PREMIÈRE VISION PARIS September edition ushers in new launches and innovative developments

From 19-21 September, the next edition of the prestigious PREMIÈRE VISION PARIS will raise its curtain again.

PV Paris February 2018
Photo © Lucia Carpio 

This autumn, it is held exceptionally from Wednesday to Friday and will offer a formidable showcase for 1,964 international exhibitors representing 57 countries from all sectors of the fashion and associating industries, including yarns and fibres, fabrics, leathers and furs, textile designs, garment manufacturing, accessories and components.

Known as the global leader in upstream fashion trade shows, Première Vision Paris – which takes place at Parc des Expositions across 5 halls - is launching new initiatives to accompany the changes taking place across the global industry, embracing digitalization, eco-responsibility, creative innovations, while providing inspirations to international professionals looking for trends and developments for the autumn/winter 2019-20 collections.

PV Awards 2017 winners and judges
Photo © Lucia Carpio 

Among the highlights on offer this autumn are :
• A strong development of manufacturing sourcing – The Sourcing Connection, with a Country Focus dedicated to Portuguese know-how – and in particular leather manufacturing – with a new specialised Leather Manufacturing area.
• Spotlight on the reciprocal and growing influence of sport and fashion – with a Sport
& Tech forum and space, and dedicated conference cycle.
• A special highlight of textile creation and designs - Designs Factory at Première Vision Designs.

There will also be an updated Smart Square space to introduce eco-responsible fashion, including materials, finished products and services.

And not to be missed is a spotlight on creativity for today and tomorrow as it celebrates the 10th anniversary of the PV Awards, as well as showing Hyères Festival exhibits and the TexSelect® design competition.

Also trade visitors should watch out for RITMOEMOTIVO, ANYTHING WORKS exhibit, and Hair Custom Bar at Première Vision Accessories.  There will also be workshops dedicated to leather working, and conferences dedicated to sport and Portuguese manufacturing.

In terms of digital expansion, the launch of the Marketplace Première Vision via a physical space, will allow visitors to experiment and test out the platform with the help of a dedicated team.

London's designjunction to transform South Bank for its September 2018 show

The designjunction show will take place 20–23 September 2018 at a new venue at Oxo in the cultural hub of London's South Bank.

Due to take place at Oxo Tower Wharf, Doon Street and the Riverside Walkway, designjunction, now in its eighth year, will play host to hundreds of product launches, boutique pop-up shops, bespoke installations, exhibitions, and a specially curated talks programme that will celebrate equality and diversity with 50 world-class speakers.  There will also be dedicated spaces to relax, meet, work and enjoy delicious food.

The Doon Street site, the largest super-structure ever built by designjunction, will house 200 international design brands and temporary pop up shops. The Riverside Walkway will showcase a series of outdoor installations, whilst Oxo Tower Wharf  and Bargehouse will host major brand activations, talks and exhibitions.

Mud Shell developed by Stephanie Chaltiel, Riverside Walkway

The Riverside Walkway will provide a platform for Mud Shell, an innovative housing project marrying ancient earth architecture techniques with the latest drone spraying technology.  Led by architect Stephanie Chaltiel, the project aims to build a simple but sturdy and durable housing system that can be customised depending on the location. Stephanie has developed a unique digital tool that can be piloted or programmed to "Drone Spray" natural materials over a light prefabricated framework until it forms an inhabitable structure.

On one of the jetties overlooking the Thames, the city of Saint-Etienne will showcase the ‘Gateway to Inclusion’, an installation conceived by Lisa White, Head of Lifestyle and Interiors at WGSN, in collaboration with designer François Dumas.  A structure made of steel and ribbon, two of Saint Etienne’s traditional industries, the project aims to promote inclusion in design.

On the Doon Street Site, designjunction is supporting the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust (SLCT) in partnership with RIBA in a year-long campaign, which aims to raise funds and promote diversity and inclusion in the design and architecture industry.

Co-working space designed by Squire and Partners, Doon Street site 

‘The Architect’s Toolkit’ project will be launched at designjunction as part of a co-working space designed by award-winning, Brixton based architecture practice Squire and Partners, using acoustic panels by We Design Silence.

Images from designjunction.

DECOREX INTERNATIONAL once again descends on Syon Park London in September 2018

Once again kicking off London Design Festival, the 41st edition of Decorex International (16th – 19th September) will see the great and good of high-end interior design descend on Syon Park to present the latest in luxury interiors.

This year, the show’s 400 exhibitors will include some of the industry’s best-known names, from Knot Rugs, Ian Sanderson and Dedar to Little Green, Timorous Beasties and Robert Langford. Decorex will also welcome around 50 first-time exhibitors - Officine Gullo, Sahrai, Meisterwerke, Another Country, Sharon Marston and Benott among them.

The acclaimed Future Heritage exhibition, curated by design critic and curator Corinne Julius, will return this year with new work by names including Tord Boontje and Marcin Rusak, while the entrance will see this year’s show theme – ‘Blank Canvas’ – explored through installations by leading British interior designers Henry Prideaux, Simone Suss, Maddux Collective and Brian Woulfe. 

Many will use the occasion of the international audience to launch their new ranges and collections.

For one, Meystyle will unveil its latest collection, Conductivity, of LED wallpaper that combines dazzling natural textures, bold patterns with an unprecedented use of light patterns.  By integrating LED lights and crystals, Meystyle will create deep visual experiences that transforms walls and wallpaper into works of art.  Different wavelengths and levels of light intensity combine to form dynamic compositions, from cascading lines merging into sumptuous light waterfalls, to concentric circles.  A selection of natural meterials, from refined linens and cotton canvases to elegant silk were used. The designs are enriched further by a variety of metal accents, hand-painted details and gilded applications.

Designers Martin Huxford and Louis Jobst will show new geometric lighting at Decorex 2018. 
Huxford’s The Cairo Arch Pendant Light is inspired by the radical geometry of Constructivist art. The design uses the classic forms of circle, triangle and semi-circle, suspending and piercing the shapes, to create a graphic gold and black contemporary light.  Louis Jobst will show the latest editions in his The Monument Collection, designed using simplified geometric forms inspired by architectural component such as arches, columns and monoliths, with references drawn from early 20th century design.

Meanwhile, Decorex is launching a new area called CraftWork for stands showcasing craft design businesses in their infancy, featuring nine companies and makers from varying disciplines offering products of exceptional craftsmanship, the participating businesses have each been operating for fewer than five year and are all showing at Decorex for the first time.

Also an extensive seminar programme will see industry experts including high-profile interior designers, craftspeople and makers, leading journalists, brand founders, marketteers and senior consultants.

Decorex International will welcome a national and international visiting demographic of more that 14,000, including interior designers, retailers, specifiers and architects, to view its platform of some of the industry's very best and up-and-coming designs.

+Photos show exhibits from previous Decorex International events in London.  Photo © Lucia Carpio.

Newark Museum Exhibition Highlights Impact of Japanese Aesthetics on Global Fashions

Japan has long been a major draw for tourism and undoubtedly its iconic ancient architecture and traditions have made it a favourite tourist destination in Asia.

Now this beautiful ancient country of the Far East is the focus of a new exhibition due to be launched  at the Newark Museum, USA which will showcase the impact of Japanese garments, textiles, design and aesthetics on global fashion created by internationally recognized designers such as John Galliano, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Iris van Herpen and Issey Miyake.

Ensemble by celebrated Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto / Spring/Summer 1995 /
Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute / Photo by Takashi Hatakeyama

Opening October 13, 2018, Kimono Refashioned: 1870s-Now! will feature more than 40 garments by some 30 Japanese, European and American designers.  Co-organized by the Kyoto Costume Institute and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Newark Museum is the exclusive East Coast venue for this exhibition, where it will remain on view until January 6, 2019.

Wasteful World: Study reveals our collective delusion on hoarding possessions.

Findings from a recent study reveal one of humans’ most common demons that many of us who have recently moved homes can relate to – and that is we tend to collect too much stuffs than we need, thus resulting in a lot of wastage.

Are we collecting more than we need?
To conduct a recent survey, relocation company Movinga polled 18,000 heads of households in 20 countries with the following questions: What percentage of your wardrobe hasn't been worn in the last 12 months?; What percentage of your grocery shopping ends up as waste?; Since your most recent move, what percentage of your transferred belongings are still not in use? The company then collated the responses with data from the World Bank and other scholarly studies on the topic.

The Berlin-based relocation company Movinga have just concluded a study that reveals the world’s most deluded countries in a bid to highlight our collective issues with waste and hoarding.

Says Glenn Miotke a spokesperson at Movinga:
“With the oceans becoming ever more polluted with plastic, and the fast fashion industry bigger than ever, it’s time to start encouraging individuals to really consider whether they really need more.”  

In this study which studied the collective delusion we face as a society when it comes to hoarding and waste had revealed that the UK, Switzerland, Canada suffer the biggest lapse in judgement on their consumption levels.

UK comes in place 17 with an average delusion of 23.33%, an average delusion of 39% for clothes that people think they wore during a year, an average delusion of 10% for food waste, and 21% for relocation.

The USA wastes the most food, according to the study, but Belgium is the most deluded about their grocery shopping waste and Russians are the most realistic when it comes to their habits.
Overall, Russia was the country with the lowest level of delusion with 3.33% and Switzerland had the highest with 26.33%.

For this unique study, Movinga had conducted a poll among 18,000 heads of households in 20 countries and compared individual’s perception on how much they own versus how much they actually use to reveal the level of cognitive dissonance we live in.

The results revealed that individuals are unable to perceive their own part in the global issues we face in terms of over consumption and waste generation, and Movinga hopes this study can raise consciousness and spark a discussion on how we do our part to help.

“At Movinga, we are personally invested in ways to make the moving process more effective and less stressful for our customers, however we are becoming increasingly aware of our responsibility towards the world we live in.” Says Glenn Miotke a spokesperson at Movinga. “With the oceans becoming ever more polluted with plastic, and the fast fashion industry bigger than ever, it’s time to start encouraging individuals to really consider whether they really need more.”

The full study allows the responses to be filtered based on these categories for a more in-depth exploration of the findings.

You can find the original tables on Movinga’s website. 

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, says survey

Photo from Gemporia.

It’s official! “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” and British women’s favourite choice of gem to wear, but Tanzanite comes a close second according to research published by  UK online jewellers Gemporia.

One of the murals of film legend Elizabeth Taylor featured by Christie's for a major auction in 2011.

When asked which well-known person across the world they most associated with sophisticated jewellery, most popular (a fifth of respondents alone) voted for the late Elizabeth Taylor (NB – respondents were not given a multiple choice of names – an open response was required).

The Duchess of Cambridge polled second and the Queen came a close third. Other women also highlighted as icons of jewellery sophistication were Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Jackie 0, Princess Diana and Victoria Beckham.

To read article in full, click HERE.

Jewellery for dramatic effects from BaroQco at Paris Fashion Week

Forget minimalism and austerity if you want to take the cue from jewellery designers Imelda and Eduardo whose label BaroQco is best associated with the notion that to be unique you have to be different.

Presenting their Haute Couture jewellery creations this month at Paris Fashion Week for Fall/Winter 2018-19, the designers celebrate their Dutch, Chinese Indonesian and Portuguese roots and embrace diversity as the foundation to their inspiration and creation.

The name of their label, BaroQco comes hails from the Baroque era when European cultural movement takes the turn from simplicity to lively and exuberant detailing.

According to the designers, BaroQco has a unique grandeur with an ability to surprise while achieving a sense of awe. Imelda and Eduardo started to create jewellery as they were looking for a tiara or crown for their wedding day and the search led them to creating their own and from there they expanded the range to include necklaces, cuffs and bracelets, and earrings.

Master painters like Vincent van Gogh and Pierre-Auguste Renoir inspire the designing couple.

« AS WE EMBRACE THE IMPRESSIONISM, WE STRIVE NOT ONLY FOR THE OUTER BUT ESPECIALLY FOR THE INNER-BEAUTY. IN OUR CREATIONS WE WANT TO PUSH BOUNDARIES OF ARTISTIC TECHNIQUES. AND THEREFORE THE BAROQCO IS A BOOK WITHOUT AN END. »

The stones used include opal and Swarovski crystals, and all the metalwork and gold are nickel free, the usage of non toxic plating to makes the jewellery more ecofriendly.