen design and Craft for craftsmanship. The Objet area, on the other hand, includes seven “families”: Cook&Share, Smart Gift, Fashion Accessories, Kids&Family, Home Accessories, Home Fragrance and Home Linen. But it’s not all: after the success of past editions, the Rising Talent Awards also returns, a showcase for new talents, an event that in 2018 will see young Lebanese designers as protagonists. The six selected are Carlo Massoud, Marc Dibeh, Carla Baz, Anastasia Nysten, Studio Caramel and Paola Sakr.
Finally, in each edition, Maison&Objet selects the Designer of the Year: this year it is Ramy Fischler, of Belgian origins, graduated from Ensci, the Parisian design school, who has also worked alongside Patrick Jouin. Among Ramy Fischler’s recent works, the Refettorio Paris stands out, a community kitchen dedicated to the homeless and refugees, conceived by the renowned Italian chef Massimo Bottura in Paris, in the spectacular crypt of the church of La Madeleine, a poetic space created with recycled materials.
For more information visit: www.maison-objet.com
