Maison Et Objet 2023 is coming ! Refocus, recollect, savor the sensations, and reestablish connections with your inner self, other people, and the environment. The focus in January 2023 will be on protecting one another, our knowledge, and the environment. Maison&Objet Paris will highlight these deeply significant, future-focused values from January 19–23. The concept is anticipated to permeate every aspect of the trade show, including the seminars and the trend zones.
Everyone is being inspired to speak out for their convictions by the significant social, economic, and political upheaval we are all currently witnessing. As customers are more invested than ever in their interactions with companies, it is also motivating businesses to be more open, inclusive, and responsible in their communications with them. The designs on display at Maison&Objet will aim to push the boundaries of what is Beautiful in today’s aesthetics and serve as a launchpad for what is Good.
In a time when we are all actively seeking peace and meaning, taking care of ourselves has truly become a need. Something that is currently regarded as essential will get new life in the January edition of Maison&Objet Paris. A growing number of Maison&Objet Paris exhibitors are eager to stand up for these fundamental principles in order to create a desirable and inclusive future, in addition to the trade show’s own growing commitment to responsibility (recycling 50% of waste, using more and more LEDs, storing and reusing signage, donating unsold food to the Red Cross, sourcing water locally, and turning down the heating).
For instance, the French design firm Noma uses only recycled materials in its creations. Or the Prémontrés Ciergerie, which upholds the conventional knowledge passed down from the Pères blancs monks at the Prémontrés Abbey. Other excellent examples include Laines Paysannes, whose rugs are exclusively made from locally sourced materials, and Care by me, a Danish company that creates soft and warm clothing lines and accessories. These are only a small portion of the stands that fill our spaces with meaning and joy.
The Four Cornerstones Of Care
• Taking care of yourself
Brands and designers are now looking beyond mere aesthetics to create more and more meaningful objects that encourage us to take care of both our physical and mental health, as is the case with Waterrower’s wood and metal sports equipment. According to Vincent Grégoire, “there is a significant trend for solutions dedicated to wellbeing and physical health, which suffered so much during the pandemic. The January trade show will urge attendees to take their time and unwind in areas like the “What’s New?” trend zone, which is suitably named “In the air” as an invitation to openly embrace lightheartedness and relaxation. This trend zone was curated by Elisabeth Leriche. In order to get us on board with “Slow Hospitality,” trend-spotter François Delclaux will take us on a journey that motivates us to let up on the gas.
• Taking care of nature
The trade show has been flooded with emerging socially conscious firms for a number of years, according to the trend hunter, who are actively emulating a “new ethic that is finding a foothold among customers, reflecting the slow living trend.” These include Dopper, which is fiercely committed to fighting the good fight against single-use plastic bottles with its own appealing, clever, and robust vessels, or La Fabrique à Sachets, which encourages us to help nature by sowing our own seeds. Meanwhile, French knife maker Jean Dubosc creates pieces with handles made from scrap plastic that has been gathered and recycled in France.
Since a few years ago, the companies with the best CSR programs have been chosen by an independent panel of experts to be included on the trade show’s “Sustainable” schedule.
• Taking care of and showing an interest in others
Every year, Maison&Objet discovers and highlights hot new talent, and the January edition will highlight seven Spanish “Rising Talents” who were all hand-selected from the nation’s large pool of up-and-coming talent by some of its more well-known design names. All of these individuals have social consciences, and their works reflect the pervasive urge to take care of the environment. The three design professionals who have been invited to participate in the new “Future on Stage” initiative, which enables recently launched brands to display their convictions, all share the same principles.
• Taking care of our heritage and expertise
“The world boasts a wealth of knowledge that we all ignored for a very long time. However, brands nowadays are emphasizing local products and services more and more. The Jura region provides the wood used by Reine Mère. Pots and pans from Cristel are entirely French-made. Then there are designers like Maison Château Rouge’s Youssouf Fofana, who honors this French capital’s neighborhood, or Samuel Accocebery, who works with artisans in the Basque region. They all exhibit a mindset that is supported by a sense of commitment and a desire to firmly establish design in a particular locale by using local knowledge and culture, according to Vincent Grégoire.
