'2023 Maison&Objet January' Exhibition Proposes 'Take Care!' as Its Theme

"Let's focus on taking care of one another, preserving expertise, and caring for the planet."

The decoration, design and lifestyle fair '2023 Maison&Objet January' was held from January 19 to 23 at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center.

The goal of Maison&Objet is to discover talent, foster networking, and provide inspiration to support corporate growth through both its online platform and offline exhibitions. Holding two trade fairs a year as well as Paris Design Week each September—which brings together the creative energy of designers and brands in Paris—Maison&Objet is an essential platform for all interior design industry professionals.

This edition of the Maison&Objet deco, design and lifestyle fair took place in a warm and convivial atmosphere, as more than 2,300 exhibiting brands welcomed nearly 67,000 visitors who were more enthusiastic than ever heading into the coming season. Notably, 45% of the attendees were international visitors, once again proving that the fair is a must-attend event for brands, buyers and professionals in the home décor, design and lifestyle industries. Visitor numbers from some countries, including Italy, the Middle East and Portugal, surpassed pre-pandemic levels, and the visit of 1,400 Americans confirmed the appeal of Maison&Objet in the U.S. market.

The more than 2,300 brands presented across seven halls expressed satisfaction with the bustling crowds of visitors, and the sophisticated set designs and innovative collections staged by emerging brands as well as leading names in the interior industry made the Maison&Objet fair shine even brighter. Alongside iconic brands such as Editions Serge Mouille, outstanding Italian brands including Gervasoni, Meridiani and Martinelli Luce, as well as brands such as Pulpo (Germany), Baobab (Belgium), Lladró (Spain) and Alessi (Italy), made their return. Notable newcomers such as Maison Matisse (France), Mogg (Italy) and Stamuli (Sweden) also appeared. These brands embody the industry's elegant and innovative spirit of decoration on an international scale. In addition, the 'OBJET' section saw the return of Japanese and Korean brands that are always refined and bring a breath of fresh air to the European market.

▲The Maison&Objet team focused on maximizing the visitor experience, designing it so that a visit to the fair could be more than a simple shopping experience. Raphael Navot, named Designer of the Year, created a special space called the 'Apothem Lounge'—inspiring, calming and meditative—designed around the theme 'Take Care!'. Visitors were able to relax and recharge in an environment where every detail, from music to color and texture, had been carefully considered. Deeper inside the fair, from pretty lounge chairs for relaxing to delicious waffles for the gourmets, an unusual ping-pong table, and a scenic restaurant, opportunities to recharge one's batteries—both literally and figuratively—were offered, bringing joy to everyone.

▲This edition of the fair spotlighted not only seven emerging Spanish designers selected for the 'Rising Talent Awards' but also British designers through the colorful 'British Capsule' space. Laura Bethan Wood and Lee Broom stood shoulder to shoulder in Hall 7 with four 'So French' designers—Elise Fouin, Grégory Lacoua, Victoria Wilmotte and Cédric Breisacher—who are renowned for their collaborations with other brands and came to promote their own collections. ▲In addition, this edition of Maison&Objet featured a new collaborative work by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and an eco-design collection presented by Philippe Starck together with the Spanish company 'Andreu World'.

▲The theme of the January fair was expressed in various ways, spotlighting sustainable design. The Confederation of Danish Industry, together with design and circular-economy expert Laurence Carr and in the presence of Princess Marie of Denmark, presented 11 exemplary interior cases through its 'Circularity in Action' showcase. The three winners of 'Future On Stage' presented products embodying a commitment to the industry's future. Furthermore, 'Spotlight'—a newly created space where buyers seeking new suppliers can discover emerging accessory and object designers—introduced 500 new exhibitors.

▲This industry-professional city tour, 'Maison&Objet In the City,' brought together as many as 100 decorators, interior designers, galleries, major companies and outstanding artisans. Through the complete experience offered by this city tour, visitors were able to feel the creativity and know-how of the fair throughout the city of Paris.

▲Maison&Objet is launching additional digital services for its international community, supporting year-round trade and development for buyers and brands. "It was in 2016 that we drove the digitalization of the Maison&Objet fair, and 2023 is the moment when the digitalization of transactions is needed," explains Digital Director Sinziana Marian.

Starting this spring, Maison&Objet will launch a marketplace (order intake) through its 'MOM (Maison&Objet and More)' platform, enabling businesses to discover new accounts and generate business across Europe throughout the year. In addition, European brands can create a B2B e-shop on their own websites to expand and facilitate sales with their existing customers. Furthermore, starting from the next Maison&Objet fair, participants will be able to enter and process orders placed at the fair online.

Meanwhile, the next Maison&Objet fair will be held from September 7 to 11, 2023. Inspired by designers' desire to enliven daily life amid an ever-spreading hedonism and a turbulent external environment, the coming season will focus on the bold and sometimes surprising elements influencing the market. The next fair will establish a dedicated Well-being & Beauty sector to help attendees understand this promising new product category and to broaden the range of offerings. 070-4337-9465

▲ A new collaborative work by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac

▲ Under the theme 'Take Care!'—meaning to focus on caring for one another, preserving expertise, and caring for the planet—the January fair will challenge contemporary standards of beauty regarding what is 'beautiful' and provide a starting point for what is 'right'. Raphael Navot, named Designer of the Year, created a special space called the 'Apothem Lounge'—inspiring, calming and meditative—designed around the theme 'Take Care!'. Visitors were able to relax and recharge in an environment where every detail, from music to color and texture, had been carefully considered. It spotlighted △caring for oneself △caring for nature △caring for and taking an interest in others △caring for our roots and expertise.

▲ 'What's New?' GROUNDED by François Bernard

▲ 'What's New?' IN THE AIR by Elizabeth Leriche

▲ 'What's New?' SLOW HOSPITALITY by François Delclaux

▲ Rising Talent Awards, Spain, ALVARO ARAMBURU Wood is a material that stimulates and captivates his creativity. He works with familiar, everyday objects but views these objects from various angles and perspectives. Functionality is not important. He intends for the viewer to distance themselves from everyday objects and to contemplate them beyond their everyday use. The color, texture and light of his works are distinctive and characterized by their unique, individual finishes.

▲ Rising Talent Awards, Spain, MARTA ARMENGOL Her work focuses on the conceptual dimension and possesses a radical craftsmanship and a poetic quality. She experiments with materials to achieve unusual forms and textures. She takes a creative interest in light and everyday objects.

▲ Rising Talent Awards, Spain, TORNASOL STUDIO The exploration of new ways to represent reality and of multifunctionality are the main features of their work. Their work focuses on architecture, interior spaces, and objects and furniture placed in various settings. Materials are always sourced from the immediate surroundings, and tradition and play are essential elements.

▲ Future On Stage

▲ 'So French' Cédric Breisacher

▲ 'So French' Elise Fouin

▲ 'So French' Grégory Lacoua

▲ 'So French' Victoria Wilmotte

▲ 'Maison&Objet In the City' Gilles&Boissier

▲ British designers were also spotlighted through the 'British Capsule' space. Lee Broom

▲ The Confederation of Danish Industry, together with design and circular-economy expert Laurence Carr and in the presence of Princess Marie of Denmark, presented 11 exemplary interior cases through its 'Circularity in Action' showcase.

▲ An exhibition space in solidarity with Ukrainian designers