Paris Design Week: celebrating the art of living

A feast for the eyes & elixir for the creative mind.

From the 8th September, the streets of Paris buzz from the bi-annual 10-day fringe event; Paris Design Week. At the epicentre of the creative effervescence of its Parisian neighbourhoods, Maison et Objet demands a huge amount of coffee and comfortable footwear. Setting the trends for world design & luxury lifestyle, the event brings together over 3000 exhibitors and 80,000 buyers from all over the world.

Revealing talented designers, architects & creatives that bring together a love for the art of living, M&O is an overwhelming array of exhibitions and installations. The exhaustion comes, not only from the thousands of steps taken, but the creative stimulation as your eyes dart from one stand to another.

In the central streets of Paris, the overflow of design-week further invites you to open houses, cocktail parties, workshops & stunning window displays. A feast for the eyes & elixir for the creative mind.

Going in blind, with it being my first design-week visit, I wasn’t sure where to start or what to expect. Covering home accessories, kitchen, home linen, kids, fragrances, craft, work spaces, furniture, it was the UNIQUE & ECLECTIC sector that had me hooked. Combining a harmonious blend of natural fibres, tones & origins, there seemed to be exhibitor-after-exhibitor showcasing their wares from all over the world. Supporting local craft, there was a noticeable focus on ethical handmade goods that have been heavily pulled onto the commercial scene. Very WLK.

There was clear evidence of a sign of the times; interiors striking a subtle balance between the real world, artisanal craftsmanship, texture, and the other side of the coin, the digital world we now live in, unshackled from the physical world. A hard balance to achieve.

With a lack of UK based exhibitors, in my opinion, it was interesting to see the Netherlands taking centre stage when it comes to travel-inspired decor. With the opportunity to finally meet a few of my existing suppliers based overseas, their inspiring journeys left me feeling motivated and inspired for what is to come for WLK.