PARIS—Maison&Objet is opting for a digital fair instead of an in-person version this fall.
The event, scheduled for Sept. 4 to 18, will be via its existing online platform—MOM (Maison&Objet and more)—that was launched in 2016, as well as its website and social media platforms.
“Although there are encouraging signs of the pandemic beginning to decrease, we believe there are still far too many uncertainties regarding the travel conditions for international exhibitors and visitors,” said Philippe Brocart, managing director. “Furthermore, the lack of clarity regarding the ability to hold large gatherings in early September in France has played a major part in influencing our decision to call off the September edition of Maison&Objet, despite the fact that 80 percent of stands had already been reserved by April 2020.”
The digital version of Maison&Objet will feature two complementary strands—digital showrooms on the MOM platform that will showcase products, and digital talks on the Maison&Objet website and social media for content and inspiration. The talks will include some of the industry’s top creatives, trend hunters, architects, designers, stylists, retailers and makers who will participate in online conversations, presentations and interviews, either in podcasts or live streaming. The focus will be on how home, during the lockdown, has become a refuge, leading the industry participants to question the role of surroundings and living spaces.
The next edition of Maison&Objet will be Jan. 22 to 26, and the WORK! and PROJECTS sectors of the September show will be moved to January.
“The global lockdown we have experienced is set to accelerate the transformation of workspaces,” said Brocart. “The WORK! Show sector will directly reflect those changes, enriched with designs that were elaborated during the crisis period and becoming a veritable hub for reinventing the modern-day workspace.”
Paris Design Week, which runs from Sept. 3 to 12, will take place at various showrooms and pop-up installations throughout the city. This year, Paris Design Week is part of France Design Week—a new national initiative from the French Agency for the Promotion of Industrial Creation.
I'm Joanne Friedrick, research editor for the Home Furnishings Division. I began my career as a newspaper editor and then became a trade journalist, covering myriad industries including pension funds, supermarkets, gourmet food and security systems, just to name a few. Most recently, I entered the home furnishings category as a contributor for HFN and Home Textiles Today before transitioning into research where I now get to tell the stories behind the numbers for all of the HFD titles.
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