In a sluggish and complicated economic climate, the shows planned for after the summer will be an opportunity to demonstrate, if this were necessary, that such events are still as topical as ever. A young generation of designers will present their range of products, made using the latest production methods and sold over the Internet.

Although design has always had the aim of being for everyone with the contribution it has made to conceptual, technological and cultural progress, one would be forgiven for wondering why such developments have been so slow in home design.
There are a number of contributing factors that consign design to small distribution channels - a certain resistance due to the weight of our cultural legacy, the slow rhythm of replacement purchases, an unwillingness to take any risks – and, as well as keeping products out of sight of the general public, these retail channels ensure that the products are also over-priced.

There is no doubting that the French have discovered a new passion for home decoration – it can be seen in the number of articles and television programmes devoted to the subject. It is therefore somewhat surprising to find that retail does not seem to be reacting, even though it has the power to order products and to manage its stocks.

One memorable example of risk-taking was the Prisunic catalogue (launched only a few days before May ’68). If one looks at this experiment in retrospect, its success was down to the combination of the strong creative idea behind a timely collection and a new means of distribution, by mail-order. There was an incredible alchemy between the two. This adventure ended in 1975, partly due to the logistical problems it had encountered at the time. Forty years on, one would expect these to have been solved. Looking even further back, it would be hard to dispute the fact that Prisunic, originally a retail trading group established in 1931, was able to develop a strong and original style by creating its own design agency in 1957, which acted as a real laboratory and a shot in the arm for the company.

It is therefore most surprising that major retailers, however powerful they may be, do not dare to distribute work by young designers. It would give them a breath of fresh air and a second wind, because the new products naturally reflect the spirit of the times and progress in materials and technology. This phenomenon is just as frustrating for consumers keen to discover new objects as it is for retail, since they are missing out on an opportunity to develop their sales through innovation and renewal. We have seen how successfully these two levers that have been used by a number of sectors, notably in garments and high-tech products.

But it takes a little audacity…

Gérard Laizé
Managing director of the VIA

The VIA’s role is not only to give an account of an event, but also to analyse the factors that differentiate this major event for Italian companies from the situation French firms find themselves in now and perhaps in the future.

This impressive show, both in terms of its overall size and that of each of the brands’ stand, once again demonstrates the Italians’ interest in this room that is of primary importance for the “famiglia italiana”.

SIDIM – Montreal
www.sidim.com
22nd – 24th May 2008

Nostalgia for Europe’s cultural legacy is not about to die out just yet, as illustrated by the reflex people have either to arrange their interiors in comfortable bourgeois style and in a way that underlines their status, or to invest in a few antiques. In the latter case, there is a particular interest in unearthing second-hand products from the first generation of industrial design or vintage items.

FFF in Dongguan
16th – 20th March 2008
www.3f.net.cn

CIFF in Guangzhou (Canton)
18th – 21st March 2008
www.ciff-gz.com

IFFS in Singapore
9th – 12th May 2008
www.iffs.com.sg

SIFE in Shenzhen
19th – 22th March 2008
www.chinafurnitureexpo.com

There are at least three good reasons why any furniture professional should make this ten-day round trip:

Furniture by well-known designers is still elitist in France, both in terms of how it is sold and of its prices. The public, however, is keen to invest in decorating their houses and is enthusiastic about products at reasonable prices that add a little something to their home. The market for accessibly priced designer goods is still in its infancy. Designers, now more than ever, have a mission to give a boost to this market and to expand it, keeping in mind that they need to be aware of realistic and practical formats, and respect psychological price thresholds. They also, crucially, need to enter into partnership with retailers and manufacturers.

Products and services that either benefit the user or give him pleasure have every chance of becoming tomorrow’s success stories, and this process fascinates people. It is up to designers and entrepreneurs to introduce them to new consumers and to anticipate their needs.

Lamellux offers a range of decorative glued-laminated wood that combine, resin, wood, solid wood and veneer. The Quertec and Decorlam ranges are made with moulded, cut-out, assembled and curved edges. The inclusion of listels and strips in a different type of wood and according to a specific pattern produces a graphic and decorative effect.
Technical characteristics:

• Polyurethane or D3 or D4 vinyl gluing for damp locations,
• Same fire classification as solid wood: M3 for thicknesses greater than 18 mm,
• Finish in natural PU, oil, wax…
• A wide range of different types of wood available: oak, ash, beech, acacia-sycamore, mahogany, iroko, teak, yellow birch, bubinga, wenge…

MAX Compactforming is a bent laminated HPL. This composite is made of a duroplast structure (layers of kraft paper impregnated with thermosetting resin), a decorative sheet and a melamine surface-protecting film, all compressed at high pressure. It is extremely dense and resistant to wear and tear. The standard curve radii are 15 mm and 30 mm. Other radii are possible but require a special mould to be developed. These laminates can be used in furniture and work surface design…
Fundermax has a large range of laminates with more than 100 plain colours, more whimsical decorative effects, 60 wood effects, metallic effects and even metal coatings.
The colours are guaranteed to last for 10 years.
Two finishes are available: fine-hammered and porous.
Different finishes have different resistance to scratching.
http://www.fundermax.com

Homapal® magnetic boards can be used in any situation. They can be written on in chalk or erasable marker, with an overhead projector, or without any decoration for a customised finish (wallpaper, paint, fabric). Homapal®’s magnetic boards’ reputation is based on their strong magnetism. This is produced by building into them a metal sheet 2/10 mm thick.
Can be bent and low maintenance.
Thickness: 10/10 mm
Dimensions: 244 x 122 cm
Finishes: “Matt”, “Satin”, “Gloss” or “Undecorated”, depending on the model
Uses: Publicity, teaching, workplaces
http://www.hubler.fr

The company EUTIT offers a range of a moulded paving-stones made from melted basalt for outdoor or indoor floors. They offer a real alternative to stone or tar. The basalt is extracted from volcanic mountain ranges, then melted at a very high temperature (1,300° C), poured into moulds and then left to cool slowly. This process produces a vitrified ore.
This material can be used for ground coverings in public places, pavements, in the chemical industry… mainly in places subjected to frequent heat and chemical shocks. It is resistant to crushing, friction and abrasion, to chemical agents, to gel, to chewing gum and to graffiti.
These paving-stones are made from 100% basalt (silica, nepheline, quartz, olivine…). They area available in square, rectangular, hexagonal or asymmetrical form. The finish can be matt or gloss, smooth, speckled, striped, with holes in, or with pellets and fluting to give them an anti-slip surface.
http://www.eutit-france.com