The Seoul Design Foundation (CEO Choi Kyung-ran), which has consistently supported Seoul's outstanding design brands by selecting them since 2009, achieved remarkable results this year. The Seoul Design Foundation announced that it participated in '2019 F/W Maison&Objet', held in Paris, France from September 6 to 10, with a Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) promotional pavilion, recording a total of 618 export consultations worth $915,000 — nearly four times the figure of the previous year.
Regarded as one of the world's top three interior exhibitions, 'Maison&Objet' showcases the year's home décor trends and offers a place to view the design and craft products of a wide range of brands, designers, and craftspeople from around the world all in one location. The 2019 FW Maison&Objet drew participation from 3,137 companies across 69 countries and was visited by some 70,000 buyers.
Now in its 10th year of participating in Maison&Objet, the Seoul Design Foundation discovers Seoul design brands with high growth potential and supports their participation in overseas exhibitions and their marketing, thereby providing opportunities to develop overseas sales channels and boost exports.
The Seoul Design Foundation provides outstanding design brands selected for its overseas exhibition participation support program with benefits across the entire exhibition process, including distribution and marketing training, exhibition booth installation, production of promotional materials, operation, and interpretation. Through this, it aims to present a direction for the survival and growth of the brands so that overseas business is actually concluded, and to establish the international recognition of DDP brand products, thereby creating a virtuous cycle.
For this exhibition, 10 brands selected as outstanding Seoul design products participated and achieved brilliant results, receiving diverse and wide-ranging order consultations and store-entry proposals from global buyers and distributors. The participating brands were Goober, Giggle, Lighttree, Rebelop, Moa Company, Studio Igi, Spectrum, Kavalife, Klampe, and Fromhence.
Buyers who visited the DDP promotional pavilion cited the products' prices, materials, and fresh stories as the strengths of Seoul's outstanding brands. Assia Quétin, a buyer from the European design company PA design, spoke highly of Seoul's design products, saying, "We view the design of Korea and Seoul positively."
Meanwhile, the Seoul Design Foundation provides an opportunity for Seoul's outstanding design products — which have been loved by overseas buyers — to enter the DDP Store so that they can also solidify their brand standing domestically. The DDP Store is a select shop for design and craft products located in the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), which presents design and craft products every month after a review by its store-entry selection committee.
Choi Kyung-ran, CEO of the Seoul Design Foundation, said, "The Seoul Design Foundation will continue to support Seoul's outstanding design brands and designers and strive to help them grow," adding, "Along with this, we expect DDP to establish itself as an Asia-centered design business platform."
Photo: Moa Company, modular wireless charger