August and September at LOVEThESIGN are months for making some big decisions. Refreshed and relaxed, back from my holidays, I roll up my sleeves and get ready to tackle the busiest period of the year: Christmas is (almost) upon us and it’s time for lists.
So, while we hunt down the coolest brands and unique products, it’s up to me to fly around Europe not missing a fair, snapping up the one and only dish you’d like to find at your table, a decoration for your tree and the coolest gift for your cosmopolitan friend.
August 23rd to 26th, Stockholm / formex.se
Let’s proceed in an orderly fashion: I can already see myself coming back from Sicily, slipping on a jumper, even a lightweight woollen one if you like, because I’m flying to Stockholm, where it gets chilly in the evenings – and you know I can’t stand the cold.
Formex, my darling Formex, three small – even better, small-to-medium sized pavilions with trendy Scandinavian accessories of all sorts, reindeer-shaped decorations and coloured lights. I can already see myself snowed-in in a lodge overlooking the fjords…but it’s not like that, concentrate Fede! 900 exhibitors on trend, I would’ve said fewer, among independent designers and renowned brands from all around Scandinavia: heart-warming and a feast for the eyes.
August 30th to September 2nd, Oslo / oslodesignfair.no
What shall I do, shall I fly directly to Oslo? No, I’ll stop over in Milan as I usually do, but just to swap my hand-luggage, put my jumper back on and fly to the Oslo Design Fair, the largest rendez-vous of Norwegian designers.
A tiny fair, and perhaps less well-known than the big events we’re used to, but nowhere better to check out Scandinavian design off the beaten track, and while we’re here, take a selfie in front of The Scream by Edvard Munch!
September 3rd and 4th, Expo Haarlemmermeer, Amsterdam / showup.nl
Here we go again, stop-over in Milan, an often repeated theme in my life. Swapping suitcases (I promise that from now on I’ll have all my bags packed and ready in the back of my car, note to self) it’s time to leave again. Amsterdam, here I come! trip on the canals, a couple of tulip bulbs, a show in the red light district…ah no, the fair!
ShowUp, now in its fourth year, started just with 20 brands; now it’s the main fair for Holland and neighbouring countries, with 350 noteworthy exhibitors, among the top names in the business, and many many visitors, the perfect place to inspire our search for Christmas gifts.
September 8th to 12th, Paris / maison-objet.com
Stop-over in Milan, have I said it before? And it’s off again, this time for my favourite destination, Paris, the city of love, the Ville Lumière, where you could magically meet anyone. Let’s hope the magical encounter will be with some prospective new supplier during this new edition of Maison&Oblet; with 3200 exhibitors I would say that I stand a very good chance, as long as my legs don’t fail me while I cover the whole breadth of these 130.000 square meters crowded with stands.
As always, I’ll start with pavilion n. 7 Now! Design a Vivre! Who knows what next season’s trends will be like! I can’t wait to find out!
September 10th to 12th, Olympia London / topdrawer.co.uk
Hey presto, the days fly by and it’s already time to tackle the last event this September: London calling! We’ve never taken part in Top Drawer, an event which, in spite of what you might think, exists since 1984, but it really only came of age in 2016, a turning-point for the quality on offer and the new product categories: Home, Gift, Fashion and Craft. In its fourth edition (biennial, note to self) it already figures among the top European fairs.
Back to
Log in with google